Telford referral unit placed in special measures

In a damning report, Ofsted said Kickstart, a local authority referral unit for youngsters aged 11 to 18 based at Telford College of Arts and Technology, is providing an "inadequate"education to its 26 pupils.

Pupils who attend the unit have been permanently excluded, or are in danger of being permanently excluded, from mainstream schools for behavioural, emotional or social difficulties.

Kickstart's last Ofsted inspection took place in December 2011, when it was based at New College, in King Street, Wellington. At that time it was judged "satisfactory". But since then the number of staff has been reduced.

Ofsted made a return visit in November, and in a report published earlier this month, lead inspector Judith Charlesworth said Kickstart was failing to meet standards. Achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety and Kickstart's leadership and management have all been judged 'inadequate'.

The report found that:

• Most students do not spend enough time at Kickstart to learn adequately

• Too few students make progress at, or above, the expected rate

• Teaching does not take sufficient account of individuals’ gaps in learning

• Teachers do not help students to make up lost ground and move forward at a fast enough rate

The inspectors add: "The move to Telford College of Arts and Technology has not gone smoothly. Teething problems are still being ironed out. Staff morale is low and they feel unsupported and disillusioned.

"Not enough time is given to students in Year 11 to complete their GCSE courses.

"Arrangements to keep students safe do not meet statutory requirements."

The inspectors also noted that over the past three years Telford & Wrekin Council had placed on average 75 Year 11 pupils from mainstream schools on to Kickstart's roll for the last two terms of their statutory schooling. They called the rationale behind this practice "unclear"."

However, Ms Charlesworth said students liked Kickstart and it had few recorded outbursts of bullying or harassment.

"Relationships between staff and students are good," the report adds, and provision for students at Key Stage 3 is effective. They enjoy their work and make rapid progress in lessons."

Education officials today insisted improvements were being made at Kickstart "as a matter of urgency".

And they said those changes had already begun before the Ofsted inspection in November.

Telford & Wrekin Council spokesman Russell Griffin said: "Kickstart has undergone a move to a suite of rooms at Telford College as well as staff restructuring, both of which were completed in September 2013. The inspection took place just two months later at the end of November.

"The Ofsted inspection recognises the changes that we have made are the right way forward for Kickstart but those changes have not had time to have a sufficient impact before the inspection took place.

"It is perhaps unsurprising that those changes had not had time to have a positive effect but we are committed to making improvements at Kickstart as a matter of urgency and the changes we introduced are all part of that process.

"The Local Authority will continue to work closely with the Management Committee of Kickstart to ensure that a robust Action Plan is developed to help drive forward the key issues identified.

"As a result of the recently published report, Telford & Wrekin Council is in talks with the Department for Education regarding the management of the future provision at Kickstart.

"In the meantime, Telford College has been asked by the council to provide support including management infrastructure until a formal process has been determined."

Kickstart was previously known as the 14-19 King Street Alternative Provision.

It caters mainly for GCSE pupils who have been permanently excluded, or are in danger of being permanently excluded, from their mainstream schools for behavioural, emotional or social difficulties.

The centre uses a range of outside centres to supplement the education it provides, including TCAT, Sutton Hill Youth Centre, AFC Telford Study Centre and the Webb Youth Centre.