Children across Bristol are approaching the half way mark in the school year as the February half term is just around the corner. It can be used as a time for reflection about a child’s school as the best schools will ensure that progress is constantly being made.
Ofsted reports are one way of checking out how well a school is doing, but this year marks a transitional period for the regulatory body. One and two word judgements were removed in September, and report cards will come into effect in the next academic year.
However, the four ratings are still given for each key judgement and for private schools, are still used to give an overall judgement, but this will also soon be phased out. The four ratings are: ‘Outstanding’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires Improvement’ and ‘Inadequate’.
In July, we took a look at the five schools across the Bristol and South Gloucestershire Local Authorities which were given the lowest rating (North Somerset did not have a single school rated as ‘Inadequate’ at the time of writing). Although the ‘Inadequate’ rating can no longer be given, graded inspections can still suggest whether a school remains at that level or whether educational standards have increased.
So, what has happened to the five schools that were given an ‘Inadequate’ rating?
Montpelier High School – Became an academy at start of academic year
Montpelier High School, on Cheltenham Road, became an academy at the beginning of this academic year. The school is now part of E-ACT, which has taken over three of the five schools which were rated as ‘Inadequate’.
E-Act Montpelier High School has not been inspected since the conversion to an academy, brought by joining the trust. As a result, when its first inspection takes place, Ofsted will cite the previous inspection, which found the school remained ‘Inadequate’ in September 2023.
Therefore, the secondary school and sixth form provider remains the school with the current-longest time spent as ‘Inadequate’, being rated as such on March 23, 2022. Three of the five areas which the school was assessed on were given a ‘Requires Improvement’ grading, but the overall grading in 2022 was ‘Inadequate’. Improvements at the school were made and identified by Ofsted in 2023, including tackling bullying and building on positive relationships between staff and pupils, which makes pupils “feel supported and protected”.
However, many pupils did not feel well-prepared for when they would eventually leave the school. A lack of information and clear guidance on future careers and further education were cited as concerns.
Hartcliffe Nursery School and Children’s Centre – Now rated as ‘Good’
Hartcliffe Nursery School and Children’s Centre, on Hareclive Road, is now rated as ‘Good’ following an inspection on October 1 and 2, 2024. The drastic turnaround was due to the interim headteacher, Cate Peel, who joined the school in October 2023.
Ofsted praised Ms Peel for being the “driving force” behind the improvements to the nursery, which had been rated as ‘Inadequate’ in June, 2022. Prior to the ‘Inadequate’ rating, the school had been rated as ‘Outstanding’ in 2012.
The most recent Ofsted inspection found that the curriculum was redeveloped and that children with specialist educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) were now able to get the right support when joining the nursery. Ofsted also praised the leadership team for checking the school’s actions were having an impact on children and staff.
Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School – Became an academy at start of academic year
Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School, in South Gloucestershire, has also become an academy at the start of the academic year. The primary school, however, has not been inspected so remains at an ‘Inadequate’ level since being given the grade in September 2023.
School leaders were not being held accountable for the quality of pupils’ education by governors, according to the Ofsted report dated September 19 and September 20, 2023. The curriculum was described as “not ambitious” and “poorly planned” by inspectors.
Whilst changes and “significant turbulence in the school’s leadership and staffing” were noted within the report, the report also criticised the school’s approach to reading, which leaves early-year pupils left behind when compared to their peers. SEND pupils were not getting the help they needed.
The school has since joined the Severn Foundation Academy Trust and remains known as Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School.
Willow Park CofE Primary School – No inspection since being graded ‘Inadequate’
The only school to have had no update since July, Willow Park CofE Primary School, on Park Lane, has not had an inspection since being graded as ‘Inadequate’ in March 2024. The primary school had its first inspection since opening, following a merger of two previous schools, which revealed that the school was leaving pupils with “significant gaps” in their learning.
Ofsted said: “The school has not quickly identified the areas of the curriculum that need to be developed or strengthened. It has not identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn across the curriculum.” The curriculum was also criticised for not being adapted to help disadvantaged pupils or those who speak English as an additional language.
Elsewhere, the report found that pupils’ understanding of British values is limited, meaning that they are “not well prepared for life in modern Britain”. Although SEND pupils receive timely support and pupils said that they feel safe, improvements are needed according to Ofsted.
A spokesperson for Willow Park Primary School said at the time: “We take these findings very seriously, and we are committed to taking immediate and decisive action to address the issues raised during the inspection. We have already begun developing a comprehensive improvement plan that focuses on enhancing teaching and learning practices, strengthening leadership and governance, and improving the overall educational experience for our students. This rating is not reflective of the dedication and hard work of our pupils, teachers, and staff members.”
Schools that are rated as ‘Inadequate’ are usually inspected within two and a half years from its last inspection.
Merchants’ Academy – Became an academy at start of academic year
The third school to have become an academy, and second to join the E-ACT Trust, Merchants’ Academy, on Gatehouse Avenue in Withywood, was rated as ‘Inadequate’ across the board in March 2024. It was also previously rated as ‘Inadequate’ between 2017 and 2020.
Like E-Act Montpelier High School and Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School, E-Act Merchant’s Academy has not been inspected since being converted into an academy. However, the ‘Inadequate’ rating is used as the school’s previous rating until a new inspection takes place.
Inspectors reported that pupils and staff at Merchants’ Academy don’t feel safe because of all the fights and violence that routinely break out, pupils’ learning is ‘severely compromised’ by poor behaviour and expectations of younger pupils are too low. Ofsted criticised Venturers Trust (who ran the school at the time of the inspection but have since joined E-ACT), saying it has failed to support the school and doesn’t have the capacity to improve things.
The curriculum at the school leaves pupils with gaps in their knowledge, expectations for SEND students are too low, and despite the nursery giving pupils a “strong start”, it is not sustained throughout the rest of the school.
Have there been any other schools across the area rated as ‘Inadequate’?
Since our original story in July, one primary school in Bristol has since been placed into special measures following an Ofsted inspection. Cotham Gardens Primary School, in Redland, was strongly criticised after the quality of education was deemed not acceptable. The school, with 482 pupils, was rated as ‘Inadequate’ in the quality of education and leadership and management key judgements after an inspection in December.
The report said that the single academy trust “lacks the capacity to bring about the necessary changes to pupils’ learning at the required pace.” The report added: “A lack of oversight has led to a decline in the quality of education that pupils receive.”
The school’s expectations for pupil achievement are low and pupils with SEND are not supported to learn what they should. Lessons were described as “disconnected” and pupils as a result do not progress well through the school.
The primary school has begun to take steps to improve the stability at the school through recent changes to the leadership team, including appointing a new head of school. But this remains at an early stage.
The CEO of the trust, Chris Seaton, said: “”Cotham Gardens remains a safe and happy place to work and study, but the quality of education has been severely compromised over a period of years. Since taking up the role, and since the trustees’ appointment of Ms. Smith as Head of School last summer, I have seen a great deal of hard work in leadership, governance and across the staff team to implement rapid change to improve the standard and quality of education.”