THE principal of Havelock Academy believes it will be a "good" school within 18 months after Ofsted said it "requires improvement".
Ofsted inspected the school in May and published a report yesterday, rating the school as "requires improvement" – one above "inadequate" but one below "good".
However, principal Nigel Whittle – who took post in November 2012 – said that the report matches the school's self-assessment and a "robust action plan" to improve is already in place.
He also said that he has "no doubt" that inspectors will upgrade their rating to "good" when the school is revisited within 18 months – as all "requires improvement" schools must be. He added: "The rating was exactly what we expected so nothing will change on the back of this report because these issues are already being addressed.
"I'm also pleased that certain strengths were praised, such as the fact that students feel safe at school and the wide range of opportunities we offer them."
The report said that Havelock was not "good" because students didn't make enough progress and achievement needs to be better, both in the school and its sixth form.
However, Mr Whittle highlighted the fact that the number of students who got five A*-C grades in 2012 jumped 12 per cent – and he expects to "smash" those record-breaking results again this year.
He added: "We have already broken our maths results with 64 per cent getting a C or above in early entries – and we will continue to improve."
The report also noted that:
not enough teaching is good.
marking and monitoring need to improve.
some students misbehave in class.
subject leaders must check information about progress.
However, it also said that Havelock has the capacity to be a "good" school, praising the following strengths:
the principal, senior team and governors are leading the school strongly.
students feel safe and get on well.
a range of opportunities to develop personal and social skills are provided.
spiritual, social, moral and cultural understanding is promoted well.
Student Phoebe Gough, 14, said: "I enjoy school and things have been improving every day since the new building opened.
"We have great facilities, teachers always want the best out of us and I'm offered every opportunity under the sun."
Inspectors also took into account a questionnaire which reveals 80 per cent agree that their child is happy and safe and 72 per cent would recommend it to other parents.
