A school in Salford insists it is doing 'really well' despite receiving a damning inadequate rating.
Ofsted inspectors found that pupils at the independent boys’ school have been ‘severely let down by leaders in all aspects of their school life’. The Ahavas Torah Boys Academy has now been deemed ‘inadequate’ following an inspection between November 30 and December 2 last year.
But, despite the report highlighting pupils being forced to learn in 'dirty and damaged classrooms' and that teachers' expectations are 'low', the school insisted that students were thriving and said the Ofsted report was 'unfortunate'.
A spokesman said: "Our school is thankfully doing really well; the students are happy and thriving, and the parents are unanimously delighted. We would welcome any genuine desire to verify that this is the case."
They added: "So much so that the report is not worthy of our comment."
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However in the report, published by Ofsted this month, the inspector found: “They [the pupils] do not receive the quality of care or education they deserve. “Despite this, pupils enjoy being with their friends at school.
"However, they are expected to spend their play times in grounds that are poorly maintained and, in parts, strewn with hazardous litter. Pupils learn in classrooms that are dirty and damaged. On occasions, pupils are not properly supervised. This puts them at risk.”
The report said leaders’ expectations of pupils’ achievements are ‘too low’, adding that the work teachers give the pupils ‘does not help them learn well’. It went on: “The work set by teachers does not support pupils to learn the knowledge in the curriculum.
“Added to this, some pupils do not understand the work because teachers do not provide clear explanations. Pupils, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not achieve well.”
It said that leaders’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour are ‘equally low’. “Pupils behaviour is sometimes inappropriately boisterous while moving around school,” the report said. “This occasionally leads to a lack of care for the safety of fellow pupils. That said, pupils are generally polite to adults.
“Pupils said that bullying is rare. They trust that adults will address it quickly if ever it happened.”
But the report said that although pupils know that they must respect people who they perceive people to be different to themselves, they do not learn about all of the ‘protected characteristics’ [race, gender, age, sexual orientation]. “Neither do they receive an appropriate programme of impartial careers education, advice and guidance,” it said. “This prevents pupils from being fully prepared for life in modern Britain.”
In addition, the report said arrangements for safeguarding ‘are not effective’. “Leaders do not carry out all the necessary checks on the suitability of staff to work in the school and they were unable to provide evidence that such checks have been carried out by the proprietor." it said.
“They do not have an awareness of the latest safeguarding guidance from the Secretary of State for Education. Their policies are based on outdated legislation. They are not fit for purpose. However, the safeguarding policy is made available to parents on request.
“Leaders have not provided staff with sufficient up-to-date safeguarding training. Some staff struggle to remember the last time that they had such training or its content. Therefore, staff do not learn how to recognise when pupils may be at risk of harm, for example from child-on-child abuse.
“Pupils’ understanding of how to keep themselves safe is limited to matters such as road safety. Leaders do not ensure that pupils learn about the risks associated with using the internet or within the wider community.”
'Our school is doing really well'
The school, on Winders Way, in Salford, has 74 pupils aged between 11 and 16.
A spokesperson for the school told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Our school is thankfully doing really well; the students are happy and thriving, and the parents are unanimously delighted. We would welcome any genuine desire to verify that this is the case.
"That the Ofsted inspector chose to deliver a report such as this is unfortunate. The negative outlook and critical intent are evident in every section of the report. It is riddled with factual inaccuracies, and most of the report carries little bearing on what is actually going on in this wonderful educational establishment. So much so that the report is not worthy of our comment.
"Notably the fact that there is no oversight to their work, and the fact that they chose whatever it is that they wish to focus on, add up to the fact that prior to fundamental reform - this sort of report only adds to the dismal failings of this organisation."
Responding, a spokesperson for Ofsted said: "We'll let the report speak for itself."
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