Wolverhampton school governors set to be sacked for Ofsted improvements failure

Wolverhampton City Council has written to governors at Dunstall Hill Primary School advising them of its plans to remove all six board members.

The school in Whitmore Reans was given a rating of 'requires improvement' following a visit from Ofsted inspectors in June, with concerns raised over child safety and inappropriate work being given to pupils.

A subsequent monitoring visit said governors and senior leaders had failed to make any improvements and ordered Wolverhampton City Council to undertake a full review of the school's leadership of safeguarding systems and governance.

Once the plans have been rubber stamped by the DfE a new interim executive board will be appointed.

Education bosses at the council say they are taking the action as part of a drive to improve the city's flagging primary education system, with a number of schools coming under the spotlight.

The move comes after Peter Holmes MBE was ousted from his position as chief of governors by his fellow board members at a meeting last week. The 83-year-old, who has served on the board for 23 years, said he broke down in tears after he was unanimously voted off.

"It came completely out of the blue," said Mr Holmes, who received his MBE from Prince Charles in 2008 for his services to sport. "The council made it clear they do not have faith in the board to take the school forward, but it seems I have been pushed out the door first.

"I feel we have been put under intolerable pressure and it is sad that things have ended this way. The council could have supported us more."

Mr Holmes has previously sat on the board of Sport England and was involved in the successful battle to save Wolverhampton's Central Baths from closure.

The school is also set to appoint a new headteacher in the next week to replace acting head Diane Elcock, while plans are in place to double the number of pupils on the school roll to 420 in September 2015.

Wolverhampton City Council's education chief Councillor Phil Page, said: "The council has a responsibility to ensure schools provide the highest possible standards for young people in Wolverhampton.

"If schools are not making the required improvements we will take action. We are working closely with Ofsted to improve the schools that are not performing."

Meanwhile, the 'grade 4' rated Grove Primary School in Caledonia Road is due to become an academy on March 1, after Ofsted inspectors said it was not making enough progress towards the removal of special measures.