A WESTON-SUPER-MARE primary school received a rating of Inadequate for its leadership and management in its latest Ofsted report. 

Inspectors visited Kewstoke Primary School on October 15 and 16 and found “widespread failings” in the school’s safeguarding of pupils, leaving some “at potential risk of harm”.  

The report said the school has “failed to spot and act upon serious and significant concerns”, and that systems to keep pupils safe are not effective. 

The school received more positive ratings in other areas, with the categories of “quality of education”, “personal development” and “early years provision” all achieving a grade of Good, while “behaviour and attitudes” was said to require improvement. 

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But the report was damning in its assessment of the school’s safeguarding arrangements and the governors responsible for them.  

“Governors have not carried out their roles as they should,” it said. “They do not have enough knowledge to check that safeguarding systems are working.” 

“In some cases, the school has not taken appropriate action when concerns have been reported to them. This has left some pupils at potential risk of harm. Consequently, the school has failed to spot and act upon serious and significant concerns.” 

Despite the strong criticisms of the school’s safeguarding arrangements, Ofsted reported that pupils generally are happy at Kewstoke. 

It said they conduct themselves sensibly around the school building and playground, and that “pupils typically learn and achieve well”, with staff who are “ambitious for them to succeed”.  

However, the report did also note behavioural issues, with some disruptive pupils hampering the learning of others.  

It said the school is in the process of developing a new beahviour policy, but “it is not applied well by staff”.  

Responding to the report, the school said that action was taken immediately to rectify issues raised by inspectors. 

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It said the inspectors made recommendations to improve safeguarding processes, policies and procedures and that the issues have all been rectified.  

A new interim Chair of Governors is now in place who meets regularly with the Head Teacher to discuss the school’s progress in implementing the inspectors’ recommendations, the school said. 

Leoni-fay Webb, Interim Chair of Governors at Kewstoke Primary School said: “Following the two-day Ofsted visit, I have worked with our new interim head to make huge improvements in the processes and procedures used in the school.  

“Many of the recommendations Ofsted made during our two-day visit on the 15th and 16th October have already been implemented with the remainder in process of being implemented."

She said the Governing board has taken the criticisms levelled against it on board. 

Vacant positions on the board have been filled by new members who have “a strong background in safeguarding and behaviour management”.  

The school's previously received an Ofsted grade of Good.

As of September this year, Ofsted no longer makes an overall effectiveness judgement in inspections of state-funded schools.