Milton Keynes school issued with termination warning notice to remain with same trust following “rapid improvements”
The Department for Education found noticeable improvements in the overall school climate
A Milton Keynes school that was issued with a termination warning notice in September will remain with the same trust after the Department for Education acknowledged it made "rapid improvements."
Stantonbury School will remain with the Tove Learning Trust after the Department for Education's regional director for the south east of England Dame Kate Detheridge said in a formal letter that it was satisfied with the trust's turnaround plan and the strategic direction for the secondary school.
The termination warning notice was issued at the start of the current academic year following an Ofsted inspection earlier in the year confirmed that the academy required special measures.
In a video interview with students after the termination warning notice had been issued, the school's principal Natasha Bryan said she was "really optimistic" that the situation could be turned around.
In her decision letter, the regional director praised several areas that had been improved over the past six months, including "the appointment of experienced headteacher Natasha Bryan alongside the establishment of the expert Academy Improvement Board, which has stabilised the school and sharply focused improvement priorities."
Other areas highlighted in the decision letter were "noticeable improvements in student behaviour and overall school climate", "measurable momentum in overall student attendance, including a 9.7 per cent reduction in persistent absence" and strengthened curriculum design and quality assurance.
The school says it will now move forward with planned operational improvements including consolidating core teaching into the Turing block, and continuing to expand student support services.
Chief executive of the Tove Learning Trust Dr Jamie Clarke OBE said: "We recognise that the past six months have brought frequent changes and uncertainty following the special measures outcome.
"We are deeply grateful for the patience, trust, and partnership of our families throughout this period.
"This positive milestone reflects the hard work of our staff, the strong leadership of Natasha Bryan, and the ongoing support of our community.
"We remain fully committed to building on this momentum and delivering an outstanding education for every child."