COURT Fields School in Wellington ‘Requires Improvement’ say school inspectors from Ofsted, who visited before Christmas.

In the school’s first report as a new academy they said the effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare; and outcomes for pupils all ‘Required Improvement’.

The school was put into special measures after it was rated ‘Inadequate’ in a report in January 2013 but came out of that 11 months later. It then joined The Castle Partnership Trust working with The Castle School in Taunton the following January.

Headteacher Rachael Bennett said inspectors after their two-day visit had recognised that standards had been raised and improvements made in the past three years.

She added: “However, with a new robust inspection framework introduced in September 2016 and significant Government changes to the way school success is measured we were not yet able to secure the ‘Good’ judgment we were looking for, which is disappointing for our students and their parents, staff and governors.”

In the report’s key findings the inspectors said:

The quality of teaching varies too much both between and within subjects. Standards are rising overall but the achievement of disadvantaged pupils lags behind that of other pupils.

Pupils with lower starting points do not make enough progress. Teaching is not yet enabling these pupils to achieve as well as they should. There is minor disruption in some of their lessons.

Some lower ability pupils are not achieving their potential because their writing skills are weak.

Leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses lacks rigour. This means they are not always precise enough in identifying where improvements need to occur or what specific action needs to be taken to improve provision.

Leaders’ and governors’ work to evaluate the pupil premium lacks precision. As a result the additional funding is not being used effectively to improve the rates of progress and outcomes of disadvantaged pupils.

The report also identified strengths at the school, among them that the governors, headteacher and staff show great commitment to ensuring that the school serves its community well. They are meeting the welfare needs of pupils and protecting vulnerable members of the school community.

The most able pupils make good progress and senior leaders have taken action to improve behaviour – and as a result the school is calm and orderly.

Pupils’ personal development is good – they are tolerant and respectful of each other and they are keen to play a part in the life of the school through sport and community events.

Ms Bennett said the new inspection framework placed significant importance on the progress and achievement of disadvantaged students – those eligible for free school meals and children looked after – and those with special educational needs and disabilities.

Inspectors praised the school for the improvement in provision for students with special educational needs and disabilities but it was not yet able to demonstrate good outcomes for a small group of disadvantaged students against other pupils nationally and some of these students’ attendance is not as regular as other students.

Ms Bennett added: “We are committed to securing good GCSE outcomes and the highest standard of education for all our students and will work quickly to ensure the areas for improvement identified in our Ofsted report become strengths of Court Fields School.”