The father of an autistic teen whose residential school was closed by Ofsted says the watchdog would have acted differently over a mainstream setting.
Kevin Maxwell, from Bath, is looking for a new placement for 16-year-old son Jonah. It follows Ofsted closing the residential facilities at Bristol special school St Christopher’s.
Jonah Maxwell, whose parents are now looking for a new residential placement
Maxwell says many of the 27 pupils had severe challenges and finding alternative overnight placements would be very difficult.
Ofsted action after cruelty allegations
Ofsted closed the independent residential facility amid a police investigation into cruelty allegations. Avon and Somerset Police say “some” school staff were suspended.
Maxwell said Jonah, who is non-verbal and has challenging behaviours, is back living with him and wife Annette, 56. The family receive 11 hours of support each day from carers working on a two-to-one basis.
The family is in discussions over a 38-week residential placement for Jonah at a Hampshire school. In comparison, St Christopher’s provided a 52-week placement for Jonah.
Day school unaffected
St Christopher’s, operated by the Aurora Group, also runs a day school on the site. This remains open.
Some residential pupils attended the day school and have returned now the new school year has started.
Maxwell said Ofsted should have taken a “surgical” approach to the school’s problems. Instead, he accuses Ofsted of chopping it up with a “machete” when it closed the residential facilities on 29 July.
He said had it been a comprehensive school, Ofsted would have brought in new management.
‘Profits before pupils’
The 58-year-old, who runs his own public relations firm, accused Aurora of putting profits before pupils.
Maxwell said the group had made night managers and a night nurse redundant.
The Aurora Group said they had no option but to close the home following Ofsted’s move on 29 July.
Ofsted said it does not have the power to put an independent special school into special measures and replace the management structure.
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Published: 11 September 2019
