Special measures school head: Ofsted findings "bolt out of the blue"

Jim Cooke, who has been at the helm of Bisham School for 30 years, claims the school is in good health after three decades of consistently ‘good’ reports and higher-than-average results.

September’s inspection has not yet been published on Ofsted’s website, but has been circulated to the school and identifies problems with leadership and management, pupils’ behaviour and achievement, teaching quality and early years provision.

But Mr Cooke said he cannot understand how standards can have dropped so suddenly after an on-the-spot visit in April showed up no such failings.

He said: “The whole school community is shocked about the negativity in the report.

“It is a complete bolt out of the blue. We are a really successful school with 30 years of good Ofsted reports. We had a glowing interim report in April and now suddenly we’re rubbish at everything.

“We’re committed to working with the Local Authority and Diocese to improve the school but quite frankly we are shocked by all this.

“It is a small, tight knit school community and all the staff really care about the children.”

September’s inspection was held on the day when Mr Cooke and many of the pupils were on a school trip.

He said he and the school “refutes” many of the reports findings and intends to raise a formal complaint against Ofsted.

Parents formed an action group last month after rumours emerged the school could make the switch to an academy, saying they now fear losing control of the school to an Interim Executive Board.

The group says Local Education Authority Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has an "agenda" against the school and is determined to see it make the academy switch.

But it insists it had no such plans, saying it just wanted what is best for the school and its pupils.

A meeting has been called for Wednesday where RBWM is expected to discuss the report and future action with parents and staff.

See this week’s Free Press for more.