A SOUTHAMPTON school has been deemed inadequate in all areas in a damning report. 

Inspectors from education watchdog Ofsted gave leadership, teaching and behaviour at Sholing Technology College the lowest grade possible, plunging it into special measures. 

Safeguarding was said to be “ineffective” because checks on staff were not verified or logged accurately.

The report was released last night as youngsters enjoyed their prom.

PHOTOS: Glitz and glamour at Sholing Technology College prom >>

It comes 18 months after former teacher Edmund Warbrick was found guilty of possessing the most serious category of images of child sexual exploitation.

Former maths teacher Eliot Easterby was also found guilty of 13 charges of possessing and making indecent images of young boys around the same time.

Inspectors overseeing 33 lessons across the school said management was “failing to give pupils an acceptable standard of education” and leaders were “not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school”.

Progress and attendance of the 1,017 pupils, aged 11 to 16, at the Middle Road school were said to be below the national average and “underachievement had become widespread in core areas of the curriculum”. 
As reported in the Daily Echo, the school was one of five in Hampshire where results dropped in 2015 – from 50 to 41 per cent of pupils getting five A*-C grades at GCSE.

However head teacher Martin Brown, who has been at the school since September 2014, has vowed to stay in post and challenge the damning judgement.

The former deputy head at Upper Shirley High, who last year banned pupils from eating crisps, said: “On May 17-18 2016 our school was inspected by Ofsted which has resulted in a judgement that the school is to be placed in the ‘special measures’ category.

“We are deeply disappointed with this overall judgement and the lack of acknowledgement of the significant impact we have had on the progress of specific groups. In response, I can confirm that the school is challenging the judgements and conduct of the inspection with the full support of the governing body.

“However, at the present moment the category will stand and as a result we will be working closely with Southampton City Council and our attached inspector to produce a development plan to implement the recommendations from the report.

“We are already working on the post-Ofsted action plan which will see the school leave this category after re-inspection. The governing body, teaching and support staff are all committed to ensuring we return to our previous ‘good’ grading as soon as possible.

“Ofsted has acknowledged the improvements taken place at Sholing Technology College and that these areas of development will continue to have an impact. I am pleased to see that the inspection team recognised the passion for raising standards that my team and I have for the school. The lead inspector also recognised the important teaching appointments made in the past year especially in curriculum leader positions.

“I would like to say thank you to the staff, parents and governors who have continued to support the school during this time of transition and one which will significantly contribute to the future success of Sholing Technology College.”

Management at the school will now be subject to an intense Ofsted monitoring scheme and will be given time to bring the school out of special measures - usually up to two years. They will work with the city council.

A city council spokesman said: “Southampton City Council is aware that the head teacher is appealing the verdict of the Ofsted inspector. The council will continue to work closely with the head teacher and chair of governors to bring about any improvements that are needed. Whatever the outcome of the appeal, all parties are committed to returning the school to a ‘good’ rating as quickly as possible.

“The council has every confidence in the ability and commitment of the head teacher. An action plan is being developed and a number of improvements have already been implemented. Over the past year new initiatives have been put in place which, once they are bedded in, will have a positive impact on outcomes for all pupils.

“The council’s role in this is to support, challenge and monitor performance and progress in our schools and we remain absolutely committed to ensuring that all young people receive the best possible education and have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

Ofsted inspectors have recommended that management “rapidly improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that teachers consistently plan challenging lessons” and review the school’s use of the pupil premium – cash given to schools for disadvantaged pupils. It has also been warned not to appoint newly-qualified teachers. 

Although the school was rated “good” in its 2011 report, the only areas of strength in 2016 were food technology, history and physical education, although the number of pupil exclusions has been reduced.

The report said: “The head teacher and deputy head teacher are passionate about improving standards, but they do not have a sufficiently accurate interpretation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.”

A high turnover of staff has also been raised as a concern by staff, pupils and parents, with management struggling to recruit and retain high quality teachers. 

The governing body has been criticised, with inspectors saying it is “well intentioned” but “too reliant on progress information provided by senior leaders which is inaccurate”.

Only 53 per cent of parents on government website Parent View said they would recommend the school to others. 

One third of parents said the school did not deal effectively with bullying while homophobic and racist language went unchallenged by staff.