“We welcome the external inspection of where we find ourselves”, was the reaction of Cllr Richard Priest this afternoon when OnTheWight spoke to him about the surprise news that Ofsted would be sending their experts into Isle of Wight council to carry out a five-day inspection.
Reacting to the two other low-scoring Ofsted reports of this week, Richard, the newly-elected Independent candidate who has taken responsibility for Children’s services at Isle of Wight council, including over-seeing Island school, told OnTheWight:-
“Raising the quality of education provided on the Island is an absolute priority for the new council as outlined in our Framework For Change document.
“Though the schools re-organisation has seen all secondary schools become independent from the local authority, which limits our powers of management and intervention, the council still has a key role to play in improving the education offered to our young people.
“We must offer education providers all the assistance and support possible because it is vitally important we do all we can to give our young people the best start in life. We already have a positive partnership with these providers but this is something we must – and will – develop in the coming weeks and months.
“While it is obviously disappointing we have inherited another school in special measures this week, there are clearly strengths to build on as well as weaknesses to address.”
Two Ofsted reports this week
Earlier in the week, the news of Ryde Academy’s first Ofsted report was published, with the Isle of Wight school being judged as ‘Inadequate’, the lowest rating.
As the majority of the scores that made up that overall judgement were ‘Requires improvements’, one off the bottom rating, the Ryde Academy was kept out of Special Measures, unlike Cowes Enterprise College, Sandown Bay Academy and Carisbrooke College had been earlier this year.
Special Measures for primary school
Later in the week, the outcome of the Ofsted inspection at Newport Primary school revealed they’ve also been placed in Special Measures.
