AKS Lytham issued a warning from government after failings found in latest inspection report

In February, the Department of Education published a warning to AKS Lytham after failings were found during its most recent Independent Schools Inspectorate.

In October 2022, a combined Focused Compliance and Educational Quality Inspection Report was published for AKS Lytham, and whilst the school’s educational quality was classed as ‘excellent’, it failed to meet its compliance inspection, with inspectors raising safeguarding issues.

What did the school do well according to the inspection?

For the Focused Compliance inspection, the school met the standards for:

-Quality of education provided

-Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

-Premises of and accommodation at schools

-Provision of information

-Manner in which complaints are handled

The school partly met the standards for the welfare, health and safety of pupils, and suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors.

For the Quality of Education Inspection, AKS Lytham was classed as ‘excellent’, both for the pupils’ achievements and development. Inspectors said that “pupils display outstanding attitudes to learning”, have “extensive” co-curricular achievements, and are knowledgebable, passionate and resilient.

What does the school need to improve?

The compliance report begins: “The school does not meet all of the required standards in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, and relevant requirements of the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, and associated requirements, and should take immediate action to remedy deficiencies as detailed below.”

The report raises concerns regarding the welfare, health and safety of pupils, namely that “the school must ensure that suitable references are received for all staff before the commencement of employment, to provide assurance they are suitable to undertake their role.”

Similarly, inspectors said the suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors part was not met as appropriate checks are not made of supply staff.

In addition, the school was criticised for not obtaining a criminal record certificate from an employment business before an agency worker begins work, for not making it clear such a certificate was needed, and for not recording the date on which a certificate is seen.

The Quality of leadership in and management of AKS Lytham also did not meet the required standards.

Inspectors wrote: “The proprietor has not ensured that the leadership and management, including governance, demonstrate good skills and knowledge, and that they have fulfilled their responsibilities effectively so that the other standards are consistently met. The standards relating to safeguarding and the suitability of staff have not been fully implemented. Leadership and management have not actively promoted the well-being of the pupils because they have not been thorough in ensuring that all appropriate recruitment checks are completed before staff commence employment at the school.”

What did the government want from AKS Lytham?

The Department of Education issued a warning notice requiring AKS Lytham to provide an action plan detailing the steps the school will take to meet the required standards. AKS Lytham have now submitted it.

What does AKS Lytham say?

A school spokesperson said: “Whilst extremely pleased to be graded Excellent across our academic and wider educational offerings, we take seriously the inspectorate's findings in all areas.

“The inspection took place in October 2022 and the inspectors identified some inconsistency in the administration of our processes for recruitment including our reliance for safeguarding checks by an employment agency. We acted immediately to ensure we were wholly compliant. Whilst there was no risk to anyone in the school and safeguarding checks have been carried out, we always want to ensure we adopt best practice and meet all the requirements expected of us.

“We are wholly confident that, in any further inspection, we will meet every requirement having made these minor but important adjustments.”