PUPILS at a sought-after school have been the victims of terrifying sexual assaults and racial harassment and “fear for their safety” when attending classes.
Female pupils have reported being groped in corridors between lessons and “told they will be raped.”
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And many are afraid to visit toilets during class due to the number of male pupils wandering the school refusing to attend classes.
A shocking report by government inspectors from Ofsted – described by one as the worst they’d ever written – uncovered a disturbing catalogue of attacks and violence.
Inspectors visited Brooksbank School in Elland, near Halifax, West Yorks, in February for a routine inspection.
At its last inspection in 2016 the school was rated “good” by Ofsted and the state secondary school has traditionally been a top pick for kids by parents in the district due to its high standards.
But what they found at the school this year left them aghast.
The findings have been shared with the school’s top brass but are not being made public until this morning(Weds).
A copy of the official Ofsted report seen by The Sun reveals: “Sexual harassment is distressingly common. Some staff described this as a ‘culture’ in the school.
“Many pupils regularly experience inappropriate comments. There have been a number of instances of inappropriate touching and assault.
“Some pupils also experience shocking threats of sexual violence. Leaders are not doing enough to protect pupils from these experiences or reduce the risk to pupils.”
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The report demanded urgent changes from the school’s senior leadership team and added: “The school is not a safe place for pupils.
“Physical violence, bullying, discrimination and harassment are common.
Many pupils fear for their safety.
“Leaders must act immediately to ensure that all pupils are safe in school at all times.”
Last night a local education source told The Sun: “The comments in the report were not written lightly – the school is a terrifying place for kids.
“One inspector said it was the worst report they’d had to write, and added if they’d had kids at the school they would have taken them out that very day. It’s that bad.” Ofsted did not comment ahead of official publication of the report.
Last night the school told The Sun of the drastic changes that have been made since the Ofsted inspection.
Dave Hewitt was appointed Executive Principal and has led Brookebank since 28 February.
In a statement the school said: “We are confident that the changes are sustainable and embedded and that the school is now flourishing.”
A school spokesperson added: “During the half-term holidays on the evening of Thursday 24 February the Education Exchange was contacted to support Brooksbank school.
“The education exchange is a group of like minded trusts and friends who are dedicated to improving education in the north of England. The work is without cost and based on professional generosity and friendship.
DRASTIC CHANGES
“At 8am on Monday morning on 28 February a team of 6 arrived to work in the school, they included; one CEO, and 2 Executive Principals, a Director of Safeguarding and Inclusion, and an associate executive principal, all experts in education.
“On Wednesday they were joined by colleagues from across the region and there were 26 specialists in the school from 6 academy trusts. This enormous capacity allowed the team to work rapidly and train staff to bring about a rapid transformation.
“New Safeguarding processes, supervision, behaviour policies, school day structure and specialist catch-up interventions classes were all put in place. This meant that children were safe.
“A series of meetings were held with parents to explain the changes which were greeted with support.”
The Local Governing Body said in a statement: “Brooksbank School is now a safe and welcoming place for students and staff.
“Immediately after the Inspectors shared their findings in February, we took swift action to secure immediate and rapid school Improvement via the Education Exchange, which has provided Senior Leadership expertise, capacity, training and support.
“Senior Leaders have led the implementation of changes that have transformed how we support students. We have systems and structures to ensure any negative behaviour is dealt with effectively.
“The new systems and policies support high standards and all staff have had training to deliver these changes. Splitting the lunch and break times has changed the feel of the school and allowed supervision to ensure that all students feel safe during social times.
“The update of our reporting systems means you can be confident we are monitoring and acting on issues raised with us.
“We are pleased Inspectors recognised the expertise of our teachers, the ambitious curriculum in the Sixth Form and the wide range of opportunities and careers guidance offered to pupils.
“Working with the Education Exchange has allowed us to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of school leaders from across Yorkshire and The Humber.
“Students and staff relished the opportunity to participate in the recent GCSE masterclasses in English, Maths and Science, just one of the initiatives for our school which flowed from this project.”
