Kent school handed Ofsted warning

The Department for Education has issued Coastal Academies Trust with a termination warning notice because of the poor performance of the Royal Harbour Academy in Ramsgate, Kent Online has reported.

Coastal Academies Trust operates six schools in Thanet, Kent: four secondary schools and two primary schools.

In May, Ofsted inspected the secondary school and noted problems with attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance. Inspectors said pupils’ achievement required “urgent improvement”, the worst category under the new rating system.

Although the percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths last year rose from 11.9% to 15.6%, this is well below the national average of 45.4%.

Inspectors stated: “Pupils have knowledge gaps because of absence or variation in teaching quality. Leaders and staff do not always identify these gaps with sufficient accuracy or timeliness. As a result, knowledge gaps widen.

“Many pupils lack detailed understanding across their subjects. Where this is the case, pupils are not as well prepared as they need to be for the next stages of their education or employment.”

Under government policy, the school will receive either a Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence intervention or be moved to another trust.

The DfE’s regional director for the Southeast, Kate Dethridge, said the education secretary “may terminate” its funding agreement “if special measures are required”.

Coastal Academies Trust’s chief executive Kate Greig responded saying the termination notice may remain in place for 18 months, but “will be withdrawn once the DfE is satisfied that sufficient progress has been made in areas identified”.

Greig added: “Parents have seen the Ofsted report and know what is needed and we will keep them informed of progress. I am confident that Royal Harbour is moving forward and will continue to do so with the other schools in Thanet who are part of Coastal Academies Trust.

“We are all committed to giving the best educational and life chances for our fabulous young people.”