Common school safeguarding pitfalls – and how to avoid them

As you will know, there have been big changes in Ofsted inspections in recent months, particularly in safeguarding.

These shifts – driven by the tragic death of headteacher Ruth Perry – include mental health awareness training for inspectors and support for those being inspected, as well as allowing schools with ineffective safeguarding, but strengths elsewhere, to receive a graded inspection within three months.

The major change, of course, is the removal of single-phrase judgements, which has been warmly welcomed by many in education.

Those modifications are praiseworthy but the decision to remove the commentary on safeguarding strengths for schools with effective safeguarding has in my experience had a mixed reception, especially from schools addressing significant safeguarding challenges who feel their work is not being recognised. The changes basically mean that the inspection reports will now simply read that “arrangements for safeguarding are effective”.