Ofsted has revisted a Teignmouth school previously flagged for inadequate performance.

A recent monitoring visit conducted by Ofsted at Teignmouth Community College, previously labelled as 'inadequate', has acknowledged progress, yet identified lingering areas of concern requiring further attention to address what they term 'serious weaknesses'.

A monitoring inspection recently conducted at Teignmouth Community College, a year subsequent to being rated as 'inadequate' by Ofsted due to serious concerns, has revealed progress while highlighting areas still in need of improvement.

The school, situated on Exeter Road, faced criticism for exhibiting 'serious weaknesses' in various areas including pupil behaviour, low expectations, and a poorly structured curriculum during the inspection in March 2023. Under the management of the Ivy Education Trust for nine months at that time, the school had previously garnered a 'requires improvement' rating from Ofsted in 2019.

During the recent visit on March 5, inspectors assessed the progress made since the last inspection and the outcomes were published this week. While acknowledging the 'significant' efforts invested, Ofsted's letter to headteacher Rachel Wickham emphasised the necessity for further work to overcome the lingering issues.

Reportedly, fundamental alterations were made to the curriculum across all subjects, rendering it notably more ambitious and geared towards exam preparation. However, older students who hadn't yet benefited from these improvements were noted to still possess significant knowledge gaps, prompting the need for swift intervention.

The school's senior leadership team underwent significant restructuring and expansion, with experienced personnel appointed to key positions. According to Ofsted, these leaders now share a unified vision for delivering high-quality education and are cognizant of the urgency for change. Addressing the needs of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was highlighted as an ongoing and considerable challenge.

Regarding disadvantaged students, closer monitoring and support initiatives have been implemented, resulting in early signs of improvement in their engagement with the wider curriculum. Additionally, the establishment of a new Bridge facility aimed at supporting persistently absent students was noted, with initial successes reported.

External support has been enlisted to facilitate change and provide impartial oversight, while internal quality assurance systems have been introduced to assess the impact of ongoing improvements. The workload and well-being of staff have been carefully considered throughout this period of change, with staff aligning with the school's commitment to enhancing educational standards.

The college underwent significant organizational changes, transitioning from the Osprey Trust to amalgamate with Estuaries Multi-Academy Trust in June 2022, forming the Ivy Education Trust. Notably, new leadership appointments were made in September 2022, including a new headteacher and two deputy headteachers.