Ofsted ratings for Weymouth and Portland senior schools might be low – but each school is continuing to do a ‘great job’ for local pupils, according to local councillor Kate Wheller.

The Wyke Regis Labour councillor claims parents have little to fear and says the schools are not failing across the board.

It follows on from two damning Ofsted reports that were issued last month of Budmouth College and All Saints School.

The ratings mean there are now no ‘good’ schools in the borough.
Wey Valley has had a ‘requires improvement’ rating since its first inspection after academisation in 2012.

Atlantic Academy has yet to be inspected by Ofsted since it took over the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy (IPACA) last year. 

Academies are given a grace period after forming and are usually inspected in their third year.

Before the Aspirations Academy Trust took over, IPACA had also been put into special measures.

Speaking about the Ofsted reports on local schools at a meeting, Cllr Wheller said: “Within them there are some terrifically dedicated teachers. Ofsted has simply moved the goalposts in recent years and, while there are some issues with the schools, and while they are failing in some areas, overall they are doing a great job. I would hate parents to think they are failing across the board, because there are an awful lot of areas where they are not.”

She described the Ofsted investigation as “little more than a tick box exercise”.

County councillor for Rodwell Clare Sutton had earlier asked if there was more the county council could do to help: “This is having a great impact on thousands of kids and their life chances. Could we not offer our schools advisory service for free?”

Senior manager Rick Perry said his team had been offering what support they could but added that most of the decisions needed to be taken were in the hands of the schools themselves now they were no longer managed by the county council.

“We have some fabulous schools in Dorset and we shouldn’t lose sight of that,” he said, adding that it was the time to be looking for ‘creative solutions’ to the current problems within schools in the borough.

People and Communities committee vice chairman Cllr Mary Penfold said: “We have all got to work together. It’s essential that we give our children the best education we can.”

Mr Perry said that although the council no longer has a major role to play with the management of local schools the schools advisory team still maintain a watching brief on schools they have concerns about.