A SCHOOLS’ watchdog has been accused of ducking responsibility after refusing to respond to concerns about a troubled Oxford academy.

Councillors have criticised a regional schools commissioner (RSC) for an apparent lack of transparency in dealing with St Gregory the Great Catholic School in East Oxford.

RSCs were appointed by the Department for Education to oversee academies and the multi-academy trusts that run them, taking accountability from local authorities, which monitor council-run schools.

Almost a year since St Greg’s was rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted and placed in special measures, councillors questioned what the RSC has done to incite change at the 1,400-pupil all-through school.

Education expert and county councillor John Howson said: “I am seriously concerned about the lack of democratic accountability at academies and multi-academy trusts (MATs).

“This is public money and we need to be sure all schools are being monitored in the same way.”

There are eight RSCs in the country and Oxfordshire’s is Martin Post, who oversees North West London and South Central England.

RSCs can take action with a struggling academy through measures including issuing a warning notice to its trust, terminating a trust’s funding or appointing a new trust to take on the school.

In February Ofsted criticised Dominic Barberi Multi-Academy Company, the MAT in charge of St Greg’s, for weaknesses including poor financial management.

But no warning notice or notice of funding termination was issued by the RSC.

Prof Howson said Mr Post was ‘ducking the problem’.

Similar concerns were echoed by Oxfordshire County Council's education scrutiny committee last month.

Speaking at the meeting, councillor Michael Waine said: “If a local authority school is in special measures, it is a very public affair in the public arena and people are aware of what’s happening.

“With the RSC it’s not always known what’s happening in terms of accountability within the community.”

The RSC’s deputy director Dame Kate Dethridge told him in response: “It’s for the trust to communicate.

"The right thing to do is to keep parents informed.”

She said the RSC team works with multi-academy trusts to find a ‘robust’ solution for struggling schools, and appoint a different trust to take over if necessary.

Asked by councillors if this remains the case with Roman Catholic schools, like St Greg's, one of the RSC’s officers said: “We prefer to look for another Roman Catholic MAT and that is currently happening.”

It was not clear if she was explicitly referring to St Greg’s, and the Department for Education (DfE) refused to clarify if this is the case.

The Oxford Mail asked the DfE several questions about St Greg’s, including why the trust has not been issued a warning and what would warrant such a notice.

It ignored these questions, but a spokesman said: “School standards are rising, with 1.9 million more pupils in good or outstanding schools compared to 2010, but we want every child to get a world-class education. 

"The department and the RSC are working closely with the trust to deliver the improvements this school needs and its pupils deserve.”

Prof Howson said the department was 'ducking legitimate questions'.

Last month Sean Tucker, acting head of St Greg’s in Cricket Road, wrote to parents stating: “We had a DfE visit this week to check on the progress we are making.

“There were a number of positives, it has been acknowledged that student behaviour has improved as has attendance.

"Areas for development have also been identified, such as a greater target setting.

"It was great to be able to feedback to staff the positive comments made about the school. 

"The work done with safeguarding by key members of staff and the development of new behaviour systems really does deserve a mention: it is of the highest order and will be central to St Gregory’s becoming a great school."