A primary school in Salford rated as 'good' before the Covid-19 pandemic has been placed into special measures after being assessed as 'inadequate'. Ofsted inspectors who visited 220-pupil Brentnall Community Primary School in Higher Broughton said that its leaders and those responsible for governnance have 'failed pupils'.
"They have overseen the decline in the quality of education that pupils receive," their report said. "The curriculum does not serve pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), well.
"It is inadequate, narrow and unambitious. Pupils' knowledge in many subjects, including in the early years, is not secure." Following the visit on September 21 and 22, lead inspector Jackie Stillings and inspector Moira Loftus said that pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, 'do not achieve well'.
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They go on: "This is because leaders and staff do not have high enough academic expectations of them. Leaders have not made sure that staff know how to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with SEND."
However, they said that 'despite the inadequacies in the curriculum, pupils are safe at school. "They can speak with staff about any worries that they may have," the report said.
"Pupils said that leaders took bullying seriously and resolve any issues quickly. Leaders ensure that pupils' physical and emotional health is well supported. Pupils enjoy taking part in many sports clubs on offer.
"They are happy in school. But the wider opportunities to develop pupils' character and interests are more limited. In addition, too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough to benefit from all that it has to offer to enhance their personal development."
The inspectors said the pupils' experience of school had been adversely affected by an 'unsettling period in leadership'. "The interim executive headteacher has quickly reviewed the school's strengths and priorities for improvement.
"He has already begun to make important improvements. However, it is far too soon to see the impact of this interim leadership on pupils' achievement."
They said that pupils with SEND do not get the help and support that they need with their learning. They\ went on: "Leaders and teachers accurately identify pupils who may have SEND. However, staff are not trained sufficiently well to use the information that they receive about pupils with SEND to inform who they adapt the delivery of lessons.
"Teachers rely too much on teaching assistants to provide support for pupils with SEND." The report says the school's governors have too readily accepted what leaders have told them.
"They do not understand the extent of the weaknesses at the school or the negative impact that this continues to have on the achievement of all pupils," it said. "Governors must ensure that they improve their oversight of the school so that they can hold leaders to account for their actions and the pace of improvement."
Responding to the Ofsted findings, Salford city council's lead member for children's and young people's services Coun Jim Cammell said the school now needs to look to the future and would be fully supported to make the necessary improvements.
“As disappointing as this report is, Ofsted inspectors acknowledge that the interim executive headteacher, who came into post in June, has already begun to make improvements but it is too soon to see results,” he said.
“Changes and improvements to the curriculum, staff training, behaviour and attendance management and support for all pupils are being made. We are determined to look to the future, build on the positives that the report highlighted, address the areas for improvement and bring this school back to a high standard. I know staff and parents want that too and will support the school as it makes that journey.”
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