Troubled school improving but still tackling 'racist and misogynist' language

A troubled Liverpool school is on the road to improvement - but concerns remain about behaviour, resulting in "racist and misogynistic insults" being used by pupils.

The ECHO has written a number of stories about concerns at Dixons Academy Fazakerley. One of three schools in Liverpool that is run by the Bradford-based Dixons Academies Trust in Bradford.

Parents and teachers have raised concerns about the culture and atmosphere of the schools - including claims of 'prison-like' rules and unfair punishments, but according to Ofsted, the situation at the Fazakerley site is improving.

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In its latest inspection report, Ofsted has rated Dixons Fazakerley as 'requires improvement' and the watchdog says it is showing signs of progress since being taken over by Dixons in 2021.

The report states: "Pupils recognise that their school has been through a period of significant change. They told inspectors that they value the recent improvements that the school has made. For example, most pupils’ behaviour is improving rapidly. This is helping pupils to feel safer and happier at school than they did in the past."

But while inspectors found that most pupils at the school act respectfully towards each other, they said a minority of students spoke about the use of "derogatory language" from their peers. At times this results in "racist and misogynistic insults" being used, something the school is taking action to address.

The report say that some of the pupils affected do not report these issues because "they do not have full confidence that staff will deal with them." Ofsted advise the leaders at the school to implement "effective strategies to identify and address unacceptable behaviour so that pupils gain confidence that their concerns will be taken seriously."

But despite these challenges, the school is bringing about improvements. The Ofsted report states: "Since the school became an academy in 2021, support from the trust has helped to bring about improvements.

"Leaders at all levels of the school now share trustees’ vision to provide a high-quality education. The pace of much-needed improvement has increased as a result."

But the report also adds: "However, the introduction of some strategies has been interrupted by changes in staff. Some of the work that the trust has started is only just beginning to have the intended positive impact."

Ofsted said the academy has "raised its expectations of pupils' conduct," while acknowledging that some parents and carers are "unhappy about these changes." A number of those parents have spoken to the ECHO about these issues, claiming their children have been unfairly punished and placed in detention and isolation for minor infractions.

Oftsed said that some pupils do not attend the Fazakerley school as often as they should, and that too many are persistently absent. The report adds: "This is particularly the case for disadvantaged pupils and for those with SEND. As a result, these pupils miss out on important learning and wider experiences that the school provides. The school should bolster its efforts to engage positively with pupils and their families so that levels of absence reduce."

But Ofsted said that the Dixons trust has introduced a curriculum that is "ambitious" for pupils, including those with SEND. Most pupils now study a "suitably broad" range of subjects and curriculums are well organised.

The inspectors also said staff at Dixons Fazakerley feel "well supported", adding: "They appreciate how leaders consider their workload, for example by streamlining approaches to marking pupils’ work."

Speaking about the latest report, Chris Wilson, the principal of Dixons Fazakerley Academy, said: “We have always been clear we exist to provide the best education possible to students in our community and this is what drives us, not Ofsted judgements. However, we are pleased this report recognises the great work happening in our classrooms every day and that we uphold a strong vision to provide a high-quality education.

“We will continue to work closely with students, families and staff to ensure our students are able to meet the high ambitions we all hold for their futures by focusing on providing a rigorous and joyful education for all students and ensuring our school is at the heart of our community. We would like to thank our students, parents, cares and staff for their ongoing support.”

Jenny Turncross, corporate director of children and young people’s services at Liverpool City Council, said: “We are continuing to support the trust as they work hard to turnaround local schools.

"On our visit to Dixons Fazakerley recently, we were delighted to see first-hand the impact of their hard work to improve behaviour and how warm, friendly and engaging the students and staff are. It is now a significantly calmer environment which has such a positive impact on the children’s learning. This is making a real difference for these children and our local communities."

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