Wolverhampton academies told they must improve by inspectors

North East Wolverhampton Academy (NEWA) and South East Wolverhampton and Bilston Academy (SWABA) were both given a third tier rating of 'requires improvement' after visits from the watchdog last month.

Both academies received the same ratings in their previous inspections in 2013.

Inspectors visited the 969-pupil SWABA on June 11 and 12 and noted that the number of students gaining five GCSEs at A*-C, including English and maths, was well below the national average.

Spelling, punctuation and grammar at Key Stage 4 were said to be 'not secure', while the report said that not enough of the school's most able students achieve top grades at GCSE.

In his report, lead inspector Richard Boswell noted that although the quality of teaching was 'improving strongly', it had not been good enough over time to bring about a good level of student achievement in literacy, reading or maths.

"Standards in these subjects are not yet as high as they should be," he wrote.

However leadership and management and pupil behaviour and safety at the academy were rated as 'good'.

The academy opened in September 2009 having previously been Parkfield High School.

North East Wolverhampton Academy in Marsh Lane was also told it requires improvement, despite leadership and management, pupil behaviour and safety and the sixth form provision being rated as 'good'.

Achievement in Year 11 was said to have slipped back after two years of improving standards and did not meet floor targets.

The report said that the most able students at the school had not made enough progress and that boys had not achieved as well as girls.

Teaching was described as 'not good' in maths, business, geography and home economics, as well as history in the sixth form, with standards said to have fallen to below average.

A number of strengths were also noted in the report.

The academy was said to have benefited from 'exceptionally strong leadership', while the marking of students' work was described as regular and detailed.

The report said that students in the sixth form had achieved well as a result of good teaching.

The 980-pupil NEWA opened in September 2010 following a merger between its two predecessor schools, Northicote and Pendeford High.

Lead inspector Mary Myatt wrote: "The principal has taken swift action to address the fall in standards in 2014."

Principal Bal Pierpoint said she was pleased with the report as it 'confirms we are heading in the right direction in improving teaching, learning and students' progress at the academy even further'.

Both academies are run by the City of Wolverhampton Academies Trust, which is made up of the University of Wolverhampton, City of Wolverhampton College and Wolverhampton council.

They could both be in line to be taken over by the university's Education Central Multi Academy Trust later this year.