Readers have their say on Sunderland school's Ofsted failure

Yesterday, John Hallworth and his staff at Thornhill School Business and Enterprise College strongly rejected the findings of the latest Ofsted inspection, which said the school’s leadership and management are inadequate and that the quality of teaching, personal development and welfare, and pupil outcomes all require improvement.

The governors of the school have submitted a formal complaint to Ofsted regarding the methods applied by inspectors and their findings.

Commenting on the story, Monster 1956 wrote on our website: “Inspectors did highlight equality, tolerance and respect for others in the school, and that pupils feel safe and vulnerable pupils are well cared for.

“This should be the focus of Ofsted’s inspection, not the standardised academic results. If schools did not have to allocate a part of already reduced funding towards equality and safety of the students then more funding could be prioritised towards academic results.”

Bill Middlemas said: “Can we just get rid of Ofsted, they are the real problem within the schooling process! They cause nothing but grief, let kids learn and develop at the best of their abilities, not be forced to meet Ofsted statistics.”

Nigel Graham commented on the Echo Facebook page: “The government want to make all schools academies so the blame does not come to the MP’s door. I don’t think the government should have a green light to make all schools academies. MPs move on, get voted out of a job, schools are here forever, they a part of our fabric. If they get this wrong, a lot of future generations’ families will lose out. I don’t think schools should be run as a business.”

Former pupil Kate Richardson said: “I went to this school and I got good GCSEs. I went to college and university after finishing school. The teachers who taught me have retired and I have heard bad reports of how it has changed. Maybe special measures will help.”

Parent Karen Keeley said: “My son attends Thornhill, thanks to the teachers he is doing really well.”

Emma Louise Wilson wrote: “The teachers are far too stretched these days meaning that not all of the children are receiving the support they need and meeting their full potential. I attended the school ‘02-07 and it was stretched then, but it is much worse now.”