Stone Lodge Academy in Ipswich criticised in Ofsted report as Eastern Education Group boss promises change is on the way

The boss of an education trust has said it is working on improvements at an Ipswich special school which was judged by a watchdog to be inadequate in three key areas.

Ofsted said the progress of students at Stone Lodge Academy, in Stone Lodge Lane West, was hindered by the quality of education on offer.

Bessie Owen, lead inspector, said too many people regularly missed school while also criticising its safeguarding as being ineffective, putting pupils at risk of not being protected.

Stone Lodge was one of five schools for those with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) to join Eastern Education Group in September.

Ofsted visited the school in January, handing it inadequate ratings in quality of education, behaviour, and leadership, while personal development required improvements. It was previously rated good.

According to Dr Nikos Savvas, chief executive of Eastern Education Group, the trust immediately became aware that improvements were needed at Stone Lodge.

He said: “As a trust, we have already acted on this but, as identified in the Ofsted report, these changes are too recent to have had the broad reaching positive impact we expect to see in due course.

“The findings from this report have served to reinforce the urgency of the work we need to do to achieve our aim for Stone Lodge Academy and the other SEND schools now in our group to be providing the same exemplary standards of education and care we expect and that are delivered by our other schools and colleges.”

Eastern Education Group also runs Abbeygate Sixth Form and West Suffolk College, in Bury St Edmunds, as well as One Sixth Form in Ipswich, all of which were rated outstanding by Ofsted.

Stone Lodge provides education for children with learning disabilities, such as autism, or children with mental health issues.

Ms Owen said the school did little to ensure pupils attended, but said they were polite, their behaviour was calm and they formed positive relationships with peers.

However, Ms Owen praised the curriculum for subjects such as PE, which she described as more ambitious.

Assessments for subjects were inconsistent, she said, with pupils having learning plans but the way staff checked progress lacked precision.

Pupils also underachieved when it came to reading, Ms Owen added.

Dr Savvas admitted there was much work to be done to bring Stone Lodge up to par with its other schools.

The trust has ‘strengthened its strategic oversight and leadership’ since it took over, in addition to tackling areas highlighted by Ofsted.

He added: “Our aim is to make Stone Lodge, like Abbeygate, One and West Suffolk College, a beacon of excellence. We are confident that the next Ofsted inspection will see the positive impact of the changes and the strong foundations we are building for the school.”