The Tutorial Foundation

Emergency inspection school report The Tutorial Foundation

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76 Freelands Road, Bromley, Kent, BR1 3HY

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Reason for the inspection

 This inspection was carried out with no notice by an Additional inspector at the request of the Department for Education after receiving a complaint about the school.  The inspector was asked to consider the school’s compliance with regulatory requirements for Independent Schools Standard 3, the welfare, health and safety of students and Standard 8, quality of leadership and management of schools.  The inspector was also asked to look at the school’s safeguarding and behaviour policies, procedures and implementation, ensure that senior leaders at the school deal with incidents in the appropriate manner and effectively promote the well-being of their students, and check whether students are ever locked in rooms for any reason.

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Main findings

 Students join the school, which is a pupil referral unit, at various times of the year and each follows their own tailor-made curriculum.  There are clear induction procedures which revolve around behaviour management and safety and each student is given a tutor and mentor. Students say they know who to go to if they have a problem and that they feel safe in school. However, it is not always clear how those students who are tutored off site are kept safe in accord with the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures.  The school’s safeguarding systems and procedures are not sufficiently robust and, as a result, they render students vulnerable. The safeguarding policy published on the school website, along with other related policy documents, is outdated and the revised version has yet to be agreed by proprietors. Therefore it is not clear which procedures should be followed in the case of any

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Main findings

concerns being raised.  Policies and procedures relating to health and safety, fire safety and first aid are adequate. All staff have had the relevant training.  There is a risk assessment policy and risk assessments are in place for students and for school activities. There are sufficient washrooms, and showers are available at a local leisure centre.  The school has a behaviour policy which promotes positive behaviour and includes an effective system of rewards and sanctions. The policy provides detailed guidance for staff on reconciliation techniques to use when students disagree. All incidents are carefully logged. Where necessary, when challenging behaviours are presented, the school has clear systems in place to manage this and uses outside support. The inspector was satisfied that students are never locked in rooms.  At times when privacy is required, the headteacher may lock the door to her room to avoid

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Main findings

intrusions. This is because the nature of the students’ difficulties might lead them to wander into her room during an important meeting.  The school keeps detailed records of attendance and there are many persistent poor attenders. The school works appropriately with the local authority and social services to improve the situation.  The school carries out all the necessary checks on staff when they are first employed. Emergency inspection: The Tutorial Foundation, 3 July 2015 2 of 5

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Main findings

 As the requirements with respect to students' welfare are not met, the school does not meet standards relating to leadership, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students.

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Regulations 2014 and associated requirements

 Ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school and that such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraphs 7, 7(a) and 7(b)).  Ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school: demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)). Emergency inspection: The Tutorial Foundation, 3 July 2015 3 of 5

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Inspection team

Sandra Teacher, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The Tutorial Foundation is a day independent school registered to provide education for up to 34 pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD), who are aged from five to 19 years. It has existed for 30 years providing tuition for pupils after school and at weekends, but in June 2008 a school was registered separately. It is located in a large house in a residential street in the London Borough of Bromley. The headteacher is also one of the proprietors of the school.  The school was inspected in May 2013 and judged to be good with all of the independent schools standards met.  There are currently 11 boys and girls on roll aged from 14 to 16 years, four of whom attend part time. Most students are of White British heritage. They are vulnerable students, some in the care of the local authority, but none as yet has an education, health and care plan.  One student is in the early stages of learning English and is on a programme to support his

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Information about this school

English language skills. Three students work off site with tutors at the local library.  The education of these students has severely been disrupted, mainly as a result of their challenging behaviour. Students are generally placed in the school for periods of over six months but sometimes less.  The school uses alternative provision to support its teaching of physical education and practical science.  The school’s mission statement is: ‘to strive to improve the vocational, economic and social future of our pupils by providing a congenial learning environment and by creating an atmosphere of tolerance and respect for all, where everyone, irrespective of ability, can realise their potential, make valuable contributions and become responsible citizens of the future’. Emergency inspection: The Tutorial Foundation, 3 July 2015 4 of 5

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School details

Unique reference number 135670 Inspection number 465351 DfE registration number 305/6080 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 Day special school for pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) School status Independent school Age range of pupils 14–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 11 Number of part time pupils 3 Proprietor JK Education Limited (Julia Low and Karen Turner) Chair Karen Turner Headteacher Julia Low Date of previous school inspection May 2015 Annual fees (day pupils) £18,240 Telephone number 020 8460 0181 020 8290 0117 Email address jk@thetutorialfoundation.co.uk Emergency inspection: The Tutorial Foundation, 3 July 2015 5 of 5

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School details

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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School details

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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School details

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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School details

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School details

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

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