A city high school has been rated as inadequate after a damning report said it was not keeping its pupils safe.

Open Academy, in Norwich, has been rated as inadequate by the education watchdog Ofsted, with inspectors highlighting "significant failings, especially for some of the most vulnerable pupils".

Bosses say they have taken "swift action" to address the concerns, but inspectors said that pupils are left "potentially at risk of harm" because leaders do not respond quickly enough when children raise concerns with staff. 

Eastern Daily Press: The Open Academy. Photo: Jerry Daws

The inspectors, who visited the Heartsease school in June, wrote: "Leaders do not always follow up on pupils' safeguarding worries appropriately. As a consequence, pupils are potentially at risk of harm.

"Records of safeguarding cases are not thorough. This leaves pupils potentially at risk of harm as their concerns are not adequately dealt with."

Other criticisms raised by inspectors were that teachers do not check precisely enough what pupils have learned.

Staff also do not routinely adapt their teaching to correct pupils’ misconceptions.

Following the inspection, the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust (DNEAT)-led school introduced two new roles to address the safeguarding fears and has formed stronger links with mental health services.

Trust leaders believe the criticism resulted from the school struggling to cope with a "sharp increase in the number of people experiencing concerns over their emotional wellbeing" as a result of the Covid pandemic.

Jon Ford, principal at Open Academy, said: "We fully accept the inspection team's findings and aim to rectify the outstanding issues.

"Our team has put plans into action and with the support of DNEAT, we have significantly enhanced our safeguarding provision since the last inspection.

"Two new safeguarding leads are already in place. They will ensure that those students most in need of help receive it in a timely fashion.

"We are confident that when Ofsted return, we will be able to demonstrate that we have taken the steps necessary to turn things around and address the issues."

While the school's safeguarding was criticised, its personal development and sixth-form provisions were rated as good.

However, inspectors also said behavioural expectations are "inconsistent and sometimes too low".

Eastern Daily Press: Oliver Burwood, chief executive of Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust.

Oliver Burwood, chief executive of DNEAT, said: "Since the inspection, senior leaders in the school have taken swift and decisive action to address the key issue of safeguarding outlined in the report.

"The trust has put in place additional support and challenge to ensure all areas identified continue to improve."