A FAILING secondary school will be put under new management with its academy trust set to be dissolved.
Ortu Gable Hall School, in Corringham, was rated “inadequate”, the lowest possible rating, after an Ofsted inspection in May of 2022.
The report led to furious protests from parents calling for the school to leave the Ortu Federation trust following the resignation of headteacher Ceri Evans.
The Harris Federation - a massive trust which runs 53 schools across London - has been identified to take over the school with advanced talks underway for the transfer.
Ortu Hassenbrook Academy, which was last rated “requires improvement” by Ofsted, and Ortu Coringham Primary and Nursery, rated “good”, both based in Stanford-Le-Hope, are also to be transferred to new trusts.
Georgina Clark, the chair of the Ortu Federation, said: “Our trustees are working closely with the Department for Education to ensure that there is a seamless transition of Ortu schools to new trusts.
“We are currently in the due diligence phase with the Harris Federation which is the preferred trust to take over Gable Hall School.
“We have a shortlist of trusts for the remaining schools and anticipate that the final decision will be made in February.
“We are working to ensure that all three schools will be with their new trust for the start of the new academic year.”
Claire Shaw, who has a child in Year 10 at Ortu Gabel Hall, was among those who protested against the trusts.
“Since the creation of the trust the school has been on a downward spiral,” she said.
“Removing the school from the trust will mean it has the fresh start that it deserve.”
The school was converted to an academy in 2012.
Prior to conversion it was rated “outstanding” by Ofsted in 2007 and was said to promote a “winning ethos, where children are encouraged to excel and recognised when they do”.
The academy slowly deteriorated over the years, first rated “good” in 2012, “requires improvement” in 2018 before the “inadequate” rating in 2022 as Ofsted reported major safeguarding failures which had left the “most vulnerable pupils open to risk.”
An announcement has not been made in regards to Ortu Sixth Form Centre at this stage.
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