Stoke Gifford’s Abbeywood Community School is expecting to receive the results of its recent Ofsted inspection within the next couple of weeks.
A team of inspectors visited the school for two days at the beginning of December and their report is expected “by the end of the month”, according to the latest newsletter issued to parents.
Abbeywood (formerly Filton High School), which occupies a new £30m complex in New Road, was served notice to improve after an inspection by Ofsted in October 2010.
A monitoring inspection in May 2011 concluded that the school was making “satisfactory progress in addressing the issues for improvement and in raising the pupils’ achievement.”
The latest “full section 5 inspection” will determine if the improvements have been sustained. If they have not, the school risks being put into special measures that could see it forced to convert to an academy – if a recent report in the Evening Post is to be believed.
The school is currently being led by Dave Baker of Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS), who was brought in after the previous headteacher Ann Duff left suddenly” for personal reasons” in October.
Days after the Ofsted inspectors had left, Mr Baker announced a new “get tough” regime at the school – including a ban on mobile phones, a crackdown on uniforms and zero tolerance on lateness.
Writing in last Friday’s school newsletter, Mr Baker reports that:
“… the new routines and expectations have already made a significant difference to the atmosphere around school and to the focus on teaching and learning in lessons.”
He continues:
“Inevitably there has been resistance to change from a small number of students but I believe most students understand why change was needed even if they did not want it to happen.”
“I am very grateful to you for your support in ensuring that your son(s)/daughter(s) conform(s) to expectations so that there is a minimum of fuss.”
