Shrewsbury College Group has hit out at an Ofsted report that saw it rated “inadequate” over safeguarding processes.
The report was published this morning on Ofsted’s website, almost four months after the initial inspection took place. The college was subsequently revisited by inspectors last month.
In a statement from the college group, principal James Staniforth said: “We are bitterly disappointed and extremely surprised that Ofsted has concluded that safeguarding processes at the college are not effective, despite the wealth of evidence to the contrary.
“We particularly cannot understand how Ofsted can disregard the judgement of the police when it comes to the safety of the college and the effectiveness of our practices.”
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Mr Staniforth’s statement says that all other provision at the college group was rated as “good”, and that since Ofsted had visited, an independent review of safeguarding at the college concluded that the college is “one of the safest in country”. The review said that “campuses are safe places to learn, work and to visit”, “there is a strong culture of safeguarding” and that “every effort has been made to ensure safe sites and safe students and staff”.
Mr Staniforth also said that West Mercia Police confirmed they had no concerns regarding the college’s campuses.
He said: “We will be appealing against the safeguarding grade of the report on the grounds that Ofsted’s processes in relation to this particular inspection were gravely flawed and unlike any that we have faced as an experienced senior team.”
Mr Staniforth added: “During the inspection process, important decisions relating to the evidence to be considered, findings and publication made by the regional office had to be overruled by the national office. The inspection was reopened on the grounds that the findings of the original inspection lacked credibility and reliability. When the inspection team returned, it became very clear that a pre-conceived result was required and evidence to the contrary was to be ignored.
“Moreover, the report appears to have significant and worrying implications for the broader further education sector.
“The safeguarding grade is informed by ‘a small number of students not feeling safe’ and ‘some staff’ reporting that they do not feel equipped to deal with challenges. This raises serious questions as to whether Ofsted requires 100 per cent of students and staff to feel safe and confident respectively - a completely unrealistic expectation.
“The report raises the issue of ‘access to campus sites’ and ‘potential’ threats to students, not actual threats, the inference being that colleges like ours need to put up fences around all our sites. This, in turn, has major implications for FE estate management.”
Ofsted has been contacted for comment.
