OFSTED has no concerns with the school where a pupil identified as a cat

NEWS AND VIEWS: There is a short article in The Times today which states that OFSTED "lauds school in cat pupil row". In other words, OFSTED, the government body charged with ensuring standards in education in the UK, have accepted that the standards are okay at the school concerned namely Rye College.

Pupil identifying as a cat. This a fictional image by DALLE-E.

Kemi Badenoch, the woman and equalities minister, had asked OFSTED to visit Rye College because she had fears about safeguarding. OFSTED decided that after an inspection they had no concerns about the school.

Earlier there were worries around the use of different pronouns by children at the school. Some senior figures in the education system said that pupils were identifying as animals, the moon and gay holograms!

The head teacher, Katharine Birbalsingh, of Michaela Community School said that she knew of at least one school were a group of pupils identified as cats. Comment: notice the word "group". This obviously means substantially more than one individual who wants to identify as a cat. That's a bit concerning.

However, OFSTED has praised relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) lessons at Rye College. The school is in East Sussex and it is for pupils aged 11-12. There is a culture of kindness at Rye College according to OFSTED.

Their report said: "Pupils enjoy weekly life education lessons and take them seriously, alongside linked work in tutor time and assemblies. They are enthusiastic about participating in discussions, including regular activities such as the Thursday debates. The concerns relating to the teaching of RSHE that led to this inspection do not reflect pupils' normal experiences at school."

In a statement in June of this year, the school said that no pupils had identified as a cat or any other animal. The incident which led to the inspection was an alleged recording of a teacher telling a pupil that she was despicable for not accepting her classmate identifying as a cat.