Concerns over North East Lincolnshire school improvement support
Schools in North East Lincolnshire need more effective support from their local authority, Ofsted said today.
Ofsted brought forward inspections for 7 schools which were to be visited by inspectors in the current academic year. Inspectors phoned another 11 schools for a survey in which they were asked about local authority support. Schools were asked how well North East Lincolnshire Council knows their school; what measures are in place to support and challenge them; and what is the impact of the local authority’s support.
Ofsted finds that North East Lincolnshire Council offers uneven support: the weakest schools receive attention while slightly better schools, which often still have much to work on, are not given appropriate attention. Inspectors also find that the local authority does not use data effectively.
Of the 7 schools inspected:
- one school was judged to be outstanding, having formerly been good
- three were judged to be good – two maintained their judgements and one improved from a previous judgement
- three schools were found to still require improvement
Inspection outcomes in North East Lincolnshire since September 2013 show that the percentage of good and better schools is significantly lower than the national average, and is only improving marginally. Yet in England as a whole there has been a rapid rise in the percentage of good or better schools.
Nick Hudson, Ofsted Director for North-East, Yorkshire and Humber, said:
We have found that schools in North East Lincolnshire have room for improvement, and they need more effective support from their local authority. Pupils and their parents deserve better.
There have been some improvements and it is heartening that one school has gone from good to outstanding. Our inspectors also find that some headteachers value the support from the local authority’s school advisers.
However, I am concerned that the number of good and better schools in North East Lincolnshire is much lower than the national average. This means that many children and young people are at a disadvantage. We have identified the problems, so that is the first step forward. We will now work with the local authority to help the schools get better.
More positively, Ofsted finds that schools provide good mutual support. Headteachers often meet to discuss best practice, and have good training opportunities.
Ofsted is now calling on North East Lincolnshire Council to hold schools to account for their performance and do more to help schools which require improvement get to good or outstanding.
The report is on the council’s page on Ofsted’s reports website.
- Ofsted inspected 7 schools, of which three were primary, one was junior, one was infant and two were secondary. The seven schools are: Springfield Primary School in Grimsby, John Whitgift Academy in Grimsby, Stallingborough Church of England Primary School in Grimsby, Scartho Junior Academy in Grimsby, Signhills Infant Academy in Cleethorpes, Oasis Academy Wintringham in Grimsby and Weelsby Primary School in Grimsby.
- The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.
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