'These pupils deserve better'

Principal at Oasis Academy, Nigel Whittle

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A NEW leadership team brought in by national and regional education chiefs to improve Collective Spirit admits that "pupils deserve better".

But the team - which includes staff from Oasis Academy Oldham in Hollins - says that it has already started addressing the concerns raised in recent months.

The Collective Spirit trust board - the equivalent of its governing body - has been dissolved.

The Department for Education and the regional schools commissioner has replaced it with an interim executive body led by Martin Shevill who is a national leader of education, leaders who support schools in challenging circumstances.

Priorities

And the leadership and management team at Oasis, which was praised in the school's last Ofsted inspection, was also brought in to work with the school at the start of May.

Mr Shevill said: "At the moment our priorities are simple. We need to ensure that students are safe, and that the standard of education they receive improves.

"There are a limited number of quick fixes, but this work is underway.

"We have already addressed issues with site security, ensured safeguarding training has been delivered to staff and put a new structured behaviour management system in place.

"It is going to take time, but we are starting to make an impact."

A new caterer has been appointed after Ofsted inspectors found that the standard of food was so poor that children were going hungry.

An attendance officer has been employed.

Oasis will work with the Collective Spirit until the summer. An announcement about the free school's long-term future has not been made and Mr Shevill said that the new interim executive board would provide more details about future plans in the coming weeks.

Oasis Academy Oldham principal Nigel Whittle, said: "This is not a time for talking about strategy and the long-term future.

"I am proud of the way that my staff have gone above and beyond to support the children at Collective Spirit.

"One key area of focus, for example, is maths.

"We have provided lesson plans, teaching support, and in some cases teachers to help create a better learning environment.

"The students at the school deserve better, and we are committed to helping them get the best possible outcomes."