Shropshire Star

One in five schools need improvement

Shropshire has the lowest percentage of outstanding schools in the West Midlands, according to school inspectors, with just nine per cent falling into the top category.

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However, 71 per cent of the schools in the district were rated as "good" – the highest percentage in the region.

The figures were today released by inspection body Ofsted, which inspected 21,050 schools and academies during 2014.

The report also identified that one in five schools in Shropshire district have been deemed to be either "inadequate" or "requiring improvement"

In the Telford & Wrekin authority area, 20 per cent of all schools inspected by Ofsted were rated as outstanding, and 64 per cent were rated as good, putting the schools above the national average.

Four per cent of Telford & Wrekin's schools were rated as being inadequate, compared to just two per cent in Shropshire district.

However, 18 per cent of schools in the Shropshire Council area had been identified as requiring improvement, compared to 12 per cent in Telford & Wrekin.

For England as a whole, 20 per cent of schools were rated as outstanding, and 61 per cent good, while 17 per cent were deemed to require improvement. Two per cent of schools were found to be inadequate.

The West Midlands region came in at slightly below average, with 18 per cent of schools judged to be outstanding, 61 per cent good, 18 per cent requiring improvement, and three per cent inadequate.

Russell Griffin, spokesman at Telford & Wrekin Council, said that the Ofsted figures were good news overall, although there was still work to be done.

He said: "We are pleased that 84 per cent have been judged good or better by Ofsted, which places us in the top quartile of performance for all West Midlands authorities.

"We recognise, however, that these figures need to be kept under constant review as the Ofsted cycle means that schools are inspected throughout the academic year and the figures may be subject to change."

Mr Griffin added: "We will continue to work with all our schools and academies to offer support and challenge which hopefully will lead to further improved outcomes."

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