SWINDON’s children are being failed by their education according to Ofsted who have released a damning letter addressed to the town’s schools.

The letter, which was made public today, was sent from Bradley Simmons, south west regional director of the education regulator, to all headteachers, chairs of governors, council officials and MPs.

In the letter he raised concerns over the way the schools have performed in the last year.

He said: “I have raised such issues in writing with the council on at least three occasions in the past. At times, the council has been, frankly, defensive in its response.

“In short, in 2016, Swindon’s children were failed by its schools at every key stage.

"Primary school performance, which has previously shown a positive trend of improvement in Swindon, is now a concern.”

Mr Simmons cited the phonics outcomes for Swindon for this year and called them “some of the poorest in the country” with only 76 per cent of six-year-olds meeting the expected standard – placing Swindon in the bottom 10 local authorities nationally.

He added that at KS1, Swindon’s seven-year-olds were the joint lowest performers in reading in the south west while at KS2, Swindon’s outcomes were amongst the lowest in the country with only 44 per cent of 11-year-olds reaching the new expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

He also raised similar concerns at KS4 pupils’ outcomes particularly at how so few Swindon secondary schools are achieving the English Baccalaureate with just 17.3 per cent of pupils successful in 2016.

Mr Simmons added: “Recent inspections of five secondary schools in Swindon indicate a trend of decline. While The Ridgeway School & Sixth Form College maintained its good rating, Kingsdown School failed to improve from requires improvement, Churchfields Academy declined from good to requires improvement, The Dorcan Academy and Isambard Community School declined from requires improvement to inadequate.

"The proportion of pupils attending a good secondary school in Swindon has now declined from the previous 52 per cent at 31 August 2015 to just 47 per cent at September 30.”

He also cited how exclusion rates were way above the national average.

In sending the letter to not only the headteachers, Mr Simmons hopes people are aware of the state of education in Swindon.

He added: “Recent inspections of five secondary schools in the town also indicate a trend of decline with only one of these schools being rated good. Of the others, one went from good to requires improvement, one failed to improve from requires improvement and two went from requires improvement to inadequate.

“If Swindon’s pupils are to have the skills and qualifications required to improve their life chances everyone with a responsibility for education needs to take immediate action.”

South Swindon MP Robert Buckland said: "I have already spoken to councillors about the letter and will be contacting the Regional Schools Commissioner urgently.

"Whilst I welcome frank comment, I am very concerned about the effect on morale that this letter may have.

"From my regular visits to South Swindon schools, I meet dedicated headteachers and staff who are working very hard indeed for our children.

"Only yesterday [Friday], I had an excellent and informed discussion with Year 11 students at Churchfields, where the new head and her team are improving standards.

"The same can be said about the new leadership at Dorcan Academy, where I shall be meeting GCSE students on Thursday."

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson said: "It is very disappointing news and I will do all I can to support both Swindon Borough Council and the schools highlighted to deliver immediate improvements.

"We have already seen positive progress where schools have worked in partnership and as we have seen with recent announcement with Isambard and Lydiard Park Academy there is a real opportunity to build on this further."