A small Charedi boys secondary school in Salford has been downgraded after inspectors said its approach to safeguarding was lax.

Mechinoh was rated inadequate after its latest examination, a grade lower than “requires improvement” three years ago.

Its 60 boys felt safe and that they could talk to staff if they had worries, Ofsted reported.

“However, leaders do not ensure that pupils are kept safe. This is because leaders’ approach to safeguarding is lax. Some staff are not suitably trained and leaders pay too little attention to ensuring that risk assessments are completed to safeguard pupils’ health, safety and welfare.”

Checks on fire exits were not effective and repairs carried out only when inspectors raised concerns.

“The common room used by older pupils has exposed wiring near the lights and the walls are in disrepair,” Ofsted found.  “Routine checks have not identified all of the hazards in relation to the site.”

The inspectorate identified other weaknesses, saying that pupils did not study an appropriate range of academic subjects or receive careers advice and boys in year 10 had received no maths lessons since the start of the academic year.

Pupil behaviour was good. 

In its previous full inspection  in 2019, Mechinoh was rated good in three out of four areas and may have achieved a good rating overall if it had been prepared to teach about LGBT awareness.

Although it is an independent school, it did not charge fees, according to the latest Ofsted inspection.

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