{"id":239367,"date":"2025-12-12T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=239367"},"modified":"2025-12-12T10:09:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T10:09:14","slug":"questions-for-ofsted-over-mossbourne-behaviour-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/questions-for-ofsted-over-mossbourne-behaviour-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Questions for Ofsted over Mossbourne behaviour review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ofsted faces questions over whether it properly followed-up concerns about a leading academy\u2019s behaviour policies, after a safeguarding review found it used \u201cisolating, shaming\u201d practices on pupils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The watchdog\u2019s \u201cgrowing emphasis on behaviour\u201d has \u201cincentivised schools to adopt stricter policies\u201d, said Sir Alan Wood, who investigated \u201cwidespread concerns regarding the implementation of the behaviour policy\u201d<\/a> at the Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy, in Hackney.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sector leaders described the probe\u2019s findings as a \u201cwake-up call\u201d for the government over the use of strict behaviour policies in schools. The government called the case \u201cdeeply concerning\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Department for Education\u2019s behaviour ambassador has dismissed the review, accusing it of relying \u201con a methodology that would shame a fortune-teller\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Isolating, shaming, humiliating\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Victoria Park is part of the Mossbourne Federation, the trust originally run by former Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"education
Sir Alan Wood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, the school ranked seventh in the country for its progress 8 score. It was rated \u2018outstanding\u2019 in all areas by Ofsted in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the review<\/a> found the school\u2019s success had been \u201cachieved at too high a cost for some pupils\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShouting\u201d was used at Victoria Park \u201cin a manner that humiliates and intimidates pupils\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children were also placed on desks in corridors outside the rooms of senior teachers \u201cas a punishment for minor infractions\u201d, a practice Wood described as \u201cisolating, shaming, and educationally unproductive\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Wake-up call’<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A former student \u201crecounted having a panic attack while on a \u2018time-out desk\u2019\u201d. Others \u201cmentioned instances of self-harm and suicidal ideation directly related to the school\u2019s disciplinary regime\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among other things, the school was told by Wood to \u201cprohibit the use of any public reprimand, action, or sanction that has a primary function to draw negative attention to a pupil for the purpose of shaming them\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liz Robinson, chief executive of the Big Education Trust, said such policies come \u201cfrom an obsessive focus on \u2026 standardised test or exam outcomes\u201d, and \u201can explicit narrowing of what schools are for\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened at Mossbourne is a logical, rational extension of the incentives in the system. It should be a wake-up call for politicians to look at this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ofsted \u2018weakness\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The report detailed how Ofsted found fixed-term exclusions at the school \u201cwere very high, particularly affecting pupils of black Caribbean heritage and disadvantaged pupils\u201d in 2016. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victoria Park\u2019s behaviour support unit \u2013 an internal facility that manages students who have been removed from lessons \u2013 was \u201cused extensively\u201d, with some children \u201cspending lengthy periods there with limited opportunities for reflection or learning support\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Liz Robinson\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wood said reports produced following the inspectorate\u2019s next visits in 2021 and 2023 \u2013 when it was rated \u2018outstanding\u2019 \u2013 \u201cneither explicitly reference or assess whether the\u2026concerns had been resolved\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ofsted told the review it \u201cwould have raised issues about behaviour with the school\u2019s leadership\u201d. Despite this, Wood stressed \u201csome of the issues\u201d flagged \u201cseem not to have been fully resolved\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former senior inspector Frank Norris said this would undermine confidence in the watchdog, adding: \u201cMost people would expect inspectors to evaluate the progress made since the previous inspection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Incentivised\u2019 by Ofsted<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Wood said the review \u201chas national implications\u201d. He noted a \u201cperceived rise in classroom disruption, combined with political and media pressure for higher academic standards, has led many schools to adopt strict behaviour policies\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ofsted\u2019s \u201cgrowing emphasis on behaviour in its inspection framework\u201d has \u201cincentivised schools to adopt stricter policies\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe \u2018no excuses\u2019 model, when implemented rigidly without adequate safeguards, can become one of \u2018zero tolerance\u2019 that causes serious harm to vulnerable pupils,\u201d the report added. Ofsted told Schools Week<\/em> it did not comment on individual school inspections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Findings challenged<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tom Bennett \u2013 the previous government\u2019s behaviour tsar and current government\u2019s behaviour and attendance hubs ambassador \u2013 branded the review \u201cstaggeringly weak [and] biased\u201d, claiming it \u201crelies on a methodology that would shame a fortune-teller\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defending the school, he said it \u201cgets fantastic results for its children\u201d and \u201cis, by many accounts, a brilliant place to be\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked about Bennett\u2019s criticisms, Wood said it was \u201cobvious he\u2019s not read the report or its appendices. The bulk of the report talks about issues which are well evidenced.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bennett\u2019s views also appear to differ to those of the DfE, which called the investigation\u2019s findings \u201cserious and deeply concerning\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A department spokesperson said it \u201cwill continue to engage with the trust to ensure that it implements the changes needed\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mossbourne did not respond to requests for comment. However, in a letter sent to parents, Victoria Park principal Matthew Toothe stressed the academy \u201chas and is taking the review seriously\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He does not believe parents \u201cwill agree with\u2026[its] conclusions\u201d as if they did, they \u201cwould not entrust [their] children to our care on a daily basis\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sector leaders also call the probe a ‘wake-up call’ for the government over the use of strict behaviour policies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":311204,"featured_media":109919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[32,383,28,239,25],"post-theme":[2378],"class_list":["post-239367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-academies","tag-behaviour","tag-dfe","tag-education-policy","tag-ofsted","post-theme-ofsted"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t