Publication of Independent Learning Review

An Independent Learning Review (ILR) commissioned by Reading Borough Council following the Inquest of Caversham Primary headteacher Ruth Perry is published today, alongside the Council and Brighter Future for Children’s (BFfC) joint response to Ofsted’s national consultation on how its school inspection regime can be improved.

Ruth’s loss continues to be felt deeply by the Reading school community. The Council and BFfC have already taken steps to better understand and respond to the pressures on headteachers and the impact on their wellbeing, and to develop a collective response to Ofsted’s consultation on improvements to its school inspection regime.

Following the Coroner’s findings, and the subsequent Prevention of Future Deaths report, the Council has undertaken an Independent Learning Review to help identify further areas for improvement. The review was carried out by two senior education and children’s social care professionals.

The ILR report outlines BFfC’s proactive approach in supporting the development and effectiveness of schools in Reading and that, in terms of preparing schools for inspection, support goes beyond that which is offered by many other local education authorities. In terms of the inspection of Caversham Primary in November 2022, the report describes how BFfC school effectiveness officers, like their colleagues in school, and Ruth in particular, consistently worked ‘above and beyond’ the call of duty.

The review makes several recommendations for further improvement, including: continuing to work with local headteachers to implement the recently introduced ‘real time’ feedback loop for schools being inspected; the development of a critical incident policy for schools; the annual revision and republishing of HR and Health and Safety guidance to schools; and a review of current mental health support for staff.

The full Independent Learning Review will be presented to a meeting of the Council’s Adult Social Care and Education Committee (ACE) on Monday 22 July and can be found at https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=5402 (Item 6, appendix 1)

A key recommendation of the ILR is that the Council and BFfC, the Council’s wholly-owned children’s services company, should make strong representations to Ofsted’s Big Listen consultation, notwithstanding the fact that a number of changes have already been outlined by Ofsted.  As part of the same ACE Committee report, the Council and BFfC are publishing their full response, which was informed by School Leaders in Reading.

The consultation response includes the following recommendations to Ofsted:

• One-word judgements should be abolished and replaced with a dashboard approach, with an appropriate focus on inclusion
• Limiting judgements are a blunt instrument and should be abolished
• The forced academisation process as a result of an unfavourable Ofsted outcome should be abolished
• Consideration should be given to having clearer and more transparent processes for raising concerns about an Ofsted judgement and / or the conduct of an inspection team. This could include reviews by experienced headteachers

The full response to Ofsted’s Big Listen consultation can be found at https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=5402 (Item 6, appendix 3)

Jackie Yates, Reading Borough Council Chief Executive, said:

 “We are enormously grateful to everybody involved for their input into the Independent Learning Review, including Ruth’s family, and the headteachers and Governors from across our school community, including Caversham Primary.

 “While acknowledging the proactive approach taken by Reading in supporting schools before, during and after Ofsted inspections, including at Caversham Primary, the report also highlights a number of areas for further improvement which we fully acknowledge and which we intend to measure progress against through an associated action plan.

 “This will build upon the list of steps already taken to support local schools.

 “The Independent Learning Review recognises that Reading finds itself in a unique position, through the most tragic circumstances, to make powerful representations to Ofsted, which we have done as part of the Big Listen consultation.

 “It is our strong belief that the discussion should ultimately lead to positive changes which support our headteachers and which debunk the myth that the current approach provides improvements in the quality of education for our children.”

The ACE Committee covering report can be found at https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=5402 (Item 6)