Following an inspection in April which led to Clatterford Tuition Centre being placed in Special Measures, Ofsted have returned to see how things are getting on.
The outcome of the Section 8 inspection reveals that the school is now in a better position than at the time of the inspection in April.
The Clatterford Tuition Centre is a pupil referral unit for students aged 11–16 who are unable to attend mainstream secondary schools for various reasons. Students are referred to Clatterford either because they have been permanently excluded from a mainstream school or because it is believed that they would benefit from a period of at least six weeks in the centre.
Improvement plan not fit for purpose
Although the new headteacher is recognised as having identified quickly what needs to be done to improve teaching, achievement, attendance and behaviour, Ofsted says the school’s improvement plan is not fit for purpose.
Some highlights from the report include:
- Hampshire local authority have intensified and increased their levels of challenge and intervention.
- A top priority for school leaders has been to ensure that students’ attendance improves.
- Attendance figures for the beginning of the September term showed too much unauthorised absence.
- The school’s systems for tracking students’ attendance at school and at alternative provision are not efficient or reliable.
- The previous interim headteacher and the current headteacher have increased expectations of teachers’ planning, marking and feedback.
- Not enough has been done yet to ensure that teachers are held to account for the progress of students.
- Some lesson planning is too general and is hindered by lack of specialist subject knowledge and poor understanding of levels of progress.
Consultation underway
A consultation to close Clatterford and extend provision at the Thompson House Tuition Centre to accommodate all students on roll is ongoing at the moment and scheduled to finish in October, when a decision on the future of the centre at its current location will be considered.
The Section 8 report
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Image: ilovememphis under CC BY 2.0
