Troubled Jane Lane School in Walsall is improving - Ofsted
A troubled Walsall special school continues to make good progress on the road to recovery, a new report has said.
The Jane Lane School was put into special measures following a damning Ofsted report and things deteriorated even further in February this year when it was shut due to fears over the safety of pupils, as a result of long-term staff absences.
Distraught parents staged protests outside Walsall Council House demanding more communication over the situation which they said had left their children distressed.
But a monitoring visit by Ofsted in April concluded that an interim leadership team had started to make significant positive differences to the school.
Walsall Council will be told at a meeting next week that a further monitoring visit in July has resulted in further reassurances regarding the safety of Jane Lane pupils.
A report to members added that parent engagement is also improving with monthly meetings taking place to keep them informed of progress.
It said: “During the latest school improvement monitoring visit, it was noted that clearly identified roles and responsibilities are established with particular attention to safeguarding and behaviour management.
“The newly appointed dedicated safeguarding lead (DSL) has instigated structures and routines that are supporting a culture of keeping children safe.
“The use of an online management system is being further refined to provide the best platform for the school to identify, record, act upon and evaluate safeguarding concerns.
“Child protection files are well organised and kept in a secure place. The DSL knows the pupils well and is working hard to ensure pupils feel safe and staff are well trained.
“She has identified the main risks locally and has prioritised training for staff and support for pupils.
“Relationships between staff and pupils are strong and in the classrooms behaviour expectations are prominently displayed.
“Pupils are well behaved and mostly displayed good attitudes to learning, particularly in the primary phase. Movement between lessons is calm and purposeful.
“Safe and well checks on all post 16 students at alternative provision had taken place. The school had clearly documented logs of these visits.
“Education Health Care Plan reviews had mostly taken place for these pupils so their next placements could be secured.”
