OFSTED inspectors criticise Treeton School

A SCHOOL has been rated “unsatisfactory” by Government inspectors given for failing to properly record checks done to protect its pupils.

Ofsted said that a central log of safeguarding measures—including CRB information about staff—was needed at Treeton CofE Primary School.

A notice to improve has been issued to the school.

The inspectors will make a return visit to ensure changes have been made.

Head teacher Deborah Ball accepted the criticism, but said Ofsted’s overall rating was misleading and did not reflect the overall quality of the school.

Inspector Ken Valentine said: “This school requires significant improvement because it is performing significantly less well than in all circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform.

“Significant improvement is required to ensure that the single central record of safeguarding checks fully meets requirements.

“The school has failed to make appropriate checks and maintain required records and, as a consequence, the governing body has failed in its duty to ensure that statutory requirements are met.”

Pupils’ achievement was said to be “satisfactory” across the Wood Lane school as a whole.

Teaching at foundation and Key Stage 1 levels was singled out as “good”, but a need for better ICT provision was noted.

Mrs Ball said: “Both staff and the governing body accept the Ofsted findings and we have taken immediate action to resolve the safeguarding issue that the inspectors highlighted.

“This was in relation to record keeping around safety checks and not about the way we care for our children on a day-to-day basis.

“In fact, the inspectors themselves said that ‘other arrangements to protect pupils are satisfactory.’

“The action we have taken to improve our procedures means that when we are re-inspected the school should be removed from the ‘inadequate’ category.

Due to this issue, the inspection rating doesn't necessarily reflect the overall quality of the school, as the inspectors have said that in other aspects of school life we are either in the ‘good’ or ‘adequate’ categories.

Mrs Ball said parents’ responses to an Ofsted questionnaire had been positive, showing that they were happy about how they were kept informed of their children’s progress.”