Source · Prevention of Future Deaths

Ann Maguire

Ref: 2017-0417 Date: 22 Nov 2017 Coroner: Kevin McLoughlin Area: West Yorkshire (East) Responses identified: 1 / 1 View PDF

There is inconsistent management of weapon risks in schools; OFSTED should make it mandatory for inspectors to review and report on how schools prevent weapons from being brought onto premises.

Date 22 Nov 2017

56-day deadline 24 Apr 2018 est.

Responses identified 1 of 1

Accident at Work and Health and Safety related deaths Other related deaths

Coroner's concerns

AI summary

There is inconsistent management of weapon risks in schools; OFSTED should make it mandatory for inspectors to review and report on how schools prevent weapons from being brought onto premises.

View full coroner's concerns

The need to prevent weapons such as knives being brought Into schools in the UK is axiomatic. How schools perceive the risks associated with weapons and manage them , appears to be the subject of widespread variation: The Inquest heard evidence from an OFTSED Inspector who visited the school in June the the boy

2013, some 10 months before the murder took place. Over the two days of the inspection, the team of Inspectors inevitably had to prioritise those aspects of the school they would scrutinise. No indication was given t0 them from teachers, pupils or parents that knives were a problem in that school; indeed the OFSTED report commented students felt safe" OFSTED inspections already consider the issue Of safety: In order t0 give greater prominence to the need to control any weapon being brought into a school; OFTSED are asked to consider making It mandatory for their Inspectors t0 review and report on the way a school manages the safety of its pupils and staff and protects them the risk of violent attack In this way OFSTED may be able t0 contribute to the dissemination of good practice, for example, by publishing a prohibited items list and reinforcing the need for children to report anything untoward to a teacher.

Responses

1 respondent

Ann Maguire

29 Jan 2018 PDF

Action Planned

Ofsted will consider giving more focus to protecting pupils and staff from violent attack as part of its review of the inspection framework for education inspections which is expected to be in place for September 2019; the Safeguarding Group has been made aware of the coroner's concerns and these will be taken into account in future reviews. (AI summary)

View full response

Dear Mr Mcloughlin Inquest touching the death of Ann Maguire (deceased) Thank you for your letter of 22 Noverber 2017 foliowing the inquest on the death of Ann Maguire, who was a teacher at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds. I thank you for providing an extension to the deadline for this response to the coroner. We have noted the enclosures relating to your communications to government departments and Amazon: This response deals specifically with your Annex A covering Regulation which is directed to Ofsted to consider. We agree with the Coroner's concern regarding the need to prevent weapons being brought schools; In relation to the specific recommendations for Ofsted, the need for inspectors to report on the arrangements in schools for protecting pupils is already a mandatory part of our inspection process Our current inspection framework for education inspections is undergoing a review with a view to having a revised framework in place for September 2019. We will, as part of that review, consider whether it is possible to give more focus to the specific matter of protecting pupils and staff the risk of violent attack Ofsted's cross remit Safeguarding Group has a responsibility to keep under review the effectiveness of our school inspection process in so far as it relates to safeguarding: The chair of this group has been made aware of the coroner's concerns and these will be taken into account in future reviews; In terms of the second part of the recommendation about Ofsted publishing a list of prohibited items, to do this would be going beyond Ofsted's responsibility as an inspectorate. Such matters are relevant to the Department for Education (DfE), a5 the lead government policy department with responsibility for schools. I note that a JAN = 2018 May ` 28, into from

Ofsted similar request to publish a list of prohibited items has been directed to the Secretary of State for Education and confirm that this is the appropriate place for such matters to be considered. We are in regular contact with officials at the DfE and will, as always, ensure that our inspectors are aware of any specific guidance that is issued by government in relation to the safety of pupils and staff in schools:

Report sections

Investigation and inquest

On 13th May 2014 an investigation was commenced into death of Ann Maguire aged 61 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the Inquest on 22nd November 2017 ., The conclusion of the Inquest was that she was unlawfully killed She died from 1(a) Shock and haemorrhage due to 1(b) Stab wound to the neck severing jugular vein

Circumstances of the death

On 28th April 2014 Ann Maguire was stabbed by a 15 year old pupil as she taught Spanish at Corpus Christi Catholic School, Leeds She sustained some 7 stab wounds and died wthin two hours at Leeds General Infirmary. The who carried out the attack; subsequently pleaded guilty to murder and is currently serving life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years. Prior to the attack;| linformed other children in his class of his intention to kill three teachers and showed some of them the large kitchen knife he had taken from home to use as a weapon; None of the 10 children concerned informed a teacher or other adult of his intention or that he was in possession of a knife

Action should be taken

In my opinion action should be taken t0 prevent future deaths and believe you have the power to take such action:

Copies sent to

3. Leeds City Council Corpus Christi Catholic College5. West Yorkshire Police Superintendent Mlar

Similar PFD reports

Shared signals

Related inquiry recommendations

Report details

Reference: 2017-0417
Date of report: 22 November 2017
Coroner: Kevin McLoughlin
Coroner area: West Yorkshire (East)

Responses identified

Responses identified 1 of 1

All listed responses identified

Organisations named in PFD reports are normally expected to respond within 56 days. Deadline: 24 Apr 2018 (estimated).

Sent to

Office for Standards in Education, Children Services and Skills

Source links

Judiciary.uk page → Report PDF →

Data: judiciary.uk under OGL.