Headteacher's pride at once 'inadequate' Wolverhampton school which is now one of city's best
The headteacher of a once "inadequate" Wolverhampton secondary school which is now one of the top performing in the city has spoken of his pride at the turnaround.
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Ian Chamberlain took on the role of head at Smestow Academy in Castlecroft in January 2023 when it became part of the Matrix Academy Trust.
The school, previously known as Smestow School, received a stinging Ofsted report in 2022 prior to joining the academy - with inspectors criticising its leadership and safeguarding standards - as well as having a succession of headteachers in a small number of years.
But the picture is now looking a lot rosier for Smestow, as Mr Chamberlain said the once "chaotic" school has made progress.
Though it is yet to be inspected by Ofsted since forming part of Matrix Academy Trust, the school has been labelled the eighth top performing in Wolverhampton according to new Government figures.
Mr Chamberlain said: "I just feel really proud, everyone has worked really hard and pulled together, both in our school and the trust - it has been a collective effort.
"I think they had about nine or 10 headteachers in about five years, it was chaotic - it was tough. There was lots of truancy, lots of defiance, pupils arguing back and it didn't feel safe. Mobile phones were also an issue.
"But we just held the line right from the start and kept the same, simple expectations over and over, and after a period of a few weeks the behaviour had settled quite well."
