'Mock slave auction' school rated inadequate
- Published
Police investigated a racially aggravated safeguarding incident at Beechen Cliff School in Bath in January
A school where pupils allegedly chained a black student to a lamppost and whipped him in a "mock slave auction" has been rated as inadequate by Ofsted.
Police investigated a racially aggravated safeguarding incident at Beechen Cliff School in Bath in January and interviewed seven boys.
Ofsted found staff failed to report the incident and their response to it was "insufficient and too slow".
The chair and deputy chair of the board of governors have resigned.
The Ofsted report follows an unannounced inspection in May which found safeguarding at the school was "not effective".
Inspectors said the language used by leaders and governors during the inspection to describe the incident gave "serious cause for concern".
"They still do not appreciate its true gravity and little appears to have been learned from the way that this issue was handled, as the ongoing poor practice with regard to referrals demonstrates.
"The school's current plans to improve safeguarding are weak."
'Profoundly saddened'
Avon and Somerset Police investigated the "slave auction", which happening in January, where a pupil was said to have been prodded with sticks and called "extreme racist names".
A spokesman said the force was "working with the CPS to ensure they have all the available evidence to inform their decision".
A parent of a mixed race pupil at the school said the incident was filmed and circulated among pupils on Snapchat.
Head teacher Andrew Davies said he was "profoundly saddened" by the report.
"I know it will be both disappointing and worrying for parents and those connected with the school.
"We accept that the report makes a number of fair recommendations and our plans to rectify these are already well advanced."
The school's governing body said it accepted "ultimate responsibility" for the findings and said the chair and deputy chair had "stepped aside and resigned... to allow an objective and fresh perspective to be taken".
The school, which has over 1,300 pupils, was previously rated outstanding in 2014.