A SCHOOL has apologised to parents after a damning Ofsted report.

Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) has been rated “inadequate” by the government’s education watchdog Ofsted, the lowest of four grades.

Ofsted raised concerns about “bullying, racism, sexism and homophobia”, disruption in lessons and ineffective safeguarding arrangements.

In a letter to parents, the school, in Lewes Road, Brighton, and its sponsor Aldridge Education said it plans to host a parents forum next week in response to the report.

“It is with great disappointment that we must inform you that the academy received an overall rating of ‘inadequate’. While our sixth form provision was rated ‘good’, inspectors judged other areas within the school as either inadequate or requiring improvement,” the letter said.

“We are hugely disappointed by the overall outcome. We accept Ofsted’s judgment and would like to wholeheartedly apologise for the serious shortcomings identified in the report.

“Ensuring the highest levels of health, safety and wellbeing for all our students and staff, and fostering a school environment which is inclusive, respectful and where everyone feels safe, is absolutely paramount to us.

“The report’s findings are entirely unacceptable, and completely out of line with the high standards and expectations that the trust and academy’s new leadership team upholds.”

Aldridge Education said many of the immediate recommendations by Ofsted have already been addressed, particularly around safeguarding and culture.

“Prior to the inspection, the trust had identified that existing provision did not consistently meet the shared high standards,” a spokesman said.

“As a result, the trust’s chief academic officer had been deployed as interim principal in February to lead the urgent improvement work identified.”

The Argus: A new principal, Jack Davies, is due to start next month A new principal, Jack Davies, is due to start next month

Aldridge Education’s chief academic officer Stephanie Newman took temporary charge when the previous principal Bob Speight left the school in February.

A new principal, Jack Davies, is due to start next month.

Jane Fletcher, chief executive officer of Aldridge Education, said: “As a trust and an academy, we are committed to delivering the best possible educational opportunities to students in a safe, supportive and inspiring environment, where high aspirations are set for everyone. Regrettably, many areas raised go entirely against this deep-rooted mission, and this is simply not acceptable.”