A HAMPSHIRE school has been told that 'behaviour, bullying and harassment are commonplace, in a scathing Ofsted report.

Test Valley School, in Stockbridge, was rated 'inadequate' by the education body, at an inspection in October.

The school, which has 406 pupils on the school roll, was last inspected in 2017 when it was rated 'good'.

However, the school has now been slammed for the poor behaviour of some pupils and its negative culture.

The report, released on December 6, said: “Many pupils do not feel happy or safe in this school. Poor behaviour, bullying and harassment are commonplace. Leaders do not appreciate the extent to which these happen. While leaders work well with partners to protect pupils most at risk, they have not established an inclusive or welcoming culture throughout the school. This contributes to some pupils feeling unsafe and others feeling discriminated against. Pupils are not confident that staff will deal with these issues and so do not always report them. One pupil described it as an ‘unhappy environment’.

“Pupils want to learn and have more potential than they are often given credit for, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). 

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“Often pupils cannot make the most of lessons because teaching is interrupted by poor behaviour and some staff do not implement the curriculum as leaders intend. 

“Leaders have not established a positive school culture, so behaviour and attitudes are frequently poor. Some teachers have positive relationships with pupils. However, there is no consistency in how pupils’ behaviour is managed, and staff too often tolerate disruption and disrespect.

“Poor conduct and derogatory language make many pupils feel uncomfortable or intimidated. 

“Too many pupils experience harassment, intimidation or physical assault.”

David Hall, chair of governors, said: “While the report has raised clear points for us to address, we are pleased to note that, in their meetings with senior leaders and governors, Ofsted has acknowledged the progress that is now being made. We can also take pride in our recent academic results in the summer – the best the school has achieved for a number of years. However, the safety and happiness of our students remain paramount and we will be paying particular attention to the recommendations Ofsted have made regarding this.

“We acknowledge that this is a challenging and worrying time for both parents and colleagues but everyone is pulling together. On a practical level, both HISP and the Local Authority (HCC) have increased their support on a day-to-day basis. We are also engaging experienced resources to ensure consistent, high standards of teaching and learning as well as strengthening SEN support. We continue to be grateful for the understanding and strong messages of support from parents, our local councils and the wider community.”