Bolton UCS: 'Significant' progress after Ofsted report

Deane Road based University Collegiate School was branded “inadequate” and put into special measures earlier this year after regulator Ofsted inspectors uncovered a range of failings, including the claim that students “do not feel safe."

But since then, the school, part of the Quest multi-academy trust, has made “substantial changes” that have helped move it towards being taken out of special measures.

Quest chief executive Marc Doyle said: “We are reassured by Bolton UCS’ latest Ofsted report.

“It rightly highlights a great deal of work that staff and governors have put into improving the education received by our students.”

Bolton UCS, based on Deane Road (Image: Newsquest)

Bolton UCS is one of the newest schools in the borough and teaches boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 18.

The previous Ofsted report, issued following a visit by inspectors on December 7 and 8 last year, found pupils as young as 11 were exposed to fights, bullying, discriminatory language and even "unwanted sexual behaviour".

But newly appointed interim head of school Dave Terry, who started his new role the very same week the report was issued, said he was determined to turn the college around.

Mr Terry brought with him a history of turning schools around and it was this change of leadership that was recognised most recently by Ofsted.

In their most recent report, issued after visits on July 3 and 4 this year, inspectors also noted the appointment of Mr Doyle as the new trust chief executive.

Mr Doyle has previously led Engineering UTC Northern Lincolnshire to a "good" rating in its first Ofsted inspection and more recently served as director of assurance and development for Manchester-based Consilium Academies.

In his new role he says he has aimed to make improvements across the board at UCS.

Mr Doyle said: “We have prioritised changes to the curriculum, leadership and governance, and safeguard following the last inspection, so it is great to see that this progress is acknowledged by Ofsted.

“However, as the report also highlights, there is still much to do.

“With the interim academy board and two very strong new appointments as headteacher and deputy head, as well as the investment of our whole school community, I am confident we will be able to make significant improvements in time for our next inspection.”

One of the most important strides made by the college was in safeguarding, with inspectors noting that staff have now received “robust” training to improve their understanding of this matter.

A report by inspector Ben Hill said: “Leaders now take swift and appropriate action to support pupils who may be at risk of harm.”

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Mr Hill’s report also noted that the school’s curriculum had been restructured so that “pupils are now studying subjects equivalent in scope and ambition to the national curriculum".

The report also noted that pupils “were unanimous in their view that improved behaviour in lessons has already made their experience of school more positive".

But the inspectors warned that the college still remained in special measures and strongly recommended that it did not seek to hire early career teachers.

They judge that the trust leaders had made progress to improve the Deane Road college, but said more work was needed for it to be taken out of special measures.