New Addington primary school put into special measures
A PRIMARY school has been put into special measures after being criticised by Ofsted.
Inspectors who visited Wolsey Junior School in January say education there is "inadequate" and its leaders have not shown they can improve it without help.
The Department for Education (DfE) is now likely to put the school under academy control.
However, parents and governors have defended Wolsey, saying the Ofsted report is not a fair reflection of its standards.
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In a report released this week, lead Ofsted inspector Joanna Toulson singled out weaknesses in maths and said teachers' expectations were sometimes too low.
She said: "Achievement is inadequate because pupils' learning and progress in mathematics over time have been weak.
"The systems leaders use to evaluate the school's work have not been improved."
The school, in King Henry's Drive, now faces regular monitoring.
Chair of governors Carole Bonner said the report was "a great disappointment," coming after the school received its "best ever" SATs results last year and was doing well in key progress indicators.
Ninety-four per cent of its pupils made at least two levels of progress in literacy from Key Stage 1 last year, compared with 89 per cent nationally.
In maths, 84 per cent made the same progress, just three percentage points below the national average of 87 per cent.
Ms Bonner, who is also a Fieldway councillor, added that the school is addressing areas of concern.
She said: "For example, we have arranged training for all the governors to assist with their role in holding the school to account.
"We have completed a post-Ofsted action plan which is clearly focused on making rapid improvement against the targets Ofsted have set.
"We are in the process of adapting the maths planning in order for the children to have more opportunity to be active learners and we are closely monitoring teaching to ensure that it is of a consistently high standard."
Parent governor Jayne Laville defended the school and said she was "disgusted" with the report.
She said: "I don't agree with it at all. The simple fact is they are above the national figures. Why is it inadequate, especially when we are above national average?
"I think we are being pushed into becoming an academy. The children threw the letter from the school about the report in the bin – the children cherish that school."
A DfE spokesperson said: "We cannot just stand by if a school is failing children.
"Ministers are clear that the best way to turn round under-performing schools is with strong external challenge and support from Academy sponsors."
Head teacher Adeline Daly is holding a meeting for parents and carers to discuss the report tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6pm.
3 Comments
by skavillekrew
Friday, March 01 2013, 8:07PM
“Neo98 Your an **** like all the others that condemn Addington when in truth you know nothing about the area or the people that live here, please name an area that does not have it's own problems I can name a few area's I would certainly not want to live, We've lived in New Addington for 10 years I woiuld not move if given the choice. My kid's have all gone to school here and get got exam results 1 has their own business another is a full time mechanic looking to start up on his own, my daughter is in her second year of studying forensic science and i've 2 in education locally and are doing very well and before you come back with some sort of quip about my kids their from 2 marriages were not all pefect.
I'm sick to the teeth with people putting us down, Wolsey in most cases is the choice school and lots of parents fight to get their kids in, there's been rows in regards to locals not being able to get their kids in because kids are traveling in from outside areas not bad for such a poor school and area, all my 3 of my kid's attended Wolsey and they've done ok.
As for the Offsted report I think someone has a hidden agenda here as how can a school whomis averaging above average in their grades be condemned like this, also another problem which for some reason is not being mentioned is there has been a large infux of immigrant children when you take into account they can't be refused a place this surely slows things down when their English levels hold not only them back but their class as well taking this into account I think Wolsey is doing bloody brilliant, so back off and give them and us locals some slack maybe your of a priviliged nature or maybe not either way life varies from area to area and taking into account we are in a very poor area with high unemployment with a growing immigrant population and with no help from the Council apart from their gift of useless boulders this is money that could of gone to local schools or in the youth so despite all of this were not doing so bad here, Wolsey do a fine job and I've no problem and because of this offsted report people are now talking about putting their kids into different schools horrendous scare mongering if you ask me remember their above average....”
by napopfro
Thursday, February 28 2013, 7:15PM
“Neo98 - well aren't you an obnoxious little nimby? Instead of constantly criticising, perhaps you could come up with some sensible ideas as to how to resolve the social inequalities in our society that create the circumstances in which a school, where many children do very well in spite of these issues, are still regarded as failures? Perhaps a day at Wolsey Junior School might teach you how to use full stops, commas, capital letters and apostrophes - and to check your spelling.”
by Neo98
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 9:01AM
“new addington same old problems this area should be banished from the croydon postcode immediatly and left to its own devices iam in favour of this area having its own council!!”