£45k-a-year school is ordered to close
A PRIVATE school for children with special needs was ordered to close after a damning inspection found pupils are at risk of harm.
Craig Ormerod Associates School Provision only opened in September 2022 and charges £45,000 per pupil per year.
It had its first Ofsted inspection in September last year.
A pre-opening inspection report in June 2022 from Ofsted said the school, in Outwood Road, Radcliffe, was likely to meet all necessary standards when it opened.
However, the September 2023 inspection found the quality of education, personal development and leadership and management all inadequate. The school had 17 students on its roll, most of whom had experienced difficulties in accessing education in their previous settings.
The Ofsted report said: “The school does not make sure that its pupils are safe. Weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements prevent the school from fulfilling its safeguarding responsibilities effectively.
“For example, staff are not well trained in child protection procedures. The school does not promote pupils’ health, safety and welfare. Consequently, pupils are at risk of harm.”
After that inspection, the Secretary of State for Education requested the voluntary closure of the school on September 18, 2023.
Another emergency inspection was conducted in November because the Department for Education (DfE) was made aware that the school had re-opened. The DfE had also received further complaints
‘at risk of harm’
about the school. In a report published late last month, Ofsted said: “The school does not meet all of the independent school standards that were checked.”
Inspectors also found evidence that the school had recorded attendance inaccurately by not recording pupils’ absences using the agreed attendance codes.
This meant that attendance figures looked more favourable than they actually were.
They found that checks were not made to ensure that staff were suitable to work with pupils. An order was made to close the school from November 27.
Craig Ormerod Associates have been contacted for comment.