Latest news with #Ofsted
BBC News
5 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Knowsley primary 'one of happiest schools ever visited' by Ofsted
Inspectors have described a Merseyside primary school as "one of the happiest" they have ever Primary School in Huyton, Knowsley, has been recognised by Ofsted for ensuring that "kindness is lived out in every aspect of school life".It was also rated "outstanding" for the first time following the inspectors' visit in school's head teacher, Tony James, said: "We sell ourselves as doing our very best for the community and if someone wants to come along and say that we're 'outstanding', that's brilliant." He added: "It's every little thing that you do - every little decision, every choice that you make, the culture that you establish, the expectations that you have, the value that you place on your children and your families."All of those little bits culminate and come together." The school, on Willoughby Road, was described by Ofsted as a place "where pupils flourish".It noted: "The school's value of 'kindness' is lived out in every aspect of school life."Pupils enter school full of smiles and eager for the learning that each new day brings. "They benefit from close relationships with staff, who know them and their families well. Pupils feel safe and happy here."The report also said children enjoy learning "and strive to meet exceptionally high standards... As a result, pupils achieve remarkably well. Behaviour in and around school is impeccable."Knowsley Council's cabinet member for children's services, David Lonergan, described the Ofsted report as "fantastic".He added: "It is very clear that pupils enjoy coming to school to learn and prosper and that all school staff – leaders, teaching staff and governors – play an integral role in helping pupils to thrive. Well done to you all!" Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
More than 200 pupils are suspended from school in three weeks amid crackdown on behaviour - but parents claim the new measures are 'extreme'
A Catholic school in Merseyside has suspended more than 200 children in just three weeks after launching a dramatic clampdown on poor behaviour. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic Academy in Whiston, near Liverpool, has brought in a swathe of tough disciplinary policies as part of a drive to improve standards resulting in mass suspensions and isolations for offences ranging from refusing to hand over mobile phones to wearing make-up and nail varnish. The controversial measures are part of the school's plan to move beyond its current Ofsted rating of 'requires improvement'. But the sharp spike in punishments has triggered uproar among some parents, who have blasted the crackdown as 'extreme' and claimed it is damaging pupils' mental health. One father, who asked not to be named, said: 'I am finding the reasonings for the punishments to be minor and, in my opinion, not befitting of a day in isolation and/or suspension.' He added: 'In my opinion the school is not tackling the root cause and are not considering reasons for children or their behaviours on individual merit… it appears to be a new blanket policy and dishing out punishments.' The dad warned the new system was leaving children 'anxious and worried about going to school,' adding: 'Right now there are mass isolations, mass suspensions and mass numbers of pupils missing valuable time in the classroom, therefore affecting their learning.' It's understood that the school issued 99 suspensions in the first week of the new policy alone, followed by 67 in the second week and 36 in the third - a total of 202 in just 21 days. While the school has welcomed the downward trend as a sign pupils are beginning to respond, parents say the pace and scale of the clampdown is wreaking havoc on family life. Another parent, Sammy Rhead, said: 'They suspend for refusing to hand over bracelets, for refusing to hand over phones, having lashes on or makeup.' Mother-of-two, Lexi Sharp revealed: 'My daughter is getting suspended every day because I refuse to go to a meeting over nail varnish. That happened a week ago.' She added: 'I've worked with the school, but enough is enough. I even get detention messages for her while she's suspended. They told my daughter, 'when your mum does come in for a meeting, you will be in isolation'.' Debate has erupted on local Facebook groups, with some parents accusing the school of running it like an 'army camp'. One parent said: 'They actually don't let the children breathe. The phone calls I get are for silly things. They're not in the army. They have their own characters. Unless their behaviour is very disturbing, teachers should be able to deal with it.' But others supported the hardline approach, with one commenting: 'It's about time the schools clamped down. Some kids run riot.' The school, which is part of the Pope Francis Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, has seen major leadership changes in recent years. Headteacher Lee Peachey and deputy head Anna Kenny mysteriously disappeared from their roles last year with no explanation ever given and both remain off-duty, though still listed on the school's website. In their place, acting headteacher Clare McKenna has been leading the latest reforms in collaboration with the Education Exchange – a national education network that advises on behaviour management. Ms McKenna defended the policy shift, insisting it was necessary to 'raise the bar' and instil a new culture of respect. She said: 'Since our recent Ofsted inspection… we have achieved a great deal, and progress has been made.' She added: 'We spent a great deal of time looking at how best we could overcome [hurdles], and in response we have… developed some additional targeted approaches. This has resulted in us raising the bar in terms of what we expect of all our pupils.' Despite the backlash, she insisted most pupils had responded positively: 'The school is even calmer and more focused – and the feedback we are getting from students is hugely positive.' Acknowledging the spike in suspensions, she said: 'There has been a significant drop (of about two-thirds) in things like short-term exclusions. We expect this trajectory to continue.' The school is also trying to recognise pupils meeting expectations: 'It is not just about sanctions,' said Ms McKenna. 'We are doing more to celebrate those students who are working hard and thriving.' She concluded: 'Ultimately, we all want the very best for our brilliant pupils. Behaviour is improving, children are happier and learning is more focused.'
Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
School hands out 200 suspensions in three weeks
A secondary school has issued more than 200 suspensions in three weeks as part of a crackdown on bad behaviour. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic Academy in Merseyside introduced tough new pupil conduct rules earlier in July after the school was rated 'requires improvement' at its latest Ofsted inspection. Clare McKenna, the headteacher, said the school was 'raising the bar in terms of what we expect of all our pupils', but said this had resulted in some teenagers 'testing the boundaries'. The academy has handed out 202 suspensions so far in July, including 99 in the first week its behaviour shake-up came into effect. A spokesman told The Telegraph that about 140 pupils had been sanctioned, with some given multiple suspensions. It means almost one in five pupils at the school has been suspended so far. St Edmund Arrowsmith said it had received 'some push back from parents ' but that it had been forced to take action to help turn the school around. Record suspension figures were published last week, sparking warnings of a worsening behaviour crisis across schools in England. Almost a million suspensions were handed out in English schools in 2024 – a 21 per cent jump compared with 2022/23 – with a spike in sanctions for pupils assaulting their teachers, using racist language and frequently disturbing their peers. The figures have split experts, with some suggesting they highlight consistent disruption following the pandemic and others believing they show schools deploy the only tool in their arsenal to tackle bad behaviour. Mrs McKenna said her school 'spent a great deal of time' looking at how it could improve after it was awarded the second-lowest Ofsted rating at its latest inspection in April 2025. The report highlighted an 'increase in poor behaviour during lessons and at breakdowns' and said some pupils had complained this was disrupting their work. Ofsted gave the school a 'requires improvement' rating in every area of practice, including pupil behaviour, and said the problem was being fuelled by teachers failing to implement school rules. Mrs McKenna said the school has since developed tougher disciplinary policies with the help of Education Exchange, a group of experts that share behaviour tips, which had led to the jump in suspensions. 'The vast majority of our young people should be applauded for how they have embraced these changes. The school is even calmer and more focused and the feedback we are getting from students is hugely positive,' she said. 'Inevitably, there are also some students who have pushed back and are testing the new boundaries of what is expected of them. This has led to a spike in the number of sanctions that have been given. But just two weeks in we are already seeing a significant drop of about two-thirds in things like short-term suspensions.' St Edmund Arrowsmith handed out 67 suspensions in the second week of its new behaviour policy and 36 last week, and Mrs McKenna said she expected 'this trajectory to continue' as pupils get used to tougher rules. 'There has been some push back from parents, but this has been significantly outweighed by the number of positive comments we have received,' she added. 'Ultimately, we all want the very best for our brilliant pupils. Behaviour is improving, children are happier and learning is more focused.' The Roman Catholic school, which has around 750 pupils aged 11 to 16, opened in 2021 and belongs to the Pope Francis Catholic Multi Academy Trust. Roughly half of pupils are eligible for free school meals, but a spokesman said the majority of children suspended in recent weeks did not belong to this group. Unions have frequently cited deteriorating pupil behaviour as a major driver for teachers leaving the profession. The Telegraph revealed last week that local strike action by the National Education Union has risen seven-fold over the past five years, with escalating disputes over teaching conditions including violent pupil outbursts. Parliament's Public Accounts Committee also warned last week that 'pupil behaviour is an escalating and concerning challenge' for teacher retention and that the Government did not appear to be taking it seriously enough. The Department for Education is recruiting a behaviour tsar, although it has still not appointed anybody more than a fortnight after the role was due to begin.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Daventry school makes improvements after funding warning
A secondary school has said it has made improvements after it was sent a government letter warning it could lose its funding - following a critical Ofsted report. The Department of Education (DofE), wrote to The Parker E-ACT Academy, Daventry, Northamptonshire, in June, stating that it had not acted quickly enough to address its "weaknesses".It said that levels of pupil absence were too high and there were several issues with staff who did not address gaps in school said the DofE had told the academy it was "satisfied" it "was able to "deliver higher standards at the school rapidly and sustainably". The action comes after an Ofsted report in May rated the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes and leadership and management as DofE letter, written by Carol Gray, regional director, said: "The school, including the trust, has not taken effective action, or acted quickly enough to address the school's weaknesses."It "requires significant improvement", the letter added. It said school work had declined and it should "ensure swift action is taken to address the priority issues that have been identified".This includes ensuring that staff have the right knowledge, expertise and ongoing support to bring about the required absence was too high and children, including those with special educational needs (SEND) were "regularly absent from school, which means they miss out on learning". The letter said pupils were not learning as well as they should and the school had to "ensure that staff check pupils' understanding so that misconceptions and gaps in learning can be addressed"."In too many subjects, staff do not make appropriate adaptations for pupils with SEND to access the curriculum," it Gray said: "I need to be satisfied that the trust has capacity to deliver rapid and sustainable improvement at the academy. "If I am not satisfied, I will consider whether to terminate the funding agreement in order to transfer the academy to an alternative academy trust." 'Journey of transformation' An E-ACT Academy spokesperson said the DofE had told the school it had "confidence in the trust to deliver higher standards at the school rapidly and sustainably". It said a new head teacher, Maughan Johnson, was put in place in April, as well as a new deputy head teacher and education the team, "we have acted quickly and decisively to address the issues raised in the January report", they said. "We are confident that this administrative process will end shortly as we continue to make the necessary improvements to our school."The Parker is already a very different place to the one inspected over half a year ago and we are fully committed to finishing this journey of transformation."They added that since the letter had been sent a month ago, it had "made significant strides, and the Department for Education has now confirmed that they have no plans for termination." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Labour's end-of-year school report is dire
As we approach the end of a long, hot summer term, it is a good time to reflect on the state of schools after one year of this Labour government. I teach in both the independent and state sectors and it is fair to say that both are feeling bruised and bewildered by the events of the last twelve months. Schools are poorer than they have been for a long time, facing huge and complex challenges. They also feel there is no leadership or vision to make the reforms necessary to bring lasting improvement. It's an F for Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary. The calendar year began in acrimony with the levy of 20 per cent VAT on school fees (which was brought forward from this coming September to January). It was rushed and ill-thought-through legislation which would bring little real benefit to state schools; most saw it as a deliberately spiteful act intended to hurt schools and families in the middle of the academic year. Irrespective of what you think of fee-paying schools, the decision to make them more expensive has been both disingenuous and self-defeating. Instead of the (disputed) £1.5 billion Labour claimed they would raise through VAT on fees going to state schools, Keir Starmer suggested in June that, actually, this money will go on affordable housing. It was a breathtaking admission of deception. Furthermore, teacher recruitment has fallen sharply since Labour gained power; there are record numbers of unfilled vacancies and the lowest number of newly qualified teachers are graduating since 2010. Starmer's VAT legislation was also self-defeating because it has placed more strain on the state sector: over 70 independent schools have closed since it was passed, and many of these children have enrolled at their local state schools. Expect far more private school closures next year. But if the government's policies for independent schools are characterised by vindictiveness, there is, at the very least, a clear intent. When it comes to state schools, there is nothing more than confusion and indecision. Look no further than the utterly pointless and damaging decision to scrap the Latin Excellence Programme, an act rightly described by Kristina Murkett in The Spectator as 'cultural vandalism'. It was a spiteful, unnecessary move which nobody in schools could defend or explain. Perhaps it was done because those currently in charge of school policy are fundamentally suspicious of anything that smells of elitism. This might also explain the decision to appoint Professor Becky Francis to oversee the review of the national curriculum. Francis is a well-known educationalist activist, and left-wing progressives were delighted by her appointment – only to be disappointed by her rather tepid interim report, published in March, which promised 'evolution not revolution'. Under this Labour government, it is becoming customary to hear bold statements but to see indecision and obfuscation. But it is in the botched 'reforms' to Ofsted where the lack of leadership at the Department for Education (DfE) is most evident. It takes incompetence to an astonishing level if the changes introduced to inspections are felt to be worse than those they have replaced. But when the new report cards – which replaced a 'single-word judgement' in favour of a five-point grading scale – were unveiled in February, many parents found them confusing. These have now been delayed until September for further consultation, leaving schools completely in the dark about how they will be inspected. Fundamentally, the government doesn't know what Ofsted should be or who is it for: is it for parents? For schools? For pupils? For politicians and civil servants? If you can't answer that, then you don't have a mechanism for assessing schools. The whole situation is a mess, branded by union leaders as 'reckless' and 'nonsensical'. Worse, it is potentially dangerous because without effective inspections children are at risk. Getting this wrong is a dereliction of duty by Phillipson. But the opprobrium that greeted the reforms to Ofsted are positively benign compared to the reception the current Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill has been met with. This has been described by the head teacher Katharine Birbalsingh as 'insane'. Others, such as the Children's Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, have warned that ministers are 'legislating against the things we know work in schools'. It is, indeed, a sclerotic bill, which has no unifying logic, other than to take autonomy away from academies, give more power to the Secretary of State and make recruitment even more difficult for schools. Such things remain, largely, outside the daily lives of those teachers who are, this week, looking forward to their well-earned breaks. What is very real, and what they grapple with, daily in too many cases, is appalling behaviour by pupils. Here, again, the picture is gloomy. Earlier this month, the DfE published data which showed that suspensions and permanent exclusions from schools resulting from physical assaults on teachers are at an all-time high. The breakdown in authority figures, both in school and across society, no doubt contributes to these depressing statistics and makes recruiting and retaining staff even more difficult. There are many more battles ahead. Some, like the guidance on relationships, sex and health education, will generate a lot of debate around gender identity and age-appropriate teaching. It seems to be a landscape filled with attritional culture war skirmishes, which will only add to the sense that Labour, in government, are still acting like a group of activists, not ministers. But this will pale into insignificance when the government faces another struggle to reform the bloated and hugely inefficient Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. This currently costs the taxpayer £12 billion a year, and the bill is growing all the time. You would get very poor odds on Starmer getting any meaningful reforms through Parliament. The verdict on this government is that there is no vision and no clear sense of what they want or how they will go about getting it. This is nowhere more in evidence than in education, where personal prejudices, coupled with uncoordinated decisions, have had a hugely damaging impact on both the independent and private sectors. If you make a mistake with a piece of legislation, such as the winter fuel allowance, you can quickly reverse it. But changes made to how schools work take time and have lasting consequences. At the end of this difficult academic year, the impression is that Labour has learnt nothing, and that next year will be even more difficult for anyone who works in schools. Happy holidays, everyone.
