EDUCATION watchdogs have told a school it needs to improve after carrying out an inspection.

Heybridge Co-operative Academy was rated as 'requiring improvement', due to the quality of education, leadership and management.

The academy is a school for pupils aged five to 16, with most students having found it difficult to be in a mainstream school.

Students are taught in small groups and supported to return to mainstream education.

Most children attend Heybridge at a point of crisis or conflict in their lives, such as having severe medical needs or after being permanently excluded from other schools.

The latest Ofsted report says “pupils value the care and support staff provide for them” and that “they feel safe and free from bullying”.

The report states that all primary age pupils return successfully to mainstream schools or specialist settings.

But the report also says: “The curriculum for subjects other than English and mathematics is underdeveloped.

“In some areas of the curriculum, leaders have not considered fully what they want all pupils to learn, or when, to enable pupils to build on what they have learned previously.

“Staff have not been trained sufficiently to deliver leaders’ intended curriculum effectively.

“Leaders should provide staff with training to enable them to plan a curriculum that identifies what they want pupils to learn, and in what order, during their time in school.”

A significant proportion of older pupils are said to do their lessons remotely and the report states that not all pupils engage fully this way.

READ MORE>>> All the schools in Essex which are advertising new headteacher roles

The Ofsted report says: “Arrangements to educate pupils remotely online do not work effectively.

“Pupils do not engage often enough in order to learn successfully.

“Leaders do not maintain accurate records, for example, of how often pupils log on, or the progress they are making when online.

“Leaders should implement a clear plan to improve the quality of remote learning.”

Heybridge Co-operative Academy was contacted for a comment, but no one was available.