Grateley House School

Grateley House School, Pond Lane, Grateley, ANDOVER, Hampshire, SP11 8TA

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Inspection dates 01/12/2014 to 03/12/2014

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Overall effectiveness Good 2

Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding 1 Residential pupils’ safety Good 2 Leadership and management of the residential provision Good 2

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The residential provision is good because

● Residential pupils make outstanding progress with their social and personal development goals. A particular strength of the residential provision is the excellent preparation pupils receive in planning for independence and adulthood. ● Throughout the residential provision, and within the whole school environment, an ethos of mutual respect and understanding is present. Residential pupils describe the school as 'like a family'. Matters relating to equality and diversity are effectively identified and well- celebrated across the school. ● Leadership and management arrangements within the school are good. The residential provision is a fundamental part of the school and staff fully understand their individual roles in meeting each pupil's unique needs. ● Safeguarding arrangements within the school are good. Shortfalls have been identified in the planning for new residential pupils who may display risk taking behaviours. One

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The residential provision is good because

allegation against a member of staff was not considered in line with the school's own safeguarding policy. This compromises otherwise good safeguarding procedures within the school. ● Residential pupils feel safe in their residential accommodation and in the school. They build meaningful and trusting relationships with staff which enables them to achieve outstanding outcomes.

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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 Grateley House School, 01/12/2014 Page 2 of 10

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was announced in the morning, and two social care inspectors arrived at the school in the afternoon of the same day. All residential accommodation areas were visited on the main school site. Inspection activities included meeting pupils formally and informally, eating meals with pupils, observing evening activities, meeting the head teacher, meeting a group of residential staff, meeting staff with designated responsibilities such as the school nurse, reviewing the 25 responses submitted on Parent View, considering the responses from the Ofsted surveys received from pupils and staff; and sampling documentation relating to the safety and welfare of residential pupils.

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Inspection team

Anna Williams Lead social care inspector Kevin Whatley Social care inspector Inspection Report Grateley House School, 01/12/2014 Page 3 of 10

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Information about this school

Grateley House is an independent residential special school that is part of the Cambian Group, a national company that specialises in providing residential care and education for young people on the autistic spectrum. The school provides co-educational termly residential care and education for students from 9 to 19 years of age with Asperger’s Syndrome and associated difficulties within the autistic spectrum. There are currently 37 residential pupils within the school who are based in residential accommodation provided in seven separate areas within the main school site. A further 10 residential places are also available within a Care Quality Commission registered home in Salisbury. The school is located within the village of Grateley in Hampshire. The residential provision's last full inspection was in June 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

● ensure all aspects of a residential pupil's risk taking behaviour is fully assessed at the point of admission, with strategies to minimise risk put in place as soon as possible ● ensure all allegations against staff are addressed consistently in line with the school's own safeguarding procedures. Inspection Report Grateley House School, 01/12/2014 Page 4 of 10

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Outcomes for residential pupils are outstanding. Residential pupils are overwhelmingly positive about their boarding experience at this school. They can reflect on their journey through the school and identify how they have built confidence and progressed. Examples of this include pupils who now travel independently, other pupils describe how they have learnt to be more organised and this has helped their learning.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Relationships within the school are harmonious. A residential pupil comments ‘it’s a community here, we all get on Ok together here and we help other people if they need it’. This ethos is prominent throughout the school. A parent comments ‘my child has good friendships with other pupils’. Residential pupils all actively help others and take the initiative in organising regular charity events for local and worldwide causes.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

All residential pupils engage in an extensive range of activities. These include on-site events such as music club, yoga, table tennis, arts and crafts and computer games. A recent addition to the school is a supervised internet club. A residential pupil comments ‘Wi-Fi has been introduced in the dining room now, and there is internet café, it’s brilliant!’ This offers residential pupils a new social space to meet and interact with peers, which is appropriately monitored by staff. At the time of the inspection the school pantomime was being planned and rehearsed. Residential pupils enjoy taking part in this event and the local village community is invited to watch, through invitations delivered locally by pupils.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Residential pupils make regular and active use of nearby leisure facilitates and take part in local events. A parent comments ‘my child does a wide range of activities, like trips to museums, swimming, bowling and tennis’. Some pupils attend local groups and clubs such as drama, martial arts and sports. Residential pupils benefit from new school vehicles which support community access, such as cinema trips, shopping and woodland walks. This offers the pupils opportunity to nurture talents, try new experiences and make new friends outside of the school.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Since the last inspection, exercise bicycles have been introduced into some accommodation areas. Pupils in one of the accommodation areas set a target to cycle the equivalent distance to Land’s End, which they achieved. Three pupils also successfully cycled the London to Brighton cycle race with staff. This promotes pupils’ physical well-being and demonstrates commitment to training and achieving goals.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Residential pupils make excellent progress with individual independence goals. A parent states ‘my child has made good progress with their life skills and is taking the initiative more, wanting to look after themself more’. Pupils engage in regular ‘cook nights’ where they plan, shop for and cook meals. Some residential pupils take on additional designated roles, such as being on the school council or promoting recycling across the school site. They speak positively about having the opportunity to take on these additional responsibilities. As a result, residential pupils are extremely well prepared for their move on from the school.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

The quality of the residential provision is outstanding. Excellent arrangements ensure residential pupils are supported when arriving at the school and when preparing for life away from it. Referrals to the school are carefully considered to ensure the needs of young people can be met. A year round admission process enables residential pupils to move in at a time that is right for them without the need to wait for the start of a term. Detailed planning includes assessing all of their specific educational, behavioural and emotional needs. Visits are made to the young people Inspection Report Grateley House School, 01/12/2014 Page 5 of 10 before they move in which helps reduce the levels of anxieties they may be experiencing. This also enables key staff to start to build up a relationship with each young person and further assess their suitability.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

The school have successfully established 16 plus accommodation for young people aged over 16 on site. Residential pupils see their journey through the school, toward a more independent environment, as both positive and a progression toward adulthood. The school have excellent arrangements to support pupils who are planning on leaving the school, with the school playing a key role in identify appropriate placements for young people and liaising with potential colleges, work placements and accommodation and training providers. Such an approach greatly assists young people in making successful transitions within the school and indeed when moving on from it. The organisation has an adult home registered with the Care Quality Commission in the community and some residential pupils move here when they are aged over 16.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Residential pupils have their physical and medical health care needs met to a high standard. On site medical cover is provided by qualified nurses with very good facilities in place to address first aid, medication and illness. Staff are aware of the on-call system during the weekends and who to contact for advice and guidance. Close links with the local doctors surgery enable residential pupils to access appointments easily. Health care plans highlight the specific needs of residential pupils and how these should be addressed. Where residential pupils have particular issues, such as with their diet, individual plans are put in place to ensure they eat healthily. For example liaising with catering staff to monitor a young person’s daily food intake. Medicines are appropriately stored and administered with only staff who are trained to do so giving them out.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Residential pupils live in refurbished and re-designed accommodation areas. In particular, some accommodation areas have pupil bedrooms which now all have ensuite facilities. This impacts positively on pupil’s privacy. Overall, the accommodation is maintained to an excellent standard. Residential pupils like their own bedroom spaces, and personalise their rooms accordingly. New water coolers offer pupils the ease of access to fresh water from their bedroom corridors, rather than having to walk to kitchen areas. Residential pupils celebrate world and religious events within their accommodation bases by making wall displays and decorations. This celebrates diversity and helps them learn about important world occasions. Residential pupils report they can keep in contact easily with family and friends when at school. This maintains appropriate attachments when away from home.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

The promotion of the 24 hour curriculum is effective and impacts positively on how residential pupils progress. Robust internal reporting systems and daily handovers ensure all required information is appropriately shared between education and care staff and documented. Care planning for each individual pupil is of a high standard and fully involves them. As a result, residential pupils engage well with, and understand, their personal targets and plans. They make significant progress in attaining these.

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

Safeguarding arrangements within the school are good. Residential pupils feel safe in their accommodation areas and across the school as a whole. The importance placed on caring for residential pupil’s safely is embedded in practice across the school.

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

In the majority of cases, the risk taking and challenging behaviours of new pupils are fully assessed prior to admission, and action is taken by the school to address this risk before they arrive. However, opportunities to pro-actively implement risk reduction strategies have not been consistently implemented. Staff have received relevant training some months after the admission of a pupil, and some safety strategies have not been put in place immediately. This has the potential to put young people at risk. Inspection Report Grateley House School, 01/12/2014 Page 6 of 10 The school has robust safeguarding policies and procedures in place which are usually followed in practice. However, on one occasion an allegation made by a residential pupil was not addressed in line with the school's own procedures. This compromises the ability of the school to look for patterns and trends and to take appropriate action. The incidence of residential pupils missing

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

from the school is low and appropriate action is taken if a pupil is absent.

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

All staff, including maintenance and domestic staff, are fully trained in the use of restraint. This thorough approach enables all parties to be aware of what restraints look like and indeed situations where they may be used. The number of actual restraints are generally low with staff only using restraint as a last resort to manage particularly problematic behaviours including violence between residential pupil’s themselves. Good records are kept of such incidents with managers closely monitoring each episode.

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

Detailed data is kept of incidents requiring physical intervention which is then analysed to highlight patterns or themes. This enables the effectiveness of intervention strategies to be assessed and where necessary amended to meet the needs of the residential pupil concerned. Parents comment positively on the impact of behaviour management strategies and in particular the de-brief sessions that staff hold with residential pupils following an incident that assists them to think about their actions. Residential pupils who required staff to intervene regularly to manage their aggressive outbursts have made excellent progress in improving their behaviour. Residential pupils commented that, ‘I have been helped by staff to find the best ways for me to deal with things when I get angry…I now walk away when I get angry’.

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

During the last year the school have adopted a new model of physical intervention. Given the low level of actual restraints that occur the transition to this system has not created any significant problems; the focus of the model remains one of de-escalation whenever possible. This approach has been easily integrated into the existing ethos of the school, which has dialogue and understanding as a core response to dealing with challenging behaviours.

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

Levels of bullying are low. The culture of the school is one where residential pupils are continually encouraged to appreciate difference and the needs of others. The school adopt a strong anti- bullying stance which ensures relevant issues are highlighted throughout the year. Good links are made through the PSHE curriculum to engage all young people within the school in debate regarding tolerance, rights, responsibilities and friendships. When bullying type behaviours do occur residential pupils are given firm messages that such behaviour will not be tolerated. At the same time they are supported to address their actions which includes staff working closely with their parents or carers. Each residential house has a designated anti-bullying representative whom other pupils can go to if they have concerns. Aside from holding regular meetings and creating displays for annual anti-bullying week, pupil representatives have recently attended an

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

anti-bullying conference alongside other school children from across the region. An annual bullying survey is completed by the school with no concerns raised by residential pupils in the most recent study. No residential pupil raised concerns with the inspectors that bullying was a problem in the school.

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

Recruitment and vetting checks for staff are robust. Clear records are kept of how safe recruitment decisions are made. This protects residential pupils from unsuitable adults working within the school. Residential pupils were actively and appropriately involved in the recent recruitment of the future head teacher of the school. This demonstrates to pupils that their views are considered across all aspects of the school.

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Residential pupils’ safety Good

An excellent approach ensures residential pupils and staff alike live in an environment where health and safety is given a high priority. Extremely robust systems are in place which consider existing and developing risks. Routine assessments are completed on school buildings, their Inspection Report Grateley House School, 01/12/2014 Page 7 of 10 grounds and any additional hazards with actions taken to reduce them further. For instance by installing extra fencing to address the potential risk posed by the nearby railway line. The school employ the services of experts to undertake regular risk assessments of the whole environment, including fire safety consultants. The school’s internal processes incorporate the testing of fire safety equipment and alarms with regular evacuation drills taking place during the day and night. As a result, residential pupils stay in hazard free and safe accommodation.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Good

The leadership and management of the residential provision is good. Shortfalls identified in the safeguarding of residential pupils within the school have impacted on the leadership and management judgement. Internal monitoring systems had not identified these matters prior to this inspection. The statement of principles and practice is fully implemented in the day-to-day running of the school and residential provision. The overall school aims and objectives, and the benefits to pupils of the residential experience on offer, is embedded throughout the school. Residential, education, therapy staff and all school employees recognise their personal role in achieving these aims for each individual pupil.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Good

Generally robust monitoring procedures ensure the quality of residential care is routinely assessed. Managers routinely review records relating to boarding provision which enables them to form an accurate picture of the care being provided. This includes monitoring restraint, complaints and sanctions records and analysing their effectiveness and impact. Additional monitoring visits are completed half termly by a suitably independent person. These visits provide an appropriate and objective critique of service provision that assist the management team to further assess the strengths and weaknesses of residential care. There were no breaches of national minimum standards or points to improve from the previous inspection.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Good

Records kept are of an excellent standard. They demonstrate clearly the outstanding progress each residential pupil makes, in relation to individual pupil’s starting points. Pupils are encouraged to, and do, add their own comments to their personal records appropriately. The views of residential pupils are at the centre of decision making within the school, with opinions and ideas fully considered and acted upon. For example, a new ‘textline’ for pupils is now fully functioning after a suggestion from a pupil. This offers residential pupils the ability to text message care staff on a central number which is monitored daily. Residential pupils feel their views are listened to by staff through a variety of forums such as circle time, house meetings, food council and school council. Residential pupils know how to complain and all their comments are suitably looked into and addressed.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Good

Managers ensure parents and carers are fully informed of the progress and developments of their child. A parent comments ‘the key worker staff are open and free to talk to about my child’s progress and how they have been’. Parents are invited to the school for formal meetings to discuss wider school developments. Weekly telephone calls from care staff to parents and carers ensure everyone is kept up-to-date with any events in the week and achievements made.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Good

Staff receive good quality, regular, structured support, guidance and appraisal. As a result, the care provided to the residential pupils remains of a high standard. One staff comments ‘I feel my job is really rewarding’. New staff feel well-prepared for their new job role due to a thorough induction package. Staff receive regular training in key safe caring topics such as safeguarding, and medication administration. This provides them with the skills necessary to care for the individual needs of residential pupils at the school. Inspection Report Grateley House School, 01/12/2014 Page 8 of 10

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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 Grateley House School, 01/12/2014 Page 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 116588 Social care unique reference number SC012450 DfE registration number 850/6058

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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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School details

Type of school Independent Residential Special School Number of boarders on roll 37 Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 9 to 19 Headteacher Mrs Susan Elizabeth King Date of previous boarding inspection 12/06/2013 Telephone number 01264 889751 Email address grateley.admin@cambiangroup.com Inspection Report Grateley House School, 01/12/2014 Page 10 of 10 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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School details

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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School details

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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School details

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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School details

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School details

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

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