Greenwich House School

Independent school standard inspection report

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DfE registration number 925/6038 Unique Reference Number (URN) 120743 Inspection number 397622 Inspection dates 14–15 November 2012 Reporting inspector Joanne Harvey HMI 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 Independent school standard inspection report

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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

Greenwich House School is an independent and non-selective co-educational day school in Louth, Lincolnshire. The building is a large converted house. The grounds include a tennis court and large grassed area, gardens and a car park. The school opened in September 1990 and is privately owned. The headteacher is the proprietor of the school. The school takes pupils seeking continuity for their education from the crèche and Kindergarten One and Two, housed in the same building and is open to all. The school aims to ‘provide a safe, happy, stimulating environment in which each child feels valued and able to make new discoveries or learn new skills’.

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Information about the school

The school provides a curriculum broadly based on the Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2. There are currently 43 pupils on roll aged from three to 11 years. The school provides full-time education for 17 pupils aged 3 to 11 years, and part-time education and care in the Kindergarten Two class for 26 children up to four years old. One three-year-old child attends Kindergarten Two full time. There are 27 pupils entitled to claim free education for three-and four-year-olds. There are three classes in school. These comprise a class of Reception children, a class of Years 1, 2 and 3 pupils and a third class for pupils in Years 4 and 6. There are currently no Year 5 pupils on roll. There is separately registered childcare provision for children under the age of three. This is offered in the Crèche and Kindergarten One class which are housed in the same building as the

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Information about the school

school. This provision was not part of this inspection and is subject to a separate Ofsted inspection by a childcare inspector. The previous inspection of childcare was in July 2005.

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Information about the school

Children attending the school live in the town and outlying villages. There are no pupils currently with a statement of special educational needs. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The school was last inspected in June 2009 when it was judged to provide a good quality of education.

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Information about the school

1 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/contents . 2 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/18/contents . Independent school standard inspection report

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Evaluation of the school

Greenwich House School provides a good education for its pupils and meets its aims well. It meets all of the regulations for independent schools; an improvement since the last inspection. The well-planned curriculum matches the interests, needs and abilities of pupils, who take delight in coming to school where they make good progress because of the good teaching and assessment. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding, as is behaviour. Pupils become confident, articulate, well-rounded young people while they are at the school. There are robust arrangements for safeguarding pupils and provision for their welfare, health and safety is good; parents and carers highly value the care provided and the attention given to promoting pupils’ well-being and enjoyment of the school.

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Quality of education

The quality of the curriculum is good. It secures the interest and enjoyment of pupils well and ensures that all pupils make good progress while they are at the school. Teachers plan carefully using the National Curriculum and the new framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They also plan extra topics and activities which are of special interest to pupils or which use local resources to the full. For example, pupils study 18 th Century history because Louth is an 18 th Century market town. Activities are planned to make sure that everyone does well. For example, it was noticed that boys did not always get off to a quick enough start with their writing. To spur them on, a mock building site was set up in Kindergarten Two where they are now happy to write lists and make plans. The planning for indoor and outdoor learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage in Kindergarten Two is rich and varied. There is a good

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Quality of education

balance between adults leading activities and children having time to explore for themselves, with adults always on hand if needed. Children’s basic skills and personal qualities are developed very well.

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Quality of education

There is a good focus throughout school on developing pupils’ ability to speak confidently and clearly and to be able to listen well. As a result, pupils develop the confidence to share and explain their ideas and to perform for an audience. This is reinforced by the many opportunities they are given to work with adults who are invited to visit the school or on the many visits out into the community and beyond. Pupils have regular opportunities to take part in theatrical and musical productions. There is a very well thought out curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE). This is of the highest quality and has an excellent impact on developing pupils’ personal, moral and social skills. Class teachers give a good focus to teaching the key skills of literacy and numeracy in the mornings. The understanding of the sounds that letters make (phonics) is systematically well taught. Subject specialists teach all other subjects in the

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Quality of education

afternoons. The expertise of teachers is used well, particularly in French, music, physical education and information and communication technology (ICT) so that pupils attain high standards in these subjects. Planning for history is supported well through the use of original artefacts and stimulating displays. Provision for ICT has improved since the last inspection. There are many more up-to-date resources which Independent school standard inspection report are used to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. For example, innovative use is made of ICT to support the development of pupils’ understanding of other cultures using electronic links with pupils in a school in Sri-Lanka. This link was set up when a member of staff visited the country with the England Women’s Cricket Team and has been enthusiastically carried on by the pupils themselves. French is taught from Reception onwards but is available to younger pupils in Kindergarten for an

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Quality of education

additional charge. Pupils go swimming throughout the year and study dance in the summer in preparation for a grand summer school performance. These activities help to improve pupils’ physical and creative skills and keep them fit and healthy. Teaching and assessment are good. Evidence from lessons, pupils’ work and discussions with pupils confirm that teaching results in their good academic progress and excellent progress in the development of their personal skills. Teachers and other adults form excellent relationships with pupils and are positive role models. In Kindergarten Two there is a good emphasis on children doing things for themselves so they grow in independence. Because class teachers and other adults know the children and pupils extremely well, and the class sizes are very small, teachers often provide individual support which is well matched to pupils’ needs. In the best lessons, expectations of what all pupils can achieve are very high; teaching is

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Quality of education

exciting and leads to the highest interest of pupils. Lessons move along at a fast pace. Teachers have a good knowledge of their subject which means they are able to teach ideas securely. Teachers choose teaching methods and resources that ensure pupils learn at a rapid rate. They are constantly checking that everyone understands what they are doing and are working as hard as they can. On the very few occasions where teaching is satisfactory the teacher moves pupils through the lesson too slowly. Pupils who learn more easily are not stretched quickly enough. Teachers focus on the completion of undemanding activities, rather than checking that everyone is learning as well as they can. Daily assessments and the planning of children’s next steps are done particularly well in Kindergarten Two. All teachers in school regularly check on the levels that pupils’ are attaining. However, the checks on the rate at which pupils make progress are not sharp enough to show quickly if

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Quality of education

there are times when learning slows down as children and pupils move through the school. Some excellent examples of spoken and written feedback were seen which help pupils to improve their work. Occasionally, in some lessons, pupils are not given the opportunity to act on this advice.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Providing the highest quality personal, social and health education is central to the school’s ethos and highly valued by parents and carers. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and pupils in school quickly learn respect and how to get on well together. Pupils are able to work on their own, with partners and in groups extremely well. This behaviour contributes well to their learning in lessons. There are daily opportunities for pupils to reflect and discuss a range of issues from the need to look after the environment to the importance of helping people who may be less fortunate in the local community and beyond. Pupils put their beliefs into Independent school standard inspection report practice through the responsibilities they take as school prefects, class representatives or in looking after younger children. Pupils develop an excellent

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

understanding of the institutions and services of the United Kingdom through classroom discussion and regular visits, for example to the providers of local public services. They talk confidently about what it means to carry out their ‘civic duty’. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school work and concentrate hard because they are keen to do their best and achieve well. The behaviour and manners of children and pupils are outstanding. They are well motivated by the many rewards that are on offer and understand why sanctions may occasionally be needed. They insist that there is no bullying in school because everyone gets on very well together. Pupils grow and eat their own produce and love to be active outdoors because they know how to keep themselves healthy. Pupils’ absolute enjoyment of school is shown through the excellent attendance of the vast majority and the high take-up of the many extra activities that are on offer. There are good opportunities to learn about

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

business enterprise including organising charity and community events and taking responsibility for finances. Pupils were at the forefront of the Olympic celebrations in Louth when they organised an Olympic Village in the school grounds. They invited local businesses and residents to join them to celebrate the cultures and traditions of nations around the world whilst successfully raising money for charity. Pupils are very well prepared for the future because they become well-rounded individuals with high academic and strong personal skills.

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

The provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety is good and all regulations are met. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The school now has all the required policies and procedures, including risk assessments, in place that minimize risks to pupils’ health and safety. There is a comprehensive policy and procedure for child protection and safeguarding for which staff have received the appropriate training. Fire safety and procedures for checking the safety of the premises are robust. Suitable risk assessments are carried out for trips off-site and for classroom activities. Staff have had the required training so that first aid and medical needs are dealt with promptly. Arrangements to promote exemplary behaviour are very effective and result in a calm environment for pupils throughout the day. A key worker system is in place in the Early Years Foundation Stage and this ensures that

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

children are not only supported well academically but that their care and welfare are promoted extremely well.

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

Pupils are encouraged very well to develop healthy lifestyles and to keep safe and are able to talk with confidence about how to do this. The excellent emphasis placed on developing emotional health results in pupils saying they are confident that they can talk to adults about any concerns. Pupils are well supervised in school and out on trips. There are no incidents of bullying or other forms of harassment reported by pupils. Independent school standard inspection report

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Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

All adults have been subject to the necessary checks to confirm their suitability to work with children. These are recorded in a single central register as required.

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Premises and accommodation at the school

The premises have been adapted to provide an effective and safe place for children to learn and play. Classrooms are small but adequate for the numbers using them. The school is clean, tidy, well maintained and decorated. Outside there is a large and safely-enclosed area for children to learn in the Early Years Foundation Stage. There is a vegetable garden where children grow fruit and vegetables. Beyond this there is a large field for sports, and an enclosed tennis court which gives a large hard surface play area in all weathers for pupils to play safely. There are good security arrangements for the premises and grounds.

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Provision of information

Parents report a high degree of satisfaction with the school’s work. Regular parents’ meetings, reports and newsletters keep parents and others well informed about school life. There is a helpful and up-to-date website, a school prospectus and a parents’ handbook which contain all of the required accurate information.

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Manner in which complaints are to be handled

The procedures for handling complaints meet all regulations.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The proprietor has ensured that the school meets all of 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

 ensure that there is a rigorous system for recording and keeping a check on the progress that pupils make as they move through the school. Independent school standard inspection report Inspection judgements outstanding

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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  Independent school standard inspection report

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School details

Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 5 Girls: 12 Total: 17

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School details

Number on roll (part-time pupils) Boys: 19 Girls: 7 Total: 26

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School details

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

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School details

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

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) Kindergarten Two fees £ 5,985.00 £ 4.75 per hour Address of school 106 High Holme Road, Louth, LN11 0HE.

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School details

Email address info@greenwichhouseschool.com

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School details

Proprietor Jennifer Brindle Independent school standard inspection report

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Greenwich House School, Louth, LN11 0HE

Thank you for the welcome you gave to the inspection team when we visited your school last week. We enjoyed speaking to you about all the things which you said you like about your school. Your views are very important to us.

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Inspection of Greenwich House School, Louth, LN11 0HE

We found that your school is good. We can see why you enjoy coming to school so much. This is clear from the very good attitude you have to your work and your excellent behaviour. All the adults at school take good care to make sure you are well looked after and safe. As a result you grow in confidence and become very well- rounded, independent young people. Because of the good quality individual support you receive, the good teaching, and the exciting things you are given to do you make good progress in your work.

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Inspection of Greenwich House School, Louth, LN11 0HE

We would like your school to continue to improve, so we have asked that a system is put in place to check on the progress that you make as you move through all the year groups in the school.

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