‘Intimidating’ behaviour from pupils at school
SECONDARY RATED ‘INADEQUATE’ AMID CLAIMS STUDENTS DON’T FEEL SAFE
PUPILS and staff feel unsafe at a Yorkshire secondary school because of ‘intimidating’ behaviour by pupils and ‘frequent fighting.’
St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy in Dewsbury has been rated inadequate by Ofsted due to poor behaviour and attitudes and ineffective leadership.
Inspectors said: “Pupils’ experiences around school are too frequently disrupted by poor behaviour and a culture of disrespect. Some pupils’ behaviour in the corridors at break times and at lunchtimes can be intimidating.
“There are some deeply entrenched negative attitudes among some pupils that have not been addressed by leaders. Too many pupils are disrespectful towards peers and staff.
“Derogatory, rude and offensive language is common. Pupils say fighting between pupils is frequent. Some pupils feel unsafe because of the poor behaviour of others. There are staff at the school who feel the same.”
Ofsted said some staff have low morale due to the lack of urgency in dealing with poor behaviour.
A report by Ofsted said: “In unsupervised areas of the school, pupils exhibit unsafe behaviours, such as vaping. A culture of disrespect has been allowed to become the norm among too many pupils.”
It said truancy is common and leaders do not know where some pupils are during the school day because the systems to track pupils are not effective. Safeguarding arrangements were deemed not to be effective.
Ofsted added: “The behaviour and attitudes of some pupils are extremely poor. The school is not a calm or orderly place to be. Some pupils and staff find the atmosphere intimidating and do not feel safe. There are too many pupils who show little respect towards staff. Trust and senior leaders must act with urgency to ensure necessary changes are made, and leadership capacity is improved to address the school’s culture so that pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are much improved swiftly.”
Richard Williams, CEO of The Blessed Peter Snow Academy Trust, said: “In November, Ofsted visited St John Fisher’s Catholic Voluntary Academy for our first full inspection since the school was graded as Inadequate in 2019.
“Given that there is now a more robust framework in place for Ofsted to evaluate schools, plus the leadership changes and the ongoing impact of the pandemic, it is safe to say that we went into this inspection pleased with the progress that has clearly been made - but knowing that there is more to do.
“Managing behaviour is an absolute priority for the school. It not only impacts on learning, but we also fully acknowledge and appreciate the impact that poor behaviour has on our whole community.
“That is why, as we announced in January, we are delighted that Karl Mackey will be joining St John Fisher’s as our full-time Headteacher after Easter. As a behaviour specialist, Mr Mackey brings with him a strong track record of school improvement as well as valuable expertise and experience in this area.”
A culture of disrespect has been allowed to become the norm among too many pupils Ofsted report