School dropped into special measures following Ofsted visit

A school has been dropped into special measures following stinging criticism from education inspectors.
special measures: Sacred Heart in Hemsworth. (Google Maps)special measures: Sacred Heart in Hemsworth. (Google Maps)
special measures: Sacred Heart in Hemsworth. (Google Maps)

Ofsted said Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School in Hemsworth was inadequate, labelling its leadership ‘weak’, said teaching was inconsistent and that pupils’ development was in decline.

The Highfield Road school was visited in December last year, with the scathing report published at the start of February.

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Three of the five main assessment areas were given the lowest grading possible, including leadership, teaching and pupils’ outcomes.

The personal development of the children was rated as ‘requiring improvement’ while the early-years’ provision was given a ‘good’ rating.

However, an overall rating of ‘inadequate’ will come as a major blow for the 143-pupil school which was given a ‘good’ rating during the previous Ofsted inspection in 2013.

The latest report reads: “This school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.”

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The school, which operates under the Bishop Konstant Catholic Academy Trust, has since responded to the report and says it has taken “immediate action”.

This includes the appointment of an interim headteacher, while a trust-intervention board has replaced the academy council which had overseen the school.

The trusts says other key appointments have been made with the leadership team undergoing a reshuffle.

A meeting to give parents the chance to discuss the recent report is also scheduled to be organised.

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Charles Gillott, chair of the school’s trust board said: “Although the outcome of the inspection was extremely disappointing, the trust accepts the report’s conclusions.

“Effective systems have been put in place and the trust is confident that the strong new leadership team will bring about rapid improvement.

The trust’s statement added: “The interim headteacher and trust intervention board will drive rapid and significant improvements in teaching and learning and outcomes for pupils.

“All are determined to, as a minimum, return the school to its previous Ofsted judgement of ‘good’ as soon as possible.”

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As a result of being put into special measures, the school can now expect to be visited more frequently by Ofsted inspectors who will carry our monitoring reports to keep a close eye on the school’s progress.

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