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Lansdown Park Academy Ofsted Inspection Triggers Termination Notice

May 25, 2022 Chopsy Baby

A Bristol Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) has been warned that their funding will be stopped if they do not make improvements to the school.

An Ofsted report of Lansdown Park Academy, part of the Learn-AT Academy Trust, was rated ‘inadequate’ in all areas of its provision during an inspection in February this year.

Inspectors found ‘regular potential for violence’ and branded it as ‘neglected’.

The Regional Schools Commissioner for the South West, Hannah Woodhouse, has now sent a Termination Warning Notice to trustees. It requests information about the action being taken to make ‘sufficient improvements’ by way of a post-inspection action plan and timescales for delivery.

The letter highlights issues found during the inspection:

The quality of education pupils receive in the secondary provision is poor. The curriculum is inappropriate, disconnected, and insufficiently ambitious to meet the needs of pupils.
The attendance of pupils is sporadic. The purpose of commissioned places and planned interventions is unclear.
The needs of pupils that have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not met. Staff do not have the specialist skills required to help.
Staff and leaders have not ensured there are high enough expectations for pupils or promoted pupils’ personal development.
The local academy council does not have enough knowledge and information to hold leaders to account sufficiently.
Leadership at the academy is not established, and many senior staff are in interim positions with unclear responsibilities.”

A post-inspection action plan as well as timescales for implementation has now been requested.

The school must also send a written summary of leadership, staffing and governance arrangements at the academy.

Woodhouse writes: ‘As Regional Schools Commissioner, I need to be satisfied that the trust has capacity to deliver rapid and sustainable improvement at the academy. If I am not satisfied that this can be achieved, I will consider whether to terminate the funding agreement in order to transfer the academy to an alternative academy trust.’