School 'in breach of funding agreement' after failing to enter pupils for GCSEs
Inspectors have stated that a school's recent failure to enter pupils into exams was a breach of the statutory requirements and the school’s own funding agreement.
The Route 39 Academy in Bideford, Devon, a free school, failed to enter any Year 11 pupils into end-of-year examinations in what inspectors called an ‘unreasonable and unorthodox’ step.
The school said its students were “neither academically ready nor sufficiently mature or resilient” to take GCSEs, according to an Ofsted inspection.
The free school has 138 pupils on its roll and had a two-day analysis on June 21 and 22 this year. The inspectors’ report concluded the school was failing on all four criteria it measures.
The school ‘strongly refutes’ the judgment of the inspection which deemed the school inadequate and placed it into special measures.
Read moreLatest News
09/07/2025 - 10:38
The framework gives teachers guidance to plan high quality lessons and teach writing from reception and throughout primary school.
09/07/2025 - 10:16
A new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) finds that the Department for Education (DfE) lacks a coherent plan, suitable targets and sufficient evidence of what works as it seeks to improve teacher recruitment and retention.
08/07/2025 - 12:04
A report from the Children’s Commissioner calls for improved access to school transport so as many children as possible benefit from free bus travel, and for all eligible children to be auto-enrolled to receive free school meals.
08/07/2025 - 10:10
The Education secretary has launched a national campaign to encourage young people to enjoy reading.
07/07/2025 - 10:21
New research from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) found that disadvantaged students are, on average, one-fifth of a grade behind in English and one-eighth of a grade behind in maths when resitting GCSEs
