Giles Academy to be supported by academies trust group after damning Ofsted report

Giles Academy in Old Leake was judged to be inadequate following an inspection in November last year, which means it will go into special measures.

The findings of the report were that the school was inadequate in four of five key areas and required improvement in the other.

Nowthe Department for Education has now asked the South Lincolnshire Academies Trust (SLAT), which runs Spalding Academy and Bourne Academy, to give the school some interim support.

Chair of Governors for Giles, Roy Cowern, said: “As Governors we are obviously very disappointed with this outcome and although we do not fully agree that this judgement truly represents our school, we also accept the report in its entirety and recognise that things do need to change.

“To support The Giles Academy on the school’s necessary journey of change, the Department for Education have asked for the South Lincolnshire Academies Trust (SLATrust) to offer our school some interim support. This will help us to make rapid necessary improvement needed for our young people to be successful.

“Rather than focus on the past, we want to look to the future and we see this interim support as being an incredible opportunity.

“It is my view and that of the other Governors that all young people deserve to go to a school that is at least good and so I hope our parents and students will offer us their continued support as we look to the future and start our rapid journey of improvement.”

SLAT Executive Headteacher Lucy Conley said: “I am extremely pleased to be able to share that the South Lincolnshire Academies Trust has been asked to provide interim support for The Giles Academy. This will certainly help the school to make the rapid improvement needed for the young people at the school to be successful.

“I see this interim support period as being an incredible opportunity to bring together a group of non-selective secondary schools in Lincolnshire. The schools in our Trust are hugely successful, which is what we all want to see for The Giles Aacdemy.

“The Leadership Team; the Trustees and staff across all schools, being Bourne Academy; Spalding Academy and Giles Academy, are extremely excited about the opportunities and improvement this interim support period will bring.”