A SPECIAL educational needs academy in Calne, once considered outstanding, has been significantly downgraded by schools regulator Ofsted after its latest inspection.

The Springfields Academy, which takes pupils from ages nine to 16, is a school for pupils with complex social and learning difficulties.

The inspection, which lowered the academy’s rating to ‘requires improvement’, identified flaws at all levels, from leadership and management, to classroom teaching and pupil protection.

The report highlights concerns such as “leaders have not ensured that teaching is consistently good” and while strengths are evident, particularly in Key Stage 2, science and physical education are not always of a good standard.

It said: “Teachers do not always provide interesting and engaging teaching and activities, or apply the school’s behaviour policies consistently well.

“As a result, inspectors saw the same pupils behaving very differently in different lessons, making varying progress.

“The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. In lessons and around the school, staff do not consistently apply the school’s behaviour management policies.

“Pupils’ achievement differs between subjects and key stages, linked to the variable quality of teaching.”

In spite of the school’s downgrading, it was seen to have strengths in some areas.

It detailed how disadvantaged pupils make progress which is at least as good as their peers; pupils are kept safe and governors have secured important improvements in welfare provision.

While acknowledging the faults of the school, head teacher John Hamp wanted to highlight the positives in the report.

He said: “We are particularly pleased with Ofsted’s judgement on safeguarding, improvements within residential and improvements within aspects of behaviour management.

“The report also indicates the ability of governance to effectively monitor and the acknowledgement that staff are extremely supportive of the senior leadership team and our direction of travel.

“Though critical in parts, through a huge amount of hard work Springfields staff have clearly made significant improvements and put the turbulence of the past behind us.

“As ever, it is vitally important to read the whole report, rather than just the headline, as the full report indicates a range of improvements that have taken place and areas of existing good practice.

“The strength and expertise of the staff team was demonstrated in June when the National Autistic Society visited the academy for two days. Their observations on our procedures and practice were overwhelmingly positive.

“The Ofsted grading is far from our aspiration for the academy. We have learned from this report and are committed to driving to improve.”