Eastwood Grange School

Eastwood Grange School Milken Lane, Ashover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S45 0BA

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Outcomes for pupils Good Sixth form provision Good

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This is a good school

 Pupils make good progress in their learning, including in English and mathematics, from low starting points on entry to the school.  The quality of teaching is good. Committed and creative teachers and teaching assistants work effectively together to meet the individual learning needs of pupils.  Senior leaders have established robust arrangements for the assessment of pupils’ progress. Pupils know and understand what they need to do to improve their work.  The Principal and headteacher work very effectively together to create an environment in which vulnerable pupils can flourish. Pupils make strong progress with the management of their behaviour and their ability to focus positively on learning.  The school provides a secure setting in which pupils feel safe. Arrangements for their safeguarding and welfare are implemented rigorously.  Excellent working arrangements between governors and senior staff ensure that the school’s self-

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This is a good school

evaluation is accurate and that suitable plans for improvement are monitored and implemented effectively.  Senior leaders have secured considerable improvement in the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ achievement, since the previous inspection.  The sixth form provides an effective curriculum which prepares learners well for independence beyond school.  Senior leaders and governors have ensured that all the independent school standards are met.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The current good practice, including effective leadership at all levels, has not yet secured outstanding outcomes.  Teaching is occasionally not sufficiently flexible to adapt to the variable responses of individual pupils.  The judgements teachers make about the quality of pupils’ work are not always sufficiently matched to the national expectations for their stage of learning.  Science is not given a high enough profile within the curriculum.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding by: – further developing teachers’ understanding of national expectations in their use of criteria for assessing pupils’ achievement – ensuring that all staff are continuously flexible in adapting their teaching to manage the variable and sometimes unpredictable responses of pupils.  Raise the profile of science within the curriculum and ensure that pupils’ progress in science matches their success in English and mathematics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 There has been excellent improvement in the school’s culture and quality of provision since the previous inspection.  The Principal and headteacher work extremely effectively together to ensure continuous monitoring and robust evaluation of all aspects of the school’s work. The Principal ensures a secure and safe environment within the school, and manages external relationships to a very high standard.  The headteacher’s leadership of the curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment is exemplary. She demonstrates high expectations of what can be achieved by both staff and pupils. Underperformance is tackled robustly and all staff have clear targets identified through the effective appraisal system.  Middle leaders make a considerable contribution to the successful development of the school. They manage their substantial workloads effectively and demonstrate a strong commitment to the academic

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

and personal development of pupils.  Staff state that they are proud to work at the school and that the school is well led and managed. Pupils feel safe in school, and develop strong relationships with staff and with each other.  Teachers and support staff are highly motivated; they evaluate their work continuously. They contribute to, and benefit from, a regular programme of staff training which ensures that they understand and attend to appropriate local and national educational priorities.  Senior leaders keep the curriculum under continuous review and ensure that each pupil has an individualised programme suited to their current learning needs. Pupils benefit from an appropriate range of academic courses and practical learning opportunities.  The curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to study all the required areas of learning. However, although science is included in the curriculum for all pupils, it is not given the same high profile as English

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

and mathematics and does not feature as prominently in the school’s analysis of assessment outcomes.  Good provision is made for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They have a well- informed understanding of British values, including how democracy works, and how they may contribute to the school’s development through their ‘pupil voice’.  Senior leaders and staff demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that each pupil is treated fairly and with equal importance. Relationships throughout the school are characterised by mutual respect and trust.  The school provides well-chosen, individual learning programmes for the small number of post-16 learners. The curriculum includes good opportunities for learners to experience a range of practical, vocational courses provided by off-site alternative providers. Post-16 learners are enabled to mature appropriately as they consolidate their basic literacy and numeracy skills and prepare socially to move into

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

further education or employment.  Senior leaders and managers implement rigorous systems for monitoring the provision and outcomes for pupils attending the various alternative provisions. They visit regularly, receive assessment information from the providers and meet with learners to review their progress.  The governance of the school – The school’s proprietor, Priory Group, has recently revised provision for governance. These arrangements are highly effective and contribute strongly to support and accountability throughout the school. – The governors have an excellent awareness of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They provide robust challenge and sensitive support for areas of improvement managed by senior leaders. – Governors and senior leaders implement rigorous arrangements to tackle underperformance and to reward success. – The governors, working effectively with senior leaders, have ensured that the independent school

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

standards are met.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff, including those with particular responsibilities, are trained to appropriate levels in child protection, staff recruitment, first aid, health and safety, the assessment of risk, and fire safety.  Highly effective governance, leadership and management have been established over the last 18 months and are being rapidly embedded in all areas of the school’s work. Senior leaders demonstrate outstanding capacity for further improvement.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 There has been strong improvement in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment since the last inspection. Pupils make good progress in their learning as a result of the high quality of leadership of the curriculum and learning.  Teaching staff benefit from high-quality training which focuses on important areas of classroom practice. Teachers and teaching assistants increasingly understand the features of successful learning and ensure that these are applied effectively across the school.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and are confident in their teaching. Pupils enjoy their learning and respect their teachers. As a result, they follow instructions, work well together and sustain their concentration.  Senior leaders monitor teachers’ work and provide excellent support for the development of good practice. The headteacher demonstrates high expectations of the quality of planning and classroom

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

management required to secure successful learning. Teachers respond positively.  Teachers and leaders contribute to staff training events. As a result, for example, the quality of teachers’ questioning skills and their assessment of pupils’ responses have developed rapidly. Pupils are engaged in their learning and understand when they are succeeding.  All adults working in classrooms have a good awareness of the current standards at which pupils are working. They work well together to plan and implement interesting activities which motivate pupils and enable them to move on to the next steps in their learning.  Pupils are given time to practise their skills and to think through their answers. They have suitable targets for improvement which are identified and reinforced through effective marking.  Teachers are mostly flexible in their responses to pupils’ variable moods and motivation. They continuously monitor pupils’ achievement and reshape learning to ensure that pupils concentrate and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

remain on-task.  Senior staff have implemented excellent arrangements for the assessment of pupils’ work. The curriculum has been carefully broken down into small steps which form the basis of teachers’ assessment. Pupils are provided with suitable ‘next steps’ as their targets for progress. These targets are mostly clearly identified in their work and pupils know what they need to do to improve.  Staff are increasingly confident in identifying good progress and planning the next steps for pupils’ learning. At present there are limited opportunities for teachers to compare their assessment judgements with the standards expected nationally. Senior leaders have identified the need to develop more secure arrangements to ensure external moderation of teachers’ assessments.  Occasionally, learning tasks are not as precisely matched to pupils’ needs and teachers do not adapt activities imaginatively. As a result, individual pupils lose interest and switch off from learning. The

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

majority of staff intervene appropriately and ensure that the disaffection of individual pupils does not distract others from their learning.  Excellent attention is given to the development of pupils’ basic skills in literacy and numeracy, through English and mathematics lessons and across the wider curriculum. Pupils take a pride in their work in response to effective encouragement and feedback from staff. They sustain their concentration and like to complete written and practical tasks to meet their individual targets.  Teachers, teaching assistants and pupils work well together. Classrooms are characterised by mutual respect and trust. Pupils like to succeed and are very well supported to do so.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Over time, pupils develop self-confidence and experience success across a range of subjects.  The majority of pupils enter the school with negative previous experiences. They have significant social and emotional barriers to successful learning. The school provides a positive environment in which the expectation of success is the norm.  The majority of pupils enjoy learning. They engage well in classroom activities and are able to sustain their concentration and efforts.  There is an orderly atmosphere around the school during lessons and at breaktimes. Pupils are presented with a range of opportunities to take part in sports, games, competitions and personal challenges. Learning mentors play an important part in developing pupils’ engagement and contribution to the school.  The school has developed a systematic approach to the preparation of pupils for life beyond school.

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Personal development and welfare

Senior staff ensure that pupils are provided with impartial and individualised careers guidance. This is based on effective working relationships with a number of placing authorities and external service providers. Pupils value their opportunities to attend a variety of courses at off-site providers.  Pupils respond well to the practical learning activities and use the experience to develop their awareness of the range of careers available to them. They recognise the need to behave safely and with consideration for the risks attached to some activities. School staff respond flexibly to pupils’ views and enable them to sample a range of different experiences when appropriate.  Parents and placing local authorities are positive about the improvements they see in pupils’ personal development. Pupils develop strong relationships and learn to trust the adults with whom they work.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is addressed appropriately through a daily

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Personal development and welfare

programme. Current events and focused themes contribute to pupils’ increasing awareness of significant national and international issues.  Excellent attention is given to pupils’ personal development, including their understanding of e-safety, the risks associated with substance abuse, and how to develop suitable, healthy lifestyles.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. There is little low-level distraction and the majority of pupils work well without disruption. Any breakdowns in behaviour are managed well by the staff. Pupils are given appropriate opportunities for ‘time out’ to refocus and return to effective learning.  Pupils express no concerns about bullying and the school’s records indicate that this is not a problem. High levels of staff supervision contribute to a safe and orderly community.  The school’s policies and procedures for the management of pupils’ behaviour are fair and effective. Staff work extremely well together to ensure that pupils feel comfortable in school and that everyone belongs. Appropriate rewards and incentives are provided in recognition of commitment and cooperation. These are valued by pupils.  Pupils’ attendance is close to the national average. This represents considerable improvement on previous

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Behaviour

experience for the majority of pupils. There is very little persistent absence.  Pupils increasingly develop the ability to manage their own behaviour. They make mistakes and sometimes take time to adjust to the expectations of the school. They appreciate the respect with which staff treat them and progressively learn to respect themselves.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils enter the school with starting points that are typically below, or well below, expectations for their age. All pupils have experienced disruptions in their previous educational experiences which have restricted the extent of their progress.  Once they have settled into the expectations of the school community, pupils make consistently good progress with all aspects of their learning in English and mathematics.  The proportions of pupils making or exceeding expected progress are close to the national average. A number of pupils make exceptional progress from low starting points. They develop confidence with speaking and listening and are increasingly able to contribute to sustained discussions.  Pupils enjoy reading. They develop strong skills in analysing texts and interpreting meaning. As their confidence grows, they are increasingly willing to read aloud and to explain what they understand.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs are closing the gaps in their learning compared with other pupils with similar starting points. They are supported effectively, for example to apply their numeracy skills to solve increasingly complex problems.  Pupils who are in the care of their local authorities, and those for whom additional funding is received, demonstrate accelerated progress. Additional funding is carefully targeted to ensure that these pupils are motivated to learn. They can identify the progress they are making and are proud of their achievements.  Senior leaders can identify a number of positive strategies which have been implemented to accelerate learning. At the heart of these are raised expectations about what disadvantaged pupils can achieve. A culture of success is rapidly developing in all areas of school life.  The small numbers of Key Stage 4 pupils have achieved success with GCSE awards, including higher level

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Outcomes for pupils are good

grades, over the last two years. Current pupils have access to a broader curriculum and a wider range of accreditations. Assessment information indicates that these pupils are on track to achieve improved GCSE outcomes.  All pupils achieve success in at least one off-site practical or vocational qualification, such as construction, mechanics or music.  Pupils are prepared well to take up placements in further education on leaving school.

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Sixth form provision is good

 The school’s post-16 provision enables learners to consolidate their basic skills alongside a range of opportunities to experience practical and vocational learning. They make good progress with their learning in chosen areas of study.  The small number of sixth form learners are mostly educated off-site. Placements are carefully chosen to provide experience of working with adults and other sixth form learners.  These learners require additional time to mature emotionally and socially before they enter employment or proceed to full-time courses in further education. The arrangements made by the school are extremely flexible and enable learners to experience taster courses, in a number of different environments if necessary, while they clarify their individual career aspirations.  Learners make good progress with their personal development and behaviour. Once they have settled into a suitable course of study they value the opportunities provided to achieve qualifications which relate

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Sixth form provision is good

to their future plans.  The leadership and management of the post-16 arrangements are good. Senior staff continuously monitor the provision made for individual learners. Communications with external providers are excellent. Risks are assessed appropriately and a continuous dialogue is maintained with the external supervising staff.  Current learners are experiencing success in diverse areas of training, including construction, equestrian, music and the arts. The quality of teaching in these areas is good and well matched to individual learners’ needs. These providers also offer suitable level 1 and 2 courses in functional skills English and mathematics to supplement the vocational areas of experience.  The school provides excellent support for both the learners and the providers with whom they are placed. Senior school staff share policies, track assessment outcomes and share expertise, for example in

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Sixth form provision is good

safeguarding.  Post-16 learners are provided with opportunities to visit further education colleges and potential employers as they move towards decisions about future careers.  The sixth form provision is good and carefully individualised to support vulnerable young people in the transition from school to future employment.

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School details

Unique reference number 113026 Inspection number 10006083 DfE registration number 830/6013 This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. Type of school Day special school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 8–18 years Gender of pupils Boys Gender of pupils in the sixth form Boys Number of pupils on the school roll 21 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 2 Number of part-time pupils 0 Proprietor Priory Group Ltd Chair John Anderson Headteacher Ann-Marie Walker Annual fees (day pupils) £61,370–£68,000 Telephone number 01246 590255 Website www.priorygroup.com Email address eastwoodgrange@priorygroup.com

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Information about this school

 Eastwood Grange School is an independent day school owned by the Priory Group.  The school is registered to admit up to 36 boys in the age range eight to 18 years. There are currently 21 boys on the roll of the school, including two in the sixth form.  The majority of pupils are in the care of their local authorities and live in accommodation provided by the company.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan. Pupils’ needs mostly relate to their social, emotional or mental health difficulties. A number of pupils have autistic spectrum conditions.  The school’s previous standard inspection was in November 2012 and a progress monitoring inspection took place in May 2013. A new Principal and headteacher have been appointed to lead the school within the last 18 months.  The school uses a number of alternative providers to contribute to the curriculum for learners at Key

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Information about this school

Stage 4 and in the sixth form. Pupils are currently placed, for part of their curriculum, with: Swinton Lock Activity Centre; Donut Creative Arts Studio (DCAS); Baby People; Enhancement; New Directions; Chameleon; Clowne Community Care Farm; and Game City.  The ethos of the school is built around pupils’ entitlement to a positive education which allows them to experience success.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work across a number of subjects and year groups.  Meetings were held with the Principal, the headteacher and the Chair of the Governing Body. Additional meetings were held with members of staff with various management responsibilities, and informally with others. A meeting was held with a group of pupils representing the ‘pupil voice’ in the school.  Telephone conversations were held with parents, carers and representatives of placing authorities. A small number of responses to Ofsted’s online ‘Parent View’ questionnaire were also taken into account, together with 13 responses to a staff questionnaire.  The inspector spoke with a sample of alternative providers who contribute to the curriculum for a number of pupils. In addition, an off-site visit was made to one alternative provider.  The inspector scrutinised a number of school policies, procedures and records in order to check the

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Information about this inspection

school’s compliance with the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

David Young, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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 1231, 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 www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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