WORST OFSTED RATING FOR SCHOOL WHERE PUPILS 'CLIMB ON ROOF AND PHYSICALLY THREATEN STAFF'
A school where pupils allegedly cannot be contained in class and "do little or no work" has been rated as inadequate by Ofsted.
The Midpoint Centre, a pupil referral unit for teenagers aged 14 to 16 in Parkfield, Wolverhampton, offers an "unacceptably poor standard of education," inspectors concluded.
Their report also claimed there had been cases at the school where pupils climbed onto the roof of the building and physically threatened staff.
Bosses at the school say an action plan has been introduced to "ensure significant and immediate improvements".
The inspectors say in the report: "Low expectations, a lack of respect and disregard for others typify school life." The pupils have "set the culture" in the school and choose to arrive late then do "little or no work".
Staff avoid giving out books for fear of pupils destroying them, the report said. All pupils at the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) associated with their social, emotional and mental health, Black Country Live reports.
Staff also struggled to keep pupils in class to stop them roaming the school, Ofsted said, adding pupils' poor language and poor behaviour are "deeply ingrained". There was also said to be low staffing levels and high staff absence at the school.
Inspectors added that safeguarding at the school was not effective.
The inspectors add: "The school is not a happy place for pupils or staff to be. Leaders' time is taken up constantly by managing behaviour and other issues. This has hindered leaders' capacity to lead improvements. This is the fundamental root cause of the issues in the school."
But the inspectors did say the staff "genuinely care" about pupils. "Their dedication to the pupils is without question," they added.
The report adds: "Leaders and members of the management committee know that they are failing pupils, and are doing their utmost to act. However, measures currently in place are failing to remedy the situation, and the school is at a very low ebb."
An action plan for improvement has been developed with the support of the YES (Youth Engagement Schools) Trust, a spokesman for the school, in Lawnswood Avenue, Parkfields, said.
Representatives from the YES Trust, Wolverhampton Council and Midpoint's management committee, will be on site at the school over the coming weeks to put in place measures to "ensure significant and immediate improvements for the pupils and staff".
A focus will be on those Year 11 pupils who are approaching their GCSE and other formal examinations in May and June.
Brenda Wile, Wolverhampton Council's deputy director of education, said: "Clearly, this is an unacceptable report, and we are working closely with the management committee, with the support of the YES Trust, to bring about the changes that are required to enable leaders to provide a safe, focused learning environment for the young people and staff at the Midpoint Centre.
"The YES Trust has demonstrated elsewhere that it can bring about rapid improvements within education settings, supporting multiple schools on improvement journeys and with their own Key Stage PRU rated Outstanding.
"We believe that, with its support, the situation at the Midpoint Centre will change rapidly and radically, creating a more productive and enriching environment for pupils and staff to develop their full potential."
Nic Brindle, CEO of the YES Trust, said: "Though the PRU is currently in a place that needs immediate improvements, the team around the centre is committed to the same goal. We are confident the school will quickly be on the right path to improving outcomes for all learners.
"The management committee will keep pupils and their families updated on the actions being taken to bring about the necessary improvements over the coming weeks."
Mark Heywood, chairman of the management committee, added: "The management committee is pleased to be working alongside Nic Brindle to enact the essential immediate changes to the Midpoint Centre so that the young people who attend have the very best provision they deserve.
"There is great potential we believe to enhance the learning and personal development opportunities for each young person given a strong focus on the needs of each pupil and development of staff."