Failing private school in Exeter is visited for third time this year by Ofsted

Some windows leading onto the roof were not secured consistently and a hazardous cleaning agent was found unlocked and accessible to pupils

An independent school which costs up to £3,830  per term to attend is being visited by Ofsted inspectors for the third time this year after education and safety concerns were exposed.

Bramdean School in Heavitree was inspected in January and it was rated as requiring improvement.

Inspectors reported there had been a decline in the quality of education since the previous inspection in 2015 when it was rated good overall.

Ofsted carried out an emergency inspection in May following a complaint that raised ‘wider concerns’ about the school. It related to pupils’ safety and well-being on the school grounds and premises.

Inspectors concluded some aspects of the premises or facilities had not been maintained well enough since the last inspection and pupils were being exposed to avoidable risks.

These included some windows leading onto the roof were not secured consistently and a hazardous cleaning agent was found unlocked and accessible to pupils.

The report said: “The danger posed through insecure high-level windows is not acceptable."

Other concerns included:

• Some breaches in safety on the premises have gone unnoticed

• On occasions where leaders have not been quick enough to either identify or respond to health and safety issues, pupils are put at an unnecessarily increased risk of harm.

However, pupils told inspectors they feel safe and well cared for at school, and they had confidence in staff.

Inspectors concluded the school does not meet the independent school standards for the welfare, health and safety of pupils, for premises and accommodation at schools, and quality of leadership in and management.

The concerns highlighted In January included leaders do not identify weaknesses quickly enough, and senior leaders do not have an in-depth view of the quality of education and do not hold teachers stringently to account.

Teachers’ expectations of pupils were said to be not consistently high, and leaders were not providing high-quality books and other literature for pupils to read and enjoy, especially for older pupils.

At Bramdean, which was founded in 1901, Diane Stoneman is the proprietor as well as the headteacher. It does not have a governing body.

At the January inspection the school had 97 pupils aged between three to 18 years old. It was noted the headteacher does not use ‘checks and balances’ to audit or review key aspects of the school’s or her own performance.

Inspectors said: “This contributes towards some inaccuracies in self-evaluation and impedes the rate of improvement in the school."

This week inspectors have been back at the school and the outcome of that visit will then be published at a later date.

A spokesperson for Ofsted said: “We can confirm that we have inspected this school, but we will say more about it when the inspection report is published.”

The school were approached for a comment.

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