Calls to halt Sheffield King Edward VII School switch to academy

King Edward VII School, on Glossop Road in Sheffield, has 1,770 pupils

A power struggle has engulfed Sheffield's only remaining secondary school still under local authority control, after a plan emerged to convert it to an academy trust.

King Edward VII School was downgraded by Ofsted from a "good" rating to "inadequate" after a 2022 visit, prompting government intervention.

But many parents opposed the move, and the most recent watchdog report restored the school to a "good" rating.

So where does the latest twist in the tale leave the school and its 1,770 pupils?

How did this all begin?

King Edward VII School on Glossop Road in the Broomhall area of Sheffield was rated "good" by Ofsted until 2022, when its safeguarding was found to be "inadequate".

Following the inspection in September of that year, a report said leaders' actions lacked "rigour".

"Sometimes, staff do not pass on safeguarding concerns to appropriate staff in the school," it read.

"This puts children at risk."

Under the watchdog's rules, the overall rating was then switched to "inadequate".

King Edward VII is the only school in the city which is not part of an academy trust, but the government says any school found to be "inadequate" must become an academy.

What was the reaction?

Concerned parents began a campaign to halt the move, with an open letter signed by more than 90 teaching trade union members at the school condemning it.

Hundreds of people joined a protest outside Sheffield City Hall in April 2023 calling for the academy plan to be reversed.

Hundreds of parents protested on the steps of Sheffield City Hall in April in opposition to the move

A petition - signed by more than 3,000 people - reads: "Although there are concerns about the school and things that need to change for some students and their families, there are worries about being forced to join an academy which may not keep the ethos and culture of the school.

"We strongly believe that if we are unable to challenge and stop forced academisation, then the governing body and teaching staff should have a real say in the choice of the academy."

Emma Wilkinson, a parent representing the King Edward VII campaign to prevent it from becoming an academy, said: "It has been very secretive the whole way along, we've had to fight for every bit of information we've had about it from the Department for Education.

"As a parent in this position, you don't get any information about what the next steps are, there's no consultation and you're very much left in the dark."

Ofsted returned to do a one-day follow-up inspection, in May 2023, which turned into a longer visit.

What did the most recent inspection find?

On Tuesday, a letter from the school to parents said it was "delighted" to share its "good" overall rating.

It continued: "We are very pleased that the inspection team confirmed that, 'the arrangements for safeguarding are effective' and that 'leaders have taken robust action to address' the concerns that were raised at the last inspection."

The report is yet to be formally announced on the Ofsted website.

In a letter to parents on Tuesday, King Edward VII School's head teacher said: "I am very pleased to inform you that I have received the final inspection report for King Edward VII School and I am delighted with the outcome of the inspection process."

Reacting to the move, Ms Wilkinson said: "The biggest emotion is relief at this point, there's now no grounds to continue with the order but we still need that decision to be made.

"A school has gone from 'inadequate' to 'good' in the space of nine months. I think it raises questions about how those inspections are done and how those decisions are made."

An Ofsted spokesperson said it could not discuss individual schools.

Where does this leave the school going forward?

Following the announcement, five Sheffield-based Labour MPs wrote to the secretary of state asking for the move to be reversed.

It reads: "According to the department's guidance on schools causing concern, the secretary of state has the power to revoke an academy order under exceptional circumstances, including where the maintained school has been re-inspected by Ofsted and judged 'good' or 'outstanding'.

"Considering this, we ask you to review and rescind the forced academisation order as a matter of urgency."

On Wednesday, a Department for Education spokesperson said: "We are pleased to note that King Edward VII School has secured a 'good' judgement from Ofsted following its most recent inspection.

"We are considering the school's application to revoke the academy order and will provide an update in due course."

Emma Wilkinson, parent representing the King Edward VII campaign to prevent it becoming an academy, called the recent Ofsted report as a "relief"

Responding to the statement, Mark Boylan, a parent of a child at the school and a Professor of Education at Sheffield Hallam University, said "due course" was not good enough.

"Staff, parents of students at the school and those joining the school in September, have had nine months of stress and anxiety, of not knowing what the future holds for the school and our children," he said.

"The school has been inspected, the judgement is 'good' and the minister should immediately revoke the order."

Mr Boylan said pupils had many unanswered questions, adding: "They're leaving people hanging, it's awful."