Silverdale School

Overview

The inspection found that Silverdale School is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education and requires special measures. Inspectors judged the quality of education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership as inadequate, citing a significant decline since the previous inspection due to staffing instability and weak oversight.

Strengths

• Some curriculum subjects, such as art and design, are "well designed and contribute to pupils’ learning."
• There is a "well-designed programme for teaching personal, health, social and economic (PHSE) education," though access is inconsistent.
• "Positive relationships between pupils and staff" exist, and there is an "appropriate careers programme" with independent advice.
• When acute safeguarding concerns arise, "appropriate actions are taken... involving police and other safeguarding partners," with accurate record-keeping.

Areas to improve

• The school must improve safeguarding procedures swiftly, ensuring rigorous checks on third-party providers and consistent staff training, as pupils currently lack trust in the school’s ability to keep them safe.
• Leaders must take immediate action to manage attendance and check the welfare of absent pupils, as low attendance and class closures disrupt education and increase risks.
• The governing body must fulfil its statutory responsibilities, holding the school to account for weaknesses in education quality, behaviour, and safeguarding.
• The curriculum requires review to ensure it is ambitious, coherent, and meets pupils’ needs, replacing the current "disconnected series of lessons."
• The school must review behaviour management to reduce suspensions and ensure pupils receive the support needed to engage positively.

Safeguarding

The report states that "arrangements for safeguarding are not effective," noting that poor behaviour is normalised, pupils do not feel safe or trust the school to act on concerns, and there are gaps in staff training and policy oversight.