Must do even better

FAILSWORTH School has been told it must do better . . . despite record results.

Ofsted inspectors say that brighter pupils are not doing as well as they could because the school has been “too easily satisfied” with C grades.

They have given the secondary an overall rating of “requires improvement”, a drop from “good with outstanding features” two years ago.

Pupils start Year 7 with at least average standards in reading, writing and maths.

The proportion achieving above-average results has increased each year and Failsworth has been named as one of England’s 100 most improved schools for the last six years.

Last year 57 per cent of pupils achieved the Government’s flagship target of at least five A* to C GCSE grades, including English and maths. But the education watchdog said: “Middle and higher-ability students did not achieve as well as they might because fewer than expected achieved the higher grades.

“This is due to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and because the school was too easily satisfied with students achieving a grade C, when they could have achieved more.”

Leaders and managers had not identified some under-performing pupils quickly enough.

However, many aspects of the school were praised including the curriculum, after school activities and trips, links with local primaries and Oldham Sixth Form College, how it looks after pupils and its governing body.

Head teacher John Meagher said that goalposts for inspections had moved.

He added: “I am obviously disappointed by Ofsted’s current judgement, as I feel it does not reflect the significant improvement made at the school over the last three years.

“This is shown by our record results in the summer, which will improve again this year. It is also supported by a variety of in-school measures regarding attendance, behaviour and a range of other factors.

“The judgement ‘requires improvement’ is not one to say the school in any aspect is inadequate. Far from it.”