More House School

More House School, Moons Hill, Frensham, FARNHAM, Surrey, GU10 3AP

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Inspection dates 04/03/2014 to 06/03/2014

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding 51

Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding 1 Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding 1 Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding 1

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The residential provision is outstanding because

● Overall effectiveness is outstanding. The residential provision is a totally integrated aspect of the school's operation which contributes remarkably effectively to the personal, social, and educational development of each boarder. 'Thank you for giving me my future', is a comment from a boarder who left last year which highlights the tremendously significant and positive impact that the boarding and whole school experience is having on pupils. 'I could hardly read or write when I arrived', was a comment from a boarder who is now going on to university in September 2014. Boarders benefit tremendously from extremely close working relationships across all departments within the school which ensure there is a co-ordinated and consistent approach to addressing their individual needs. The school never stands still and there is a clear and continuing commitment to developing and improving the provision for the benefit of all

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The residential provision is outstanding because

pupils. Parents value the service the school provides extremely highly. ● Outcomes for boarding pupils are outstanding. They identify strongly with a highly inclusive boarding community, are extremely happy living there, and have excellent relationships with the staff who care for them. Boarders make highly significant developments in different areas of their lives. These include making and sustaining friendships (sometimes for the first time), becoming more confident socially, having greater self-esteem, developing an understanding of the needs of others, and acquiring new skills such as playing an instrument or becoming a bell ringer. Pupils across the school have extremely positive attitudes to learning and this is fully supported and facilitated within the boarding provision. ● Arrangements for ensuring the safety of boarding pupils are outstanding. Pupil safety is central to practice and maintains a continually high profile across the school. The school

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The residential provision is outstanding because

provides a safe and secure physical environment for boarders within which they feel safe and where there is exceptionally good provision for the management of risk. There is an extremely high awareness of safeguarding responsibilities throughout the school, with the governing body providing rigorous monitoring. There are established links with the Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 2 of 11 local safeguarding children board and robust policies and procedures which support and promote good practice across the school. Boarding staff receive regular safeguarding training and have an excellent understanding of safe working practice and the action to take should any concerns arise. ● Promoting the well-being of boarders is central to how the school operates. Staff actively promote healthy lifestyles and there is exceptionally good provision for addressing both the routine and specific health needs of individual boarders. Qualified nurses provide an

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The residential provision is outstanding because

excellent service for pupils and collaborative working across departments is being highly effective in promoting the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of pupils. Catering arrangements for boarders are remarkably good with high quality nutritious meals being provided, and individual dietary requirements being met extremely well. Boarding accommodation is of a very good standard and the wider school provides outstanding facilities for boarders. ● There is outstanding provision for leadership and management. A dedicated and experienced head of boarding provides extremely effective and efficient leadership of a highly trained and exceptionally well-qualified team of boarding staff who all live within the boarding accommodation during term time. Communication across departments within the school is excellent with daily meetings taking place and a database providing easy access to information and the ability to communicate throughout the school as

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The residential provision is outstanding because

necessary. The governing body are very actively involved in the school and make provision for regular and rigorous monitoring. The school meets all of the national minimum standards and has satisfactorily addressed the two points for improvement from the previous inspection. Two further points for improvement identified relate to a need for more detailed recording in some instances, and a more structured approach to be adopted in relation to the acquisition of life skills for older pupils.

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Compliance with the national minimum standards for residential special schools

The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 3 of 11

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was conducted by two inspectors. The school had three hours notice of inspection. Young people, a wide range of staff and several external stakeholders contributed to the inspection.

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Inspection team

Brian Mcquoid Lead social care inspector David Coulter Social care inspector Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 4 of 11

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Information about this school

More House School is an independent Catholic foundation school, occupying a large self- contained site in a rural setting on the borders of Frensham Common, Surrey. It is open to boys of any faith, aged eight to 18, with residential accommodation for up to 106. At the time of the inspection there were 98 boarders aged from 10 to 18.

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Information about this school

The school provides individualised learning programmes for boys who have specific learning difficulties and/or social communication/speech and language difficulties within the average range of ability.

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Information about this school

Day, weekly and full boarding places are provided. Boarding facilities are split between the juniors in the Main House and the seniors in St Anthony's.

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Information about this school

More House is registered and inspected by Crested (The Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils). It appears in the Crested category of 'SP' Schools. It is also a member of the Independent Schools' Association and the Boarding Schools' Association.

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Information about this school

The last inspection took place in July 2012.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

● ensure detailed recording in relation to concerns which are not child protection related, and which provides a clear audit trail of action taken by the school. ● adopt a more structured approach to the provision for older pupils to acquire life skills in preparation for independent living. Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 5 of 11

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Outcomes for residential pupils at the school are outstanding. Boys who have frequently had a disrupted and dysfunctional educational history form a strong sense of identity in a boarding community where they are happy, feel safe and develop extremely positive relationships with their peers and the staff who care for them. Boarding at the school provides a wholly inclusive and supportive environment. Pupils continue to receive support to address their own difficulties while learning a tolerance and understanding of others. They make new friends, grow in confidence, develop socially, take on roles of responsibility, and become more independent. 'The school has helped me so much', remarked one pupil amongst a large group who all agreed that the school was making a real difference in their lives. 'He loves going to school and is definitely more social and more confident', commented one parent, while another remarked that her son

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

was 'much calmer, less anxious, and more grown up', since being at the school. The overall responses from parents were extremely positive with 100% saying that they would recommend the school to another parent.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

The behaviour of boarders is excellent. They show consideration and respect for others while the older pupils are provided with remarkable opportunities to take on responsibilities and develop their leadership skills. The boarding prefects complete certificated training in a number of areas, and undertake certain duties within boarding time such as running activities for younger pupils, helping them to prepare for bedtime and reading them stories. This initiative is part of a structured approach which operates across the school and provides opportunities also during the school day for older pupils to undertake specific training, develop a sense of responsibility, and support others. The school supports several charities and has an established partnership with a school in Tanzania. Pupils regularly take part in fund raising activities during the school year, and during 2013 two groups of pupils, including boarders, embarked on a World Challenge expedition

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

to Tanzania. Funds had been raised by the school to provide vital medical training in the area and while there pupils also assisted with the construction of a new classroom for the school. In addition they also completed the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Displays within the school celebrate this fantastic achievement.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Seeking the views of pupils is central to practice within the school. Opportunities to influence matters are provided by a school council, food committee, and boarding council, all of which were reported by pupils to operate very effectively. Changes to the menu, the re-structuring of evening routines, and the purchasing of new artwork for the boarding houses are some examples of how the views of boarders have influenced how the school operates. The views of pupils are also being actively considered in relation to how the school's forthcoming 75th anniversary should be celebrated. Outcomes for boarding pupils leaving the school are exceedingly good. Excellent support, information, and guidance is provided by both school and boarding staff which helps to equip them extremely well for the future. Boarders have typically gained apprenticeships, or have gone on to either college or university places. There are lots of opportunities for the older

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

boarders to take on responsibilities, develop leadership skills, and to become more independent. The acquisition of life skills however is an area which could benefit from a more formalised and structured approach, and this is recommended to the school as a point for improvement.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

The quality of the school's residential provision and the care provided are outstanding. The quality of pastoral support for boarders is excellent and begins from the moment they arrive for their initial overnight boarding assessment. Comments from boarders and parents highlight how well new pupils are supported. 'The staff are brilliant and he has settled in better than could ever Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 6 of 11 have been expected', commented one parent while another reported, 'he has settled in so well'. Excellent systems for obtaining information on prospective pupils and very thorough initial assessments across departments help to inform highly individual plans for addressing the needs of each boarding pupil. Plans are subject to regular review and exceptionally good communication across the school contributes highly effectively to the personal, social, and educational

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

development of each boarding pupil. Parents have excellent access to the school's database to be able to view the status of their child's progress.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Boarders participate in an extremely wide range of extra-curricular activities which are both fun and which encourage and facilitate their personal and social development. Activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, photo shop skills, rock climbing, gardening, judo, magic, discovery centre, and a jazz band, are just some of over 40 opportunities for pupils to enjoy themselves, develop new skills, have new experiences and extend their learning. Boarders also have regular trips out both during the week and at weekends which have included going to the cinema, bowling, watching a professional football match, swimming, and attending live music events. There is also a boarders party organised at the end of each term which is much enjoyed by all. 'Boarding is going from strength to strength', and 'the activities in boarding just get better and better', were comments included in letters of appreciation from parents recently received by

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Provision for health care and for promoting the health and well being of boarders is excellent. A team of qualified nurses provide cover each school day with boarders having access to them from 8am to 6 pm. There is also an established and valuable working relationship with the local General Practitioner who visits the school weekly to hold surgeries. The nurses provide an outstanding service for pupils. They are highly sensitive to individual needs and actively promote different aspects of health throughout the school year. All boarding staff are first aid trained and have also received training in the administration of medication. Arrangements for the management and administration of medication are excellent and seen to reflect best practice. Healthy lifestyles are actively promoted within the boarding community. Boarders enjoy healthy and nutritious meals of a very high standard and are active participants in an extensive range of

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

activities which contribute very effectively to their physical and emotional well being.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Boarding houses at the school provide safe, very comfortable and extremely well maintained accommodation which is furnished to a high standard and which is made as homely as possible with lots of personalised touches. A rolling programme of refurbishment has since the previous inspection seen a number of the toilet and bathroom facilities upgraded to an extremely high standard. With the head of boarding and all boarding staff living within the boarding houses there is a clear sense of community and a welcoming atmosphere within which social interaction is actively promoted. Both the boarding houses and the wider school provide all boarders with access to a remarkable range of high quality facilities which both support their development and enable them to have fun and enjoy themselves. There is excellent access to methods of communication for contacting parents and families. Telephones, e-mail, Skype and personal

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

Provision for ensuring the safety of residential pupils at the school is outstanding. Pupil welfare is central to practice across the school, and all policies and procedures relating to aspects of safeguarding are being rigorously implemented. Boarding houses provide a safe and secure environment where boarders feel safe and parents feel entirely confident that their children are being safely cared for. There have been no child protection concerns since the previous inspection and no incidents of any boarder being reported as missing. The school has an established and positive working relationship with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), all boarding staff are highly trained in relation to safeguarding matters, and the school is Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 7 of 11 exceptionally proactive in keeping abreast of professional developments in relation to the field of

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

The schools designated persons with responsibility for child protection have completed training specific to the role and have established excellent systems for recording and monitoring any identified concerns. These systems would benefit from wider use in relation to pupil behaviour and this is a point for improvement recommended to the school. Since the previous inspection three governors have received additional safeguarding training and now meet every half term with the designated persons to provide rigorous monitoring in relation to safeguarding. Boarding prefects receive internally certificated training in safeguarding and child protection, while the school also provides invaluable information for parents which includes an e-safety parent guide. All pupils across the school receive excellent information, guidance, and education about personal safety and the safe use of the internet and associated devices. Recruitment procedures are being

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

effectively implemented with the appropriate vetting of potential staff being carried out as required.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

The school successfully implements a 'behaviour for learning' policy across the school. Excellent communication and information sharing facilitates a highly consistent approach to understanding and managing individual pupils behaviour which benefits them greatly. Boarding pupils are in general exceptionally well behaved and very supportive of one another. Bullying is not a significant issue amongst the boarding community and any instances are dealt with effectively by staff. A rewards and consequences system operates across all aspects of school life and celebrating the success of pupils is an integral and important aspect of life at the school. Restraint is very seldom used within the school, however since the previous inspection designated staff have received specific training in behaviour management which included the use of physical intervention techniques. Sixth form boarding prefects effectively undertake specific duties during

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

boarding time, acting as role models for the younger pupils and providing support for them when necessary. They receive regular support for their role and have no powers to issue sanctions of any kind.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

The school provides a safe and secure physical environment for boarders where there is excellent provision for the management of risk associated with the premises, and all activities undertaken by them both on and off-site. Health and safety arrangements are highly effective with written risk assessments being regularly reviewed. Comprehensive procedures are followed to ensure the safety of pupils when undertaking hazardous pursuits such as rock climbing or trips overseas such as the trip to Africa during the summer of 2013. Provision for fire safety within the boarding accommodation is excellent with all checks and tests being carried out as required and fire evacuation practices being held regularly.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

The leadership and management of the residential provision are outstanding. The head of boarding is a key member of the school's senior management team and provides excellent leadership of a dedicated team of boarding staff. The aims of boarding are clearly stated in what is excellent and accessible information provided for parents and prospective pupils, including an extremely informative website. Well established operational systems are being implemented highly effectively, with the boarding houses running extremely smoothly. They provide a safe and inclusive environment for pupils within which their individual needs are being met extremely well. Communication across the school is exceedingly good with daily inter-departmental meetings and Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 8 of 11 an excellent database contributing to the appropriate sharing of information. Parents describe having excellent communication with the school while also being able to access certain

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

information on the school database regarding their children.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

Staffing arrangements in the residential provision are remarkably good. A highly qualified and exceptionally well trained staff group operate extremely effectively as a team and receive excellent support from the head of boarding. All boarding staff undertake a comprehensive induction and then go on to complete the 'Professional Diploma' with the Boarding Schools Association, with whom the school is registered. Formal supervision is provided regularly as part of professional development plans with staff receiving high quality training which enables them to work successfully with boarding pupils. Since the previous inspection a boarding staff professional library has been introduced enabling staff to keep up to date with developments within boarding. The head of boarding and all boarding staff live within the boarding accommodation during term time thus providing excellent access to support should it be necessary and contributing to a real

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

sense of community across the boarding houses. Staffing levels ensure there is appropriate support and supervision for pupils at all times.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

The school demonstrates a clear and very strong commitment to the continuing development and improvement of the residential provision and the overall service provided for pupils across the school. There have been numerous developments within the boarding provision since the last inspection. These include improved security arrangements, the refurbishment of shower and toilet facilities, the introduction of a 'boarders council', bigger and better common room facilities, the introduction of Skype into both boarding houses, and improved provision for safeguarding. The governing body play a very active role within the school and are providing highly effective and rigorous monitoring of the boarding provision and the welfare of boarding pupils. All policy and procedural documents are kept up to date and successfully support and promote good practice across the school. There is rigorous self-evaluation which drives improvement throughout

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

the school and the views of boarders are central to how the residential provision operates. Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 9 of 11

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding A school which provides an exceptional quality of care and significantly exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 2 Good A school which provides a high quality of care that exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 3 Adequate A school which meets minimum requirements but needs to improve the quality of care it provides. Grade 4 Inadequate A school where minimum requirements are not met and the quality of care has serious weaknesses. Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 10 of 11

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School details

Unique reference number 125403 Social care unique reference number SC013927 DfE registration number 936/6420

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School details

This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

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Type of school

Number of boarders on roll 98 Gender of boarders Boys Age range of boarders 10 to 18 Headteacher Mr Barry Huggett Date of previous boarding inspection 03/07/2012 Telephone number 01252 792303 Email address hadmasterspa@morehouseschool.co.uk Inspection Report More House School, 04/03/2014 Page 11 of 11 guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Type of school

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Type of school

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Type of school

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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

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Type of school

please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of school

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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