Schools in Swindon are failing pupils ‘at every Key Stage’

Serious concerns have been raised over schools in Swindon, as an Ofsted report has claimed they are failing children ‘at every Key Stage’.

Bradley Simmons, Ofsted Regional Director for the South West, has published a letter calling on headteachers, chief executives of multi-academy trusts, senior political leaders, governors, the local authority and the regional schools commissioner to work together to improve outcomes.

The letter is critical of Swindon Borough Council, claiming that when Simmons has raised issues in the past the council has been ‘defensive in it response’.

Simmons explains that Swindon has some of the poorest results in the country: “The 2016 phonics outcomes for Swindon are some of the poorest in the country,with only 76 per cent of six year olds meeting the expected standard. This places Swindon in the bottom 10 local authorities, nationally.

“At Key Stage 1, Swindon’s seven year olds are the joint lowest performers in reading in the south west.

“At Key Stage 2, Swindon’s outcomes are amongst the lowest in the country with only 44 per cent of 11 year olds reaching the new expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. Only two per
cent of pupils reached a higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics compared with five per
cent nationally in England.”

These issues continue into Key Stage 4, where only 17.3 per cent of pupils achieved the English Baccalaureate in 2016, compared to 22.8 per cent nationally.

In light of this, Simmons said that he is ‘widening the audience’ of his letter so that ‘no key player in Swindon’s schools can be in any doubt of the seriousness of the situation’.

He has urged ‘all involved’ to take ‘immediate action’ to help bring about ‘rapid and sustained improvements’ across schools in the area.