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Primary school ‘fails children on every front’, find inspectors
Oxclose Village Primary School, Washington
PARENTS have been left stunned after a school was placed in special measures.
Education specialists are being drafted in to tackle problems at Oxclose Village Primary School after the damning inspection by Ofsted.
A report said the school was inadequate in every area, including pupil achievement, teaching and child safety – and that urgent action was needed.
During the visit, inspectors said the site had not been properly cleared of snow and ice to ensure safe access, and a faulty roller door in the school hall had not been repaired despite being reported as a hazard two months earlier.
A team of specialists, including a headteacher who is a Local Leader of Education (LLE), have immediately been put in place and a meeting with parents was held at the school this morning.
Angry mum Danielle Newton, who has three children at the Brancepeth Road school – Selina, six, and eight-year-old twins Owen and Connor – was furious when she read the report.
“It is absolutely disgusting,” the 27-year-old told the Echo.
“This was the first the parents have heard about how bad it is.
“We have been sending our children to school hoping for a good education and they haven’t been taught properly.
“It’s not fair on them.”
The report said: “Too many pupils do not make enough progress, especially in mathematics.
“Standards in mathematics are low and show no sign of improvement.
“Too many teachers do not have a good enough grasp of what pupils need to learn next.
“Attendance is below average and shows no sign of improvement.
“School leaders have failed to improve teaching and pupils’ achievement since the previous inspection.”
The only strength the inspectors noted was the majority of pupils behave well, form good relationships and support each other.
Inspectors said to improve, the school must:
•Eradicate all inadequate teaching
•Quickly raise pupils’ achievement and attainment in mathematics
•Ensure the safety and well-being of pupils and staff at all times
•Improve pupils’ behaviour in lessons
•Raise attendance
•Urgently improve leadership and management at all levels
•Improve provision and children’s progress in the reception class.
Councillor Pat Smith, Sunderland Council cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “The council is working very closely with the school’s leadership team and governing body to address the issues.
“An action plan has been put in place and we are confident that, with the range and level of support that the school will receive, progress will be made quickly.”
Sue Brown, chairman of governors at the school, said: “We will use the findings of the report to inform and target our efforts to move the school forward.
“We will be keeping parents in touch with all of our actions and will report progress.”
Twitter: @sunechoschools
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Weather for Sunderland
Monday 20 May 2013
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