Sky College 'no longer a failing school' (From Somerset County Gazette)

Sky College 'no longer a failing school'

1:40pm Tuesday 1st February 2011 in Taunton

A TAUNTON school for boys with behavioural problems is no longer failing, OFSTED inspectors have ruled.

Sky College, in Pickeridge Close, previously The Priory School, has been taken out of special measures and judged “satisfactory” a year after a private company took over running it.

Lilac Sky was called in by Somerset County Council after the school received the lowest OFSTED rating in November 2007.

The company will run the school until December 2014 in a five-year, £1million deal.

Executive head teacher Trevor Averre-Beeson said: “The inspectors – who visited last week – were highly impressed with the progress the school has made in just a year.

“Everyone in school played their part – staff, students and governors – and the school felt really positive, an effective place of learning.”

Among positive findings at Sky, which caters for 11 to 16-year-olds with behavioural, social and learning problems, were: *teaching all at least satisfactory, more than half good and some lessons outstanding; *it is a ‘proper school’; *boys’ attitude to learning praised; *the school environment and displays were impressive; *planning was good; *boarding facilities were very good and will be outstanding when new premises are built; *attendance, GCSEs, literacy and numeracy levels improved.

Mr Averre-Beeson added: “We need to still work to improve standards in the school so that we can in time be regarded as outstanding.”

Principal Ben Parnell said: “A year ago exclusions were at a record high, but now they’re virtually zero and I put it down to a whole range of things.

"Overall students enjoy coming into school."