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New board drafted in to improve Orton Longueville School
Peterborough City Council has been given the go-ahead by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, to appoint an interim executive board (IEB) to replace governors to run and monitor major changes at Orton Longueville School.
Peterborough City Council has been given the go-ahead by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, to appoint an interim executive board (IEB) to replace governors to run and monitor major changes at Orton Longueville School.The decision comes after this year's GCSE results saw the overall pass rate drop four per cent on the previous year.
The school, where 1,000 pupils study, in Oundle Road, Peterborough, also has the worst number of persistent absentees with 9.2 per cent of its pupils skipping school regularly.
It is now hoped the IEB will provide a sound base for future improvement by focusing on standards and educational achievement including ensuring the best quality teachers are appointed to the correct roles.
They will also look at its financial position because previous mismanagement has led to a staffing structure that the school can not afford.
The decision to apply to an IEB was also based on the school's history. It was given a notice to improve in June 2006 resulting in some parents taking their children out of the school.
The IEB has been backed by the school's new headteacher Phil Nash and chair of governors Diana Harkness who hope it will prevent receiving further notices to improve or being placed in special measures by Ofsted.
The council's assistant director of learning and skills Mel Collins said: "It is important that we drive up improvement very rapidly.
"The absolute reason we have done this is for those young people in that school who deserve the best quality education. They only get one chance, and that is the fundamental reason why we are doing this.
"We are not saying the previous governing body was ineffective, they just didn't have the skills and expertise that we need today."
Mr Nash, who took over in September, said: "Since my arrival I have been very clear with students, staff and parents that standards need to rise and quickly."
Mrs Harkness added the decision was made with the full support of the existing governing body.
Plans are now in place to invest 20 million to redevelop the school buildings.
Factfile: on the new interim executive board (IEB)
THE IEB will be made up of eight city officials equipped with the skills and expertise needed to turn the school around.
These include executive director of operations Paul Philipson, assistant director of resources and commissioning performance Jonathan Lewis, cabinet member for children's services Sheila Scott, assistant director of learning and skills Mel Collins, former governors Diana Harkness and Kate Lindgren and one other yet to be named.
The first meeting will be on December 17. It will run until September 2011 when a shadow governing body will be appointed.
Executive director of children's services John Richards said: "They have a real opportunity to reach out to the community to harness extra support from council, businesses
RAISING STANDARDS: Headteacher Phil Nash.
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