School told to improve after Ofsted condemns it

A Catholic school in Shropshire has been issued with a "notice to improve" after receiving a damning report from Ofsted inspectors who gave it the lowest possible mark.

Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic School, in Wellington, Telford, was rated "inadequate" in a report published this week.

Inspectors were particularly concerned about GCSE exam results described as "significantly below average" and said big improvements were needed in key areas of English and maths.

The school now has six months to improve or face being placed into special measures.

The report states: "The quality of education is inadequate because students' attainment is low and their progress in English and mathematics has been inadequate."

It rated teaching at the college as "securely satisfactory" but said it was not always consistent based on what inspectors had seen.

Headteacher Robert Hall said work was already well under way to address the issues raised and that there were also many good points raised by inspectors.

He said: "We now have the teaching and leadership teams in place to take these issues forward and early exam results have been very promising."

Councillor Stephen Burrell, Telford & Wrekin Council's education chief, said the college was taking "major strides in the right direction".

The school in Whitchurch Road currently has nearly 750 pupils on roll. It is the second school in Telford to be issued with a notice to improve by inspectors in as many months.

Sutherland Business and Enterprise College, in Trench, was also issued with the lowest possible mark in a report made public in December.