Hailey Hall School

Hailey Hall School Inspection report for residential special school

p.1

SC056397 Unique reference number 27 February 2009 Inspection date Andrew Hewston Inspector Key Type of Inspection

p.1

Hailey Hall School Address Hailey Lane HERTFORD SG13 7PB 01992 465208 Telephone number admin@haileyhall.herts.sch.uk Email Hertfordshire County Council Registered person Heather Boardman Head of care

p.1

Head / Principal

28 January 2008 Date of last inspection .

p.1

Head / Principal

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

p.2

Head / Principal

You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

p.2

About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

p.3

The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Hailey Hall School,27 February 2009

p.3

Brief description of the service

Hailey Hall School is a residential and day special school for boys aged 11 to 16 with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The school is operated by Hertfordshire Education Authority. All young people who attend the school have a statement of special educational needs and a small number are also looked after by the local authority. The school has places for 68 pupils. The residential facilities can accommodate a maximum of 24 boarders. Young people board between Monday and Friday in term-time.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The school occupies purpose-built premises with accommodation on two floors. The residential provision for young people comprises three units leading from the school's main hall and dining area. Each unit has a lounge and a kitchenette, one single bedroom and a dormitory which is divided into individual sleeping areas. The school's recreational facilities include a football pitch, an outdoor swimming pool and a sports hall.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The school is situated in a residential area on the outskirts of Hoddesdon.

p.4

Summary

This was an announced inspection of the residential facility at Hailey Hall school and was completed over a two day period. The inspection consisted of discussions with the staff team and young people, as well as examination of both school and individual's documentation.

p.4

Summary

This inspection highlighted that although some improvements have been made in response to the recommendations made at the last inspection, a wide range of areas still require development. Areas such as the lack of staff's complaints knowledge, the lack of full Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks having being completed and the lack of appropriate risk assessments being completed regarding the supervision of young people at night are concerning and do not sufficiently ensure the safety of young people in residence. However staff's commitment to and knowledge of, the young people is evident. The continued development of the residential management team will hopefully respond to all areas needing improvement. The overall quality rating is inadequate. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

At the schools previous social care inspection 16 recommendations to develop good practice were reported. Nine of these have been completed to an appropriate degree, this has been completed through some improvements in recordings. Health plans and placement plans are now in place although the latter is of a basic standard. Information regarding the residential provision is now available for young people and interview notes following recruitment of staff is now available within the staff records. Staff report that supervisions have improved and also handover time to discuss young people is also reported to have improved. Recordings of notifications to Ofsted and records of some health and safety issues such as fire drills are all up-to-date.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

There is a concern that some areas have not developed sufficiently, including medication administration procedures, complaints information and some monitoring procedures including 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Hailey Hall School,27 February 2009 the lack of sufficient risk assessments for decreased staff supervision of young people. These areas have again been highlighted as in need of development.

p.4

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Young people have appropriate health planning in place, showing how the school supports the ongoing health of the young people through appropriate checks. A staff member takes overall responsibility for the administration of medication and general health queries, although has not had any formalised training for such a role and no competence assessment has been completed regarding any staff that administer medication, this area was highlighted at the last inspection. Consent is in place from parents for the administration of medication. Medication is administered and recorded appropriately, original packaging for medication is not available, however, and this area was noted as needing development as part of the last inspection. The school uses an innovative paracetamol notification slip system to decrease concerns over too much being administered. The school has links with their school nurse, who visits on a regular

p.5

Helping children to be healthy

basis. The school nurse has provided some training for the residential staff within the school.

p.5

Helping children to be healthy

Young people enjoy a very good range of foods on a daily basis, with a salad bar and jacket potatoes available each lunchtime. Mealtimes are pleasant sociable occasions, with more mature, higher point scoring pupils being allowed to sit on differing tables.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is inadequate. Records with regard to the young people are stored appropriately to afford them privacy. Staff state that the young people are able to use their own mobile phones in the evenings to ensure that discussions are held within situations that young people feel are sufficiently private. Young people sleep in large bedrooms that have been separated through the use of wardrobes to increase privacy. This practice is successful to a limited degree, although no young people state that there is an issue with their privacy within their bedroom spaces.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Complaints procedures within the residential provision are poor. The school has a complaints procedure and there is an additional procedure available specifically for young people, although this appears to have been transferred directly from Kent. Staff, including the head of care, are uncertain about the complaints procedure and staff state that there have been instances of complaints having being raised that have not been fully recorded. No young people spoken to, or the head of care, are aware of a complaints form that is within the school's procedures.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Child protection procedures are appropriate and recordings are well kept, with a colour coded system to aid analysis of incidents and concerns. Additional safeguarding concerns are recorded within young people's files where necessary. Staff have all received training in child protection procedures and systems are in place for both referring concerns and contacting local safeguarding teams with 'what if' concerns.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The school responds to bullying behaviours appropriately, with an anti-bullying procedure in place, bullying being the focus with some assemblies and an anti-bullying week within school. Bullying incidents are recorded within the school 'incidents' system and are then analysed within the monitoring tool. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Hailey Hall School,27 February 2009 Staff are able to discuss how they would respond to absconding behaviour, although there have been no incidents of this since the last inspection and staff state that they are not aware of the last time that this happened. There is no specific policy or procedure available however, should such an incident occur, with staff not being able to discuss what procedures would be followed following the return of a young person that had absconded.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The school has an appropriate behaviour management policy in place, with all staff being trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) restraint and de-escalation techniques. There is a record book available for the recording of restraints although there is no section to record the effectiveness or consequence of the intervention. There are good records of young people's comments being recorded following incidents needing restraint. Staff use a range of sanctions within the residential provision including early beds, time for reflection and loss of specific activities. No records are kept of sanctions that have been used however. No records of any behaviour management procedure are additionally recorded within the young person's file.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a whole school points system in place to promote positive behaviours, this system does not extend into the evenings however and there is no specific reward structure in place for resident pupils.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The school and residential provision is well maintained, with an organised system of maintenance and repairs being in place. Fire records show that appropriate checks are completed and fire drills are completed on a termly basis. The previous inspection highlighted a need for a full risk assessment to be in place with regard to the sleeping-in arrangements, highlighted within the economic well being outcome. This has not been completed.

p.6

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The school has an appropriate recruitment procedure and the bursar has completed the safe recruitment course. Two staff files checked show that sufficient checks have been completed. There is however no CRB check completed for the member of the governing body that visits the school on a half-termly basis and insufficient checks, including a lack of CRB for the volunteer who works in the evenings with the resident young people, with the head of care being aware of this.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. There are links in place to ensure communication of information between the residential and educational provision. There are some facilities available to allow young people to complete additional study or homework. Care staff are able to discuss the educational development of the young people to a basic level, although there is no formalised system of relating educational targets or areas of concern to target setting within the residential provision.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are able to discuss a range of activities that they have completed and enjoy. The young people have access to games consoles within residence and the school has large grounds to enjoy physical activities including a fenced basketball area. Although there is a general activities plan, this was not seen to be kept to during the inspection and there is a lack of evidence to show if this has been kept to at any other point. Activities appear to be led by young people's requests and responded to if there is sufficient staffing and if activities are available. This child-centred approach is positive but is dependant on sufficient available resources. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Hailey Hall School,27 February 2009 Staff are aware of the individual needs of the young people and staff are observed responding to these well. Staff are able to discuss how and why they respond to specific needs although

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

none of this positive work is recorded within the young people's files. The support offered by external agencies for individuals is not fully recorded within young people's files. The school has two external visitors to the school. Although there are links between these visitors and the care staff team, the head teacher is supportive of their professional approach to ensure the required degree of independence.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. The school has an effective school council and there is evidence to show how the school has responded to specific request by the young people, there is no specific recordings of issues that effect the residential provision however. Staff are observed working very well on an individual basis with young people, including discussions about specific issues and staff are then able to discuss how they have responded to individuals. There is, however, little evidence of this work and the obvious good relationships between staff and the young people.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people each have a care plan, these are in line with the Every Child Matters' outcomes. Planning is brief with little significant target setting and poor evidence to show how young people have developed while being in residence. Care plans are linked to the young people's statement of special educational needs, although there is no evidence of young people having an input into the care planning process. The school contributes to Looked After Children reviews regarding their development while in residence.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are able to have contact with parents or families, with no specific restrictions on communication being recorded within any of the young people's files. During a consultation with parents, the majority assessed the communication between school and themselves as being good in the majority of cases. Parents are regularly invited into school and there have been courses on offer to parents, most notably with relation to general parenting practice and behaviour management.

p.7

Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. The residential provision is offered to the young people within three main units that include a large dormitory-style room that are then separated into bedroom areas for individuals. These individual areas offer the young people a basic level of privacy. Each boarding unit has a well furnished lounge area and small kitchenette area, these give a homely feel to the provisions and allow young people to comfortably make snacks and hot drinks. All residential units are clean and include appropriate toilet and shower arrangements. Young people are able to access a good range of the school's facilities during their period of residence.

p.7

Achieving economic wellbeing

There is a concern regarding the supervision of young people at night, with two sleeping-in staff covering three units. These units are not all close together and sleeping-in rooms are not easily accessible to young people, with eight doors separating the sleeping-in room and the residential provision in one instance and a large distance between the other sleeping-in room and the 'North down' unit. This situation does not ensure that staff are able to appropriately supervise the young people. Staff also highlight differing practices regarding the settling of children that do not fully ensure the safety of young people throughout the night. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Hailey Hall School,27 February 2009

p.7

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The residential provision has an appropriate Statement of Purpose and there is also a handbook for young people coming into residence which includes the basics of what they will expect while at the school in the evening. This information is sufficient to fulfil the expectations of the standard.

p.8

Organisation

The residential units are well staffed during the evenings, with additional support being given by the educational staff. The residential staffing situation is currently being restructured, creating some insecurities within the staff team, no young people highlighted an awareness of this during the inspection however. The young people enjoy a consistent staff team, with no use of agency staff.

p.8

Organisation

Staff state that they feel appropriately supported by the school's management through daily informal supervision and an improvement in the quality and regularity of formal supervisions. There is a lack of a system of monitoring supervisions, however and the head of care states that no annual appraisals have been completed as part of individual development planning.

p.8

Organisation

The staff team have a wide range of experience and qualifications, with the vast majority of the staff team having completed the NVQ Level 3, or equivalent, in Caring for Children and Young People. Most of the training now provided to the staff team takes the form of involvement in whole school training, which has a high educational bias, with limited availability of courses that are specific to meet the needs of residential staff. The head of care is due to leave in the next term, after a long period as a residential worker at the school.

p.8

Organisation

A range of recordings completed by the staff are monitored by the school's management team. There is no specific recording tool however to show that all the checks are made within the required time scales. The school has a very good system for the recording of Regulation 33 visits completed by the school's governing body, although these are not all completed on a half-termly basis.

p.8

Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. The cook ensures that some individual needs are catered for. The staff team show a basic awareness of the differing needs of the young people relating to both preferences and their ability, and in turn, respond to these needs effectively. This is shown through effective planning and recording of targets for young people. The staff team are able to discuss at a basic level how the school promotes diversity within the residential provision.

p.8

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

p.8

Due date Action Standard

8 of 10 Inspection Report: Hailey Hall School,27 February 2009

p.8

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • review the written policy and guidance for staff on storing and administering medication, with particular reference to controlled drugs and administering medicines from their original packaging (NMS 14.17) • implement a system for assessing the competence of staff who administer medication and keep records to evidence this process (NMS 14.4) • provide young people with written information about how to make a complaint (NMS 4.2) • ensure staff recieve training in the recording and response to complaints made (NMS 4.4) • update the school complaints procedures (NMS 4.3) • ensure restraints used are fully recorded in line with the expectations of the standard (NMS 10.14) • ensure sanctions used are fully recorded in line with the expectations of the standard (NMS 10.9) • carry out and record a risk assessment for any periods when young people may be present

p.9

Recommendations

in a residential unit and not under the direct supervision of a member of staff (NMS 26.3) • ensure enhanced CRB checks are completed on all staff, volunteers and visiting members of the governing body prior to working with children on an unsupervised basis (NMS 27.1) • ensure there is appropriate evidence available to show the range and choice of activities completed by the young people (NMS 13.2) • ensure there is sufficient evidence available to show how young people's individual needs are supported within residence (NMS 22.1) • ensure placement plans fully identify how specific needs of the young people will be met (NMS 17.2) • ensure staff have designated sleep in rooms close to children's rooms to respond to children's night time needs (NMS 24.17) • ensure all staff recieve regular, recorded formalised supervisions in line with the expectations of the standard (NMS 30.2) • ensure all staff recieve annual appraisals (NMS 30.6)

p.9

Recommendations

• review and, where necessary, strengthen the arrangements for monitoring the range of records (NMS 32.2) • ensure that the governing body receives a written report on the conduct of the school, from a person visiting the school on their behalf, on a half-termly basis (NMS 33.1). 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Hailey Hall School,27 February 2009

p.9