A Brighton school remains “inadequate”, according to the official education watchdog Ofsted after a monitoring visit.
Homewood College, in Queensdown School Road, off Lewes Road, Brighton, is though taking steps to improve, the government watchdog said.
A letter was published yesterday (Wednesday 21 September), having been sent in July by Her Majesty’s inspector Maxine McDonald-Taylor to Homewood’s interim head Pam Ridgwell.
It said: “The school continues to be inadequate. Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action towards the removal of special measures.
“The school’s improvement plan is fit for purpose.
“The school may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection.”
After its previous inspection, Ofsted published a damning report about the special school in February.
And the school, which teaches children from 5 to 19, was placed in “special measures”.
The February report said: “Pupils’ behaviour is often chaotic and sometimes violent.”
Ofsted added: “Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.
“And the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.
“Only a small number of pupils come into school daily. When they do attend, pupils do not understand what is expected of them or what they will learn. This is because the adults themselves are unsure.
“Changes in leadership have meant that staff do not have the skills they need to support the very complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) of pupils.
“The lack of appropriate systems to support behaviour means that lessons are usually disrupted by poor and, at times, unsafe behaviour.
“Pupils often use offensive language and show a consistent lack of respect for each other and staff.”
Inadequate is the worst of the four grades used by Ofsted. A further full inspection will be required before the school can be given a better rating.
