Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will request Ofsted to undertake an investigation into (a) the adequacy of (i) disciplinary and (ii) other policies at South Bank Multi Academy Trust and (b) the potential impact of those policies on school attendance rates.

Ofsted plays a vital role by providing independent judgement on the educational performance of each school within a trust through its school inspection programme. The department, acting through the Regional Directors, will act wherever an academy is judged ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted. As part of school level inspections, inspectors consider how leaders and other staff create a safe, calm, orderly and positive environment in the school and the impact this has on the behaviour and attitudes of pupils. Inspectors will also expect schools to do all they reasonably can to achieve the highest possible attendance.

Of the six academies in South Bank Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), five have been rated Good or Outstanding since the autumn term of 2022. Under current leadership, South Bank MAT saw success in their sponsorship of the former Ofsted ‘Inadequate’ School, York High School, which was rated ‘Good’ in all categories. For York High School, the published report states “Expectations are clear. Pupils know the standards for behaviour and attitudes when they arrive at school in Year 7. Inspectors visited classroom where positive attitudes to learning were common. Staff and pupils enjoy the calm atmosphere in lessons. In the few instances where low-level disruption does occur, staff use the school’s approach to positive behaviour effectively”. Five months ago, Carr Junior School was also inspected and the published Ofsted report states that “Behaviour around school is calm and purposeful… the school have established a positive culture of behaviour”.

The appropriate use of suspensions and exclusions is an element of South Bank MAT’s approach to improving behaviour, and it remains a key focus for the trust to examine and review attendance patterns. The Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Team will continue to work closely with South Bank MAT, as they do with all of their academy trusts, to understand the impact.

School attendance is a top priority for the government. The evidence is clear that being in school is vitally important for children’s attainment, mental wellbeing, safety and long-term development. Attendance is everyone’s business. The department has set out stronger expectations of the system to work together to support those at risk of being persistently absent.

The Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Team are in regular contact with South Bank MAT, and the Regional Director for Yorkshire and the Humber, Alison Wilson, visited South Bank MAT on 21 September 2023. Currently the Regional Director, is satisfied with the performance of the academies within South Bank MAT, and content that there is a culture of improvement to drive up standards and engagement of pupils. The Regional Director is also satisfied that trust policies (including the trust’s behaviour policy) are up-to-date and compliant with departmental guidance. As such, Ofsted will not be commissioned to further investigate South Bank MAT.

The department understands that accountability of MATs, including attendance, behaviour and support for pupils with special educational needs is a key concern within the City of York. All schools, including academies, are under a duty to co-operate with the local authority to improve children’s wellbeing. The department expects local authorities and academies to work collaboratively together in relation to the wellbeing of children and particularly children who are disadvantaged, vulnerable or at risk.