Mandeville School out of special measures

Inspectors came to school at the end of November, just days after new headteacher Andria Hanham took over.

And school bosses say that they are taking heart from the findings, and will keep on working hard to make the necessary improvements.

Inspectors found that the ‘The new principal, is most ably supported by the vice principal and other leaders, and is generating stability and better teaching and progress for all pupils.’

They found that funding for disadvantaged pupils is now used effectively so that the gap between their progress and others narrowed in 2015.

The inspection also noted GCSE results are at least in line with national averages in several subjects; they were above average in English in 2015. Current pupils make good progress in several subjects.

Headteacher Andria Hanham said: “The call came on my second day of taking up the headship role and gave me an immediate opportunity to see my school in action.

“The staff dealt with the inspection professionally and efficiently and pulled together in all the right ways as a coherent force. The students also responded well showing their loyalty to The Mandeville School.”

She added: “There is work to be done and we will not be complacent. We are well aware of the weaknesses that remain for us to work on but, with the support of parents at home, the co-operation of students in working with their teachers and a united workforce, we will move The Mandeville School forward every day in strong, positive development.

“We will continue to tackle the areas that we know are our weaknesses.

“We need to focus on raising expectations and ensure that all lessons are up to the expected standards. The key word is consistency: our students want to learn and succeed and we will be working to make sure that they have good lessons in all subjects and classrooms.

“We will be working with a local school and intend to become an academy which will afford us greater freedoms and give us stronger financial probity. Becoming an academy has been an intended conversion project for the Mandeville School for a few years but we have now been given the actual ‘go ahead’ by the Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan, to convert - another piece of excellent news.

“As principal, I will continue to work with key personnel to ensure that our outcomes are better this summer but also that the curriculum and teaching across subjects, in and for all year groups, continues to rapidly improve.”

Louise Goll, chair of the school’s Interim Executive Board, said: “‘While this has been a challenging time for all at The Mandeville School, all staff at the school - teachers and support staff - are to be thanked and congratulated for their professionalism and consistent hard work to bring about the necessary improvements.

“I am delighted that their efforts have been recognised and that now the school will now go from strength to strength under our new Principal and with our very hard working and committed staff team. We have benefitted throughout from the help and support of colleagues in Buckinghamshire Learning Trust, Buckinghamshire County Council and all members of the IEB, who have always generously offered their professional expertise.

“I would like to thank these colleagues who have been very important in securing the school’s improvement.

“Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the wider school community - the students who were a credit to all during the inspection, parents and families, and our Primary school colleagues who have loyally supported us

throughout.”