ST AUGUSTINE’S school has been served an official ‘notice to improve’ by a government inspector.

The Catholic secondary school, which has around 700 pupils, has been given the order – one step below being placed into ‘special measures’ – after a two-day visit last month.

Peter Cox, lead inspector for Ofsted, recorded the lowest possible rating of four for overall effectiveness and said the school was "providing an inadequate standard of education for its pupils and inadequate value for money".

He said standards and pupils’ achievement must improve; the proportion of teaching that is consistently good and outstanding must increase; and that the performance of teachers and managers at all levels must be rigorously monitored.

Mr Cox said standards had been falling since the previous inspection and were ‘exceptionally low’ in both Key Stages.

In June, St Augustine’s – set to amalgamate with Our Lady’s, Royton, in a new £30m Catholic high school in 2012 – was one of seven Oldham schools named on a Government hit-list of 638 which fell below the target of 30 per cent of pupils gaining five A-C GCSE grades, including English and maths.

In a letter to St Augustine’s parents and pupils this week, Mr Cox said: "We judge that you are not getting the best education you deserve and have given your school a ‘notice to improve’.

"We have asked the headteacher and his staff to make some significant improvements to make sure that you meet your full potential. An inspector will visit the school in six to eight months to see how things are going. The headteacher and the governors, with help from others, have begun to make improvements and these are slowly having an effect on improving your education."

Headteacher Mike McGhee accepted the findings and stressed important changes were already under way.

"The report clearly acknowledges that we have accurately identified the areas needing improvement and have put in place effective systems and policies to address them," he said.

"We are pleased Ofsted have recognised that the curriculum is now broader, better balanced and more closely tailored to individual pupil needs; that our students enjoy and feel safe at school; and that our students are well cared for. The inspectors also found that parents are very supportive of our school and the recent positive changes that the governors and I have made. Pupils also say that they believe the school is improving and recognise that the changes we have introduced mean they have to work harder in their lessons."

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