Headteacher defiant as school is told it '˜must try harder'

In 2014, the mixed secondary school was graded as ‘requires improvement’ by government inspectors. And a visit last month, graded the school at the same level.

Pupils’ progress was ‘below average’, teachers were not challenging them or consistently setting homework, and teaching methods were not monitored by leaders.

However, headteacher Scott Martin is delighted with the school’s progress since 2014 and would rather focus on its strengths, which include a ‘good’ grading for the Sixth Form and commendable pupil behaviour.

“We think it’s really positive,” said Mr Martin, who joined the school in 2012. “We’ve made significant improvements.

“It’s clear we’ve got some work to do but from our point of view, there are a lot of positives.

“The local authority are happy with what we are doing and it’s not as if things aren’t happening – they’re not happening enough.

“It takes time to get that consistency across all the school and I’m realistic about the challenges that remain.

“We are totally confident. Can I say, categorically, 100 per cent, that it will be the case? No, because the (Ofsted) framework has changed six times since I’ve been here.

“But I would bet a lot of money on the fact that in our next inspection, everything will be ‘good’.”

Mr Martin has written to parents and carers to reassure them that improvement work has ‘already started’.