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| Children in Swindon 'failed by schools at every key stage', inspectors say | Children in Swindon 'failed by schools at every key stage', inspectors say |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Children in Swindon are being "failed by schools at every key stage", according to education inspectors. | Children in Swindon are being "failed by schools at every key stage", according to education inspectors. |
| In a letter to Swindon Borough Council, head teachers and local MPs, Ofsted director Bradley Simmons said pupils were "being failed at every level". | In a letter to Swindon Borough Council, head teachers and local MPs, Ofsted director Bradley Simmons said pupils were "being failed at every level". |
| He said immediate action was needed and urged "all involved" to unite so pupils could get the "education they deserve". | He said immediate action was needed and urged "all involved" to unite so pupils could get the "education they deserve". |
| The council said the criticism was misplaced, and work was ongoing to improve standards where necessary. | The council said the criticism was misplaced, and work was ongoing to improve standards where necessary. |
| The letter was published following an Ofsted inspection of the borough council's arrangements for supporting school improvement. | The letter was published following an Ofsted inspection of the borough council's arrangements for supporting school improvement. |
| 'Lowest performers' | 'Lowest performers' |
| In it Mr Simmons said the performance of schools across the town was a "cause for serious concern". | In it Mr Simmons said the performance of schools across the town was a "cause for serious concern". |
| He said Swindon was in the "bottom 10 local authorities nationally" in phonics in 2016, while the town's seven-year-olds were the "joint lowest performers in reading in the South West". | He said Swindon was in the "bottom 10 local authorities nationally" in phonics in 2016, while the town's seven-year-olds were the "joint lowest performers in reading in the South West". |
| At Key Stage 2, he said only 44% of 11-year-olds reached the "new expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics", while at GCSE level only 17.3% of pupils - compared to 57% nationally - achieved the English Baccalaureate. | |
| "Pupils in Swindon are being failed at every level. Primary school performance which had previously shown a positive trend of improvement in Swindon is now a concern," he said. | "Pupils in Swindon are being failed at every level. Primary school performance which had previously shown a positive trend of improvement in Swindon is now a concern," he said. |
| "Recent inspections of five secondary schools in the town also indicate a trend of decline, with only one of these schools being rated good. | "Recent inspections of five secondary schools in the town also indicate a trend of decline, with only one of these schools being rated good. |
| "Of the others, one went from good to 'requires improvement', one failed to improve from requires improvement and two went from requires improvement to inadequate." | "Of the others, one went from good to 'requires improvement', one failed to improve from requires improvement and two went from requires improvement to inadequate." |
| 'Harsh and unfair' | 'Harsh and unfair' |
| In an open letter response, the borough council said it felt the data released had been "used selectively". | |
| It said that claims it had failed its pupils were "overly harsh and indeed unfair". | |
| The authority said phonics test results were lower than it would have liked at the end of year one, but "children have caught up and are above the national average" by the end of year two. | The authority said phonics test results were lower than it would have liked at the end of year one, but "children have caught up and are above the national average" by the end of year two. |
| It said 11-year-olds were meeting the "national average for reading, mathematics and grammar", but admitted writing results were "lower this year". | It said 11-year-olds were meeting the "national average for reading, mathematics and grammar", but admitted writing results were "lower this year". |
| And despite it sharing Ofsted's "concerns about secondary education", the "GCSE results have continued to improve". | And despite it sharing Ofsted's "concerns about secondary education", the "GCSE results have continued to improve". |
| "By making his views so public in this way, Mr Simmons must have recognised the demotivating impact they would have on teachers," the authority said. | "By making his views so public in this way, Mr Simmons must have recognised the demotivating impact they would have on teachers," the authority said. |
| "In fact it has really angered and annoyed many head teachers of good and outstanding schools who are doing an excellent job." | "In fact it has really angered and annoyed many head teachers of good and outstanding schools who are doing an excellent job." |