Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Andrew Bate Headteacher Moseley School and Sixth Form Wake Green Road Moseley Birmingham West Midlands B13 9UU

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Urgent inspection of Moseley School and Sixth Form

Following my visit with Annabel Davies, Senior His Majesty’s Inspector, and Sam Johnson, His Majesty’s Inspector, to the school on 02 July 2025, I write on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and the time you took to discuss the school.

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Urgent inspection of Moseley School and Sixth Form

This inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for urgent inspections. The inspection was carried out because His Majesty’s Chief Inspector wished to determine the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements at the school as concerns had been raised with Ofsted.

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Urgent inspection of Moseley School and Sixth Form

We do not give graded judgements on urgent inspections. However, if we find some evidence that overall standards may be declining, but where no serious concerns have been identified, then the next inspection will normally be a graded inspection, which will be carried out under section 5 of the Act and be brought forward. If we have serious concerns, we will deem the urgent inspection as a graded inspection immediately.

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Evidence

We scrutinised the single central record and other documents relating to safeguarding and child protection arrangements. These included attendance and behaviour records, findings from the local authority safeguarding audits, leaders’ reports to governors and records of concerns about adults. We met with you as headteacher, other senior leaders, groups of staff, groups of pupils, the vice chair of the board of governors and a representative of the local authority. We visited lessons and social times, including talking to pupils informally at various times of the school day.

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Evidence

Having considered the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Evidence

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Main findings

The school has increased the capacity of the safeguarding team. A deputy headteacher took up the role of designated safeguarding lead (DSL) in January 2025 There are now 14 staff within the safeguarding team, including senior leaders, heads of year and pastoral managers. The team is well trained and monitors all concerns diligently. It investigates concerns in a timely way and takes appropriate action in response. Where needed, this includes referring concerns to external agencies. The school itself provides different levels of support to pupils, including access to counselling.

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Main findings

There is a strong sense of cohesion across the teams who work on safeguarding, behaviour, attendance and inclusion. Fortnightly meetings mean that all involved have a clear understanding of the concerns and risks around any identified vulnerable pupils who are being supported. There is a well-informed approach to supporting looked after children and unaccompanied asylum seekers. The school is working to strengthen its understanding of which pupils may be at possible risk of exploitation so that more targeted preventative work can take place.

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Main findings

The school has expanded the attendance team and established a good understanding of the links between safeguarding and attendance. Pupils’ attendance is monitored carefully, and absences are followed up well. The team ensures that pupils and their families understand the importance of regular attendance. Attendance is improving.

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Main findings

The school’s expectations of pupils’ behaviour are not high enough. Although pupils are safe, the behaviour of a significant number of pupils, especially at social times, needs to improve. Some pupils are overly physical in how they interact with each other, and the use of derogatory language is commonplace. Such behaviour goes unchallenged by some staff. Many pupils see this unacceptable behaviour as normal conduct. A few find it intimidating and choose to spend their time in quieter parts of the school site. The school’s work to address these behaviours is not making enough difference to how pupils behave.

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Main findings

Pupils mainly report feeling safe in school. Many, but not all, feel confident about sharing any worries with a trusted member of staff. Some pupils feel that their voice is not valued so do not speak up. The school does not understand the day-to-day experiences and issues faced by pupils well enough. Leaders and staff have a clear understanding of the general risks that pupils may face. Through the fortnightly ‘personal development’ lessons and tutor times, pupils learn about these risks and receive the necessary information to help them stay safe. For example, pupils learn in an age-appropriate way about healthy relationships, criminal behaviour and staying safe online. However, there is not the same level of clarity around the potential risks that are more specific to the school community. Consequently, some topics that feel more pressing to pupils and staff are not covered in sufficient depth.

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Main findings

Staff receive training on a range of safeguarding topics. They know ‘it could happen here’ and how to identify any signs that a pupil may be at risk. They understand the process for sharing a concern with the safeguarding team and do so promptly. The school’s system for recording and monitoring concerns, and subsequent actions taken, is managed well. Careful checks take place to ensure that no safeguarding concern goes unanswered.

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Main findings

Those responsible for recruitment checks on staff are knowledgeable. All necessary checks are completed and recorded in a timely manner. The school follows safer recruitment processes, with all interview panels including a leader who has completed safer recruitment training. Staff are clear on what to do if they have a concern about another adult in school. The school understands the processes around management of any allegations made about adults.

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Main findings

Governors have the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfil their roles appropriately. They meet with the DSL. However, they do not carry out precise enough monitoring of the school’s work around safeguarding. Sometimes, this is because the reports produced by leaders do not provide sufficient detail or clarity, especially around the actions leaders have taken and the consequent impact of their work. The governing body does not commission any external monitoring or review of safeguarding at the school.

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Additional support

Other than from the local authority, the school does not receive any additional support and challenge from external partners in helping to keep pupils safe.

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Priorities for further improvement

 The school does not have a clear enough understanding of its behaviour culture. Consequently, the impact of inappropriate behaviour on pupils’ well-being is not being considered and acted upon. The school should ensure that its work to improve the behaviour culture results in a shared understanding of what good behaviour at the school should look like and that staff are confident in addressing behaviour that falls short of the mark.  The school does not gather pupils’ voice in a way that provides meaningful and insightful information about their experiences at school, including around community risks. It does not have a clear and precise understanding of what pupils are most worried about. The school should ensure that this information is gathered and responded to effectively, including through the ‘personal development’ sessions.  Those responsible for governance do not keep a close enough eye on the school’s work

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Priorities for further improvement

around safeguarding. Sometimes, the reports they receive do not enable them to ask the right questions of leaders or have a more nuanced understanding of safeguarding concerns at the school. The school should ensure that those responsible for governance have a robust picture of safeguarding and associated issues, including the impact of leaders’ actions.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of governors, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Birmingham. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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