This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 19 January 2010:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
Prior to September 2005 inspections were carried out under the school inspection frameworks commonly known as Section 10. Since September 2005, inspections have been carried out under the school inspection frameworks commonly known as Section 5.
Under the current and previous inspection frameworks, Ofsted inspections do not use the term ‘failing'. Instead, if inspectors judge that a school's overall effectiveness is inadequate or very poor, the school will be placed into a category of concern. Under Section 10 these categories were called 'serious weaknesses' and 'special measures'. Under Section 5 the categories are called 'notice to improve' and 'special measures'. This response takes into account any school in the parliamentary constituency of Preston which has been placed into any category of concern since September 1997.
Of all the inspections carried out by Ofsted in maintained schools in Preston between September 1997 and August 2009, sixteen have resulted in the school being placed in a category of concern. One school has been placed into a category of concern on two separate occasions and so appears twice in the figures. Three of the fifteen schools affected closed before being removed from the category of concern. The remaining twelve have all been removed from any category following a reinspection. As at the end of August 2009, no school in Preston was in a category of concern. Table A below provides a list of the individual schools.
A copy of this reply has been sent to Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
URN School name Phase Inspection framework Category of concern Date removed from the category 119229 Eldon Primary School Primary Section 10 Special measures 5 February 2001 119603 Preston St. Matthew's Church of England Primary School Primary Section 10 Special measures 4 June 2001 119430 St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Preston Primary Section 10 Serious weakness 10 September 2001 119700 St. Teresa's Catholic Primary School, Preston Primary Section 10 Serious weakness 5 November 2001 119804 The Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School Primary Section 10 Serious weakness 20/05/2002 119354 Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School Primary Section 10 Special measures 9 December 2002 119709 City of Preston High School Secondary Section 10 Serious weakness 12 May 2003 119333 Fishwick Primary School Primary Section 10 Special measures 30 June 2003 119866 Moorbrook School Special Section 5 Notice to improve 29 February 2008 119743 Walton le Dale Arts College and High School Secondary Section 5 Notice to improve 20 May 2008 119709 City of Preston High School Secondary Section 5 Special measures 23 April 2009 119237 The Roebuck School Primary Section 5 Notice to improve 24 June 2009 119608 St. Maria Goretti Catholic Primary School, Preston Primary Section 5 Notice to improve 7 July 2009 119443 St. Wilfrid's RC Primary School Primary Section 10 Special measures Closed 119365 Bamber Bridge St. Saviour's Church of England Primary School Primary Section 10 Serious weakness Closed 119105 Preston Tutorial Centre PRU Section 10 Special measures Closed