It’s very good news that Ampleforth College has been set a clear pathway to resolve outstanding issues surrounding its safeguarding policies.
I have been involved in this issue for some months and have had a number of conversations with the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson and the Head Teacher, Robin Dyer. Ampleforth has recognized that there have been some shortcomings in their systems and procedures and have been working hard to address them. The Secretary of State has welcomed the progress that has been made in recent months but says that the school still needs more time to embed them in school life and has asked Ampleforth to apply for another inspection in the next few weeks. This would allow the new inspection to take place after the pupils return from lockdown and the school gets back into a normal routine. I fully support this as it is important that the school is given a proper opportunity and a fair hearing to address the problems highlighted in the first inspection.
In a survey carried out by Ofsted 99% of parents reported that their child feels safe and happy and enjoys their school experience
