DfE warns academy could be removed from trust

West Lakes Academy in Egremont was told it needed to improve earlier this year

An education trust has been warned a struggling school could have funding pulled and be removed from its management.

The Department for Education (DfE) has written to The Changing Lives Learning Trust, which manages West Lakes Academy in Egremont, Cumbria, saying it could terminate its funding agreement after the school "was judged to be requiring special measures".

Ofsted rated the school's quality of education and management as "inadequate" during an inspection in June. All other areas were rated as "requires improvement".

The trust has been approached for comment.

The Ofsted inspection report, which was published in July, said it found the school required special measures because it was failing to give its "pupils an acceptable standard of education" and those responsible for leading the school were not "demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement".

At the time, The Changing Lives Learning Trust said it was "disappointed" by the report's findings but accepted its recommendations and was working to address the issues raised.

'Option to switch trust'

Vicky Beer, regional director for the North West at the DfE, said in her letter to the trust she needed to be satisfied the trust had "the capacity to deliver rapid and sustainable improvement".

She said she welcomed the "positive discussions" that had been taking place between DfE and the trust.

But Ms Beer added: "If I am not satisfied that [change] can be achieved, I will consider whether to terminate the funding agreement in order to transfer the academy to an alternative academy trust that has the capacity and experience to support the academy to improve in the longer term."

Ofsted inspectors found a raft of issues at West Lakes, which has about 1,100 pupils on its roll.

They said the trust had not held the school to account "for the decline in the quality of education", with pupils, including those with special educational needs and disadvantaged students, not achieving well.

Inspectors said staff did not routinely address gaps in children's knowledge and the school did not "prepare them sufficiently well for life in modern Britain".

Ms Beer told the trust it needed to provide a copy of an action plan in light of Ofsted's findings and "clarity of further steps" the trust intended to take.

"We are mindful of creating unnecessary pressures on school leaders and staff, and as such we would ask the trust to ensure that the appropriate provision is in place to support the school workforce," she added.