6:41pm Monday 13th July 2009
By Fran Bardsley
SEVEN children have been expelled in the first year of the Oxford Academy — but principal Mike Reading said “tough action” was necessary to make sure pupils knew when enough was enough.
Mr Reading said the number of pupils permanently excluded from the Littlemore secondary was low compared to other academies across the country.
He could not provide a figure for the number of pupils expelled from Peers School, which the Academy replaced in September.
He said: “We said from the outset we would expect improved standards, courtesy, self-worth and an aspect of tough love.
“What that means is that no matter what the background of that person, we want to care for them and show interest and dedication — but we will also not run away from taking tough decisions.
“At some point, having given somebody chance after chance after chance, you have to say enough is enough.”
He said one student had been in Year 11 and the others were from Years Eight to 10.
Mr Reading would not be drawn on the reasons the children were told not to return to the school.
But he said pupils could only be permanently excluded for threatened or actual violence against staff or students, sexual abuse or assault, supplying illegal drugs, carrying an offensive weapon, or for persistent and defiant misbehaviour, in line with guidance at mainstream state schools.
He said: “There is an expectation from parents that we take some tough decisions and by far the majority of parents are with us.
“If you ask students how they feel about the academy, they say the academy is safer and a place they can learn better.”
He said he would anticipate the number of children expelled would fall after the first year.
The Oxford Academy is sponsored by the Diocese of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and the Beecroft Trust.
It was established partly in response to poor results at its predecessor, Peers School, which last year saw just 17 per cent of GCSE pupils achieving the benchmark of at least five A* to C grades including English and maths.
When the idea was first mooted it faced protests and a group, the Oxford Anti-Academy Alliance, was formed to fight the plans.
But Mr Reading said he believed the community was now behind the school. And he said there had been a 60 per cent increase in the number of pupils applying to join the school next year, with 210 children starting in Year Seven.
He said: “The feedback we have got is very encouraging.
“We have made huge improvements which I hope will be borne out by the exam results in August.
“We will not be looking to make excuses — if we don’t carry on year after year giving a better deal as far as results are concerned, we are not giving students enough.”
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