Watchdog Says School Must Do Far Better
Posted on: Saturday, 5 July 2008, 00:00 CDT
By Olivier Vergnault
A school has been ordered to improve "dramatically" after being criticised by inspectors from the education watchdog, Ofsted.
Sidmouth College in Devon has been told to improve its leadership and management.
Ofsted inspectors said the school needed to implement "significant" changes and described its effectiveness as "inadequate".
Many parents also told inspectors they were dissatisfied with the school.
Adrian Lyons, one of the Ofsted inspectors who visited the 856- pupil school in May, said the teachers were providing an acceptable standard of education and the children's personal development was good, but school bosses had not moved it on in recent years.
He said: "The key issues from the previous inspection, in January and February, 2005, relating to effective monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning and achievement, still remain.
"While recognising the improvements in the monitoring of students' academic performance and the effectiveness of subject departments which have taken place this year, these are not embedded well enough to help drive up achievement quickly enough.
"Following several years of underachievement, students' progress is now satisfactory because there is good teaching in some parts of the college and the behaviour and attitudes of most students are very good.
"Academic monitoring is now being implemented and there has been an increased emphasis on the quality and submission of coursework."
One parent told inspectors their daughter had "stood still" in her education, even though she was a high achiever.
Another said there was "very little pride encouraged in students' work" and a lack of expectation from teachers.
Headteacher David Birch is retiring this summer but Ofsted inspectors said the long transition time between the announcement of his departure and the time when new head Jeremy Roberts, currently in charge of Uffculme School, will start had been used as an "excuse" to delay work urgently required.
Mr Birch said: "Obviously, I am very disappointed about the judgment of the Ofsted inspectors on leadership and management.
"However, I am pleased they recognised that the human side of college life - the relationships between students and staff, the personal development and well-being of the students and our overall care - is good."
Chairman of governors Sylvia Martin said: "This is a good school with happy students who behave well and whose personal development is good.
"The fact the report found some of our systems for assessment and monitoring need strengthening does not make it a bad school."
(c) 2008 Western Morning News, The Plymouth (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: Western Morning News, The Plymouth (UK)
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