Rikkyo School-in-England

Rikkyo School in England Independent school progress monitoring inspection report

p.1

DfE registration number 938/6188 Unique Reference Number (URN) 126132 URN for social care SC014681 Inspection number 385473 Inspection dates 12 January 2012 Reporting inspector David Rzeznik Social care inspector Liz Driver 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 .

p.1

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.2

To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.2

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090137 Independent school progress monitoring inspection report

p.2

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, and under the Care Standards Act 2000 having regard to the national minimum standards for boarding schools. 1,2,3

p.3

Purpose and scope of the inspection

The inspection was conducted at the request of the Registration Authority for independent schools in order to monitor the progress the school has made in implementing its action plan following the previous inspection.

p.3

Information about the school

Rikkyo School is a co-educational, Anglican Christian secondary school which was founded in 1972, primarily for the children of Japanese families living and working in the United Kingdom and Europe. It occupies a large rural site near Horsham, West Sussex. The school follows the Japanese National Curriculum and aims to provide a high standard of education which will enable students to gain entrance to high- ranking Japanese universities. The school is registered with the Department for Education (DfE) to admit a maximum of 160 students between the ages of 11 and 18 years. There are currently 73 boys and 63 girls on roll and all are boarders. No students have a statement of special educational needs. There are 69 students whose families live in Japan.

p.3

Context of the inspection

The previous education inspection was in October 2010, when a significant number of education regulations were not met. Following the inspection, the school submitted an action plan which was evaluated and accepted in January 2011. A boarding inspection was carried out in January 2010 and a significant number of national minimum standards were not met. The DfE served a notice on the school on 7 July 2010 and requested a re-inspection of boarding. This took place in October 2010 when the school’s progress in implementing its social care action plan was assessed. A number of actions taken by the school were judged unsatisfactory. An extended deadline of 31 March 2011 for the regulatory weaknesses to be rectified was set by the DfE. A further social care action plan, evaluated in April 2011, was judged inadequate as it failed to fully address a number of regulatory failures. In June 2011, an integrated monitoring inspection was conducted to check the

p.3

Context of the inspection

progress made in implementing the education and social care action plans. The school had made satisfactory progress overall in implementing its action plans and it met most, but not all, of the regulations for independent schools and national

p.3

Context of the inspection

1 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/contents . 2 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/18/contents . 3 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/14/contents . Independent school progress monitoring inspection report minimum standards. Three national minimum standards, 38, 34 and 51, were not met and three education regulations, 19(2)(e), 22(3) and 22(4), were unmet. All of the regulatory failures, including those for education, related to the school not complying with the national minimum standards for boarding schools. The DfE did not ask the school to produce education or social care action plans following the first monitoring inspection but did instruct it to rectify all of the regulatory failures.

p.3

Context of the inspection

The purpose of this second integrated monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress made in rectifying the six unmet regulations identified in the June 2011 inspection. A Japanese interpreter accompanied inspectors on this visit to help with communication, and the collection of evidence, and to ensure the inspection ran smoothly.

p.4

Context of the inspection

In September 2011, new and amended national minimum standards for boarding schools were implemented. As a result, the numbering of standards at the time of the last monitoring inspection is not as now. In this report the old and new national minimum standard numbers are referred to, in order to aid clarity.

p.4

action plan

The school has made good progress in implementing its action plan. It now meets all of the regulations and relevant national minimum standards.

p.4

action plan

At the time of the last monitoring inspection in June 2011, national minimum standard 38 was not met because not all of the required recruitment checks had been carried out on all boarding staff appointed in the previous 12 months. As a consequence, the single central register did not contain all of the required boarding information. Because national minimum standard 38 was not met, education regulations 19(2)(e), 22(3) and 22(4) were not met.

p.4

action plan

In June 2011, inspectors found that all newly recruited members of staff had been appropriately vetted. However, not all staff recruited in the past had undergone full recruitment checks. For some individuals no written references had been sought and for others there were gaps in their employment histories which had not been followed up effectively. On this second monitoring visit, inspectors scrutinised the school’s recruitment records and found that suitable written references are gained before staff are employed and any gaps in employment histories are queried, and they are explained effectively. All of the necessary information is recorded in the single central register as required. All education regulations are now met and old national minimum standard 38 (new national minimum standard 14) is met.

p.4

action plan

At the time of the first monitoring inspection, not all new boarding staff had undergone appropriate induction to fulfil their boarding responsibilities. Inspectors spoke to staff, scrutinised training records and staff files. Evidence shows that all new boarding staff are appropriately inducted in order that they can fulfil their Independent school progress monitoring inspection report boarding duties effectively. Old national minimum standard 34 (new national minimum standard 15.1) is met.

p.4

action plan

In June 2011, the school was not undertaking all of the required checks on host families before placing students in their care during the summer half-term break. Records scrutinised show that all of the necessary checks are carried out on host families, including Criminal Record Bureau checks on all people over the age of 16 who are resident in the home in which students will reside. Appropriate written references are sought and the headteacher’s secretary visits each host family to check the suitability of the accommodation and ensure students are suitably safeguarded. Host families and students complete a questionnaire following visits to evaluate the experience. Old national minimum standard 51 (new national minimum standard 20.4) is met.

p.5

Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school has made good progress and now meets all regulatory requirements. Independent school progress monitoring inspection report

p.5

School details

Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 73 Girls: 63 Total: 136

p.6

School details

Number on roll (part-time pupils) Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0

p.6

School details

Number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0

p.6

School details

Number of pupils who are looked after Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0

p.6

School details

Address of school Guildford Road, Rudgwick, West Sussex RH12 3BE Telephone number 01403 822107

p.6

School details

Email address eikoku@rikkyo.w-sussex.sch.uk

p.6

School details

Proprietor Rikkyo School in England Trust

p.6