Edit: The teacher quoted in this article initially wanted to remain anonymous, but has now chosen to be identified. 

Regular violence, drug-taking and pupils carrying knives are among the problems faced by pupils and students at a Swindon secondary school.

That's according to a teacher at the Deanery Academy, which was rated 'inadequate' by unimpressed Ofsted inspectors in November.

In correspondence seen by the Advertiser that was sent to media organisations before the damning inspection and subsequent report, teacher Bazil Solomon has listed some of the issues they are dealing with on an everyday basis.

Mr Solomon, also a former Swindon Borough Councillor, said: "There are issues with safeguarding and behaviour.

"For instance, on one occasion, there were 23 students involved in a fight.

"I recently removed a knife from a student and locked down the class, raised the alarm with the police as the student was allowed to be in school still, plus raised it with safeguarding.

"A boy punched and kicked a student in his head and punched teachers, the teachers and parents complained to me and I raised it via the parents to the police but the student is still walking around the school.

"Boys are taking drugs and kicking doors of classrooms and disrupting lessons."

Mr Solomon said many full-time staff members had left or 'hardly attended school to teach'.

He said they were covering multiple subjects as many members of staff responsible for them had left and not been replaced or were off work. 

"I have raised issues over my time here with safeguarding, senior leadership team, governors, parents, police and Swindon Borough Council," they said. "I raised these before. there are problems with knives, violent fights drugs, harassment and physical injury to staff."

The school was built in 2019 and was inspected by the government watchdog last year, with the report released in November. 

The findings were so damning that the Department for Education and the school's Trust, the Diocese of Bristol Academy Trust, agreed to transfer the school to new ownership and management. The Trust, which also manages 12 schools across Wiltshire, announced it was ceasing to exist. 

He added: "The new headmaster and large growing supply teacher department are doing their best but are under severe pressure as things are chaotic and unmanageable."

"Children tell me they don't feel safe."

Ofsted found The Deanery is 'inadequate' in terms of its quality of education, personal development and leadership and management. Behaviour and attitudes at the school 'require improvement'.

Work is currently underway to find a new trust to take over the Deanery.

The Diocese of Bristol Academy Trust was approached for comment.