A BRUTAL Ofsted report uses dramatic and emotive language to paint a bleak picture of a school once regarded as one of Barnsley’s best.
Shocking, depressing, disastrous and sorrowful are all words used in the latest Ofsted report on Darton College, which has gone into special measures - Ofsted’s most serious category of failing schools.
Often such a report would result in the departure of the headteacher, but this week Kate Davies, principal of Darton College, said she remained committed to helping address the areas of improvement required, and has the backing of Pepe Di’Iasio, the new executive headteacher brought in to oversee the school.
Kate told the Chronicle: “I’ve been a head for 12 years and had seven inspections, I’ve never experienced a report as brutal, and it did feel like some of the judgements were predetermined, with a very narrow focus on the 2017 GCSE results.”
The Chronicle reported last month that Darton would be going into special measures, and that its results from the summer rank the school ‘below average’ on a new measure, progress 8, which compares schools based on pupils’ progress from leaving primary school to leaving secondary school.
Kate said since then, she had received overwhelming support from parents and the wider school community.
She said: “I hope that people stay with us, because I think we can achieve what we all aspire to achieve, which is great outcomes for great kids. I know we can do that.”
Mr Di’Iasio, headteacher of Wales High School, an academy in Rotherham, began working with Darton just days after the inspection in October.
He told the Chronicle this week: “I think that too often in challenging circumstances, people look for heads to be replaced. Whilst sometimes that might be the answer, schools require great leadership.
“Kate is a proven leader over a number of years. She’s got an excellent track record and I am looking forward to working with her to help make sure that Darton is recognised as a great school.”
A letter to parents yesterday said while many areas identified for improvement are accepted, ‘we do not feel the report gives an entirely fair reflection of our school’ or the ‘improvements made over the last three years’.
Mr Di’Iasio said: “I have worked in a number of schools that have been in special measures, and Darton doesn’t reflect the difficulties and the challenges that those other schools faced.
“Whilst there is work to do to improve outcomes for students, I’m confident that those outcomes can be turned around swiftly, and Darton will be recognised as a good school very quickly.”
Two assistant principals from Wales High, Richard Jones and Danielle Taylor, have also been seconded from Wales High and are now working at Darton full time.
Darton’s governing body will be disbanded, and replaced with an interim executive board appointed by Mr Di’Iasio and the Regional Schools’ Commissioner.
Mr Di’Iasio said: “The staff have welcomed the support that has been put in place so far, and there is a genuine openness in wanting to make Darton as successful as it can be.”
Barnsley Central MP Dan Jarvis said: “Whilst the findings of this report identify important areas that need rapid improvement, I have confidence that with the right support, the existing leadership team can make the necessary changes required.
“I regularly visit Darton College and I always come away impressed by the dedication and commitment of the teaching staff and governing body, who commit such a lot to ensure that every young person attending Darton College gets the best possible education. I know that they will work tirelessly to address those areas that have been identified as requiring improvement.
“Whilst not disputing the findings of this report, I am concerned that school inspections increasingly appear to be less a constructive assessment of the capabilities of the school, and more the serving of an ideological agenda to ensure that all secondary schools conform to the government’s flawed academisation agenda.”LINKED ARTICLE: REPORT IN DETAIL REPORT IN FULL AT OFSTED WEBSITE HERE
