EXCLUSIVE

by Simon Tulett

A Gravesend
school deemed to be failing its pupils has accused Ofsted of
having a "deliberately negative agenda".

Staff at St George’s Church
of England School say they are shocked by the verdict from the
education standards office, which plunged them into "special
measures" - the worst possible scenario for a school apart from
closure.

Headteacher Anne Southgate,
who has been with the Gravesend school a year, said she was
expecting either a "satisfactory" or "good" mark from inspectors
following their December visit.

Despite the report noting
several improvements to teaching and student attainment,
particularly following the appointment of Mrs Southgate, the Church
of England aided school in Meadow Road was judged to be failing
students by not giving them an acceptable standard of
education.

Simon Webb, Kent County Council’s area children’s services
officer for north Kent, said: "I don’t think anyone would disagree
that we need to raise standards, but they came in with a deliberate
negative agenda. The focus the team had was on the most vulnerable
staff."

The school has lodged six
complaints against the conduct of the inspection team.

Mrs Southgate said students
were "upset and outraged" at news of the damning
verdict.

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