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Failing Winton Arts and Media College in special measures

8:42am Tuesday 14th December 2010 in News By Jane Reader

Failing Winton Arts and Media College in special measures Failing Winton Arts and Media College in special measures

A FAILING Bournemouth secondary school has been placed in special measures after government inspectors branded it “inadequate.”

Winton Arts and Media College now faces tougher, more regular inspections and could even be closed if drastic improvements are not made.

Senior managers and teaching staff could be dismissed and governors may be replaced in order to drive up standards at the boys’ school.

Parents received a letter yesterday outlining the findings of the report.

Check back later for full primary school league tables as they're announced

The last full Ofsted inspection carried out at the 850-pupil school was completed in June 2008 and identified areas of concern. It ranked the school satisfactory.

Since then there have been two monitoring visits, one published in June and one due for publication today.

The report in June said the school had made “inadequate progress in making improvements” and “inadequate progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.”

It criticised the standard of teaching and said: “Behaviour deteriorates towards the end of the day due to pupils’ often poor classroom experiences.”

Even stronger condemnation is expected when the results of the latest inspection are published today.

The head teacher Roger Allen is also head of girls’ school Glenmoor, which has seen a marked improvement in its GCSE results.

But latest figures for Winton show that just 34 per cent of the boys gained five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C, including English and maths, one of the lowest figures in Dorset.

Mr Allen said a robust school improvement plan has been drawn up.

“I want to reassure students, parents, teachers and the community that I am fully committed and determined to being about the necessary changes to improve education at the College” he said.

“I will be holding a Parents Forum meeting to discuss the findings and recommendations contained in the report and to talk about how we are going to turn the school around.”

Councillor Nicola Greene, Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services at Bournemouth council added: “We are very confident that we will succeed in getting the school back on track.”

• What does special measures mean?

It means that, at the moment, the school isn’t giving children a satisfactory education.

• Why hasn’t the College made the necessary improvements since the last Ofsted visit in June?

Actions taken to address the issues raised in the earlier report had not had the necessary impact in time for the latest inspection.

• Did Ofsted report anything positive?

Yes, it commented on competent and committed new teachers, improved attendance and punctuality, how monitoring of students’ progress has increased and how the governing body is supportive.

• How will being in Special Measures impact on day to day activity?

Students will notice an intensive focus on raising standards and lessons will be monitored more frequently.

• What action is being taken to get the school out of Special Measures?

New teaching staff have been employed, an improvement plan has been developed and an Improvement Adviser has been appointed

• How will progress be monitored?

Ofsted inspectors will visit each term.

• How will progress be communicated?

There will be regular updates in the school newsletter and on the website and progress will be discussed at Parent Forums.

• How can you ensure this does not happen again?

We will develop robust and sustainable school improvement.

• What happens if the College doesn’t come out of Special Measures?

The local authority will look at alternative measures.

Comments(17)

Repo says...
1:25pm Tue 14 Dec 10

What is going on here? How can a school in a well-off area like Bournemouth fail so miserably - this is not inner-city Manchester (no offence). As far as I can see, most of the kids come from reasonably educated middle income families. To me this smacks of laziness on the part of Councilors, Teachers and parents.
Are there any good schools in Bournemouth ?
Does anyone know the background of Roger Allen ?

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Bournehammer68 says...
1:32pm Tue 14 Dec 10

About time. my son attneds this school and I've been complaing for the past 4 years about the standard of education. I went to his parents evening last Thursday and asked every teacher I spoke to why they didn't use the homework notifier on their website. the idea is that they put the work set on their so that parents can check that it is being done and can help with their childrens education. every single teacher told me they hadn't been trained to do it but they were being trained. The page has been on the site for the 4 years my son has been there. How on earth can a school that has so many "training days" neglect to train in this most simple and very useful basic tool that would help parents, pupils and teachers alike. I welcome ofstead enfocing improvement and look forward to less than the good intentions and hand wringing we have had to suffer so far. THEY HAVE MY SONS FUTURE IN THEIR HANDS!!!!!

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slimline says...
3:08pm Tue 14 Dec 10

"it commented on competent and committed new teachers"
.
That suggests the old teachers are both incompetent and uncommitted. If that is the case, why are they still drawing a salary?
.
Mr Allen seems to be doing a lot of "robust" work with the school (at least in his writings anyway) How about he "robustly" sacks the teachers that have let these kids down? New teachers in, grades improving, old teachers stay, grades are still terrible. It isn't exactly rocket science is it?

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DAN EGAN says...
4:55pm Tue 14 Dec 10

Nail on the head there Slimline

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DAN EGAN says...
4:55pm Tue 14 Dec 10

Nail on the head there Slimline

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themindboggles says...
5:11pm Tue 14 Dec 10

If these schools keep going into special measures how come the exam pass rates keep going up?

Dumbing down?

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weevie says...
9:49pm Tue 14 Dec 10

That's the odd thing about the Winton/Moordown catchment isn't it?

'Winton Boys' was always a rough place - now that roughness has been translated, 20-odd years later into 4x4's that don't fit those smaller streets, HUGE televisions, and no soul.

I don't believe that particular patch of ground will ever be home to a building that provides a good school (it NEVER has). Use it for flats, build a school elsewhere.

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Cyberbia says...
10:14pm Tue 14 Dec 10

As an ex-pupil some 34 years ago it is sad to read this about my old school. I dont pretend to be an expert on educational standards in any way, but I can't help feeling that with all the mucking about with schools and the curriculum by successive governments results in teachers and Heads being pulled in all directions in order to achieve here-today-forgotten
-tomorrow tick-box targets. It's no wonder schools creak and/or fail 'cos no one will leave then alone to get on with the job.

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Cyberbia says...
10:15pm Tue 14 Dec 10

Check back later for full primary school league tables as they're announcedAs an ex-pupil some 34 years ago it is sad to read this about my old school. I dont pretend to be an expert on educational standards in any way, but I can't help feeling that with all the mucking about with schools and the curriculum by successive governments results in teachers and Heads being pulled in all directions in order to achieve here-today-forgotten
-tomorrow tick-box targets. It's no wonder schools creak and/or fail 'cos no one will leave then alone to get on with the job.

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Varnesverry says...
10:17pm Tue 14 Dec 10

Mr Allen says a 'robust' school improvement plan has been put in place and the Report implies that there has been insufficient time to see how these affect student's achievement. Surely if he has been there since April, before the monitoring visit, he has had time to put in place measures which would improve teaching and learning, even if the improved achievement couldn't yet be measured. The Report says 'the impact of their recent work cannot demonstrate the capacity to sustain longer-term improvement. Their roles are extended across both schools and this provides a challenge to building secure capacity'. Surely the best thing would be to put in place a Head and Senior management who can devote all their time to the school to help it improve, instead of having one that has to divide their time. It makes you wonder how robust their plan is or if it is all hot air.

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Rig Doctor says...
11:53pm Tue 14 Dec 10

Having read the full report on the Ofsted website, I find it concerning that the school has a number of teachers who are new to teaching. "Nearly half of the school's teaching staff in September 2010 were new to the school and many of these were new to the teaching profession."
Surely if the school is this bad, they should have recruited experienced teachers? Perhaps the problem is that good, experienced teachers were not interested in applying to work in a school which everyone in the local area knew was a "failing school"?
From talking to friends in the teaching profession, I have heard that one of the problems is that a lot of the good teachers who were there have left due to the low morale of the staff. Surely that should be one of the first areas to be sorted out so that the good teachers remain in-situ to provide continuity for the students.

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High Treason says...
7:23am Wed 15 Dec 10

Rig Doctor wrote:
Having read the full report on the Ofsted website, I find it concerning that the school has a number of teachers who are new to teaching. "Nearly half of the school's teaching staff in September 2010 were new to the school and many of these were new to the teaching profession." Surely if the school is this bad, they should have recruited experienced teachers? Perhaps the problem is that good, experienced teachers were not interested in applying to work in a school which everyone in the local area knew was a "failing school"? From talking to friends in the teaching profession, I have heard that one of the problems is that a lot of the good teachers who were there have left due to the low morale of the staff. Surely that should be one of the first areas to be sorted out so that the good teachers remain in-situ to provide continuity for the students.
Knowing a teacher I can tell you that discipline is the biggest problem in schools. Parents are so busy watching TV that many let their children get away with being indifferent, lazy, scruffy, using bad language and no respect whatsoever for anyone. You could double the wages and I would not take a job teaching many of the riff raff that attend school. Its not the schools, its not the teachers, its society, with foul language and sex on TV, overpaid sports personalities and media rubbish the likes of Katie Price.
Drink and drugs add to the problems. It will only get worse.

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weevie says...
7:27am Wed 15 Dec 10

Got it in one, High Treason.
(College Lecturer)

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Bournehammer68 says...
8:00am Wed 15 Dec 10

weevie wrote:
Got it in one, High Treason. (College Lecturer)
no they haven't Weevie, isn'tm so easy to pass the buck and blame the parents. the standard of teaching at the school has been poor beyond belief. what does it say when pupils complain that teachers are unable to maintain discipline in the classroom.
I any many other parents have attended meeting after meeting, been promised change time and again. Seen the introduction of new measures all of which trail off after the initial bluster.
I would say the team dynamic is all askew no finisher completers just starters.
Please stop passing the buck onto parent all the time because it just isn't the case at this school. Not all the teachers are unfit to teach but far to many are. they are failing my son not just an ofsted report!

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Upkeep says...
9:32am Wed 15 Dec 10

It all went sour once the cane was abolished.
If todays pupils are not toeing the line then their given an "action plan".
Wheres the deterrent there?

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Mollyalma says...
8:52pm Wed 15 Dec 10

Check back later for full primary school league tables as they're announcedHave a son in year 8 here. Work at a Bmth secondary school myself. My son is so disappointed at present. He is a good hard working pupil, how do we support him in retaining his belief in what the local school can offer his future? It is so distressing and heart wrenching....what should we be doing for him?? Reassurance, extra expensive 1-1 tuition or consideration to opting for school change. Am a great believer in supporting my local community, my husband went to Winton and we wanted to follow tradition. I feel strongly that one Head of School cannot effectively manage, support, drive forward and be aware of what is going on in two schools. The amount of stress this must cause Mr Allen will be huge. In any job in which you work, if stressed, the job will become onerous, unenjoyable and at times impossible, feel you are not getting anywhere. From my experience and conversations, I believe that staff at Winton for a long, long time have felt unsupported by their leaders. In order for teachers to deliver oustanding lessons, which let's face it, is what all schools desire to achieve, the teachers must have quality support, their own wellbeing needs to be monitored. I am afraid in respect of badly behaved students, I do wish to point out that the student chooses what behaviour they deomonstrate at school. However, many students do not have a loving caring home which they leave and return to each day, many students express their frustrations of difficult homelife when they get to school. Many students are unsupported by parents, and many parents are at a loss as to how to support a student who has already gone off the rails. One area where Winton has been scatty it seems over the last few years is their in class discipline proceedure. Too many changes seem to have been made to severally unsuccessful systems. A ROBUST system needs to be put into place immediately which EVERY teacher follows. Students need to be aware of the system inside out. Students cope better if they have a clear outline of what will happen if .... . It needs to be clear, simply structured, and most importantly supported by senior leadership. Crutially if a student is removed from a lesson, support in the form of a highly placed member of staff to 'take over' from the teacher needs to be pretty much instantaneous to allow the teacher to get back to teaching else the flow of the lesson is gone within moments. If I had my way, I would have parents coming into lessons viewing through a 2 way mirror if their child is being difficult. Otherwise, why don't we have cameras in classrooms, keep everyone in check, students and teachers, because lets face it, the Ofsted reports are complaining about both! I work in a school, and would have no problem having a camera in situ, but that is because I am proud of what I do, make a difference to learning and work very hard.

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weevie says...
9:50pm Wed 15 Dec 10

Check back later for full primary school league tables as they're announcedA late comment, so apologies for errors.
The minority of students ruin it for the majority (I hope it's the majority) - when I thanked "High Treason" I'm sorry if it tarred all parents with the same brush - I was wrong.
This minority take SO MUCH time and effort (I know, I DO THIS every day) - precious little is left for those who want to be there, want to learn.

When we ask our students, one of their biggest concerns in 'Classroom management' - they don't like having the teacher's time spread so thinnly that they rarely get a look in.

Now let's get down to it. The one who cause the trouble are usually the most 'streetwise' (we might have called it once?), have the trndiest clothes, the cleverest (sorry) Smartphone, the biggest TV in their rooms etc etc. They walk the walk, pseudo-gangsters, at fashion's very edge. But something makes them rebel, to be overly concious of 'rights', to be potentially violent.

Over to you - where is this coming from?

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