Kirby Moor School

School URN 135410 Independent school standard inspection report

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DfE registration number 909/6056 Unique Reference Number (URN) 135410 Inspection number 386900 Inspection dates 6−7 December 2011 Reporting inspector Mohammad Ismail achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090070

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. 1, 2

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Information about the school

This is an independent special school which is part of North Lakes Children’s Services. The school is registered to provide full-time education for 25 students between the age of 10 and 18 years who are unable to attend mainstream school because of severe behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. At present there are 17 students on roll. All students have experienced a disrupted education in their previous settings. All have statements of special educational needs and most of them live in three children’s homes owned by the North Lakes Children’s services. Twelve students are looked after by their local authority. The school aims ‘to improve the welfare, development, self-confidence, personal esteem and academic success of all its pupils’. The school opened in September 2007 and it was last inspected in October 2008.

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Evaluation of the school

The school offers a good quality of education and it meets its stated aims. The curriculum and teaching are good and students are making good progress. Students’ behaviour, their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the provision for their welfare, health and safety are good. The school meets all requirements for safeguarding and all the regulations for independent schools. It has made good progress since its last inspection by improving the quality of education provided.

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Quality of education

The school has improved the quality of planning and the schemes of work for all subjects. As a result, the quality of the curriculum is good. It is broad and balanced and covers all the required areas of learning and all subjects from the National Curriculum for Key Stages 3 and 4 with suitable long-, medium- and short-term plans. The school rightly concentrates on rebuilding students’ confidence in themselves so they can re-engage in learning and enjoy their education. The curriculum is suitably adapted to meet the requirements of each student’s statement of special educational needs. The school has adapted the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) programme to meet the special educational needs of its students. In addition, the school’s personal social and health education (PSHE) policy meets students’ needs well and regular advice is sought on behalf of students from

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Quality of education

1 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/contents . 2 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/18/contents .

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different disciplines such as educational psychologists and trained counsellors. Individual educational plans are drawn up for all students and they are grouped according to their abilities in a friendly environment. All programmes for older students are accredited, leading to GCSEs, Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) Awards, OCR National Awards at levels 1 and 2 and the Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) qualifications.

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In addition, there are opportunities for students to undertake vocational training at a local college, for example, by pursuing courses in hair and beauty, information and communication technology (ICT), public services, life skills, skills for working life, building and motor mechanics. As part of the school’s modern foreign languages programme, it offers Spanish, German, French and Italian at conversational level. There is suitable provision for post-16 education in the school. The school’s careers officer, along with the Connexions service, organises regular sessions for students to provide advice about different courses and work placement opportunities with local businesses and community organisations. The school focuses successfully on improving students’ literacy, numeracy and ICT skills. The provision for physical education is good and it is enriched with extra sports activities in the evenings and at

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weekends. However, the school’s provision for extra-curricular activities after the school day is mostly for students who live in the various children’s homes. Local students who are living with their families do not fully participate in these activities due to the lack of appropriate transport. There is a good quality educational visits programme to enrich the curriculum, for example, with recent visits to the Beamish Museum, Muncaster Castle and Maryport Aquarium. The school maintains good links with the local youth service and with other local agencies, schools and colleges.

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The quality of teaching and assessment is good and it enables students to make good progress. Teachers plan their lessons taking into consideration each individual’s particular needs and learning difficulties and give students the right level of work to suit their needs. They use lots of praise, humour and encouragement to motivate the students. A wide range of teaching methods, including educational games and opportunities for discussion, make the teaching and learning engaging and enjoyable. Teachers provide students with good opportunities for both independent learning and working in groups. Computers are well used across subjects for research, guidance and to make teaching and learning more enjoyable. Teachers ask challenging questions and link together different subject areas of the curriculum where possible. However, they do not give students homework to extend their learning although some students and their parents and carers would like homework

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Teaching and support staff work closely together to help students to maintain their concentration in lessons and to provide support when it is needed. Staff-student relationships are mostly good and students show respect to teachers and support staff. Students are mostly well behaved and participate well in their class activities.

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The provision is well resourced and there are sufficient computers in every classroom. Students are clear about their levels of attainment and are given learning

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targets. They have opportunities to regularly review their achievements, rates of attendance and their future plans. There is a good marking and assessment policy in place and students’ work is marked regularly with helpful comments on how to improve.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They feel safe and they attend regularly. They say that they enjoy their education. The school’s well-structured behaviour policy helps students to develop positive attitudes towards education and they are helped to improve their social skills in their interactions with others. As a result of the consistent guidance they receive through the behaviour programme, students are mostly well-behaved during their lessons and their behaviour is good overall. Students who attend regularly and display good behaviour are suitably rewarded. This helps all students to adopt appropriate language and behaviour. In cases of inappropriate behaviour, the school’s sanctions policy is effectively enforced.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

The school prepares its students well for the next stage of their lives by developing their basic and social skills which in turn builds their self-confidence. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Students learn about different cultures in their citizenship, history, PSHE and religious studies lessons and the school organises visits to places of cultural and religious interest such as a recent visits to the Carlisle Cathedral and the Liverpool International Slavery Museum. Plans are in place to visit a mosque in Newcastle. Students learn about public institutions and to respect the law in their citizenship and PSHE lessons and in assemblies. They help in school, doing different tasks such as organising, collecting and distributing books and folders and helping with tidying up in classrooms which builds their sense of self-esteem and an awareness of their responsibilities in a community. The school encourages

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

students to make a contribution to the wider community by supporting different charities such as Save the Children and Comic Relief. The school has close links with a local football club and local community organisations. Students resident in the homes regularly attend local clubs and events in the community such as the football club and the army cadets where they have good opportunities to mix with other young people. The school has received 'The International School Award' from The British Council, for outstanding development of the international dimension in the curriculum by establishing links with an overseas school and its art work has received recognition from the Department for Education.

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

The provision for safeguarding the students’ welfare, health and safety is good. All the required policies and procedures are in place, including a safeguarding and safer recruitment policy and all staff, along with the school’s designated child protection officer, are trained at the required level. The school has improved the quality of its provision with regular staff training and reviews of policies and procedures. The anti- bullying policy, health and safety and risk assessment policies for school and out-of-

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school activities, along with the first aid policy, are all effectively implemented. First aid officers are trained at the required level. Fire-fighting equipment is regularly tested and regular fire drills are conducted. The school maintains attendance and admission registers which meet the regulations.

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The students help in preparing food alongside staff and are encouraged to adopt a healthy diet. They are encouraged to exercise regularly and take part in clubs and hobbies.They are regularly made aware of the damaging consequences of smoking and drug abuse, through the local drugs, alcohol, and sexual health team who make regular visits during the year to talk to students. Students have access to advice on diet, substance misuse, counselling and anger management sessions with local professionals. The school has submitted a three-year plan to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

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Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

The school has undertaken all the required checks to ensure that its staff and the proprietor are suitable to work with children. The school maintains a single central register of checks which meets the regulations.

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Premises and accommodation at the school

The school is based in large farmhouse set among green fields. The building is a safe and effective place for learning. There are specialist classrooms for different subjects along with a science laboratory, an ICT room, an assembly hall and a secure playground. There is a suitable outside space with gardens in the front and around the sides of the premises. The school uses a local sports facility for some of its physical education activities. The school is well decorated, well furnished and students’ work is displayed on walls. There is a suitable medical room for students who may become ill.

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Provision of information

The school meets all requirements by providing the necessary information to parents, carers and others through an up-to-date prospectus and through its website. The school has an effective policy of reporting on students’ progress to parents, carers and others annually. Parents and carers, in their responses to pre- inspection questionnaires, expressed their support for the school.

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Manner in which complaints are to be handled

The school has a complaints policy and set of procedures which meet all of the regulations. The school has taken steps to ensure that parents and carers are aware of these procedures.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The proprietor has ensured that the school meets The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, schedule 1 (‘the Regulations’).

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What the school could do to improve further

While not required by regulations, the school might wish to consider the following points for development:

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What the school could do to improve further

 seek to enable more day students to take part in extra-curricular activities after the end of the school day

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What the school could do to improve further

 provide better opportunities for students to extend and consolidate their learning by giving them regular homework.

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Inspection judgements

outstanding good satisfactory inadequate

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The quality of education

How well the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of pupils √

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The quality of education

How effective teaching and assessment are in meeting the full range of pupils’ needs √

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The quality of education

How well pupils make progress in their learning √

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The quality of education

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Quality of provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development √

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

The overall welfare, health and safety of pupils √

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School details

Type of school Special school for students with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties

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School details

Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 14 Girls: 3 Total: 17

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School details

Number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs Boys: 14 Girls: 3 Total: 17

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School details

Number of pupils who are looked after Boys: 9 Girls: 3 Total: 12

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School details

Proprietor North Lakes Children’s Services

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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s main

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of School URN 135410

I am writing to thank you for the time you spent talking to me when I inspected your school recently.

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Inspection of School URN 135410

I am pleased to tell you that your school has made good progress since its last inspection and it now provides you with a good quality education with detailed planning for all areas of the curriculum, good teaching and effective assessment. The school offers you a good social development programme to enable you to enjoy your education and prepare for your future lives. There is a good provision to ensure your welfare, health and safety. All these features enable you to make good progress in your social and academic skills.

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Inspection of School URN 135410

You informed me that the school helps you to attend different clubs and to engage in vocational training. I am very pleased that some of you play for the school football club. You have also informed me that you enjoy your education and that you would like to enhance your learning through regular homework. As a result I have asked the school to:

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Inspection of School URN 135410

 seek to enable more of you to take part in extra-curricular activities after the end of the school day  provide better opportunities for you to extend and consolidate your learning by giving you regular homework.

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Inspection of School URN 135410

I enjoyed meeting you and wish you all the best for the future.

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