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Top marks for ‘failing’ school

Stuart Pike
20/ 9/2007

A TROUBLESHOOTING headteacher has hailed the turnaround of a failing Moston primary school which was at risk of closure a year ago.

Broadhurst Primary School was on a hit-list of primaries targeted for closure by education bosses last September, citing tumbling pupil numbers, poor standards and a threat to local regeneration.

The school was eventually spared, and has now received a glowing Ofsted report, recognising its remarkable improvement in a few months under specialist 'intervention' headteacher Alan Barrand.

Inspectors say the Williams Road school is now satisfactory overall and is pulling out of a "prolonged period of persistent underachievement."

The report recognises teaching improvements, and commends the school's "outstanding" governing body and "good and effective leadership" under Mr Barrand and his deputy head. A new permanent headteacher will now take over from January 2008.

Mr Barrand said: "All members of the school community are very pleased with the findings of the recent Ofsted report. It's a credit to all the hard work and commitment of the staff, children, parents and governors in their vision to improve education for all children."

A "delighted" chair of governors Patrick Waterhouse said: "It's an enormous achievement that has been made at the school over two years.

"We had a lot of hard work to do after previous leadership problems at the school and bringing Alan in as the acting headteacher was the major part of turning round the school.

"The people around Broadhurst were determined they wouldn't lose the school."

Inheriting a school with real behavioural issues, Mr Barrand was determined to restore a sense of discipline and structure to the school, starting with increased compliance with school uniform.

He explained: "Uniform is very important. It's about school identity, wanting to be associated with a rapidly improving school.
"Behaviour is now good, both in and outside the classroom. Pupils are treated with respect and similarly treat adults with respect. It would appear that behaviour has changed very positively."

Ofsted also praised the school's integration of school assemblies to celebrate achievement and give time for reflection, while the establishment of a parent and toddlers group on Tuesdays and Fridays has widened the reach of the school community.

But Mr Barrand, who previously helped turn around Rack House Primary School in Wythenshawe, revealed that his battle to revive Broadhurst's fortunes was dealt a hammer blow just two days into his new position.

He explained: "I started on Monday 4 September and on 6 September we had two people from the city council education department saying 'By the way, you're possibly going to be closing'.

"I didn't know anything about it. When the staff heard that it was under threat of closure that did damage morale.

"We need now to do a lot of PR on this school to get the pupil numbers up again."