“Special measures” force Council’s hand over school plans

Following a damning Ofsted report, Rochdale Council is putting into motion improvement plans for Hollin Primary School in Middleton after concerns were raised regarding leadership, attendance, and assessment.

The Ofsted report, published this week, concluded that the school should be put on special measures and that improvements should be aimed at raising achievement and providing better value for money.

Sue Brown, Head of Schools at Rochdale Council, stated: “Special measures enables additional resources and support to be directed to the school. In our experience schools can emerge much stronger from the process.”

Hollin is the latest in a line of schools in Rochdale to slip into special measures, following Balderstone Technology College in January this year, and Wardle High School in 2004.

Headteacher of Hollin Primary School Margaret Chapman insisted that the school would return as a leading primary school in the Middleton area and added that the staff and governors were determined to turn the situation around.