St Sampson’s High deemed inadequate in Ofsted report

Poor attendance, disrespect for teachers and bullying were all highlighted as problems in the report, with pupils left feeling unsafe at school.

Principal Vicky Godley wrote to parents, saying they deserved to have answers and planned to tonight reassure them about the troubled school.

She said she was truly sorry the school had not been delivering at the expected standard.

‘But I am absolutely committed to doing everything necessary to address the range of concerns identified by Ofsted,’ she said.

‘I want to assure our students and their parents and carers that we know there is much work to do, we know and recognise the issues and we will work tirelessly to address them.’

Ofsted conducted an independent external review of the school in June after Education, Sport & Culture called for all schools on the island to undergo inspections.

It is the second school to be inspected under the new agreement, concluding that the quality of education at the school was not good enough.

The four inspection grading categories are inadequate, requires improvement, good and excellent.

Quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management were deemed ‘inadequate’, while personal development and welfare was said to ‘require improvement’.

Director of Education Nick Hynes said the inspection report was nowhere near good enough.

‘All of us, everyone involved in the delivery of education at SSHS, need to take responsibility for it and ownership of the problems and the improvements needed,’ he said.

‘It is clear to me from the report that the inspectors see the principal as very much part of the solution to the challenges at the school and I wholeheartedly agree.’

Ofsted will return to check on progress during the next academic year.

The report highlighted key issues to do with behaviour, safeguarding, attendance and teachers’ understanding of curriculum.

Pupils behaviour around the school was poor, with some pupils ignoring or directly challenge their teachers.

Poor behaviour goes unchecked because staff did not apply the behaviour policy consistently. In previous years behaviour systems have been introduced, but subsequently dropped.

When bullying was reported, students had little confidence that it would be stopped, leading to many students feeling unsafe.

Staff were said to be insufficiently skilled in subject curriculum design, behaviour management or supporting students with special educational needs and disabilities.

Special educational needs or disability pupils were not supported effectively. While attendance was generally too low at the school, it was particularly poor among disadvantaged children or those with SEND.

Safeguarding was found to be ineffective. Many students did not feel safe at school due to fear of poor behaviour or bullying.

Mrs Godley moved to the high school in 2020 and was previously at La Mare High School, where she was brought in to tackle poor exam results.

‘The staff there pulled together, we developed a new culture and the whole community saw the benefits. I have no doubt the same can and will happen at St Sampson’s. It takes time but we know we need to generate improvements urgently.’

Three new senior leaders will be joining in September to support the improvement efforts, which ESC president Andrea Dudley-Owen said would be part of accelerated changes.

‘The St Sampson’s High School community will I’m sure be concerned about the findings – as are we, but I want to take this opportunity to reassure that the report acknowledges that Mrs Godley has a clear understanding of what needs to change,’ she said.

‘I apologise unreservedly to the students and families who have been let down as a result of a drop in standards and I commit to ensuring there is an immediate and marked improvement.’

ESC is temporarily taking on the role of governors to ensure support is in place for all school leaders.