Parents fight on to save school
Uncertainty after Pooles Park was downgraded to ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted inspectors
Friday, 21st April 2023 — By Charlotte Chambers
Parents outside the school in Finsbury Park
“IT’S all still to play for,” according to parents who are fighting to keep the school gates open at their children’s Finsbury Park school after a shock Ofsted inspection downgraded it from “good” to “inadequate” in its ratings.
School leaders at Pooles Park primary met with parents on Tuesday and told them they were still waiting to learn the outcome of their complaint about the snap-inspection’s findings in November.
Should their concerns be upheld, the Lennox Road school could be reassessed by a new inspection team, and a different Ofsted grading potentially given.
But headteacher Greg Crawford is understood to have warned parents two other options are also possible: that school is closed by Islington Council, and the pupils dispersed to other schools; or that it is taken over by an academy trust.
The “inadequate” rating – the lowest that Ofsted can give – came after inspectors expressed concern that mixed-year group learning had been unsuccessful and left unaddressed. Reading progress at the school was also criticised.
But within days of the announcement, parents had begun to stage a fightback. Paul Levy gathered more than 100 signatures calling for a new assessment and said there was “no way” the school was failing.
“I’m furious,” Mr Levy said. “Pooles Park is a caring school, supporting and giving disadvantaged children some hope and self-esteem. A lot of the staff have been there a decade or more. I chose this school after visiting 13 other schools, because they were able to answer every one of my 40 or so questions.”
Pooles Park is in one of the country’s poorest areas and has one of the highest rates of special educational needs in the borough.
Mr Levy added: “I’m convinced if my son went to another school in the borough he would not be where he is today. What we want is an input – what Ofsted see and what we see is miles apart.”
The Tribune was asked to leave the meeting by Mr Crawford, on the grounds that the press could not be present on the school site.
