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Damning Ofsted report on troubled Ace Academy in Tipton

A troubled academy is still underachieving two years after plunging into special measures, Ofsted has ruled.

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The Ace Academy in Tipton has come in for fresh criticism from the education watchdog and continues to be rated as inadequate.

Teaching was said to be weak and disruption in classrooms rife.

The school, in Alexandra Road, which has almost 1,400 pupils, appears to be no closer to leaving special measures and has suffered fresh upheaval in recent months with the departure of headteacher Robin Grover and a subsequent overhaul in staff.

Ofsted said it continued to be concerned by what it had seen at the Ace Academy and said leaders were 'not taking effective action towards the removal of special measures'.

The academy is part of the University of Wolverhampton's Education Central Multi-Academy Trust and counts Sir Geoff Hampton, who has been credited with turning around a number of failing schools, among its governors.

Read the Ofsted report here

Around 15 teachers left at the end of the summer term and there are still teaching vacancies in English, maths and science.

But the body said no newly-qualified teachers should be taken on as it was not confident they would be provided with adequate support.

In its inspection report, the education regulator said the loss of so many teachers had rocked the stability the school had been able to build up.

Some pupils were said to be struggling following a decision to reduce the amount of classes in each year, meaning a rise in the number of children in classes. Assessments of pupils' ability in English was described as 'woefully inaccurate'.

The academy was put into special measures in November 2014 after Ofsted highlighted 'ineffective leadership and management at all levels' since becoming an academy in 2013.

The latest report said: "Pupils' needs are not being well met, especially those with low ability and some who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. These pupils do not receive enough support in their lessons to help them to make the same progress as others.

"Too much teaching is weak, causing pupils to make much slower progress than they should, especially disadvantaged pupils, the most able and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities."

University of Wolverhampton spokesman James Allen said: "We acknowledge the latest monitoring report conducted by Ofsted and we are working closely with the Department for Education to bring about the necessary improvements."

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