School in Milton Keynes could face enforced closure after being issued with Termination Warning Notice by the government

Stantonbury International School, one of the biggest schools in the UK, is fighting an official Termination Warning Notice by school commissioners working for the Department for Education.

The notice gives the school a last chance outline an improvement plan or more action will be taken. This could include withdrawal of government funding or, as a last resort, enforced closure,

Stantonbury International School is an academy and has been part of the Griffin Schools Trust since 2016.

It started life in 1974 as Stantonbury Campus and gained a reputation as one of the UK's most progressive, forward thinking schools, where uniform was banned and pupils addressed teachers by their first names.

Earlier this year the school was judged by Ofsted to be inadequate and in need of special measures. Inspectors found many pupils did not feel safe attending the Academy, arrangements for safeguarding were "not effective" and not enough had been done to tackle students' persistent absence and high levels of truancy.

They also said the school leaders had not been effective in addressing "weaknesses" in teaching.

Four months ago, in July, the commissioners issued the Griffin Trust a warning 'Minded to Terminate' letter. The Trust responded by sending an action plan to improve safeguarding and teaching.

But the commissioners were still not happy, saying little progress appeared to have been made since the Ofsted inspection.

Regional Schools Commissioner Dame Kate Dethridge said: "I remain concerned about the future of the Academy as part of the Trust and I am of the opinion that the representations submitted fail to account for the poor outcomes at the Academy since it joined the trust, or present a credible plan for how outcomes will improve in a rapid and sustainable way."

She said they also failed to address the "systemic failures" in leadership, accountability, governance and monitoring highlighted in the Ofsted report and to demonstrate how leadership at trust level will be improved.

"The Trust currently operate three secondary schools, two of which are performing well below national average for pupil outcomes and have done so over a number of years. In that context, I have serious concerns about the capacity of the Trust to provide and monitor the high-quality intervention needed at the Academy," she added.

The Griffin Schools Trust runs several primary and secondary schools in the Midlands and the South East of England.

It states: "We are committed to providing an outstanding independent-style education for all students, predicated on breadth and excellence. All schools provide a rich programme of free extra-curricular activities, create an involving and stimulating physical environment and build a staff team of interesting people who are motivated to advance their own knowledge and skills as well as their pupils’ achievement."

A spokesman said of the termination notice: "The trust's understanding from the regional school commissioner was that no final decision to rebroker the school to another sponsor had been confirmed."