The Sir Robert Woodard Academy in Lancing, West Sussex, has been put into special measures by Ofsted.
The Ofsted report concludes:
“In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this academy requires special measures because it is failing to give its students an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the academy are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement.”
The school head handed in her notice in July but denied it was because of the difficulties the academy was experiencing – report here
The Anti Academies Alliance does not celebrate when academies are unsuccessful, it is the pupils who are losing out. It is important news because as Michael Gove is driving schools that he considers to be ‘underperforming’ to become academies, this is proof that academisation is not the answer to any school’s problems.
Click here to download the Ofsted report
This is very important for the AAA because at the moment Academies are the only show in town as far as Gove is concerned. If you are a top school-become an academy, if you are a failing school-the government force you to become an academy. What if you are a failing academy? This conundrum has not been solved. Perhaps turn failing academies into LA schools? No that would never do. The answer is keep them out of the news and pretend none of then fail and that only idealogues are against them.
Their answer will be get a different sponsor but keep to the same formulae. Why? Because they will never admit that their system could be wrong or needs changing. It can only be about individuals failing. In this case it will be poor teachers and leadership.
So what is really the answer. A good local school, properly funded and supported by a properly funded LA. In addition, teachers who have professional autonomy. Finally, smaller classes, less lessons for each teacher to teach and targeted resources based on need.