StreetVibes Media Academy

Emergency inspection school report StreetVibes Media Academy StreetVibes Media Academy, 6 Eltham High Street, London, SE9 1DA

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Reason for inspection

This unannounced emergency inspection visit was made at the request of the Department for Education to check the provision being made for full-time and part-time students; the school’s arrangements for ensuring the suitability of the proprietors, staff and volunteers working with students; and compliance with the recent additions to the independent school regulations.

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Conclusions

The provision made for full-time and part-time students is appropriate to their needs and meets regulatory requirements. The majority of students attend the school for one or two days per week for media courses. They are placed by their mainstream schools who maintain responsibility for ensuring that students of compulsory school age receive their statutory entitlement to the curriculum. A small group of special school students attend one day a week, each accompanied by a member of the support staff from their school. The curriculum provided for the small number of full-time students meets requirements and the specific demands of their statements of special educational needs, where appropriate. For both full-time and part-time students, the required areas of learning are interwoven into the topics covered by each course.

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Conclusions

The school’s provision for students’ personal development is good. In meeting the latest regulatory requirements, the school has put in place procedures to ensure that a balanced view is always given when partisan political matters are discussed in lessons or in extra- curricular sessions. Physical education and games are timetabled during the week and take place at off-site venues. There are suitable changing rooms and showers at the swimming pool used by the school but no such provision at the other venue, resulting in this requirement not being met. All other regulations in respect of the premises and accommodation are met.

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Conclusions

Teaching is good and students make good progress. Students engage well with staff and each other in their work. They co-operate in directing and producing audio and visual materials, contributing ideas and teasing-out the best way forward. Students were keen to explain how they overcame problems with mixing tracks when recording a rap and when interviewing local people on camera in a video about drugs in Eltham. They behaved well and showed appreciation of the help and support from staff and volunteers. The documents and records sampled on this visit were complete and dated. Students’ comments about their work were focused on their previously agreed targets and staff annotations were appropriate and supportive. Individual plans identified students’ specific needs and how these would be addressed. Records of meetings were brief but informative. Emergency inspection: StreetVibes Media Academy, 27 June 2013 2 of 5

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Conclusions

Most of the teaching and support staff have specialist media qualifications. Recently appointed staff, some of whom are former students, are engaged on appropriate training courses. The school is well resourced with professional quality equipment and computer software.

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Conclusions

The format of the single central record of the checks made on the suitability of the proprietors, staff and volunteers meets requirements. The required checks are made on each person’s identity, qualifications (if required) and medical fitness, and these are entered on the single central record. However, in two instances the school did not submit applications for criminal records checks or make the alternative checks specified by the Secretary of State, where required, for between five and eight months after the persons’ appointment. This is contrary to regulatory requirements.

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Regulations’), and associated requirements

For all appointments since 1 September 2003 ensure that an enhanced criminal records check has been made by the proprietor in respect of any member of staff appointed to a position at the school and that an enhanced criminal records certificate which is the subject of the application was obtained before or as soon as was practicable after the person’s appointment. 19(2)(c)

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Regulations’), and associated requirements

For appointments from 1 May 2007 only, in the case of any person for whom, by reason of living or having lived outside the United Kingdom, obtaining a criminal records certificate is not sufficient to establish his or her suitability to work in a school, ensure that further checks have been made as the proprietor considers appropriate which have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State. 19(2)(d)

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Regulations’), and associated requirements

Ensure that suitable changing accommodation and showers are provided for students aged 11 years or over at the start of the school year who receive physical education. 23(A)(1)(c) Emergency inspection: StreetVibes Media Academy, 27 June 2013 3 of 5

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Inspection team

Michael Best, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 StreetVibes Media Academy is a small independent special day school which has been established on its current site in south London since January 2010. It is run as a non- profit-making organisation and receives funding from a number of organisations, including Youth Music, Children in Need and the Skills Funding Agency. The school seeks to provide education in music and creative media for young people, and these underpin the curriculum. All students have a history of disrupted education and personal development or have displayed challenging behaviour.  The school is registered to provide up to 40 places per day, for students aged between 13 and 19. There are currently 38 students on roll, all between 14 and 16 years of age. Four students attend the school full time and a further 34, who are registered at other local schools, attend on a part-time basis for one or more sessions per week.  All students are placed by local schools or directly by local authority exclusion panels.

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Information about this school

One full-time student has a statement of special educational needs. Sixteen part-time students have statements of special educational needs. In addition to its provision for these students, the school provides holiday and after-school activities for young people from the local community as well as its own students; these were not the subject of this inspection.  The school’s first inspection by Ofsted since becoming registered as an independent school in 2010 was in 2011. It met all the requirements for continued registration as an independent school and was judged to provide a good quality of education that was relevant to the needs of its students. Emergency inspection: StreetVibes Media Academy, 27 June 2013 4 of 5

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School details

Unique reference number 136100 Inspection number 427615 DfE registration number 203/6041 Type of school Special day school School status Independent School Age range of pupils 13–19 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 38 Number of part time pupils 34 Proprietors Sonia Ramanah and Orlando Clement Chair Ian Elwick Headteacher Orlando Clement Date of previous school inspection 23 March 2011 Annual fees (day pupils) £10,426 Telephone number 020 3031 8240 Fax number 0208 850 2941. Email address info@streetvibes.org Emergency inspection: StreetVibes Media Academy, 27 June 2013 5 of 5

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School details

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School details

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School details

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School details

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School details

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School details

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