Termination warning notice sent to academy trust following Gedney Church End Oftsed inspection

A school’s academy trust has been sent a termination warning notice.

The Department for Education has threatened to cancel the funding agreement that sees Gedney Church End Primary Academy form part of the Keystone Academy Trust, questioning whether it can ‘deliver rapid and sustainable improvement’.

Gedney Church End was judged to be inadequate and requiring special measures following an Ofsted inspection earlier this year.

Now education bosses have to decide whether they believe the school would be better served as part of an alternative trust.

“As regional director, I need to be satisfied that the trust has capacity to deliver rapid and sustainable improvement at the academy,” a letter from East Midlands regional directors Kate Copley and Carol Gray stated.

“If I am not satisfied that this can be achieved, I will consider whether to terminate the funding agreement in order to transfer the academy to an alternative academy trust.

“In making the decision on whether to terminate the funding agreement I will consider any written representations the academy trust wishes to make in response to this termination warning notice.”

The letter pointed to concerns raised by Ofsted which include: Pupils with SEND not always benefitting from a good quality of education; Leaders not making sure that all pupils behave well; Limited knowledge of British values, diversity and different faiths and cultures in some pupils; A high number of pupils regularly absent from school.

Following the Oftsed report, the Keystone Academy Trust promised ‘swift and decisive action’

A joint statement by trust chairman Joe Pignatiello and Helen Joyce, acting chief executive, said: “The board of Keystone Academy Trust accept in full the findings of the Ofsted Inspection team and has taken swift and decisive action to bring about the improvements that the school community deserves.

“Additional targeted leadership support is being provided to Gedney Church End Primary School by the trust’s acting deputy chief executive and the wider School Improvement Team and work is well underway to bring about change.”

The trust had until Monday (July 10) to make representations.

The Keystone Academy Trust has been approached for comment.