CLEETHORPES Academy's principal plans to "build on our strengths" to make the school outstanding – after it was ordered to improve by Ofsted.
Results of a full Ofsted inspection were published yesterday, revealing that the school "requires improvement" – one below good but above the lowest grade, inadequate.
It was the first time Ofsted has carried out a full inspection since the school was sponsored by Tollbar to become an academy in September 2010. Its predecessor, Lindsey School, had been in special measures before the conversion.
Principal Martin Brown sees the recent inspection as a positive, claiming it highlights "the progress the academy has made" – adding that the school has been "moving forward" since joining the Tollbar Multi-Academy Trust.
He said: "At the previous school on this site, there was poor leadership, a lack of specialist teaching, inadequate resources and the buildings were in a poor state of repair.
"Since then, there has been substantial investment in buildings, resources and teachers."
"As principal, I am well aware that we need to continue our programme of improvements, build on our strengths – notably student behaviour – in order to make Cleethorpes Academy an outstanding school."
The report said that the school was not good because:
Not all curriculum leaders are monitoring systematically enough – and are not always held to account for progress students make.
Many questions asked by teachers don't challenge students, confirming what they know rather than adding to their knowledge.
In too many lessons, students are asked to complete the same work which limits progress.
Staff expectations are rising but are not high enough.
However, the report also said that the school has capacity to improve and highlighted the following strengths:
Governors support senior leadership – and challenge them – when making difficult decisions to improve standards.
Students respect each other and the staff, encouraging each other to behave well, look out for one another, and feel safe.
The principal and chief executive have a very clear vision on how to improve education.
The school has now broken up for summer and when students return, the £7.7 million investment into new buildings will be complete.
Philip Bond, chair of governors, said: "September will see the new buildings fully operational. The governors and I share the excitement of the principal and the chief executive about the benefits those facilities will bring students."
Meanwhile, Humberston Church of England Primary School has been told it is taking "effective action" to tackle problems identified in an inspection in March – when it too was told it requires improvement.
Read the full Ofsted report