Ofsted faces questions over whether it properly followed-up concerns about a leading academy鈥檚 behaviour policies, after a safeguarding review found it used 鈥渋solating, shaming鈥 practices on pupils. The watchdog鈥檚 鈥済rowing emphasis on behaviour鈥 has 鈥渋ncentivised schools to adopt stricter policies鈥, said Sir Alan Wood, who investigated 鈥渨idespread concerns regarding the implementation of the behaviour policy鈥 at the Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy, in Hackney.聽 Sector leaders described the probe鈥檚 findings as a 鈥渨ake-up call鈥 for the government over the use of strict behaviour policies in schools. The government called the case 鈥渄eeply concerning鈥. However, the Department for Education鈥檚 behaviour ambassador has dismissed the review, accusing it of relying 鈥渙n a methodology that would shame a fortune-teller鈥. 鈥業solating, shaming, humiliating鈥 Victoria Park is part of the Mossbourne Federation, the trust originally run by former Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw. Sir Alan Wood In 2024, the school ranked seventh in the country for its progress 8 score. It was rated 鈥榦utstanding鈥 in all areas by Ofsted in 2023. However, found the school鈥檚 success had been 鈥渁chieved at too high a cost for some pupils鈥. 鈥淪houting鈥 was used at Victoria Park 鈥渋n a manner that humiliates and intimidates pupils鈥. Children were also placed on desks in corridors outside the rooms of senior teachers 鈥渁s a punishment for minor infractions鈥, a practice Wood described as 鈥渋solating, shaming, and educationally unproductive鈥. ‘Wake-up call’ A former student 鈥渞ecounted having a panic attack while on a 鈥榯ime-out desk鈥欌. Others 鈥渕entioned instances of self-harm and suicidal ideation directly related to the school鈥檚 disciplinary regime鈥. Among other things, the school was told by Wood to 鈥減rohibit the use of any public reprimand, action, or sanction that has a primary function to draw negative attention to a pupil for the purpose of shaming them鈥. Liz Robinson, chief executive of the Big Education Trust, said such policies come 鈥渇rom an obsessive focus on 鈥 standardised test or exam outcomes鈥, and 鈥渁n explicit narrowing of what schools are for鈥. 鈥淲hat happened at Mossbourne is a logical, rational extension of the incentives in the system. It should be a wake-up call for politicians to look at this.鈥 Ofsted 鈥榳eakness鈥 The report detailed how Ofsted found fixed-term exclusions at the school 鈥渨ere very high, particularly affecting pupils of black Caribbean heritage and disadvantaged pupils鈥 in 2016. Victoria Park鈥檚 behaviour support unit 鈥 an internal facility that manages students who have been removed from lessons 鈥 was 鈥渦sed extensively鈥, with some children 鈥渟pending lengthy periods there with limited opportunities for reflection or learning support鈥. Liz Robinson Wood said reports produced following the inspectorate鈥檚 next visits in 2021 and 2023 鈥 when it was rated 鈥榦utstanding鈥 鈥 鈥渘either explicitly reference or assess whether the鈥oncerns had been resolved鈥. Ofsted told the review it 鈥渨ould have raised issues about behaviour with the school鈥檚 leadership鈥. Despite this, Wood stressed 鈥渟ome of the issues鈥 flagged 鈥渟eem not to have been fully resolved鈥. Former senior inspector Frank Norris said this would undermine confidence in the watchdog, adding: 鈥淢ost people would expect inspectors to evaluate the progress made since the previous inspection.鈥 鈥業ncentivised鈥 by Ofsted Wood said the review 鈥渉as national implications鈥. He noted a 鈥減erceived rise in classroom disruption, combined with political and media pressure for higher academic standards, has led many schools to adopt strict behaviour policies鈥. Ofsted鈥檚 鈥済rowing emphasis on behaviour in its inspection framework鈥 has 鈥渋ncentivised schools to adopt stricter policies鈥. 鈥淭he 鈥榥o excuses鈥 model, when implemented rigidly without adequate safeguards, can become one of 鈥榸ero tolerance鈥 that causes serious harm to vulnerable pupils,鈥 the report added. Ofsted told Schools Week it did not comment on individual school inspections. Findings challenged Tom Bennett 鈥 the previous government鈥檚 behaviour tsar and current government鈥檚 behaviour and attendance hubs ambassador 鈥 branded the review 鈥渟taggeringly weak [and] biased鈥, claiming it 鈥渞elies on a methodology that would shame a fortune-teller鈥. Defending the school, he said it 鈥済ets fantastic results for its children鈥 and 鈥渋s, by many accounts, a brilliant place to be鈥. When asked about Bennett鈥檚 criticisms, Wood said it was 鈥渙bvious he鈥檚 not read the report or its appendices. The bulk of the report talks about issues which are well evidenced.鈥 Bennett鈥檚 views also appear to differ to those of the DfE, which called the investigation鈥檚 findings 鈥渟erious and deeply concerning鈥. A department spokesperson said it 鈥渨ill continue to engage with the trust to ensure that it implements the changes needed鈥. Mossbourne did not respond to requests for comment. However, in a letter sent to parents, Victoria Park principal Matthew Toothe stressed the academy 鈥渉as and is taking the review seriously鈥. He does not believe parents 鈥渨ill agree with鈥its] conclusions鈥 as if they did, they 鈥渨ould not entrust [their] children to our care on a daily basis鈥.