School put into special measures

Ofsted inspectors said the school was failing to give an acceptable standard of education and criticised disruptive behaviour by pupils and a failure to “safeguard” children.

The school’s governing body was also criticised for failing to tackle weaknesses.

Wheatley Park School, in Holton, which has 1,170 pupils, is the second in the county to require special measures — Ofsted’s toughest sanction.

It is the only secondary school in special measures and follows St Christopher’s Primary School, in Cowley, which was put into special measures in June.

The sanction means the school will have to draw up an urgent action plan to tackle the issues raised and be subject to regular spot-checks by inspectors.

If it fails to turn its performance around, it could be closed.

In a letter to parents, headteacher Kate Curtis said: “Ofsted has given us some positive and encouraging feedback as well as some tough messages.

“We will act on these with confidence and determination.”

When the school was last inspected, in April 2007, it was given a satisfactory rating.

Oxfordshire County Council spokesman Paul Smith said the authority did not plan to install an interim executive board, as it had done at St Christopher’s Primary School, nor were there plans to parachute in an executive headteacher.

He said: “The council will work very closely with Wheatley Park School to tackle the issues raised by Ofsted.

“The school was inspected very shortly after Ofsted’s new and toughened regime of inspection came in to force.

“The headteacher has already addressed several of the issues raised in the report and she is determined to tackle the rest in time for future inspections.”

Ofsted Inspector Cathie Munt said: “At the last inspection the school was asked to make improvements to the rate of progress made by pupils.

“The leaders of the school have not managed to achieve this.

“Poor behaviour in some lessons, especially in low-attaining groups, is not managed well enough, resulting in disruptions to students’ learning.”

John Bancroft, 73, from Horspath, has a 14-year-old daughter, Rosie, at the school, who is training for the 2012 paralympics as a swimmer. She was born with only part of her right leg.

He said: “It is a cause for concern and the school has absolutely got to take it seriously — and so have parents.

“We have always had a very positive impression of Wheatley Park School and they have been great in terms of Rosie’s disability.

“I have a sense that Ofsted’s reaction is somewhat over the top.”

Gawain Little, president of the Oxfordshire branch of the National Union of Teachers, said staff at the school were doing their best to support the children they teach.

He said: “We are at the very early stages of the implementation of the Ofsted framework.

“We would question whether the most effective way to develop school improvement is what seems like quite a punitive measure.”

The school is planning to hold two meetings for parents on November 10 and 11.