A scathing report has revealed an appalling culture of bullying at a school where homophobic and racist abuse are "the norm".
Waterhead Academy in Oldham was slammed for failing "unhappy" pupils for "far too long" over the numerous reports of cruel behaviour at the hands of other students.
A grim Ofsted report, which ordered the school to take action after giving it the lowest rating of "inadequate", also claimed students regularly played truant while some had faced name-calling and "foul and abusive language".
Classes were described as "disruptive" due to some students, while behaviour outside the classrooms was branded "unruly", Manchester Evening News reports.
The education watchdog claimed some pupils were so used to hearing racism and homophobia from classmates that they'd accepted it as "their daily experience of school life", adding they were "fed up".
“While many pupils behave well in lessons, the poor behaviour of a significant number of pupils is accepted as the norm by staff and leaders," the report said.
"For example, pupils’ behaviour on corridors, outside at break-times and at lunchtimes is unruly.
"Pupils’ learning is often disrupted because of noisy corridors and pupils’ lateness to lessons. Staff and pupils lack any confidence in leaders’ ability to improve pupils’ behaviour.”
It added: “Occasionally, pupils also experience homophobic and racist language. Some pupils told inspectors that they have come to accept that this type of behaviour is their daily experience of school life.
"Many pupils said that they are ‘fed up’ with the situation.”
While students said they'd tried to alert teachers to bullying going on in the school, not all had been dealt with successfully, the report said.
The watchdog also hit out at teachers "not doing enough" to discipline students bunking off school.
“Many pupils truant from lessons or choose to enter classrooms late,” Ofsted said.
“This happens frequently because leaders and staff do not do enough to challenge pupils when they choose to truant from lessons.
“If staff do challenge pupils about their absence from lessons, they are either ignored or subjected to pupils’ disrespectful comments.”
Meanwhile, many pupils were falling behind with basic learning, with many leaving school without basic reading and maths skills.
Inspectors said that in some subjects teachers lacked ‘sufficient knowledge’ to deliver specialist content with confidence, and in other subjects the work was not demanding enough.
“Added to this, teachers’ delivery of the curriculum is hampered by constant interruptions to lessons because of pupils’ poor behaviour around the site,” the report added.
“Pupils have been failed for far too long. Their learning is fragile and they underachieve."
The highest area of praise for the school was for the element of personal development, which received a ‘requires improvement’ rating.
The school's head said work was already underway to urgently improve, saying things were "changing for the better".
“The recent Ofsted inspection raises several issues that we are quickly addressing," said Acting Principal James Wilson.
"We are working with all key stakeholders to provide a high-quality education for our students both within the classroom and beyond so that students can achieve the best academic and broader outcomes to achieve their ambitions.
“Things are changing for the better at our school, and we’re working closely with parents, carers and students to create positive change.”
