IPACA has put into special measures after an Ofsted report blasted standards at the school as ‘inadequate’.

The report found the academy was ‘inadequate’ across every measure, including quality of teaching, outcomes for pupils and effectiveness of management.

It comes after the Portland school was found to be under-performing when the secondary school league tables were published last week. Under a new rating system, IPACA had a Progress 8 score of -0.88. Schools with scores of below the government’s floor standard of -0.5 are subject to closer monitoring in future.

Parents have now criticised the school, as governors pledge rapid improvement.

The report will be published tomorrow but Dorset County Council lifted an embargo this morning due to the number of parents discussing concerns on social media.

As well as finding fault with pupils’ behaviour, communication with parents, high levels of absence and exclusions and standards of teaching, the report heaps blame on the academy’s joint sponsors, the Aldridge Foundation and Dorset County Council, stating they have ‘failed to provide adequate support’.

The report adds: “Although achievement has been significantly below average across the academy for some time, the sponsors have not intervened in a timely, substantial and meaningful way to halt this decline.”

Dorset County Council said it was 'disappointed' by the situation.

Cllr Deborah Croney, Dorset County Council Cabinet Member for learning, skills and children's safeguarding, said: “As a minority sponsor represented by just one governor, Dorset County Council did everything we could to support the academy and we are certainly disappointed by the current situation.

"Now, both as the only continuing sponsor and in our role as the local authority, our focus has to be on the future. We are committed to working with the head, the governors and all external agencies to help make the school a success. We are already dedicating senior managers’ time and expertise to supporting the governors and our specialist services will be supporting IPACA pupils, particularly vulnerable children and those with special educational needs.”

One parent said he felt IPACA has become a ‘learning business’ rather than a place of learning and that ‘those involved in running the show have completely lost focus on the reason for their existence’.

Another parent, who didn't want to be named, said she is 'totally ashamed' of how the school is run.
She added: "They don't treat my child with any respect. What hope has our island got if that school fails our children?"

Suzanne Harris has one child in Year 11 and another who finished school last year.

She said: "I'm a bit angry about it really. My eldest left last year having failed most of her exams and has had to resit.

"We moved here in 2014 and I fell in love with the school. The teachers seemed really helpful, happy and welcoming, and we were shown around.

"I know there have been issues. The kids are just not getting the help they need. There's still a few months before my daughter sits her GCSEs, so I just hope they can turn it around in time."

Writing on the Dorset Echo's Facebook page, Paul Merry said: “The stories I hear every day are shameful. It’s a massive joke and our kids will pay the price for this badly run school.”

But Simon Avery said parents need to take more responsibility. He added: "My child is at the school and from our own parenting he is polite and courteous, he learns lessons and is doing well in the subjects he is taking."

While heavily critical of the school, inspectors did note that principal Joss Hayes is taking ‘decisive action’ and that the conduct of pupils is improving.

It also noted: “The principal has inherited a number of difficult issues that are not of her making.”

Joss Hayes said: “The Ofsted report is disappointing but not a surprise, as it confirms the view of the governing body that the academy has not fulfilled its core purpose of giving the children of Portland an excellent education.

“We are working with the Regional Schools Commissioner and Dorset County Council to improve outcomes as soon as possible and ensure a healthy and successful future for the academy.”

Catherine Shaw, chair of governors at IPACA, said: “The governors are absolutely committed to ensuring that the academy improves rapidly, working with all external support agencies.”

In October, a governor quit and parents launched a petition over plans for IPACA to join a national multi-academy trust. A month later, it was announced these plans would no longer be going ahead, though it came after news that the school’s sixth form was ‘under review’ and that the Department for Education had handed the academy a warning over its finances.

A spokesman for Aldridge Academy said: "As sponsor of the school in the period the report covers we fully accept the overall findings of the Ofsted Inspectors and share the concerns raised in their report. 

"For everyone concerned the only priority in this process is the success of the children of Portland. The report highlights the positive impact the support of the Interim Executive Principal has had. In its current educational and financial position IPACA needs that kind of support from a multi-academy trust with local resources like this to deploy, which is over and above what we as a charitable sponsor could provide."