School blasted for 'failing' its children

Oct 11 2006 By Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

A BIRMINGHAM primary school has been accused of "failing" its pupils by providing inadequate education.

Tame Valley Community School, in Chillinghome Road, Hodge Hill, has been put into special measures by Government inspectors.

Education watchdogs Ofsted, who inspected the 227-pupil school in July, concluded that it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.

They said Tame Valley had previously been judged to have serious weaknesses at the time of an inspection in February 2004.

"Although there was initially some improvement, this was not sustained and the quality of education then deteriorated," the new report said.

Inspectors said the school itself had accurately evaluated its overall effectiveness as inadequate.

Tame Valley head teacher Pam Read-Law said: "We are aiming to turn the school around within the next 12 months and to come out of special measures by then.

"Already this term we have employed five new teachers to help raise the quality of teaching and learning, re-written our development plan to address the key points raised by Ofsted inspectors, and secured the support of a consultant head teacher to support strategic planning for governors and the school management."

Inspectors said pupils' achievement was inadequate because too many pupils do not make enough progress. Teaching was also inadequate chiefly because the work set does not consistently meet the different learning needs of pupils.

Although pupils did better than expected in national tests in English and maths in 2005, attainment was not sustained and 2006 fell further below average.

Ofsted said pupils' personal development and well-being was satisfactory, and also acknowledged there had been difficulties in giving pupils continuity in their learning because of staff absence.

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