High school with ‘persistent unacceptable behaviour’ told more needs to be done to improve

Inspectors say leaders of a struggling high school are yet to take effective action towards improvement.

King Edward VII Academy, in King's Lynn, was told it required improvement last June, with a follow-up visit to inspect progress held at the end of January.

Watchog Ofsted said 'senior leaders and governors are not yet taking effective action', and should take action to 'eradicate the persistent unacceptable behaviour' engaged in by a minority of pupils.

They said the attendance of all pupils at the school, part of the Eastern Multi-Academy Trust, should also be a focus.

Inspectors said principal Lloyd Brown's improvement plans are 'ambitious, comprehensive and fit for purpose', but have not yet shown results.

'You acknowledge that the behaviour of a relatively small proportion of pupils remains unacceptably poor,' a letter written after the visit said.

'During the inspection, disruptive behaviour was observed in many of the lessons visited. This was particularly evident during the afternoon, which is when teachers and other staff indicate that poor classroom behaviour is most prevalent.'

But they did note that, increasingly, pupils who have complex needs are making good progress from starting points.