Under-fire school must do better, says report

WERNETH Primary School

A SCHOOL which has been under fire from parents has been told it must do better in its first Ofsted report since becoming an academy.

The education watchdog rates the overall performance of Werneth Primary School as requires improvement, the second lowest of four grades.

But its nursery and reception are judged to be good (grade two) along with pupils' personal development, behaviour and welfare.

The Chronicle has reported how parents claimed that the school was in meltdown since becoming part of Bright Tribe multi-academy trust in February 2014.

They criticised a revolving door of principals, said the school had haemorrhaged staff and alleged that it had wrongly pursued parents for unpaid dinner money.

Ofsted says that the school has been through a period of "turbulence" since becoming an academy, with several permanent and interim principals and a large number of staff changes.

"The many changes to leadership and staffing have hindered the pace of school improvement. Leaders and governors have not ensured that the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils are good," says the inspection report.

Pupils progress is described as inconsistent, teaching is not consistently good, the brightest pupils are not challenged enough and many parents lack confidence in the school's leadership.

But the progress of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is improving.

The report adds: "The recently appointed principal, other senior leaders and the trust have a good knowledge of the strengths and priorities for improvement. Some aspects of the school's work are beginning to improve."

Bright Tribe runs seven primary and secondary schools in the North West and South East. An Education Funding Agency investigation found that the chain breached rules over payments to trustees. But it did not receive an official Financial Notice to Improve, issued in the most serious cases, and the trust says that it now meets all the regulations.

Teachers at a Bright Tribe school in Cumbria have also taken strike action over concerns about the way it is being run.

A statement from Bright Tribe said: "Werneth Primary School's latest Ofsted report recognises significant improvements in areas such as leadership, behaviour, special educational needs and its early years provision.

"The report also highlights the trust's commitment to the school; we have an excellent support team and strong leadership and staffing structures are now in place within the school.

"Both the trust and Werneth Primary School will continue to progress and implement whatever

changes are necessary to provide all of our pupils with opportunities to reach their potential. We are confident that Werneth will soon become a good school and one that our community can be proud of."