A SOUTH Lakeland school deemed ‘inadequate’ by inspectors is proposing installing a perimeter fence to tackle issues raised in the report.

The Queen Katherine School at Kendal, which has more than 1,200 pupils, has drawn up plans for the fence which could cost tens of thousands of pounds to address issues relating to site security.

In the report which the school uploaded to its website last week, inspectors noted “arrangements for safeguarding are not effective” and “pupils are not safe and some do not feel safe”.

All but one of the key areas of investigation for inspectors – leadership and management; personal development, behaviour and welfare; outcomes; and effectiveness of the 16-19 study programmes – were all found to be inadequate, Ofsted's lowest grade.

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Teaching, learning and assessment was found to be requiring improvement, the second-lowest grading possible.

The report is in stark contrast to previous reviews of the school. In 2011, QKS was adjudged to be ‘outstanding’ – Ofsted’s highest rating.

The inspection came the day after an incident at the school in which police were called after three teenagers managed to enter the grounds.

Head teacher Jon Hayes said Ofsted took the incident ‘out of proportion’ and used it to come to a determination that safeguarding at the school was not effective.

He said: "The report depicts a school that we do not recognise as being The Queen Katherine School and we believe is very unfair.

"The inspection team did identify that we are on an improving journey and we will continue to make improvements across the school in order to provide the best possible education for all of our students."

For full report and reaction see tomorrow’s Westmorland Gazette.