Kidlington primary school hits out over Ofsted notice to improve (From Oxford Mail)

Kidlington primary school hits out over Ofsted notice to improve

5:04pm Monday 8th March 2010 in

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A PRIMARY school put on notice to improve by Ofsted inspectors has branded the decision “totally inappropriate”.

West Kidlington Primary School, which has 375 pupils, received the notice — Ofsted’s second most serious sanction — because it failed to meet new Government regulations for safeguarding the children in its care.

But Pip Marples, acting headteacher at the time of the inspection and now a consultant at the school, said: “If the security of this place had been inadequate in any way, if there was any evidence that harm had come to any adult or child, then Ofsted would have some leg to stand on, but the fact is this is a bureaucratic exercise.

“To put this school on a notice to improve is totally inappropriate. This is a good school.”

Mr Marples said risk assessments had been carried out.

He said every single member of staff had either undergone a Criminal Records Bureau check or was in the process of being checked, but that there were gaps in the data held at the school on the day. Some teachers also had their CRB numbers at home rather than at the school. There was also one member of staff whose CRB form had not been received by the organisation which carries out the checks, so was being resent.

Current headteacher Eugene Symonds said: “The governing body was working very hard to meet the new requirements, but Ofsted just weren’t happy. Although checks were in place, procedures started and we were liaising with the safeguarding team, they didn’t seem satisfied.”

Out of 28 areas of Ofsted assessment, only three received an inadequate rating – all connected to the safeguarding failure – while 14 were rated satisfactory.

A further 10, including pupils’ behaviour and attendance, were rated good, and children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development received Ofsted’s top ranking of ‘outstanding’.

At its last inspection, in 2007, the school was rated good overall.

Mr Marples said the school had been updating procedures in line with the new tougher requirements, but that December’s inspection had taken place before they were completed.

He said all the relevant paperwork was now in place — but the school would have to wait for another inspection before the notice to improve could be removed.

Ofsted inspector Patricia Pothecary’s report described the school as happy and welcoming, and praised mature behaviour and lively and interesting lessons, as well as a “keen sense of urgency” to improve standards.

Michael Waine, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for schools improvement, called for safeguarding to be assessed separately.

He said: “Safeguarding pupils in our schools has to be the first priority for us all.

“However, I believe safeguarding should be subject to a separate parallel report with compliance orders which would be time limited according to the degree of default.

“The main Ofsted report would then deal with issues with the quality of education offered by the school.”

Last night parents rallied around the school.

Emma Foster, whose six-year-old son, Mitchell, is a pupil, said: “It’s a fantastic school.

“It is one of the best schools in Kidlington and I think the report is wrong.”

Fellow parent Sandra Harkness, whose boys, Harry and Jamie, are pupils, said: “I couldn’t follow the report at all, it is very confusing.”

Ofsted declined to comment on the report, which can be seen at ofsted.gov.uk fbardsley@oxfordmail.co.uk