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Al-Madinah free school in Derby to stop secondary education | Al-Madinah free school in Derby to stop secondary education |
(35 minutes later) | |
Secondary education at the troubled Al-Madinah free school will stop in the summer because of government concerns about the quality of teaching. | Secondary education at the troubled Al-Madinah free school will stop in the summer because of government concerns about the quality of teaching. |
A report from Ofsted in October found the school in Derby was in chaos, dysfunctional and inadequate and it was placed in special measures. | A report from Ofsted in October found the school in Derby was in chaos, dysfunctional and inadequate and it was placed in special measures. |
The primary school will remain open, the Department for Education has said. | The primary school will remain open, the Department for Education has said. |
The schools minister Lord Nash has written to the school trust chairman to confirm the secondary school closure. | The schools minister Lord Nash has written to the school trust chairman to confirm the secondary school closure. |
It will close at the end of the summer term with support promised to help the 137 pupils find new schools. | |
'Focus efforts' | 'Focus efforts' |
In a letter to Barry Day, the school's newly appointed chairman, Lord Nash said he was concerned about the poor quality of secondary teaching. | In a letter to Barry Day, the school's newly appointed chairman, Lord Nash said he was concerned about the poor quality of secondary teaching. |
He said: "It was not in the interests of parents and pupils at the secondary school to continue to fund provision which has failed them." | He said: "It was not in the interests of parents and pupils at the secondary school to continue to fund provision which has failed them." |
A Department for Education spokesperson said in a statement: "The vast majority of free schools are performing well but where we have found failure we have acted swiftly and decisively. | A Department for Education spokesperson said in a statement: "The vast majority of free schools are performing well but where we have found failure we have acted swiftly and decisively. |
"We have monitored Al-Madinah very closely since problems came to light last year. | "We have monitored Al-Madinah very closely since problems came to light last year. |
"Based on the current situation we believe the new board - which began work last week - needs to focus efforts on the primary school in order to bring about the level of improvement required. | "Based on the current situation we believe the new board - which began work last week - needs to focus efforts on the primary school in order to bring about the level of improvement required. |
"The board has accepted our decision to close the secondary school and we have offered our full support in helping pupils to find alternative places before the start of the next academic year." | "The board has accepted our decision to close the secondary school and we have offered our full support in helping pupils to find alternative places before the start of the next academic year." |
Arshad Mohammed, who has a daughter in the secondary school, said he was not surprised. | Arshad Mohammed, who has a daughter in the secondary school, said he was not surprised. |
He said: "With all the negative media attention that's been going on in the last year or so the numbers [of pupils] have dropped a little bit… they can't sustain the numbers so it's not financially viable to keep the school running." | He said: "With all the negative media attention that's been going on in the last year or so the numbers [of pupils] have dropped a little bit… they can't sustain the numbers so it's not financially viable to keep the school running." |