Preston primary school challenges “inadequate” rating

A Preston primary school has become so preoccupied dealing with complaints from parents – and even its own staff – that it has been “distracted” from ensuring pupils learn everything that they should.

That was one of a series of devastating conclusions reached following an inspection of Eldon Primary School by the regulator, Ofsted.

The Plungington school has now been stripped of the “outstanding” rating it was handed following a previous assessment seven years ago and downgraded to “inadequate” – the lowest possible grade.

The inspection report did highlight a raft of positives about the Eldon Street facility – including the behaviour of pupils, the “interesting and engaging curriculum” that has been developed for them and the strong focus on their personal development.

Three out of the five categories that make up the overall judgement were rated as “good”, but the quality of education at the school was found to “require improvement”, while leadership and management was deemed “inadequate”.

Inspectors also noted the negative impact on pupil learning of a “sustained high turnover” in staff, which – along with “fractured relationships” with some parents  – had made a “considerable contribution to the decline in pupils’ education”.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) last year revealed teaching union concerns that all but one of Eldon’s permanent class teachers had left within an 18-month period between July 2021 and January 2023.

The Ofsted report said children had spoken of feeling “upset” as a result of the “many changes” to their teachers.

However, the chair of governors at the 250-pupil school says he and his colleagues – along with school staff – are “stunned” that Eldon Primary has been branded inadequate.

In a letter to parents, Abu Patel accused inspectors of making “errors” in the report and revealed that the governing body has launched an appeal against the judgement.

“[We have] sent a dossier to Ofsted showing evidence inspectors did not pay regard to, as well as setting out facts the inspectors got wrong.

“We share the shock many of you will be feeling right now about the issues Ofsted has highlighted, but we also embrace their findings as a chance to provide the evidence for assurances Ofsted missed and to make improvements where they are needed in our journey to recovering our ‘outstanding’ school status,” Mr. Patel wrote.

He committed to improving the relationship with Lancashire County Council, which inspectors said was “broken”.

In apparent response to an Ofsted finding that the school has failed to protect some of its staff, including senior leaders, from “harassment”, Mr. Patel issued an apology to headteacher Azra Butt, deputy head Melissa Power and all staff “affected by the campaign of harassment and abuse by a small number of parents and their proxies”.

“Despite governors backing a ban on the worst offenders and agreeing police intervention for racially aggravated public order offences, what we could not prevent was the vitriol from anonymous accounts on social media. Examples of staff facing unacceptable behaviours range from verbal abuse, threats of physical harm, to school leaders’ car and home being attacked. This behaviour is unacceptable,” he said.

Meanwhile, a campaign to “Save Eldon Primary” – formed earlier this month, in advance of the Ofsted report being published – is seeking to head off the conversion of the school into an academy.     That would see the establishment removed from the control of the local authority and handed to an academy chain in an attempt to turn around its fortunes.

Such a move is usually the next step ordered by the Department for Education in the wake of an “inadequate” Ofsted rating.

The regulator told the LDRS that it had “nothing further to add” to its inspection report when approached for comment on the governing body’s criticism of its conclusions.

Eldon Primary School did not respond to a request for comment on the outcome of the inspection.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said that the authority wanted to “reassure parents, carers and the wider school community that we are fully committed to supporting the school by ensuring continuous improvement”.

They added:  “Nonetheless, we note that there were some positive findings in the Ofsted report. The school was rated ‘good’ in early years provision, behaviour and attitudes and personal development, and its enrichment, mindfulness and supportive staff were also praised.

“The school’s ‘interesting and engaging’ curriculum was also highlighted, although the inspectors also recommended that its delivery needs to be more consistent throughout the school, and the school’s ‘high expectations for pupils’ behaviour from the early years’ were singled out for praise.

“We understand that an academy order is now expected, as part of the national, statutory process.

“However, we will continue to work with the leadership in implementing the recommendations of the report during its forthcoming transition. We will, of course, ensure all staff, parents and carers and the wider school community are supported and kept fully informed throughout this journey.”

STOP-START INSPECTION 

The long-delayed publication of the regulator’s report came following an inspection which took place across several days in March and April this year.   It was initially deferred for some six weeks at the request of headteacher Azra Butt.

Once it did begin, on 20th March, it was “paused” just 24 hours later following what the report says was “a request from senior leaders and in consultation with Ofsted’s regional director for the North West”.

“The decision was reached following discussions with the local authority as the leaders’ employer, who attended the school on site to check on the wellbeing of staff and senior leaders,” it adds.

The inspection was scheduled to resume on 26th March, but remained paused – again at the request of the leadership and with the involvement of the regional director – until 16th April, when inspectors returned “to gather additional evidence”.

Ofsted guidance states that a pause may need to be “longer than originally anticipated”, but only “in some very exceptional cases”.

AN INSPECTOR CALLS

These are some of the conclusions reached by Ofsted inspectors who visited Eldon Primary School:

The good…

***Pupils behave well. The school sets high expectations for pupils’ behaviour from the early years. Caring staff and supportive pupil anti-bullying ambassadors resolve rare incidents of bullying quickly and effectively.

***Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs. For example, they take part in morris dancing, board games and mindfulness activities. They benefit from well-organised ‘super learning’ days. Visitors, such as police officers and sports coaches, help pupils to become active young citizens. Pupils especially enjoy the opportunity to broadcast information about school life from the school’s own radio station.

***The school has successfully prioritised reading. Pupils learn phonics from the start of the Reception Year. Prior to this, in the Nursery class, staff develop children’s listening and attention skills effectively. The school identifies any pupils who require extra help to improve their reading knowledge. These pupils receive effective support to catch up with their peers. Most pupils become fluent readers.

***The school ensures that pupils with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) are identified quickly and accurately.  When required, pupils receive helpful specialist support.

***The school provides pupils with an interesting offer to enhance their personal development. Pupils learn how to stay safe online. They also learn about a range of faiths and cultures. For example, pupils experienced the festival of Diwali in Eldon House. Pupils benefit from exciting leadership roles. These include promoting learning as a subject ambassador.

The bad…

***The sustained high turnover in staffing and the fractured relationships between the school, some parents and carers and the local authority have overshadowed pupils’ experiences at this school. These issues have made a considerable contribution to the decline in pupils’ education. While pupils are safe, some told inspectors that the many changes to their teachers and staff have made them feel upset.

***While the school expects all pupils to do their best, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Many issues, including staff grievances and parental complaints, consume the work of the school. Consequently, the school has been distracted from ensuring that pupils learn all that they should across a broad range of subjects.

***The school has faced considerable staff absence and extensive changes in staffing and leadership over an extended period of time. This continues to have a negative impact on pupils’ experiences at the school. Currently, the school does not have the capacity that it needs to resolve the issues that it faces. It is not able to arrest the decline in pupils’ achievement across the whole curriculum.

****Pupils, parents and staff have experienced considerable unrest. Parents have mixed views about the school. While some reported that the school is welcoming and supportive for pupils, others do not. High staff turnover, combined with parents feeling unheard, has caused some pupils and their parents to lose faith in the school.

***The considerable changes in staff mean that the delivery of the curriculum is highly variable between and within classes and subjects. Typically, in English and mathematics, pupils build their knowledge well. This is reflected in the end of key stage tests and assessments. Overall, more pupils leave Year 6 attaining the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics than in other schools nationally. However, in many other subjects, pupils do not learn all that they should.

Source:  Ofsted inspection report, published 19th September, 2024

And the response…

This is what chair of governors Abu Patel says has been done to address inspectors’ concerns:

***School leaders and staff have built capacity to show changes to pupils’ learning.

*** School appointed two senior staff to lead Key Stage 1 and 2 to ensure curriculum is delivered equally well in year groups and across subjects. This will also ensure subject leaders get even more support and guidance to manage their responsibility areas effectively and ensure school’s strategies identify gaps in pupils’ learning used.

***Governing body reviewed governor roles and selected a parent governor (who is a teacher and SEND lead at another school) to lead scrutiny of Eldon’s education offer.

***Governing body completed membership review and skills audit in order to appoint a new governor with specialism in employment law, investigations, and local councils.

***Governing body and school leaders have increased dialogue to improve relations with local authority and trade unions. Meetings and email dialogue set up.

***Governors have concluded all cases of staff grievance or parent complaints.

***School has held parents focus group and agreed to reinstate termly newsletter to existing communication channels with parents.

***School holds coffee mornings for parents to come in to talk informally to staff/leaders.

Source: Governing body letter to parents