Children feel ‘unsafe’ at a previously outstanding grammar school where ‘harmful sexual behaviour’ goes unchallenged, an Ofsted inspection has found.

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School has received the scathing Ofsted report following a visit in June, which has resulted in the school being branded ‘inadequate’.

The school was last inspected in 2016 when it was rated ‘outstanding’, meaning the school has moved from the highest rated to the lowest.

Malcolm White, the Chair of Governors, said the secondary school had taken the Ofsted findings extremely seriously and was implementing a significant and important action plan to make sure students received the very best all round education as soon as possible.

Mr White said: “School improvement does not happen overnight but we are confident that the changes we are making will deliver the progress we need.

"We are continuing to work hard every day to make sure that the students get the high-quality that they deserve.

"There is no question that Ofsted raised important concerns – we are addressing these as rapidly as possible and I want to reassure everyone about the work we are doing and the improvements we are making.

"I want to thank everyone for their support in achieving these; not least our own staff and Endeavour Learning Trust, but also of course our students and their families.”

Ofsted inspectors found pupils at the school, while being ‘highly motivated to achieve well’, feel ‘worried, unhappy and unsafe’.

They added that ‘incidents of harmful sexual behaviour go unchallenged or are dismissed by leaders’.

The report reads: “Many pupils feel there is not an adult in school to whom they can talk if they need to seek help.

“Leaders often do not make referrals to the local authority when appropriate.

“Pupils and students told inspectors some teachers either ‘do not care’ about their worries or they simply ‘brush them under the carpet’.

“This is particularly the case for some pupils and students who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community.”

Students told inspectors they feel the need to ‘take matters into their own hands to try to resolve issues’, particularly in relation to harmful sexual behaviours.

They added some pupils are sometimes the ‘target of abuse because they are different to others’.

Pupils went on to tell inspectors teachers do not deal with incidents of bullying effectively.

The quality of education was deemed ‘good’ by Ofsted, with inspectors noting leaders have ‘built in a range of opportunities to check on how well pupils and students are learning the content of the curriculum’ and pupils ‘concentrate closely’ on their learning.

However the inspectors said pupils, particularly in the sixth form, have not been able to benefit ‘from a suitable and age-appropriate personal development curriculum’.

The report reads: “For instance, pupils and students have not learned enough about the features of healthy and respectful relationships, consent and what constitutes harmful sexual behaviour.

“In addition, pupils and students have not learned enough about the damage caused by discriminatory language and stereotypes.

“As a result, many pupils and students show a lack of respect for their peers.

“Some pupils and students do not understand that everyone is unique, and all are equal and everyone should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their difference.

“These pupils and students are ill-prepared to take up their roles as responsible citizens in a modern Britain.”

Inspectors said leaders, including members of the governing body, are ‘aware of the extent of problems relating to incidents of harmful sexual behaviour in the school’, however, they are not doing enough to deal with these endemic weaknesses effectively.

They added: “Staff underestimate the frequency of incidents of harmful sexual behaviour. They have an overly positive view of pupils’ and students’ lived experiences in the school.

“For example, the vast majority of staff are of the view that incidents of bullying are dealt with effectively.

“This is because they are not aware pupils are reluctant to report their concerns due to the dismissive culture in school.”

Safeguarding is not effective, with inspectors saying some leaders are not aware of the statutory requirements, while for others, their training is out of date.

Commenting on the report, Cllr Samara Barnes, for Hareholme ward, said that young people ‘may never get over their experiences at the school’.

She said: “I am heartbroken for the children, parents and carers who have been failed by this school both as a parent and member champion for younger people.

“Young people will have been traumatised by what they have experienced during their time there. They may never get over it.

“This should not have ever been allowed to happen.

“I’m desperately sorry that our young people have had to go through this in a place that should have kept them safe.”