David Sullivan has been accused of ‘preying on teenage models’ in an explosive Panorama episode.

The 77-year-old resigned as West Ham joint-chair and has vowed to sue the BBC ahead of the ‘impending publication of serious historic allegations’.

BBC’s Panorama reported Sullivan admitting to paying for sex in the 90s with a girl who, he says, he believed was 16 or 17 years old at the time.

It only became illegal to pay for sex with a 16 or 17-year-old in 2003.

The allegations come from seven models, in their late teens or early twenties at the time, seeking work at his Daily and Sunday Sport titles.

One using the name Florence claims Sullivan penetrated her after promising to make her one of his ‘regular girls’.

Then, aged 20, she tried to make excuses, including that she was on her period, before he manoeuvred her into a bedroom and started having sex with her, she said.

‘This is the bit that will haunt me forever,’ she said.

‘He lifted his pinky in the air – his little finger – and he went, it’s all right, I’ll only put it in a little bit.’

She was in ‘pure panic mode’, Florence said, and she is ‘99.999999%’ sure that she was telling him: ‘I don’t want to, I don’t want to.’

‘I don’t know whether it was a whisper. It wasn’t a scream,’ she said.

Florence said she panicked and said her boyfriend was outside, but Sullivan was undeterred, saying: ‘It will only take a minute and he never has to know.’

His lawyers say Florence’s account is ‘implausible’.

Blow job or no job

Panorama alleges Sullivan earned the nickname ‘No job/blow job’ – after allegedly asking models to perform oral sex in return for modelling in his papers.

The Guardian once quoted him as saying: ‘I’ve always said what’s the point in owning a sweet shop if you can’t eat a few sweets.’

Sacha another model claimed she remembered being summoned to his mansion for a business meeting.

She said she was surprised by how scruffily dressed the businessman was when she met him, finding him in ‘flip-flops’ and a scruffy t-shirt.

‘But when he asked me to come and sit next to him, I’m like, what is going on? Like, that’s not part of the job interview. So I walk over, I put my bra back on… and I sat as far away as I could get.’

She said she told him: ‘If you think I’m going to sleep with you to get in the paper, you’ve got another thing coming.’

‘He looked very shocked as I said that,’ she continued. ‘And then said, what, not even a blow job?”

Shocked, she said she replied: ‘No, definitely not.’

Sullivan, who made his fortune from pornography, claims he is now facing ‘a small number of improper conduct claims’ after meeting ‘thousands of women’ in the adult industry.

In his own statement, Sullivan branded the allegations made against him as ‘defamatory’ and ‘false’, and said he plans to sue the BBC for libel.

‘I have recently become aware that factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life are due to be broadcast and published,’ Sullivan said.

‘The false allegations levelled against me have been sensationalised by the media. After a lifetime spent building businesses in the adult industry in which I have met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a small number of improper conduct claims are being made against me. I categorically deny these claims.

‘I am a private man, and those who personally and professionally know the real David Sullivan, not the caricature invented by the tabloids, know exactly who I am and what I stand for. I am absolutely not the person the media has decided to paint me as.

‘I have not been provided with any proper explanation as to how these individuals or their claims were independently verified or assessed for credibility prior to publication. I believe that the entire process has been fundamentally unfair and completely lacking in any due impartiality. I will be suing the BBC for libel, along with any other media outlet that repeats any libellous allegations.

‘None of these allegations relate to my more than 30 years in football; West Ham United has been one of the greatest passions and privileges of my life. I care deeply about the club, its supporters, its players, its staff, and its future. At what is already a challenging and important time for the club, I refuse to allow personal matters concerning me to become an unnecessary distraction or a source of instability.

‘Therefore, after very careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to resign as Joint-Chair and Director of West Ham United FC with immediate effect.’

A liquidator has been appointed

A Cambridgeshire based company has entered into liquidation after nearly 19 years, according to the London Gazette. D & L Groundworks Limited, specialising in construction and civil engineering, based in Whittlesey, entered liquidation in April.

A Winding-Up Notice was published in the London Gazette on April 8. A liquidator has been appointed.

The Gazette states that it is a ‘Creditors’ liquidation. Molly Monks of Parker Walsh has been appointed as liquidator of the company for the purposes of the voluntary winding-up.

Companies House confirmed that the business is now in liquidation. Documents show that the company, of Peterborough Road, Whittlesey, was registered in June 2007.

The company previously traded under the name ‘DLP Groundworks Ltd’. It has two current listed directors: Lesley Jane Page and Darren Michael Page, both of Peterborough Road.

A notice on London Gazette states: “At a General Meeting of the Members of the above-named Company [D & L Groundworks Limited], duly convened, and held at Suite C, Victoria House, Bramhall, Cheshire SK7 2BE on 1 April 2026 at 10.00 am the following resolutions were passed by the Members as a Special resolution and as an Ordinary resolution:

“That the Company be wound up voluntarily and that Molly Monks (IP No. 19830) of Parker Walsh, Suite C, Victoria House, Bramhall, Cheshire SK7 2BE be appointed Liquidator of the Company.”

Ministers will soon announce new online safety measures for youngsters, including a possible ban for under 16s for apps like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok – but it won’t be the end of the issue

Liz Kendall has warned the public that upcoming plans to crack down on kids’ social media usage will not mean the issue is “one and done”.

The Technology Secretary said she wants to protect kids from “harms and risks” online but also to prepare them for a life that will involve technology in some way in the future.

Keir Starmer will soon announce new online safety measures for youngsters, which is expected to include a ban for under 16s for apps like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Asked about the UK mirroring an Australian-style ban, Ms Kendall said the UK’s consultation has looked at a wider range of issues, including how kids can partner with strangers on gaming sites, addictive design features like infinite scrolling or AI chatbots.

But she continued: “Technology is developing so fast. Anybody in this world who thinks that it is one and done will be wrong because the technology is always changing.

“So I’m acutely aware of the need for government – any government – will have to be continually looking at these issues in the years to come because this technology is traveling so fast.

“My objective is to give kids the healthiest possible start online; to protect them from harms and risks; to prepare them for the future because they are going to be on this.”

Ms Kendall spoke to reporters on Monday after giving a speech on artificial intelligence at the Science Museum. She said she wants society to embrace the opportunities tech can bring but admitted she must tackle the public’s fears, including the impact of social media on kids and the AI threat on entry-level jobs.

“We actually want to seize the opportunities of tech and AI and people won’t do it if they think their job’s at risk or their children are at risk, so it is because I can see this massive potential for AI to cure diseases,” she said.

Over the weekend, Ms Kendall launched the Early Careers Jobs Alliance – led by union and AI experts – to understand how entry-level jobs could change due to AI. It will at first focus on digital and tech jobs before expanding to other industrial strategy sectors, with the first report published this autumn.

An AI bootcamp scheme will also be rolled out across England to provide a path to work for young people who are at risk of becoming unemployed and out of education and training.

In a speech at the Science Museum, Ms Kendall admitted young people have the most fears about suffering due to AI. She said: “A clear majority of the public think AI will reduce more jobs than create or enhance them.

“These concerns are particularly acute among young people, with only one in 10 believing the benefits of AI will be shared fairly across society. A key driver of this is the potential impact of AI on early job and career opportunities. Those of us who believe in the immense potential of AI to improve people’s lives must take these concerns seriously.”

After her speech, Ms Kendall added to reporters: “Bottom line is. Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. I have always believed the only way we succeed as individuals and as families and as a country is if we can draw on the talent of everybody.

“And I will not rest until we break down those barriers to success. AI has got some incredible potential, and I want kids in Wigan and Westminster and Bournemouth and Birmingham and Blackburn to all have these chances to succeed. That is my mission, and I am determined to deliver.”

Dublin star Jack McCaffrey has defended suspended manager Ger Brennan, saying his 12-week ban was ‘overly harsh’

Jack McCaffrey believes former Dublin teammate Ger Brennan only spoke publicly about his 12-week suspension due to ‘a particularly verbose member of the GAA hierarchy’.

Dublin boss Brennan will be permitted to return to his touchline role at Kingspan Breffni on Sunday when the 2023 All-Ireland winners face Cavan in a crucial Round 2B encounter.

Last week, Brennan released a statement via his legal representative addressing various comments made by GAA President Jarlath Burns during media appearances on Tuesday.

Brennan took issue with what he described as ‘insulting’ remarks from Burns regarding the disciplinary process, stating the entire episode had made him feel ‘disenfranchised, undervalued’ and experiencing ‘a lack of belonging to the association’.

At Monday afternoon’s announcement of PTSB’s new sponsorship of the PTSB Dublin club leagues and championships, former Footballer of the Year McCaffrey suggested Brennan conducted himself ‘really admirably’ throughout the ‘overly harsh’ suspension and maintained his silence until he felt forced to respond, reports the Irish Mirror.

“I think Ger has acknowledged and apologised and held his hands up early doors,” McCaffrey observed. “And probably felt that his punishment was overly harsh and pursued his appeals, as far as I could see, quietly. And was unsuccessful in them. And then didn’t say a peep really – until he did. Which I think was prompted by a particularly verbose member of the GAA hierarchy talking about it.

“And I think Ger has every right (to feel aggrieved). He was punished, he accepted his punishment. Why do people still need to keep having a pop off him in the media over it? Sorry, that might be a mischaracterisation of what happened but I do have a huge amount of sympathy for Ger in feeling that he was overly, harshly punished.”

McCaffrey stated he didn’t believe the severe sanction imposed on Brennan, in contrast to the lack of action taken against Donegal manager Jim McGuinness for a relatively similar incident in the Kerry game, represented ‘an anti-Dublin thing’.

“I don’t think it means that everybody should get a 12-week ban, two wrongs don’t make a right in that instance,” McCaffrey remarked, while recalling the 12-week ban handed to his former Dublin teammate Diarmuid Connolly after an incident involving a linesman in 2017.

“I am reminded of an episode when I was playing, when one of our teammates got a 12-week suspension for touching an official, and it just became clear that a lot of people touch officials over the course of a season, from watching games, and yet don’t get 12-week bans.

“So I think that’s a case-by-case thing, it’s not an anti-Dublin thing at all. I’m a firm believer that anyone involved in the GAA at any level is doing it with the best intentions and doesn’t go out to treat anyone unfairly. I’d give everyone the benefit of the doubt there. But I can completely sympathise with Ger feeling very disappointed.”

Dublin are desperately seeking to revive their Championship campaign following consecutive defeats to Leinster rivals Westmeath and Louth. Brennan has been absent from Dublin’s last four matches in total due to a suspension stemming from an incident during their National League clash with Galway on March 22.

“It’s just such a pity really,” said medical doctor McCaffrey, a six-time All-Ireland winner. “And I think Ger has behaved really admirably around the whole thing, in terms of just keeping the head down in so far as he could. And they got on with it as a group.

“I think particularly in a first season when you’re trying to find an identity as a gang with new players and everything like that, I just felt sorry for them having to deal with that. And I think Dean (Rock) in fairness has done a remarkable job. I’m sure he didn’t see himself in that role six months ago, 12 weeks ago even.

“I think they’ll have some regrets over it because it’ll have affected the year, and they’ll just need to kind of look back on it and obviously make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox

Former England winger Theo Walcott says Marcus Rashford is the Three Lions player he is “most psyched about” at the upcoming World Cup.

Rashford was left out of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad and did not play for his country for 12 months between March 2024 and 2025.

Re-introduced by Thomas Tuchel, he has featured in every Three Lions squad under the German other than in June 2025 when a hamstring injury ruled him out.

A loan spell at Barcelona, where he scored 14 goals and registered 14 assists in 47 games for the La Liga champions, has revitalised the 28-year-old Manchester United forward’s career.

He started England’s 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand on Saturday and while Tuchel said there were “no hidden messages” within his first-half line-up, Walcott believes Rashford has to start at the World Cup.

“Rashford this year has been outstanding,” Walcott said on The Wayne Rooney Show.

“I’ve watched him quite a lot. I found the love of watching Barcelona again and took more of an interest with Rashford going out there. It’s been great for him.

“He would be a dead cert to start for me. The way he’s played, that freedom, that enjoyment. We want to see that smile.”

Rashford was England’s bright spark in the first half against New Zealand, creating five chances.

“Rashford’s going to be a major part of this tournament,” Walcott added. “I’m looking forward to watching him. Out of all the players, I’m most psyched about him.

“I think he’s brave to go abroad – it’s great when English players go. I wasn’t brave enough, but for him to do that shows good character.”

The Bake House, at 54 Ashfield, in Shotley Bridge will open its doors on June 19 under owner Stuart Martin, 39, who moved from Darlington to Consett ten years ago.

Stuart has worked in hospitality and catering since the age of 16 after attending catering college.

Stuart Martin, 39, originally from Darlington is the face behind the new Bake House in Shotley Bridge (Image: THE BAKE HOUSE)

Most recently, he taught catering to adult learners at Darlington College before a health scare five years ago led to a period in hospital and forced him to stop working.

He later established a community café at Lanchester Community Centre, which operated for three years and built up a strong customer base before he decided to pursue a new challenge.

Stuart then decided to open The Bake House last summer and secured the keys to the premises in November.

Full renovations have been underway since November last year ahead of the set opening date June 19 (Image: THE BAKE HOUSE)

Since then, the building has undergone a full renovation and is now undergoing final preparations ahead of opening.

The business will sell homemade pies served with meat gravy and homemade mushy peas, alongside a range of traditional and changing pie flavours.

Customers will also be able to buy pastries, cakes, scones, bakery products, light breakfasts including bacon and sausage sandwiches, deli sandwiches and fresh barista coffee.

Full renovations have been underway since November last year ahead of the set opening date June 19 (Image: THE BAKE HOUSE)

The business will initially employ a team of three, including Charles, who previously worked with Stuart at the community café, and Charles’ wife Brandy, who will work part-time.

Stuart said: “The response has been great, and really reassured us.

“I was quite apprehensive as two shops have closed on the street quite recently and I was worried it was going to be turning into a ghost town, but there has been interest in those vacant shops and I think it will all be okay.

“We have been dropping leaflets off in the local community and the response has been great. While doing the works we have left the door open and had so many people popping down to have a look at the progress or speak with us, so it is really reassuring.

“I am not just really excited. I am not in this to make my millions, I am doing it because I love what we do and I think we are good at it.

The Bake House at Shotley Bridge will specialise in traditional homemade pies, with meat gravy and homemade mushy peas (Image: THE BAKE HOUSE)

The Bake House at Shotley Bridge is set to open on June 19 (Image: THE BAKE HOUSE)

“We had a strong customer base at the community café and were trusted there so we can’t wait to open here now and build the same thing.”

The Bake House will be open from 8am to 1.30pm Tuesday to Friday and from 10am to 1.30pm on Saturdays.

Takeaway service will be available, alongside a small indoor seating area, with outdoor seating planned in the future.

Both the UK government and military veterans involved in the 1992 operation are seeking to have findings from an inquest quashed, claiming a failure to properly consider the potential threat they posed

An inquest verdict that SAS soldiers were not justified in opening fire and killing four IRA men in a Co Tyrone village was illegal and irrational, the High Court heard today.

The coroner failed to carry out the correct assessment before ruling that the use of lethal force at Clonoe in February 1992 was unreasonable, a judge was told.

Kevin Barry O’Donnell, 21, Sean O’Farrell, 22, Peter Clancy, 21, and Patrick Vincent, 20, died in the ambush just minutes after they had carried out a gun attack on Coalisland police station.

Both the UK government and military veterans involved in the operation are seeking to have the inquest findings quashed, claiming a failure to properly consider the potential threat they posed.

Joseph Aiken KC, representing the Secretary of State for Defence, argued: “The terrorists that the soldiers expected they would have to confront were among the most ruthless and dangerous members of a highly effective terrorist organisation.”

Members of a specialist military unit opened fire when the men arrived at a church car park in a hijacked lorry with a heavy machine gun welded onto the back.

Twelve soldiers were in position and waiting for them at the scene.

At the time the SAS men insisted the use of lethal force was justified to protect their lives and those of their colleagues from the danger posed by the IRA Active Service Unit.

However, in February last year, coroner Mr Justice Humphreys found that their actions were not reasonable or justified.

He identified no attempt made to arrest the four IRA men, even as they lay wounded.

According to the coroner, experienced soldiers lying in wait at the church would have known the IRA men needed to dismount the machine gun – improving the chances of making arrests.

And in that scenario the ability to arrest them would have improved.

Amid criticism from unionist and Conservative politicians at the findings, judicial review challenges have been brought against the outcome reached.

Opening a case listed for a two-week hearing, Mr Aiken claimed the coroner’s approach involved “a significant legal error” in assessing the central issue of the Article 2 justification for opening fire.

Based on that alleged mistake, he contended the verdict was illegal, irrational, wrongly took some factors into account and did not properly consider other relevant issues.

It was unreasonable to suggest the soldiers did not honestly believe their lives were in danger when they confronted members of an IRA unit which had just fired an anti-aircraft machine gun and other weapons, the court heard.

Opening a case listed for a two-week hearing, Mr Aiken suggested a failure to “stand in the shoes” of the SAS men who used force at the scene.

Instead, he argued, the legal test for self-defence and justification when faced with heavily-armed terrorists was incorrectly applied.

Mr Justice McAlinden was told events which led to the four men’s deaths unfolded in the space of two minutes.

Along with the 12 soldiers, there were also at least 10 IRA men, a lorry with a mounted anti-aircraft gun and other vehicles all at the scene.

“If you are assessing the express belief of a soldier and their decision-making… then you have to take into account exactly what else was happening at the point that decision was made,” Mr Aiken submitted.

“There is an absence of consideration about the nature of the terrorist threat that the specialist military unit was dealing with on that night.”

Describing the attack on Coalisland RUC Station as part of a wider, sustained campaign of terrorism, the barrister insisted the incident was unlike other law enforcement scenarios.

“Given the opportunity, the terrorists involved would have tried to kill the soldiers,” he added.

“If we are right on any of these legal errors on the Article 2 justification assessment, then the (inquest) findings and verdict must be quashed.”

The case continues.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter

Joy Allen, County Durham and Darlington’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), warned that some privately regulated facilities around the region are putting children at risk and impacting police resources. 

The Labour PCC has written to the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, and local MPs to raise concerns about the growing use of accommodation that falls outside the children’s home regulatory framework. 

Speaking at a Police and Crime Panel today (Monday, June 8), the PCC said her concerns were sparked after hearing about the case of a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly abused after being placed in an unregulated setting intended to provide care and protection.

“What made it even more shocking was that it happened here in County Durham,” she said.

While many of these settings are not required to register with Ofsted because they are intended for short-term placements of up to 28 days, concerns have been raised that some children remain in them for much longer periods. 

PCC Allen added: “County Durham’s relatively low housing costs can make the area attractive to providers commissioned by authorities from elsewhere in the country. Too often, local agencies are not made aware of these arrangements until something goes wrong – and police are called to respond. 

“It’s quite horrific what’s going on. People are sending children from places as far as Wales into our local area, and we are unaware of them until they come to our attention. There are vulnerable children in our communities, not being safeguarded as we want them to be.”

The intervention follows reports highlighting the scale of unregistered settings operating across England.  

Under current legislation, registered children’s homes are subject to Ofsted inspections, safeguarding requirements, recruitment checks and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) vetting. 

However, PCC Allen said an increasing number of children are being placed in alternative forms of accommodation, often described as “supported accommodation” or arranged through emergency placements, where the same level of oversight may not apply. 

The PCC added that the current regulations had effectively created “a two-tier system” in which some providers operate outside the safeguards required of registered children’s homes while charging local authorities substantial fees for placements. 

Bridget Philippson, Education Secretary, described such cases as “unspeakable evil” and committed to ending the use of unsafe, unregulated accommodation.

With Americans facing rising inflation, unaffordable housing, and soaring prices at the grocery store and gas pump, many might be looking for new ways to make money.

That’s where Hannah Williams might be able to help. She’s a Washington, D.C., social media personality who interviews people on the street about their jobs and salaries.

She also advocates for pay transparency, the idea that employers should be open about what they pay. The pay transparency movement has grown more popular in recent years, particularly as advocates call attention to gender and racial wage gaps in the U.S.

The 29-year-old has interviewed well over 1,000 people in more than 20 states — from dog walkers to those selling bottled water and candy scientists — for her series Salary Transparent Street, which has earned millions of followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and other platforms since it first launched in 2022. Williams was inspired to start the series after finding out she was underpaid while working as a data analyst. Salary Transparent Street quickly went viral, and earlier this year, it was acquired by media company NowThis. Williams, today, makes $150,000 a year as the supervising producer and host.

“It’s very enlightening to break out of this corporate mindset of this nine-to-five, and you need a degree, and you have to follow this path,” she said. “Truly, you can make money doing anything. You just have to be creative, have a mission, have a plan, and it’s possible. I’ve seen it in real life.”

Williams spoke to The Independent, breaking down some of the most surprising salaries and fascinating jobs she’s encountered over the years.

The surprise high-earners

Some might think a six-figure salary requires climbing the corporate ladder or earning an advanced degree. But Williams’ interviews reveal there are all sorts of high-earning career paths out there.

One example of people making “surprisingly good pay” are vendors selling bottles of water near the White House, Williams said. Each year, tens of millions of people visit Washington, D.C., where summer tends to bring scorching temperatures and high humidity.

One water vendor she interviewed said he makes $3,000 to $4,000 a week, putting his annual earnings in the six figures.

“I’ve been doing this for about 15, 16 years. … A lot of tourists come down here every day, and they’re unprepared. Most times, they get overcharged at a vending stand, so I come at a fair marketable price at a dollar,” the vendor told Williams.

Williams has also spoken to dog walkers who said they’re making $100,000 a year. The pet-sitting business has been booming in recent years, particularly in large metropolitan areas such as New York City. Many find work through Rover, a platform that connects pet owners with local sitters and dog walkers who sign up through the app and set their own schedules and prices.

Williams has even encountered jobs she didn’t know existed such as a “candy scientist” she interviewed on the streets of Portland, Oregon, who said his annual salary was over $70,000. By posting interviews with people working unique jobs, Williams hopes her audience can learn about new career paths they otherwise wouldn’t have considered.

“You could be a candy connoisseur and really into science, so the perfect job for you is a candy scientist, but if we don’t talk about these jobs and showcase them on channels like ours, a lot of people don’t know that they exist,” she said.

‘Underpaid and undervalued’

Since launching the show four years ago, Williams said there’s one industry with salaries that have “shocked me since day one”: social services.

Social workers, teachers and janitors are all “so underpaid and undervalued,” she explained. Williams noted that she’s never interviewed a janitor making more than $30,000 (that’s below the federal poverty line for a family of four).

Williams also pointed to medical students and doctors starting residencies, a period of hands-on training that physicians complete after graduating from medical school. Residents stay in their roles for years and typically make less than $100,000 annually while often working long hours, she said. Most are also facing student loan payments, with the average medical student owing more than $200,000, according to the Education Data Initiative.

“It’s conversations with those workers that I really wish I had more time with, that I could ask them: ‘How do you make this work? How do you make it happen?’” Williams said.

Speak up, pay up

Williams hopes her work will empower other workers to advocate for themselves.

“I felt really motivated to go out there and create content that would empower workers just by using our voice and exercising our legal rights,” she said.

Her influence has gone far beyond social media, too. Williams has been asked to testify before lawmakers in support of pay transparency bills in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., all of which have since passed, she said. These types of laws typically require employers to disclose compensation information, among other things.

“Pay transparency laws, I think, are going to be the next thing that’s going to be a nationwide federal law, at least that’s what I’m hoping,” Williams said.

Westhoughton High School has an ‘ambitious and well-designed’ curriculum, according to Ofsted, which carried out an inspection under the new framework.

Inspectors found that pupils’ attainment was in line with national averages and many pupils achieve the qualifications needed to progress when they leave school.

Teachers were said to have a good understanding of the subjects they teach.

The Ofsted report stated: “Many pupils at Westhoughton High School are keen to learn and behave well.”

But despite this, the school was found to require ‘significant improvement’ as with attendance among some pupils being described ‘too low’.

Headteacher Neil Coe said that he was disappointed in the Ofsted findings but said the school’s work on attendance was leading to improvements

Achievement, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance and attendance and behaviour were all said to need attention with personal development and wellbeing said to meet the expected standard.

Inspectors reported: “Recently leaders have begun to strengthen their work to improve attendance.

“For example they are working more closely with families and with local primary schools to support pupils’ transition into secondary school and to establish stronger habit of attendance.”

The majority of pupils were said to behave well, despite the limited space in some parts of the building and playground areas.

Inspectors stated: “Leaders have worked with staff to build positive relationships with pupils to create a welcoming environment where pupils feel supported.”

Westhoughton High School

The inspection found that some staff did not re-enforce the ‘school’s expectations’ consistently and some pupils, who wanted to do well felt their learning was being allowed to be interrupted.

Ofsted added that all pupils do not make the progress ‘that they should from their starting points’.

Inspectors reported: “Leaders have taken effective steps to improve several aspects of the school’s work. They have strengthened the organisation and breadth of the curriculum and developed the personal development programme so that pupils benefit from a wider range of opportunities.

“Leaders have also introduced clearer expectations for behaviour and routines across the school and have focused on building positive relationships between staff and pupils. Staff recognise this emphasis on creating a calm and welcoming environment. “However, leaders’ actions have not yet secured improvement quickly enough in some important areas, such as attendance and punctuality.”

Inspectors noted the school’s extra-curricular programme which gives pupils access to a wide range of clubs to enhance their personal development with the PSHE lessons raising awareness of the challenges facing young people today while also raising aspirations, including providing a popular work experience programme.

Mr Coe said: “This has been a challenging time for staff in school, and I know parents may feel disappointed and let down. I am sorry I have not led the school to the outcome that I believe we should have achieved for your children. I remain committed to taking the school on its improvement journey and look to our parent body to support us, particularly with attendance, as we push forward.

“Leaders have already been working on next steps for September 2026 that we believe will help the school to reach the expected standard.

“I am pleased to report that since the January visit our attendance work has finally shown some impact. Spring term attendance this year was 1.1 per cent higher than 2025 and currently, summer term attendance is 2.8 per cent higher than 2025. Our Year Seven learners continue to fly the flag for good attendance and have sustained around 94 per cent attendance for most of the academic year. Our attendance focus isn’t new, but impact has been stubborn for some time.”

He added: “It remains a privilege to serve as headteacher for our school. We have such a diverse range of young people here who bring so much to our school. They continue to make me proud in so many ways.”