Addington High School is setting an acceptable level of education according to OFSTED inspectors who concluded its weaknesses were being addressed by the school's head teacher.

Pupils' standards of achievement were starting to improve according to OFSTED inspectors who visited the New Addington school last April but poor pupil attendance and teacher shortages were seriously affecting the school.

Addington High's OFSTED report stated: "Despite considerable efforts, the school has been unable to recruit enough qualified staff which has caused difficulties in subjects where there are national shortages and has had a serious impact on the quality of teaching."

The school's difficulty in recruiting full-time permanent teachers has impacted on classes with 16 lessons being judged as less than satisfactory.

According to inspectors, although new staff are supported well, most of the poor teaching came from temporary teachers.

The report added although the school has not made sufficient improvement since it was inspected in 1998, current work is taking the school forward.

Head teacher Tim Davies said: "The report recognises some major weaknesses that have been apparent since I took up my post and which are being addressed."

The school's high level of truancy means the overall level of pupil achievement is judged as unsatisfactory.

Two family support attendance workers, partly funded by the New Addington Education Action Zone, will help rectify this when they start work this September.

An electronic registration system, truancy sweeps and a same day call to parents are also helping combat the problem.

July 17, 2002 12:00