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In this week’s edition, we report on a Hastings school that has been rated as ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted inspectors.

Inspectors visited The Flagship School, in The Ridge, Hastings, on March 16 and 17.

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The state-funded special education school was given an overall rating of ‘inadequate’ with the report scoring the lowest rating for the four categories of quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

Don’t forget to pick up your Hastings and Rye Observer every Friday for all your local news and opinion plus eight pages of puzzles and sport.Don’t forget to pick up your Hastings and Rye Observer every Friday for all your local news and opinion plus eight pages of puzzles and sport.
Don’t forget to pick up your Hastings and Rye Observer every Friday for all your local news and opinion plus eight pages of puzzles and sport.

Inspectors said: ““Classroom visits on both days showed the school to be in a constant state of chaos.”

In other news, we report on a Hastings councillor who has accused a St Leonards school of ‘gender discrimination’ for refusing to allow male students to wear shorts year-round.

Baird ward councillor Mike Turner criticised the ‘ridiculous’ uniform policy of The St Leonards Academy.

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Cllr Turner said: “I got in touch with the University of Brighton to express my concerns, but they failed to explain to me why female students are allowed to wear short skirts yet the male students cannot wear shorts. It is ridiculous and is clearly in breach of the Equalities Act.

"Their uniform policy has no logical merit and is little more than gender discrimination.”

You can read the full story in today’s paper.

Finally, read that the Tug of War event, which traditionally gets the first Saturday of Hastings Old Town Carnival Week underway, has been cancelled this year.

The popular event sees men and women’s teams from local pubs and groups, taking the strain outside the lifeboat station and has raised thousands of pounds for local good causes in its 40 year history.

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The organiser said: “It is with a heavy heart I write that there will be no Tug O’War this year. We had many issues to deal with and have done our best, but sadly cannot resolve them all. I know many people will be disappointed.”

Full details on how you can save up to 20 per cent on your Observer are also inside today’s paper.

For this and other stories, pick up a copy of today’s Observer.