York's Ampleforth College stopped from taking on new pupils after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson decision over 'very serious' safeguarding failures

The Government has told a fee-paying school in North Yorkshire that it must stop admitting new pupils because of “very serious” safeguarding failures.
Ampleforth Abbey and College in North Yorkshire. Picture: Dan Rowlands/SWNS.Ampleforth Abbey and College in North Yorkshire. Picture: Dan Rowlands/SWNS.
Ampleforth Abbey and College in North Yorkshire. Picture: Dan Rowlands/SWNS.

Enforcement action was today issued by the Department for Education against the St Laurence Education Trust’s Ampleforth College in York after it was found not to have met certain independent school standards.

The institution - whose website states that its combined board and tuition fees for 2020/21 are £36,486 - tonight said it “cannot understand why this decision has been taken” by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, which it will appeal.

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A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are pursuing enforcement action against Ampleforth College, requiring it to stop accepting new pupils, in light of safeguarding concerns that have not been addressed in the timely and sustained manner that the Department and school community would expect.

“We will continue to work closely with the college and local authority to secure rapid and sustained improvement, to ensure the welfare of all pupils is protected. We will not hesitate to pursue further action, including the de-registration of the college, should it be necessary.”

A published enforcement action notice reads that in making his decision, Mr Williamson “principally had regard” for Ofsted and Independent Schools Inspectorate reports from January 2016 to the present day - the latest of which, after an emergency Ofsted inspection in September, is unpublished and the subject of a complaint by the school - and the institution’s own “response to regulatory action”.

It reads that the “failings are considered to be very serious”.

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The school said: "Ampleforth College notes the Department for Education’s publication this afternoon of the intent to serve notice of an Enforcement Action. We will be appealing this on the basis that we believe, and have been advised, that it is unjustified and based on incorrect information.

"Given the very considerable steps forward that have been taken by the School to learn from the mistakes of the past and to put in place a robust safeguarding regime, a new senior leadership team, and a new governance structure that has effectively separated the Abbey from the College, we cannot understand why this decision has been taken, and we cannot understand why it has been published, given the appeals process is still open to us.

"As far as we are concerned, we will continue to educate our students to the very high standards they are used to in a safe and supportive environment.

"We have lodged a complaint to Ofsted and await the outcome of that complaint."

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The school also pointed out that the restriction would take place from December 29, 2020 and it has the right to apply for the restriction to be revoked if the Secretary of State is satisfied that it would be appropriate to do so.

The restriction will not take effect until the outcome of the appeal, said the school, meaning it can still currently accept students.