AN OLDHAM school has called for a speedy re-inspection after being downgraded from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Requires Improvement’ by Ofsted.

Governors and senior leaders at The Radclyffe School, in Chadderton have made the calls following the outcome of an inspection carried out over two days in October.

The school on Hunt Lane was told it ‘Requires Improvement’ overall, with the quality of education and leadership and management rated ‘requires improvement'.

The school was meanwhile rated ‘good’ in the behaviour and attitudes and personal development categories.

The latest report, the publication of which has been delayed after it was the subject of an appeal and official complaint by the school, said that despite the recent changes the curriculum continues to “lack the necessary depth, breadth and ambition” for pupils, including some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and that older pupils have “insecure subject knowledge”.

Leaders have been told to ensure they plan the curriculum so that it is “appropriately ambitious for all pupils” and to “consider more carefully how the revised curriculum will help older pupils to catch up with lost learning”.

The report added that some teachers “do not know how to ensure that pupils, including those with SEND, learn and remember the curriculum as well as they should” and that some teachers “do not adapt the curriculum effectively enough to enable pupils to catch up, or to address pupils’ misunderstandings.”

There were also several positive aspects at the school that the inspection discovered.

Pupils are said to “feel happy and safe” and “enjoy coming to school to learn with their friends.”

The report said “most pupils do not think bullying is a problem” and called the arrangements for safeguarding “effective”.

The report added that leaders have worked “tenaciously” to ensure most pupils have high rates of attendance and that pupils at the school “learn how to become responsible and respectful citizens” and receive an “appropriate range of careers education and guidance.”

The Chadderton secondary was awarded ‘Outstanding’ status in 2015 under the previous Ofsted framework.

Since then, a new headteacher has been appointed, alongside changes in senior leadership, and the school has faced challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Headteacher John Cregg said: “We are disappointed with Ofsted’s judgement, but everyone is determined to respond positively.”

He added: “We have been attempting to implement a large number of changes since my appointment in September 2019 but unfortunately the interruptions caused by the Covid pandemic – and the periods of school closure in particular – have had a huge impact on these. We are confident that these improvements will be fully in place by the time our next inspection comes around.”