Struggling school rated ‘inadequate’ by damning Ofsted report

A struggling school which has failed to provide ‘a good standard of education for several years’ is now rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.

A damning inspection report says exams results at Siddal Moor Sports College have remained stubbornly poor ‘for too long’ and remain ‘well below’ other schools across the country.

It notes that extra support from a local teaching school – including the secondment of new headteacher Simon White – has led to some progress at the Heywood comprehensive.

However, the report adds that this ‘has not had the desired impact on the quality of education for older pupils’, with exam results last year showing ‘little sign of improvement, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

The secondary school, on Newhouse Road, has now introduced a new curriculum designed so pupils’ learning builds on what they already know’.

Ofsted says it is ‘too early’ to judge its impact, but so far leaders have been unable to improve the progress that pupils make.

The report states: “Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, do not achieve well in their GCSE examinations.

“This means that they are less likely to succeed in the next stage of education or training. Some pupils are unable to move to appropriate destinations after their GCSEs because they do not have the grades that they need.

“Leaders should build on the recent improvements that they have made to the curriculum offer so that it has a greater impact on older pupils to enable them to be more successful in their GCSE examinations.”

Also, despite improving, careers advice has also ‘not been good enough’, making it difficult for some youngsters to move on to their appropriate courses after leaving the school.

Siddal Moor is also criticised for its approach to reading, the report noting pupils have ‘very limited' access to books, with no plan in place to address this problem.

“They are not challenged to read different types of books to help them to learn more. Leaders should provide opportunities in school for pupils to read a wide variety of books,” adds the report.

However, despite the ‘inadequate’ rating – the lowest Ofsted can award – there are signs the school is slowly beginning to turn things around.

Changes to the curriculum have helped more pupils to enjoy learning a language – resulting in more pupils studying for the English Baccalaureate qualification (a set of subjects that keeps youngsters’ career and education options open).

There has been some improvement in pupils’ attendance – which is now just below the national average. This has been particularly significant in the case of those with SEND.

It remains a mixed picture, though. Disadvantaged pupils’ attendance has not improved and remains well below the national average.

Behaviour is also said to have improved since the arrival of Mr White – from Hollingworth Learning Trust (HLT) – as headteacher.

While lessons were often disrupted by pupils previously, leaders have now introduced a new behaviour policy which is said to be having ‘a positive impact’.

However, raising behavioural standards has resulted in the number of pupils being suspended shooting up to well above the national average – while expulsions are also high.

The report adds: “There remains a small group of pupils who find managing their own behaviour difficult. Some pupils are repeatedly excluded for short periods of time due to their unacceptable behaviour.”

Mr White says that, while the Siddal Moor is obviously disappointed with the judgement, it – and Ofsted – recognises things are ‘very much in the early stages of the work’ being done to improve the school.

He added: “It is clear that the curriculum we have in place and the work we are doing around improving teaching and learning has started to turn the school around and will start to have impact on our GCSE outcomes.

“The council and the multi-academy trust we are joining are confident that our work is leading to improvements and we will continue on our school improvement journey.

“We know that our work on careers, for example, is having great success as we saw all of our pupils enter further education or employment in 2019 and we have been above the national average on this for the last two-years.”

Siddal Moor is due to become an academy from April under HLT, which runs Hollingworth Academy.

It will be rebranded as The Newhouse Academy.

Darren Randle, chief executive of Hollingworth Learning Trust, said it was clear the school had ‘turned the corner’ after the hard work put in by the trust and school over the last 18 months.

He added: “As of April 1 2020 Siddal Moor will formally be part of our academy trust and will be called The Newhouse Academy, representing a line drawn under the past issues at the school.

“We will now progress further from on the last 18 months with the commitment of staff, governors, pupils and the wider community.”

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporting Service