Councillors at this week’s Hertfordshire County Council’s Education, Skills and Enterprise Cabinet Panel were told by officers that virtually 25% or one school in four across all age groups “requires improvement” which is the second lowest Ofsted category – just above the failing category (known as Special Measures).
This is a much higher proportion than the National average (one in five) and is a major cause for concern. This will mean that these schools will be re-inspected much sooner than schools rated “Good” or “Outstanding”. If they have not improved after two more Ofsted inspections, there is a very high probability that they will be put into the lowest category “Special Measures.” Were this to happen, then almost certainly the Headteacher, and the Board of Governors would be replaced. This can be a very disruptive process.
“I am really worried,” commented the Liberal Democrat Opposition Spokesperson for Education, Mark Watkin. “The Conservatives boast that Hertfordshire has some of the finest schools in the country but it has too many Primary and Secondary Schools which are apparently coasting. It is imperative that these schools, working with the County’s School improvement partner “Herts for Learning”, review all that they do to bring themselves up to the Ofsted “Good” category as a matter of top priority.”