We don't feel safe, say pupils as inadequate Wednesfield school is put in special measures

Wednesfield High Academy was branded inadequate and put into special measures after the scathing report, which revealed half the children surveyed by inspectors think bullying is a problem with some saying they do not feel safe.

The school in Lichfield Road, which has 884 pupils and 141 sixth-formers, was also found to be excluding pupils on a regular basis but failing to record them.

It is the the specialist engineering academy's first Ofsted inspection since Wednesfield High School - rated inadequate by inspectors in 2013 and 2014 - converted to academy status in February 2015.

• Click here to read the full Ofsted report

The report said: "The records kept to vet adults working in the school are disorganised and ineffective.

"Leaders and governors have not ensured that the records kept regarding the vetting of adults in the school are complete and accurate.

"Checks on the identity of adults coming into the school are not always held in one place and a variety of staff have responsibilities for different checks. This means that leaders do not have a secure overview of these systems."

It adds: "Pupils display poor behaviour in a significant number of lessons that disrupts learning. Teachers do not use the school's behaviour management system consistently or effectively."

The report said: "Some pupils who responded to the online survey stated that they do not always feel safe. Nearly half stated that bullying is a problem and that the teachers do not deal with it well."

It also said that 'sporadic absence of the headteacher' meant there was a lack of leadership in the school, while maths and English results were inadequate.

The school has been put into special measures because 'it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.'

Inspectors also said: "Leaders do not ensure that attendance is accurately recorded or followed up.

"The absence of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is too high and is getting worse."

Wednesfield High School became Wednesfield High Specialist Engineering Academy in February 2015 when it joined multi-academy trust Educational Central, which also includes The Ace Academy Tipton and is run by the University of Wolverhampton.

The Department for Education suggested conversion after the school was put into special measures in 2013 and failed to improve sufficiently in 2014.

A spokesman for the school said: "Since the inspection we have taken rapid action to ensure all issues raised are addressed."