Fosse Way School

Fosse Way School, Longfellow Road, RADSTOCK, BA3 3AL

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding 1

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

● The quality of the boarding provision is outstanding, due to the excellent and effective relationship staff build with the boarders in their care. This foundation enables the boarders to make excellent progress form their starting point in all aspects of their lives. ● Staff are excellent at communicating with parents, carers and fellow professionals. This includes education staff at the school. This approach enables the team to develop cohesive effective plans which ensures boarders receive consistent holistic care which meets their identified needs. ● The school is an inclusive environment, which celebrates the individual and provides them with good opportunities for growth and development. This includes increasing the confidence within the community. ● The staff team are driven to provide outstanding care for the boarders. They effectively monitor and review their practices to ensure this. They also are proactive at developing

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The residential provision is outstanding because

new research and innovations into their practices. This has led to them becoming leaders in their field. They are also committed to sharing these innovative developments with others. ● Detailed individual care plans are developed to meet boarders identified needs. These are frequently reviewed and updated they reflect the boarders current situation and to detail progress. ● The school effectively monitors and evaluates all the work they do. This evaluation provides a true reflection of the school and is used to develop future practice. ● The school has excellent systems for consulting with and involvement of young people in all aspects of their care and the day to day life at the school. Inspection Report Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 2 of 12

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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 Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 3 of 12

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Inspection team

Wendy Anderson Lead social care inspector Inspection Report Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 4 of 12

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Information about this school

The school is a Academy special school, located in the town of Radstock. It provides education for 198 aged 3 to 19 years who have a statement of special educational need. In addition, it offers weekly residential provision for up to 12 pupils of either gender who have autistic spectrum needs. Whilst the majority of these pupils will be between 11 and 18 years of age, where appropriate, accommodation may be made available to those up to 19. The residential provision forms part of the main school building. The residential provision was last inspected in March 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

● Develop the current appraisal system to include specific sections on work undertaken in the boarding provision. Inspection Report Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 5 of 12

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Outcomes for boarders are outstanding. The school is a highly inclusive community where staff have high aspirations for the boarders and support them to achieve these. The school's commitment to equality and diversity is evident throughout their practice and the policies and procedures support this.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Exceptional relationships are developed between the young people and staff. These are based on respect, trust and the teams in depth understanding of the boarders' individual needs.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Boarders make outstanding progress in all aspect of their lives from their starting point at the school. Recently the local press had the story of one boarder whose family were told their child would not achieve anything. This boarder has proved these people wrong. They have a job and are a valued part of the community.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Boarders develop excellent independence skills and are very well prepared for the next stage of their lives.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Boarders have a very strong affiliation to the boarding house. They really enjoy their time there. In the boarding house there is a lot of laughter and there is a very relaxed nurturing atmosphere.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Boarders are fully involved with their care planning and they are supported to make a significant contribution to their living environment and everything that happens in boarding. Boarders are very proud of their boarding house. Boarders said ‘it’s great I love coming here’, ‘there is so much to do’, ‘staff look after me really well’, ‘I have made lots of friends’ and ‘I have learnt so much here’.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Boarders take part in an exceptional range of activities. Due to the staff levels these can be group or individual activities. Boarders are also involved in activities and work within the local community. This helps them develop their social skills and networking abilities.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Boarders are enabled by staff to lead a healthy life style. This includes developing their sense of danger and strategies to keep themselves safe. This work links to the independence work the team undertake with the boarders.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Boarders benefit from living in an outstanding highly inclusive boarding community. The excellent pastoral arrangements provide boarders with outstanding individualised supports in all aspects of their lives. This work is based on the exceptional relationship the staff have built with the boarders they care for. These relationships are based on trust and respect. This coupled with the staff’s detailed understanding of boarders individual needs especially their individual communication needs and methods ensure boarders receive an outstanding level of care. The staff team are an exceptional group of people who are very child focused. They are committed to achieving the best for the young people they care for and proactive in developing their skills to further improve the work they do.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

The school is a centre of excellence in the provision of specialist education. As a result, the staff are experts in this field and have disseminated their expertise to other providers. The staff team have a strong drive to continually improve their practice. They are innovate in their approaches and robustly scrutinise they work they undertake so as to achieve the best out comes possible for the boarders. Inspection Report Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 6 of 12 The school has an excellent admission and induction process for new boarders. This process is managed very sensitively and at the pace of the young person and their families. Parents spoke very highly of this work saying that it made them feel comfortable and gave them confidence in the staff team. During the induction a detailed assessment is completed which leads to boarders receiving individualised care based on their identified needs. Extremely detailed care plans give

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

staff a thorough understanding how to meet the boarders individual needs including how to carry out the personal care needs of young people including their preferred carer and the products they like to use. These plans are frequently reviewed and updated to reflect the boarder’s current situation and to evaluate progress. These care plans are shared across the school campus to ensure consistency of care. In addition boarders are able to access a range on site additional support services such as speech and language therapists.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Residential and education staff work extremely effectively to provide boarders with a true 24 hour curriculum. This provides the boarders with cohesive and consistent care and support. This is particularly important for boarders as many of them do not cope well with change or transition. This coordinate approach greatly reduces boarders' anxiety.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

All staff at the school have high expectations for the young people in their care. This is not only focused on their academic achievements but also on their social and personal development. Boarders are able to be involved in an excellent range of activities. These are not only fun but also built on boarders self-confidence, self-esteem coordination and motor skills. They are very involved in the local community and community projects. This develops their understanding of the wider community in which they live and the importance of being an effective member of that community. In addition some of the activities are linked to building on boarder’s independence skills which will benefit them in later life. Staff have recently developed an evaluation tool for all activities the boarders undertake to look at how effective the activities are in enhancing boarders development. Staff then use this information to further develop the activity plans.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Boarders are able to choose what activities they take part in and they are encouraged and supported by staff to put forward ideas for activities. A recent development at the school has been an evaluation tool for all activities the boarders take part in to judge the quality and effectiveness of this provision.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Consultation with boarders is one of the key strengths of the school. This consultation takes place across all aspects of the young person's care and day to day life within the boarding facility. This approach provides the boarders with a real sense of ownership of the boarding facility. They are very proud of their boarding house and love being there.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Boarder’s health care and medical needs are exceptionally well managed. Staff have developed a very robust system for the signing in and out of medication which safeguards boarders. This is supported by comprehensive records of any medication administered. Young people remain registered with their own doctors and dentists, and parents retain primary responsibility for meeting their child's routine health needs. The staff are trained in first aid and they also receive further training in additional health issues relating to the young person they care for.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

The quality of the school’s catering arrangements is of a high standard. Menus demonstrate a healthy, balanced and suitably varied diet for young people, and allow for specific dietary needs as well as likes and dislikes. These have improved since the last inspection as the school commissioned an external nutritionist to evaluate their menus and has acted upon their recommendations. In addition all of the boarder’s meals outside of the education day are now taken up in the boarding provision. This provides them with a relaxed family style environment in which to dine. Boarders are encouraged to be involved in the preparation of these meals which develops their independence skills. Inspection Report Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 7 of 12 The accommodation is of a high standard and provides young people with a comfortable, homely, nurturing, safe environment in which to live, grow and develop. Since the last inspection there

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

has been a substantial investment to improve the standard of the boarding accommodation. There is ample communal space for the number of boarders and each young person has their own bedroom. Boarders are also able to access the school swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool and sport equipment. Maintenance issues are addressed promptly so that the accommodation is well maintained.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Young people board Monday to Friday and then return home at the end of the educational day on Friday. Parents are kept well informed by the staff on what their child has been doing. This is done through the home/school book and also by frequent phone contact and emails. Parents spoke extremely positively about the staff team. They praised them for not only the support they gave to their children but also the support they gave them. Parents commented on the changes they have seen in their children. One said their child was now a lot calmer and more patient. Another said ‘I can’t praise the place enough, it’s fantastic’.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

All national minimum standards are met with the majority being exceeded.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

Boarder’s safety is central to all work undertaken at the school. Staff have a comprehensive understanding of the additional vulnerabilities of the boarders they have in their care. This approach is supported by robust policies and procedures which are closely adhered to and comprehensive records which demonstrate this.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

The school has excellent recruitment and vetting procedures which are strictly adhered to. This ensures boarders are protected from adults who could potentially cause them harm. The staff see this as the first step and foundation of safeguarding the boarders.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

All staff receive an excellent standard of safeguarding training. This is frequently updated to ensure their knowledge is in line with current practices. A significant proportion of the senior staff team have been trained to a higher level in the area of safeguarding. These staff have management roles which include supervision of staff and their practices. Due to the responsibilities attached to this role is it felt to be essential for them to have a more in-depth knowledge of safeguarding. Individual work is undertaken with young people on keeping themselves safe. This is important as the majority of young people are very vulnerable and very trusting of adults.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

The team have very effective working relationship with fellow professional including the Local Authority Designated Officer. Staff are proactive and responsive to any concerns they may have. They share information effectively on a need to know bases. Staff take their role in this area very seriously and are champions for the boarder’s safety and welfare.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

Exceptional behaviour management strategies are in place with their main focus being on reinforcement of positive behaviours. Individual behaviour strategies are developed for each boarder. These plans are extremely detailed and demonstrate the staffs in-depth understanding of the individual boarders they care for. Behavioural plans are shared across the school site to promote consistency. The plans are kept under review so they remain current and effective. In addition these plans and other related records are monitored by a member of staff who takes the lead in behavioural matters. This process means any lack of clarity or lack of information is swiftly addressed. This member of staff also evaluates all behavioural records for their effectiveness. Behaviour seen throughout the inspection was excellent. Staff receive training in the school chosen method of physical intervention which is regularly updated. Physical restraint is very

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

Inspection Report Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 8 of 12 rarely used as it is seen as a last resort approach.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

The issue of bullying forms part of the work undertaken in the personal, health and social education sessions. Tolerance and acceptance of other is part of the schools ethos. Staff receive training in this area and this is supported by clear policies and procedures which are adhered to in practice. Bully is not seen as an issue by boarders.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

Boarders thrive in a safe, nurturing environment. Effective excellent risk assessments enable the staff to keep boarder safe. These are regularly reviewed, updated and monitored for effectiveness. This process means they provide evidence of the boarder’s development and progress. These are supported by excellent fire and health and safety systems.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

All national minimum standards are met with the majority being exceeded.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

The leadership and management of the boarding provision is outstanding. The boarding provision is at the heart of the school despite it catering for a small number of the school’s population.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

All of the boarding staff and the leaders of the school are very committed to and enthusiastic about the value of the boarding provision. It is seen as an area of excellence due to the huge impact it has on the lives of the boarders especially their personal and social development. The staff have very high expectations and aspirations of the boarders they care for and are committed in enabling them to reach their full potential. In addition their have very high expectations for themselves. This drives them on to research and develop new and innovative ways of working to benefit the boarders.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

The school has effective and robust evaluation systems in place to monitor their performance. They consistently drive forward improvement in pursuit of excellence. The team have already undertaken work and developed an action plan to address the new National Minimum Standards. Standing still is not an option for them. They consistently ask themselves ‘what next, how can we improve’.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

Senior staff are very well trained and very experienced. The staff team speak very highly of their managers particularly the Head of Care. The staff team feel very well supported by their managers both formally and informally. Staff have annual supervision. Although work undertaken in boarding forms part of this it is not looked at as a specific piece of work for those staff who work in both parts of the school.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

The staff team themselves are very experienced. The majority of them have worked at the school for a number of years but they are by no means staid in their approach. Professional development is seen as key to providing effective care for the boarders.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

There are excellent systems in place for communicating with parents and carers, which they really value. One parent said ’they have helped me so mush. I don’t worry or stress about my child as I know they are safe and really well cared for’. Another praised the staff saying ‘since being in boarding my child has been able to do so many different activities. This has helped me do more with my child at weekends and holidays’.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

All the required policies and procedures are in place and adhered too in practice. There are all regularly reviewed and updated in light of changes to legislation. Consultation with young people and parents also inform the development of policies and procedures as do lessons from events at the school. Inspection Report Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 9 of 12 The school provides parents and young people with excellent written and pictorial information about the house, which summarizes the Statement of Principles and Practice. This information covers all the required areas and reflects current practice at the school

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

The school maintains all the required records and these are securely stored. Inspection Report Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 10 of 12

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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 Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 11 of 12

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School details

Unique reference number 137493 Social care unique reference number SC041476 DfE registration number 800/7035

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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 Special Academy Converter Number of boarders on roll 11 Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 11 to 19 Headteacher Mr Justin Philcox Date of previous boarding inspection 27/03/2014 Telephone number 01761 412 198 Email address office@fossewayschool.com Inspection Report Fosse Way School, 06/03/2015 Page 12 of 12 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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