Darwin School

C/O Cambian Education, The Waterfront, Chancellors Road, London W6 9RU

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Sixth form provision Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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This is an inadequate school

 Leaders and the proprietor have failed to ensure that all of the independent school standards are met.  The school does not comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Staff have not been trained. Not all the required checks on fire equipment and emergency lighting have been carried out.  Leaders have too little information about pupils’ progress from entry. Consequently, work is not well matched to pupils’ abilities and their progress is inadequate as a result.  Instabilities in staffing have compromised the school’s ability to provide consistently for pupils’ needs. There is no robust system of performance management in place.  The curriculum does not meet pupils’ needs, including in key stage 2 and in the sixth form. It does not take sufficient account of pupils’ ages, abilities and previous courses. It does not inspire pupils to learn.  Some subjects do not have detailed enough schemes

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This is an inadequate school

of work to guide teachers in their planning. Pupils are sometimes unable to complete qualifications because when staff leave, the subject is no longer taught.  Pupils’ attendance is low and too many arrive late to school. A few pupils’ attitudes to the school and to learning are negative. Most do not feel they are learning well.  Links between home, school and therapy support do not ensure consistent systems for supporting pupils. Staff morale is low.

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The school has the following strengths

 The senior leadership team knows what needs to be done to improve teaching and the curriculum. A new improvement plan is focused on the right things.  In sixth-form provision, links with colleges and external providers are effective. Pupils feel safe in school and generally behave well.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by: ensuring that the independent school standards are consistently met, including putting all the required checks and staff training for fire safety into place urgently appointing permanent teaching staff and ensuring that they are trained effectively to understand and provide for the needs of the school’s most vulnerable pupils implementing robust performance management of all staff linked to effective professional development opportunities and training, so that all aspects of the school’s work improve to at least good implementing more effective monitoring of teaching and learning linked to staff training and development, so that teachers and support staff develop their skills, which results in teaching, learning and assessment improving to at least good ensuring that leadership responsibilities are clear for the different aspects of the school’s work, including individual subjects, and that there is a nominated leader in charge when the headteacher is

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

not on site developing further the curriculum and schemes of work, so that courses cover all the required areas of learning, capture pupils’ interests and build effectively on their prior learning devising schemes of work for key stage 2 pupils improving communication at all levels so that staff and pupils understand company policy, and know what the changes in the school’s organisation or practices are designed to achieve improving links between carers, therapists and school staff so that pupils attend school more regularly, and arrive on time, and so that there are shared ways of supporting pupils’ personal development and learning, including uniformly high expectations of these requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and learning and pupils’ progress by: ensuring that teachers use the information gained from the school’s own assessments and from previous placements to plan the next steps for pupils’ learning in their lessons so that they achieve challenging targets over time ensuring that teaching inspires pupils to learn and staff have consistently high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour ensuring that staff consistently apply the school’s feedback and reward policies.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The school must meet the following independent school standards. The proprietor must ensure that the written curriculum policy is supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work for all subjects taught, and take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those with an education, health and care plan, so that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and to make progress (paragraphs 2, 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2), 2(2)(h)). The proprietor must ensure that teaching enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught (paragraphs 3, 3(a)). The proprietor must ensure that teaching fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

themselves (paragraphs 3, 3(b)). The proprietor must ensure that teaching involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time (paragraphs 3, 3(c)). The proprietor must ensure that teaching shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons (paragraphs 3, 3(d)). The proprietor must ensure that teaching demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and teachers use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress (paragraphs 3, 3(g)). The proprietor must ensure that the school complies with health and safety laws by carrying out all checks required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and ensuring staff are trained in fire awareness (paragraphs 11 and 12). Ensure that the standards about the quality of leadership in and management of schools are met by

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role and fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently and pupils’ well-being is actively promoted (paragraphs 34, 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)).

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Leaders have not ensured that the independent school standards are consistently met. They have not ensured that all the standards in relation to the quality of education, welfare, health and safety and leadership and management are met.  The school has declined since the previous inspection. The new proprietors have not ensured that standards in teaching and learning and those relating to pupils’ progress have remained good or better. Recent changes in the Cambian Group and instabilities in the school leadership have slowed the school’s development because its work has not been rigorously checked. The way in which leaders, including the proprietor, check on and improve the school’s work has been ineffective. Leadership responsibilities have not been clearly established. For example, it is not clear who is responsible for leading different aspects of the school’s work, including subjects, nor who is responsible for managing the school when the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

headteacher is not on site.  The high turnover of staff has resulted in alteration to the courses and subjects provided for pupils. This has caused disruption to pupils’ learning and has slowed their progress.  The proprietor, carers and school leaders have not ensured that all pupils attend school regularly. Although some individual pupils attend every day and have improved their attendance compared with previously, a few do not. Some pupils regularly arrive at school late, sometimes by as much as an hour. They lose considerable learning time each week as a result. A few attend irregularly or not at all. Action taken to deal with this has not been effective.  School staff have not been consulted on changes to the school’s working practices brought in by the company and new leaders. Consequently, they do not always understand why some changes have happened or why staff contracts are not renewed. This means morale is low as staff do not feel valued.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

For example, at the time of the inspection, some staff were not aware of changes in timetables and the organisation of the school day. This meant they were ill-prepared for lessons they were timetabled to teach. Pupils too did not understand the changes or why some courses were no longer available.  Leaders have not ensured that teaching is of a sufficiently high standard throughout the school. They have not ensured that the curriculum covers all that it should. In particular, there are no schemes of work for some subjects that the school teaches, such as humanities, or any for key stage 2, should the school admit younger pupils in line with its registration. The quality and detail of other schemes of work do not support good teaching and learning. New and temporary teachers therefore rely too heavily on worksheets or textbooks, rather than tailoring the work to pupils’ needs.  Teachers have had little performance management or professional development since working for the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

school. There has been no effective and robust system for holding the staff to account for pupils’ progress. Although the new headteacher has introduced a system, it has not yet been fully implemented. Most staff are not permanent members of staff. The school relies heavily on part-time and supply staff and there have been many changes recently. This unsettles pupils, particularly when a course they have been studying, such as business studies or history, is suddenly removed from the curriculum.  The new headteacher has ensured that work experience and work-related courses are available to pupils and are linked to pupils’ interests and possible career choices. This includes good-quality careers guidance from an external provider.  Most pupils leave to attend other provision at the end of Year 11. However, some individual pupils stay on into the sixth form. Effective links are in place with colleges and other external providers. Leaders work

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

hard to provide pupils with access to the courses they wish to study, providing, for example, A-level tuition in Dutch and in art.  Although there is an appropriate fire risk assessment in place and other, good-quality risk assessments relating to the building and activities, weekly fire alarms and monthly emergency lighting tests have not been carried out. Staff have not had the fire-awareness and fire-marshal training specified in their induction, fire policy and fire risk assessment. This means that standards relating to fire safety and health and safety are not met. As a result, leaders cannot guarantee that pupils are safe.  Questionnaires and staff discussions demonstrate that staff have confidence in the new headteacher but that staff morale is low. Staff work together to keep pupils safe and in school once pupils have arrived. However, staff know that they are not fully meeting pupils’ needs, that some pupils do not attend

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

regularly enough, and that instabilities in leadership and management and teaching have contributed to this. They do not have confidence that these issues are being addressed by the proprietor swiftly enough.  The Cambian Group has not been effective in making checks on the work of the school and holding leaders to account. The school has declined since the previous inspection. An externally sourced school improvement partner has reported to school leaders that inadequacies are evident. This information has not been acted upon.

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The governance of the school

Governance is inadequate. The proprietor has not ensured that the new headteacher understands fully all the checks that have to be made on the school’s work and safety, nor checked that they have been done. Although the headteacher and school administrator provide regular weekly updates to the proprietor regarding some aspects of the school’s work and issues such as staffing, the proprietor has not acted to ensure that the school has a stable teaching staff. The proprietor has too little information about the progress of pupils to hold leaders and staff to account because effective systems for tracking this have not been in place. The proprietor and company managers ensure that pupils have therapeutic support. They have provided a welcoming and secure environment for pupils to learn in. However, they have not ensured that staff from different teams all work effectively together so that pupils attend regularly or all

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The governance of the school

available support is used to best effect. The company itself has reorganised its support systems recently to provide a more integrated therapeutic approach to its pupils. This is all very new however, and systems for sharing information are not fully developed yet. Company advisers, such as the assistant director and the regional manager, who support the school’s work and hold it to account are themselves new and have had limited direct involvement and impact on the school’s standards as yet.  The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. Not all fire safety regulations are met. Safer recruitment checks are rigorously carried out and policies and practices reflect the most recent guidance. Staff are vigilant and trained well to help pupils stay safe, including from the dangers associated with radicalisation and extremism. They listen carefully to pupils’ concerns and are quick to take any necessary

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The governance of the school

action, for example, by involving other agencies. Leaders have checked carefully on the school’s curriculum to ensure that pupils are taught to keep themselves safe in a range of situations. The school does not have a website but makes its child protection and other linked policies available to parents, carers and placing authorities.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Teaching, learning and assessment are inadequate because too many pupils do not make enough progress during their time in school. Teaching does not build consistently on what pupils know or can do. Not all the standards in relation to teaching are met.  Teaching staff have too little support or guidance through schemes of work or from information available in pupil records as to what pupils need to learn next. Consequently, although work is closely related to qualifications that pupils will take, it is not well tailored to pupils’ needs. This means the work is too easy for some and too difficult for others. Pupils may complete the work set but make limited progress in their understanding or knowledge as a result.  Progress is stronger in English because staffing has been more consistent and the part-time staff share information about pupils’ progress, attitudes and what has been covered. Most pupils who attend

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

regularly make good progress in their reading and speaking and listening as a result. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to research topics and to present findings. Progress in writing is more variable. Although a few make good progress, work in books shows that others could write more effectively earlier in their courses than currently.  Teaching and learning in mathematics are inadequate. Observation in lessons and scrutiny of pupils’ work reveal that too many pupils make limited progress. Changes in staffing and variable attendance mean that pupils repeat work or simply move on to the next page in the textbook, even when it is clear they can already do the work in question. New staff have had little information about pupils’ levels of ability, and although they work hard to establish them, pupils rightly feel that they are constantly going over work they already know and can do.  Teaching and learning in other subjects have similar weaknesses and are further hindered by a lack of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

records of pupils’ current achievement or detailed schemes of work to support teachers in their planning of learning. This limits the accommodation of individual pupils’ learning needs or preferred learning styles. Individual pupils become frustrated in science, for example, because the work is too hard for them and staff do not provide enough practical examples or activities to support their understanding. Pupils are not inspired to learn because teaching and the work provided do not motivate or interest them.  Written and oral feedback to pupils does not explain how well pupils are doing or how to improve their work. Consequently, some pupils make the same mistakes repeatedly. A few feel that they are not getting the help they need and say that this is why they do not want to attend regularly.  Sixth-form learners and younger pupils who attend college, work experience or work-related courses off

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

site learn well and value these opportunities. These courses have been carefully vetted by the school or company and pupils are always supported by carers and school staff. This means that work can be followed up at home or at school. Learners are appropriately supported to improve key skills such as computing, literacy, numeracy and study skills.  Most pupils establish strong, positive relationships with staff. This allows pupils to develop greater confidence in themselves and belief in what they can achieve. A small number of pupils expressed concern that this is undermined by frequent changes in staffing. They told the inspector that these changes affect their learning.  The school does not have an effective system in place for checking on pupils’ learning and how well they are doing. This means that new and supply staff have had no reliable information on which to base their planning, other than the examination courses in some subjects. New systems have recently been

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

implemented but staff do not routinely use this information when planning lessons.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  At times, there are differences in the expectations of school staff and the care staff and carers about pupils’ attitudes to and involvement in lessons. The two groups of staff do not always respond to poor behaviour or attitudes in similar ways. This means that some pupils do not improve their behaviour or attitudes to learning as quickly as they could. Pupils agree that this is the case.  Pupils are positive about the opportunities to follow courses similar to those taken by others of their age. Pupils told inspectors that this makes them feel accepted and comfortable. However, some pupils do not like the new arrangements whereby carers attend school with them and do not understand the reasons for it. Currently, the role of such support is not clear to school staff and pupils. This means that this resource is not always used effectively to promote pupils’ personal development, learning and behaviour.

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Personal development and welfare

Inconsistency is evident between the expectations of the carers and those of the school staff.  Pupils receive therapy support, sometimes in school time and sometimes after school. Pupils value this support and report that it is beneficial. The communication between the therapy providers and school staff is not fully effective. It does not enable school staff to respond to pupils’ comments or approach specific topics within the curriculum. As a result, progress for pupils is not maximised.  Pupils feel safe in school. The high levels of supervision mean that there is always someone pupils can talk with. They value this and have confidence that they will be listened to and that any worries or concerns will be taken seriously.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is effective. The school places a strong emphasis on these aspects of learning. Pupils take part in charitable events and explore other religions, lifestyles and

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Personal development and welfare

cultures through themed events. However, provision for cultural development is less strong because pupils’ access to external events and visitors is limited due to their specific vulnerabilities.  Pupils have a strong sense of fairness and understand the need both to have personal views and to respect those of others. Pupils are confident to voice their views and understand the importance of being able to express an opinion. They have a developing understanding of the responsibilities that come with free speech and democracy, contrasting this with the situation of others elsewhere in the world. Although their links with the local community are restricted because of their vulnerabilities, pupils study topics and experience themed days that deepen their understanding of how others live their lives and different religions. This appropriately develops pupils’ understanding of modern British values.  There is a good emphasis on respect for difference and tolerance. Pupils feel that they are accepted for

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Personal development and welfare

who they are and that they themselves have grown in their understanding of others. Pupils’ vulnerabilities and their previous experiences mean that there is a strong emphasis on helping them to understand how to keep themselves safe and how to recognise when others are trying to influence them unduly.  Pupils say there is no bullying. They understand the difference between bullying and the ‘banter’ and ‘falling out’ that they report sometimes occurs. They are clear that this is sorted out fairly and that staff are quick to intervene. School records support this view. Pupils have a good knowledge of e-safety and of the potential dangers linked to social media.  Staff are ever-vigilant to pupils’ emotional well-being and quick to alert leaders should there be any concerns.  Pupils are open about their social, emotional and learning needs and why they need to attend this provision. Those who have been in the school for longer are noticeably more motivated and focused on

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Personal development and welfare

gaining the qualifications they need for their next steps. They look carefully at qualifications they might need for their future career options and often their attendance improves as they work towards them.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  There are inconsistencies in the standards of behaviour and attitudes to learning expected by different staff. There is a lack of clarity both for pupils and staff as to the role of care staff when they are in school and their role in supporting behaviour and learning. This confuses pupils because the school’s policies and reward systems are not always consistently applied.  A few pupils leave lessons because they are not enjoying learning. High staffing levels mean that most pupils stay on task and the learning of others is rarely interfered with. However, at such times, individual pupils complete little work or will only complete work that they wish to. While staff are consistent in supporting the pupils’ emotional needs during this time, these pupils are not encouraged sufficiently well to return to their learning quickly enough.  A small number of pupils do not attend school regularly or arrive late. The school is prompt in checking

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Behaviour

the reasons for this; however, there are occasions when care staff are too ready to allow pupils to remain at home or transport sets off for school too late for pupils to arrive on time. Not enough has been done to ensure that these pupils improve their attendance and punctuality. In contrast, the attendance of some pupils has improved as a result of the work undertaken by the school.  Most pupils make good progress in their cooperation while at the school. By the end of their year at the school, most pupils are respectful and polite to visitors and make good progress in their ability to manage their own behaviour and outbursts.  In discussion, most pupils demonstrated a keen awareness of their own needs and behaviour and what they need to do to improve. This is as a result of effective support from school staff. Some pupils are not yet able to apply this knowledge to their behaviour and attitudes.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Outcomes are inadequate because teaching and learning and pupils’ courses fail to build effectively on their prior achievements. The school’s own evidence and pupils’ books confirm that pupils have not made enough progress from their starting points.  The school offers pupils a range of qualifications and subjects to study at different levels but currently this is too narrow and means that some pupils are not able to complete courses they have almost finished in other schools.  Information about pupils’ prior attainment in their previous schools is not used well enough. Pupils’ records from their previous placements often provide evidence as to pupils’ levels of knowledge and skills, but staff do not access or use this information adequately. As a result, pupils sometimes work on courses leading to qualifications that are below this prior attainment.  Pupils usually stay at the school for a year. Not all complete qualifications before they leave. Most

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

complete some entry-level units. However, these often do not build appropriately on what pupils already know and can do. All key stage 4 pupils study English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology, and life skills programmes at either entry level or GCSE. Some study a bespoke food technology/cookery course and art. Individual pupils may also take history, law and sociology GCSE courses depending on staffing levels. Pupils’ work currently shows very few to be on target for grades they are capable of achieving, particularly in mathematics and science. This is because of poor attendance or inconsistent approaches to teaching and learning, including poor feedback and advice for pupils as to how to improve their work.  In mathematics, some work in books shows that the quality of pupils’ work over time has declined. Some pupils are still doing work they could do over a term ago. In some books there is little evidence of

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

progress and large gaps in work because individual pupils have not attended regularly. In almost all other subjects, the work shows similarly limited progress. Pupils make good progress in their art work. They improve their skills and techniques. Some produce high-quality work similar to that of others of their age. They use a range of materials increasingly competently because of the skilled individual support provided.  Those pupils who attend regularly make better progress in English, particularly in reading, speaking and listening. Teachers are quick to build on pupils’ strengths in these skills and to help them to use them to research topics of interest. Progress in writing is more variable, and in a few instances, pupils’ work is less complex and not as well presented as it was when the pupil first joined the school.  Learners in the sixth form make good progress in the subjects they study and in their work in alternative

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

provision placements. However, sometimes learners have been studying subjects at Darwin School but their course suddenly stops because staff leave and there is no one else available to teach the subject. Although the school makes use of online courses to find ways of addressing this, learners’ progress and the qualifications they choose or can achieve are limited as a result.  Overall, in the 12 months that pupils attend Darwin School, most pupils improve their attitudes to learning and their resilience. They have good access to careers advice and the one-to-one support ensures they have ready listeners with whom to discuss their work and ambitions. As a result, pupils in Year 11 and post-16 learners know what they need to do for any of their career options.

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Sixth form provision is inadequate

 The sixth form provision is inadequate. This is because safeguarding is ineffective as all of the required fire safety checks have not been carried out. In addition, some of the weaknesses that affect the school itself also impact on the sixth form.  The instability in staffing and the very small number of learners accessing the provision mean that the range of courses available on site is limited. However, the school has strengthened its use of college and other providers so that learners can study other subjects or work-related courses. In addition, the school engages additional subject specialists or uses online courses if learners opt for courses it cannot teach to higher levels.  Very few learners stay on into the sixth form and when they do, it is because they are not ready yet to have extended contact with others outside home and school. The school tailors provision well around individual needs so that learners have a level of control over their courses and opportunities to develop

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Sixth form provision is inadequate

resilience and independence. Learners say that they feel supported by this, but wish they had access to a broader range of courses, including those in the community. The headteacher is very clear as to how this provision needs to develop and has already improved contacts with schools and colleges. She is determined to extend the range of courses available as quickly as possible.  Leaners make good progress on the courses they access because teaching is effective. Pupils attend the provision typically for 12 months and staff ensure that best use is made of the time available.  In the past, where learners have required additional support to improve their literacy and mathematical skills, effective provision has been made. Learners currently in the provision do not need additional support to improve their English and mathematical skills.  Learners make good progress in subjects such as art because of the shared passion with the teachers and

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Sixth form provision is inadequate

the determination of staff that learners will achieve as much as possible.  Learners’ behaviour is good. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe and are respectful and tolerant of the lifestyles and views of others. They are very focused on their next steps and ambitious for themselves. Most improve their attendance in the sixth form and at their off-site placements. The attendance of the few current sixth-form learners is good. They enjoy their work experience, with some gaining part-time employment as a result. They are quick to say how much this gives them confidence and a sense of ‘normality’. Such placements also help them to feel safe in the outside world and provide a bridge for their next steps.

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School details

Unique reference number 131171 Inspection number 10006078 DfE registration number 893/6099

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School details

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.

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School details

Type of school Independent special school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 8–18 years Gender of pupils Girls Number of pupils on the school roll 9 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 2 Number of part-time pupils 1 Proprietor Cambian Group Chair Anne-Marie Carrie Headteacher Rebecca Paynter Annual fees (day pupils) £26,000 Telephone number 0800 1381184 Website n/a Email address education@cambiangroup.com Date of previous inspection 21–22 November 2012

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Information about this school

 Darwin School is a small school which caters for up to 12 girls aged eight to 18 years. The school occupies two purpose-built, wooden buildings on the edge of a rural village in Shropshire. It provides education for girls with a range of social, emotional, behavioural and mental health needs, linked to their previous experiences. There were nine pupils on roll at the time of this inspection aged 14 to 17 years, including two pupils in the sixth form. One of the sixth-form learners attends part time, also taking up a part-time place at a local college. There were no pupils of key stage 2 age on roll.  The school is owned by the Cambian Group, which specialises in providing a range of adult and children’s services, including therapy support. Girls who attend the school are all resident in Cambian homes. All are in the care of the local authority and are identified as needing a therapeutic approach to their emotional

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Information about this school

and learning needs.  Pupils stay at the school and in linked residential provision, usually for one year, before moving on to other placements. Occasionally they may stay for an extra term to finish their examinations. No pupil has a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  The school opened in 2006 and was last inspected in November 2012, when all aspects of its work were judged to be outstanding. At that time it was known as de Capo School.  The school now has different proprietors, leaders and staffing. There have been three changes of headteacher in a very short time and the large majority of staff are supply staff. At the time of this inspection, the headteacher also had responsibility for two other small schools. There are no other permanent senior leaders or staff with leadership responsibilities at the school. A temporary deputy headteacher had been in place for a short while but left at half term. He returned for the duration of the

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Information about this school

inspection. The headteacher has been at the school since mid-November 2015. The large majority of staff have joined within the last 12 months or below.  The school receives support from a school improvement partner and from the company’s regional and national staff. These also act on behalf of the proprietor in holding the school to account.  Individual pupils attend courses at Shrewsbury College of Art and Technology or at alternative provision based at the Gateway Education Centre in Shrewsbury for courses such as hairdressing. Local leisure and outdoor activity centres are used to deliver physical education.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was conducted without prior notice to the school.  The inspector observed teaching and learning for all pupils who were attending and checked the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  The inspector looked at pupils’ work and records and the information the school holds about pupils’ progress and achievement. She also talked with pupils and staff and met with representatives of the proprietor, including the school’s school improvement partner.  The inspector examined a range of documentation, including the school’s policies, teaching plans and the records kept of pupils’ behaviour and attendance. She examined the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe, including those for recruiting staff.  The inspector looked carefully at the school’s health and safety and fire safety procedures and related records and checks. She also considered evidence on how the leadership holds teachers to account for

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ progress and their development planning to improve the school.  There were too few responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire for parents, Parent View, for these to be taken into account. However, the inspector did take into account eight responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Susan Lewis, 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

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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