Tamworth QEMS school was 'failing'
Download the full Ofsted report here
TAMWORTH'S oldest school has been put into special measures – just a year after it was saved from closure.
Government inspectors have ruled that Queen Elizabeth Mercian School is 'failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education'.
The publication of the school's Ofsted report follows the sudden departure of QEMS head Kevin Debney in December.
Mr Debney was asked to take early retirement as serious weaknesses in the standard of leadership came to light at the Ashby Road school, which was under threat as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme.
And this week, QEMS' Ofsted report confirmed the failings saying: "The persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement. Some staff have lost the confidence in the school's leader and do not feel able to play a part in helping the school to improve."
The report also criticised the school's use of exam and assessment data, saying: "The information gained from assessments is not analysed in sufficient depth to provide the school's leaders, including governors, with a clear picture of how well students are progressing in different subjects and classes.
"This makes it difficult for leaders to accurately judge the effectiveness of provision, and teaching in particular, in order to identify where improvements need to be made.
"Checks on lessons by the school's leaders suggest that teaching is good, when it is inadequate and leading to widespread underachievement.
"The analysis of data on students' progress shows that they are underachieving, but not why or in which classes."
In addition, the report said work is not pitched at the right level for groups or individuals, with pupils 'failing to make enough progress'.
"Students of higher ability quickly completed all the tasks they were given, because they found the work too easy, while those of lower ability struggled to complete work."
But inspectors had high praise for the students themselves and the care they receive at the school saying: "Students behave well both in and out of the classroom.
"In lessons they concentrate and work hard. Students are polite and respectful to adults, and helpful to visitors."
Download the full Ofsted report here
● See Opinion, on page 10 of this week's Herald.
2 Comments
by A J Henton, W Sussex
Monday, February 15 2010, 12:04PM
“Tamworth probably has the school it deserves. After all, why should a small, pleasant market town community, that has over the past half century allowed itself to be turned into a most unattractive and poorly designed, charmless urban sprawl, lay claim to anything better than an under-achieving, bog-standard comprehensive.
Those with no vision, no taste for things that reflect obvious talent, no respect for history and tradition, no liking for the elegant and little competence in urban planning and civic management have irredeemably spoiled Tamworth and its immediate environs. QEMS is just another part of the mess. The fact that it has its roots in a Tudor Grammar School is neither here nor there. Today it is a grotty comp. just like lots of others in hundreds of medium sized towns across the country.
Tamworth asked for it, Tamworth got it!
Incidentally, the Ofsted report is quoted as having a split infinitive. " ... to accurately judge ... "
Edukashun, edukashun, edukashun!”
by G Harrison, Cumbria
Monday, February 15 2010, 9:07AM
“It's nearly 50 years since I graduated from QEGS and am stunned that that splendid, if somewhat restricted by its low pupil roll, school has been reduced to this.
Shocking, simply shocking.”