Ofsted has given the school at the centre of the “cat pupil” allegations a clean bill of health, with inspectors praising its “culture of kindness” as well as its handling of relationship and sex education.
Ofsted inspected Rye College in East Sussex after a complaint by Kemi Badenoch, the minister for women and equalities. There had been media coverage of a video of pupils arguing with a teacher over gender and identity, with one pupil appearing to claim that a student identified as a cat.
The new report from the education watchdog – after its snap inspection last month – has exonerated the school, saying: “The concerns relating to the teaching of [relationship, health and sex education] that led to this inspection do not reflect pupils’ normal experiences at school.”
Although the report does not directly address the argument between the teacher and pupils, or the question of whether any pupils identify as animals, it praises the quality of staff training and teaching of relationship and sex education “in a sensitive and impartial way”.
Ofsted’s lead inspector, Matthew Haynes, said in the report: “Pupils are taught how to debate contentious subjects. Most pupils learn to do so respectfully and maturely.
“For example, pupils are clear that there are contested views about gender, sexuality and whether these are assigned at birth. One pupil summed up the views of many when he said, ‘We are taught to think for ourselves, but also to respect everybody’s point of view.’”
