Willowbridge School

Overview

This special inspection occurred during industrial action where teachers did not cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) was “unable to assure... of the quality of education and safeguarding being provided.” The report states the school is a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice.”

Strengths

• Parents reported “very high levels of satisfaction,” highlighting “caring, dedicated staff” and “very good communication.”
• Pupils spoke “enthusiastically” about the student council and opportunities to develop leadership skills.
• Students enjoyed a “wide range of enrichment activities,” including dancing, karate, and Minecraft.
• Leavers spoke positively about their enjoyment of work experience placements.
• The ETI expressed confidence in governance, noting governors are involved in all aspects of school life.

Areas to improve

• The ETI was unable to fully evaluate outcomes for learners, quality of provision, or leadership and management due to the lack of teacher cooperation.
• The school must address the inability to assure stakeholders of the quality of education and safeguarding.

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements “reflects broadly the guidance from the department of education” and pupils feel safe, but the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements” due to the industrial action.