Montpelier High School remains ‘inadequate’ with ‘serious weaknesses’

Montpelier High School remains inadequate and has “serious weaknesses” six months after it was given a damning Ofsted rating of ‘inadequate’.

Ofsted inspectors revisited in December and found that pupils continued to report safeguarding issues – including not having a trusted adult to share concerns with, not disclosing worries about mental health and the prevalence of self-harm.

Due to the conclusions, a specialist safeguarding team was called on to visit in January because the Ofsted inspector judged that the former Colston’s Girls’ School “remained inadequate and has serious weaknesses”.

Initial findings from the review, undertaken by Bristol City Council’s specialist Safeguarding in Education Team, concluded that, during the few school weeks between monitoring visits, MHS has “effective safeguarding systems and practice to promote the safety and welfare of learners.”

About December’s Ofsted report, the leadership of MHS has written to parents and carers to “apologise wholeheartedly” for “not mobilising change fast enough”.

The letter acknowledges parents “will find (Ofsted’s report) concerning” and a meeting with them is scheduled for February 8.

Montpelier High School changed its name in 2021 from Colston’s Girls’ School – photo: Betty Woolerton

Ofsted gave MHS the lowest rating used by inspectors of ‘inadequate’ in June 2022. At the time, it reported the school on Cheltenham Road “does not feel like a safe place for some pupils”, “bullying goes unresolved”, “the curriculum lacks ambition” and the quality of education, sixth-form provision and personal development of pupils there requires improvement.

Six months on, Ofsted’s latest findings continued to identify “serious concerns about the school’s safeguarding arrangements”.

In a letter addressed to MHS interim principal Brennan Hesketh, inspector Susan Aykin wrote: “Crucially, many pupils report that they do not have a trusted adult with whom they could share their concerns.

“Furthermore, many pupils say that they find it difficult to disclose worries about  their mental health.

“Many pupils state that they struggle with this aspect of their well being and do not receive the support they request. Pupils also spoke of the prevalence of self-harm.

“Therefore, leaders’ actions have not been sufficient to make pupils feel secure  enough to tell staff of their concerns.

“The evidence from this inspection continues to raise serious concerns about the school’s safeguarding arrangements.”

The letter also highlights that school leaders have reduced incidents of bullying and made changes to how information about pupils they know are at risk of harm is recorded, and there is “some success” in the PSHE curriculum in year seven and the sixth form.

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Listen to Montpelier High School pupils and former headteacher Kerry McCullagh reflect on the school’s name change in the Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast from September 2021:

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Responding to the report, chair of governors Tracey Killen said: “Following Ofsted’s finding that MHS remains inadequate, we apologise wholeheartedly to our school community for not mobilising change fast enough.

“The effective safeguarding of students remains our top priority and we are committed to making sure that all our students always feel safe and supported in school.”

“Immediate actions to improve our safeguarding processes began following the full Ofsted inspection in March.

“Progress accelerated following an operational and leadership restructure in November.

“However, the Ofsted monitoring visit in December described improvements as still in their infancy.

“With feedback from the inspector, new leaders were able to successfully embed these improvements without further delay and the positive impact was evident across the school.”

Ofsted has rules that Montpelier High School “remains inadequate and has serious weaknesses” – photo: Venturers Trust

MHS has quoted initial feedback from Bristol City Council’s investigation in January, which highlights successes in collaboration between the school’s senior leadership team and the Venturers Trust, the provision of a welfare officer and systems of recording and responding to safeguarding concerns. Learners have reported a “refocused balanced focus on welfare, compared to just on academic attainment” and feel more listened to, according to the safeguarding in education report.

Killen added: “Our focus now is to maintain this positive trajectory of change as we continue to work in partnership with parents and carers, and with the support of Venturers Trust and its sponsors, who share our determination to ensure that this is a school where young people not only succeed academically, but also thrive in every aspect of their lives within a safe and nurturing educational environment.”

Main photo: Betty Woolerton

Read next:

• Department of Education threatens to withdraw funding from multi-academy trust
• Bristol secondary school rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted
• Montpelier High School pupils reflect on school’s new name

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