Park View Academy

Progress monitoring school report Park View Academy

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146-148 Parkview Road, Welling, DA16 1SR

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Context of the inspection

 This inspection was undertaken at the request of the registration authority for independent schools in order to monitor the progress the school has made in implementing its action plan.  At its last full inspection in June 2013, the school was judged to be inadequate. Progress monitoring visits were made in February 2014 and October 2014. These found unmet standards for independent schools. The school’s most recent action plan was submitted to the Department for Education in December 2014 and was found to require improvement.

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Quality of education

 The most recent monitoring inspection judged that the school was not providing appropriate careers guidance. This meant that students did not understand the links between their courses of study and possible future pathways. The school has taken suitable action to tackle this shortcoming. The action plan outlined ways in which the requirement for careers guidance for students in Years 10 to 13 would be met. It did not provide information on how the school intended to address the needs of younger students in this regard. However, all students, including those at Key Stage 3, now receive weekly lessons focusing on developing skills relevant to working life and thinking about options for their future. These courses are appropriate to their age and aptitude and nationally accredited. The school has commissioned an independent careers adviser to provide individual advice and guidance to students. A careers

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Quality of education

education policy has been developed. The standard relating to the provision of careers guidance is now met.  The school has continued to develop its schemes of work, and ensured that its curriculum remains broad and balanced. The school has amended its curriculum policy to reflect changes made and to include information about how the school assesses pupils’ achievement.  The full inspection in June 2013 and the first monitoring visit in February 2014 judged that all the independent school standards relating to teaching and assessment were met. However, during the last monitoring visit conducted in October 2014, inspectors found that several of these were no longer met. Teaching was unsatisfactory because a number of new teachers and support staff had not developed a good understanding of the aptitudes and prior attainment of students.  Students are taught individually, in pairs or in small groups. Lesson plans are now recorded on

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Quality of education

a common format and shared with support staff. Where students require an individualised approach, this is recorded on the lesson plan.  Time is managed well in lessons. The school has made significant adaptations to teaching methods to ensure that students now engage with learning as much as possible. Students are motivated to engage in activities which interest them, such as music technology and the setting up of a tuck shop. Where a student has particular difficulty in engaging with an activity, they are given short, timed periods away in order to calm and return, with the support of a member of staff.  The acting headteacher has begun to undertake activities which check the quality of teaching. This work is in its early stages, however, and therefore it is not possible to judge whether this Monitoring report: Park View Academy, 19 May 2015 2 of 5

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Quality of education

has had any impact on the quality of teaching across the school.  Members of staff know the students well and adapt their approach depending on each student’s needs and mood. Teachers are responsible for assessing students on a termly basis in all subject areas. These assessments now inform all teachers’ planning for the coming term.  The school has implemented a system for assessing the attainment and progress of students in every subject on a termly basis. The school uses an external testing system to make sure that teacher assessments are accurate. Records suggest that most students are meeting the targets set by the school, and some are making good progress.  The independent school standards relating to teaching are now met.

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 The monitoring visit in February 2014 found that arrangements for the safeguarding of students were inadequate. At the later monitoring visit in October 2014, improvements had been made, but there were still some omissions from policy documentation which resulted in the standard remaining unmet. The safeguarding policy has been reviewed and revised since the visit in October 2014. School leaders have been proactive in ensuring that the standard is now met. For example, during the long-term absence of one of the designated safeguarding persons, they have ensured that another person has been identified and appropriately trained to fulfil this role. The policy now includes details of how allegations made against the headteacher or proprietor will be managed. A section has been included providing information about how children will learn about staying safe, and how parents will be informed about the policy. The policy includes

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

the time frame and procedure for the reporting of concerns to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) if a member of staff leaves the school during investigation of an allegation of abuse, or is dismissed as a result of an investigation. The current policy is available on the school website. The school has also developed a policy regarding safe use of the internet by students.  There are robust systems in place to record any concerns regarding safeguarding. There are similar systems to record any incidents of inappropriate behaviour and any sanctions imposed. These records are all cross-referenced, where appropriate. Consequently, school leaders are able to consider all the relevant factors when considering any deterioration in behaviour or attitudes.  The school has maintained its rigorous stance when following up any absences. Attendance registers now meet requirements as they record the reasons for all absences of students,

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

including when they are excluded. The standard relating to the maintenance of attendance registers is met.

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The school meets the previously unmet Education (Independent School Standards)

Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. Monitoring report: Park View Academy, 19 May 2015 3 of 5

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Inspection team

Gaynor Roberts, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 Park View Academy is a co-educational special day school registered for 25 students aged seven to 19 years. The school is located in Welling, Kent.  Students experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties. About a third have an autistic spectrum disorder. Most have been excluded, or were at risk of exclusion, from local schools.  There are currently 22 students on roll aged between 11 and 19 years. Four are girls. All have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan and are funded by their local authorities. All attend full time.  The school uses alternative provision for vocational learning, including vehicle maintenance courses. The school uses local facilities for the provision of physical education.  The school was registered in June 2012 and received its first full inspection in June 2013. Monitoring inspections took place in February 2014 and October 2014.

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Information about this school

 The school is currently led by an acting headteacher who joined the school in February 2015.  The proprietor and board of directors overseeing the school also manage similar provision in Leicester and Gravesend, Kent. Monitoring report: Park View Academy, 19 May 2015 4 of 5

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School details

Unique reference number 138386 Inspection number 461238 DfE registration number 303/6000 This inspection was conducted at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. It was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008.

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School details

Type of school Special school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 7–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 22

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Number of part time pupils 0 Proprietor Philip Hoppenbrouwers Headteacher Michelle Lawrence Acting headteacher Dave Bellinger Date of previous school inspection 1 October 2014 Annual fees (day pupils) £37,500 Telephone number 020 8301 2685 Email address info@alpschools.org Monitoring report: Park View Academy, 19 May 2015 5 of 5

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guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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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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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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inspects to 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 and 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 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit

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

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