New Trustees rally to defend Flagship School
The Flagship school in Hastings, which opened last September with the aim of providing specialist education for neurodiverse children with social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has received a damning OFSTED report following an inspection in March.
The formal rating for each of the four categories of the inspection – quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management – was expressed as “inadequate”, something of a euphemism for the more detailed description of “a chaotic environment in which some pupils feel bullied and threatened, and leaders are constantly addressing problems and concerns”.
The school, sited in temporary premises at the former Helenswood Upper School on the Ridge while new buildings are being constructed alongside, receives core funding from the Department for Education with top-up aid from East Sussex County Council (ESCC). It is registered for up to 76 pupils between the ages of six and 16 but at the time of inspection had only 22 on the roll, spread across Years 5, 6, 7 and 8. The OFSTED report, eventually published last week, states that, of these, “a sizeable minority currently do not attend school at all”, while the behaviour of many who do is “poor”.
Trustees are said to have been “aware of some of the issues, but failed to act effectively to address these. They told inspectors that they knew there were problems with some aspects of safeguarding, but were not aware of how
serious the situation really was”.
The behaviour of pupils was “too often…unsafe, disrespectful and disruptive”, and there were too few staff to ensure pupils’ safety. The report advised that “leaders and trustees need to rethink all aspects of how staff manage behaviour to reduce serious incidents, such as pupils threatening and attacking other pupils, or the constant damage to the fabric of the building”.
New Trustees
In response to the OFSTED findings, the existing trustees resigned. The Beckmead Trust, which describes itself as a high-performing behaviour-based education provider, and leads a number of other specialist schools including The Ropemakers Academy in Hailsham for SEMH pupils, was brought in last month to “support progress” along with other replacement trustees. Its CEO Dr Jonty Clark says: “We are very pleased to be working with The Flagship School. While school improvement takes time, we believe we are already having a positive impact to help make sure that the children and young people at the academy receive the very best education and care, and are kept safe, which is of course our top priority.
“Our professional staff encourage, support, challenge and innovate to ensure the children and young people we are responsible for have high-quality care, teaching and curriculum in first-class accommodation.”
A spokesperson from East Sussex County Council added: “We are committed to ensuring that all children attending The Flagship School are able to learn in a safe environment that meets their special educational needs.”
What neither the Council nor anyone else involved in the setting up of the school has explained is why the decision was made to open in cramped and dilapidated buildings next door to a building site – accommodation that was anything but first-class. However, the new building is scheduled to be ready for staff and pupils by the end of October. And Stephanie Salter, who remains the school principal, exudes optimism: “Our vision was always to create a specialist centre of excellence where children with these complex needs could be nurtured and could thrive. That determination remains and while we are extremely disappointed, no-one involved in this very special project is disheartened or discouraged.”
Steep rise in SEND numbers
The Local Government Association (LGA) has released figures showing that the number of children in England approaching county councils for SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) support increased by 23% in the past year. The number of Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans issued to such children had been increasing for four consecutive years up to 2020, fell last year with the onset of Covid and the resulting lockdowns, but is now back on its upward trend.
The LGA is asking the government to scrap “high needs deficits” which county councils have built up in covering the spiralling costs. But it has also suggested that more SEND pupils will need to be accepted into mainstream schools. Budgetary “incentives” should be offered to take in such children, it argues, while councils should have powers “to hold schools to account for the support they provide.”
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I think the chosen name for this school tells us much. Using the word “flagship” as the actual name is a deliberate and cynical attempt to conjure up false notions of excellence where none exists and confuse the issue when it is discussed.
As someone diagnosed in later life with autism, I can also state with confidence that opening a school for neurodiverse pupils right next to an active building site shows an appalling lack of understanding or interest in the issues faced by these pupils. Children without special needs would find it disruptive and distracting enough, but anyone with autism or ADHD will be unable to focus, concentrate or behave in a way that is conducive for their own or their fellow pupil’s education. Low staff numbers will obviously exacerbate the situation greatly and also point towards cynical cost savings to maximise profits.
This, like most other private enterprises under the Tories, is obviously just a money-making exercise and the pupils are just an inconvenient necessity whose sole purpose is to attract funding (which, incidentally, all comes out of our pockets as taxpayers). This is pure commodification of humans- it happened before with care homes for people with learning disabilities and the elderly and now it’s happening with children. We are in an age where it seems overtly accepted that most people’s worth is only denoted by how much money can be made from them. Profit is the only motivation and criteria considered- everything else is just window dressing. We accept this continuing immorality at our peril.