Reedham Park School Limited

Emergency inspection school report Reedham Park School Limited

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71A Old Lodge Lane, Purley, Surrey, CR8 4DN

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Reason for the inspection

 This inspection was commissioned because concerns were raised about the arrangements for safeguarding, child protection and the supervision of pupils in the school. The Department for Education also asked the inspector to check that the premises were maintained to an appropriate standard which would, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the health, safety and welfare of pupils.  The inspection was conducted without notice.  During the inspection, the inspector held met informally with parents and pupils. She also met with a number of staff, both formally and informally. Further meetings were held with the headteacher and the school secretary. The inspector spoke to a trustee by telephone. A range of documentation was scrutinised including the arrangements for safeguarding pupils, health and safety documentation and policies on behaviour management. The inspector toured the school premises, and observed pupils at break

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Reason for the inspection

and lunch times.  The last standard inspection of the school was in November 2014, when the school was judged to be good.

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Main findings

 The school’s current ‘Child protection statement’, dated March 2015 is published on the school’s website. This statement is updated annually in line with regulations. However, the statement does not have regard to the most recent guidance issued by the Secretary of State, ‘Keeping children safe in education’, July 2015. Neither does it make reference to earlier versions published in April 2014 and March 2015.Members of staff did, however, receive and read part 1 of ‘Keeping children safe in education’ during the summer term 2014, as required in the guidance.  The school’s statement provides suitable information on the management of allegations made against staff, including measures to take if allegations are made against the headteacher. It also sets out the school’s intention to ensure that the designated safeguarding leads are trained appropriately, and that all staff receive appropriate training at suitable intervals. Leaders have ensured that staff attended this training. All

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Main findings

members of staff spoken to during the inspection know who the designated safeguarding lead is, and how to report any concerns. A trustee has taken on the role of safeguarding representative, and has attended training on safer recruitment and child protection.  School leaders are conscientious when carrying out checks on new employees to ensure they are suitable for working with children. However, at the time of the inspection, leaders were not aware of the guidance regarding staff who may be disqualified from Emergency inspection: Reedham Park School Limited, 15 September 2015 2 of 6

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Main findings

Emergency inspection: Reedham Park School Limited, 15 September 2015 2 of 6 working with younger children.  Parents spoken to during the inspection have positive views about the school. Neither these parents, nor those responding to the online survey, Parent View, expressed any concerns. Pupils say that teachers keep them safe and look after them if they have an accident. Pupils know who to talk to if they are worried.  The school takes insufficient measures to protect pupils from the dangers of using the internet. There is no e-safety policy or structured teaching to ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Leaders have, however, commissioned an external consultant to spend a day in school next term to speak to pupils about these matters. Pupils do not use computers in school until they reach Year 6, and do not access the internet even then. Leaders are aware of incidents that have occurred when pupils meet

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Main findings

outside school and say that e-safety is discussed with groups of pupils as appropriate.  There is no written risk assessment policy. The school’s health and safety policy includes a brief paragraph regarding risk assessment which is insufficient to meet the regulatory requirements. There are no formal risk assessments of any kind regarding the learning environment or activities undertaken. Leaders and members of staff refer to discussions in meetings regarding health and safety, but it remains unclear what measures have been put in place to mitigate risks, and whether they have been effective. There are no systems in place for the monitoring of risk assessments. Similarly, trips and visits outside school are not risk assessed as a matter of course. Instead, leaders rely on risk assessments undertaken by the organisation they are visiting rather than tailoring an assessment to the needs of the pupils they are taking on the visit.

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Main findings

 There is a structured system for the collection of pupils at the end of the school day. Younger pupils are met by their parents at the school gate, which is away from the road. Older pupils are taken by teachers to the roadside where parents wait. The pavement is narrow, cars are parked on both sides of the road, and the road is used as a bus route. There is no risk assessment to demonstrate how leaders and teachers ensure a safe handover to parents, though on the day of the inspection the process was undertaken in a safe and orderly fashion.  The school occupies cramped buildings which require frequent maintenance. Leaders carry out regular checks to identify any urgent matters requiring attention. They record when these issues are addressed. Issues arising, however, are not always rectified in a timely fashion, and leaders are over-reliant on vigilant supervision by members of staff to ensure that pupils remain safe at all times.

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Main findings

 Governance of the school is informal. Meetings are not recorded, and it is not clear how members of the Board of Trustees are kept up to date with the progress of the school.  There is no clear plan for the ongoing development of the school. Therefore, trustees are unable to hold leaders to account for their work.

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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 proprietor must 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)).  The proprietor must ensure that the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; Emergency inspection: Reedham Park School Limited, 15 September 2015 3 of 6

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

Emergency inspection: Reedham Park School Limited, 15 September 2015 3 of 6 and appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified (paragraphs 16, 16(a), 16(b)).  The proprietor must ensure that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured (paragraph 25).  The proprietor must ensure that the persons with leadership and management responsibilities demonstrate good skills and knowledge relevant to their role, and fulfil these responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)).  The proprietor must ensure that the persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraph 34(1)(c)). Emergency inspection: Reedham Park School Limited, 15 September 2015 4 of 6

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School details

Unique reference number 101838 Inspection number 10007315 DfE registration number 306/6063 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 preparatory school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 112 Number of part time pupils 11 Proprietor Reedham Park School Ltd Chair Ms Elizabeth Fry Headteacher Ms Louise Shaw Date of previous school inspection 11–13 November 2014 Annual fees (day pupils) £3,900–£4,500 Telephone number 020 8660 6357 Email address Reedhampark.school@btinternet.com

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Information about this school

 Reedham Park School Limited opened in 1932 in its current location in Purley, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is an independent preparatory school for pupils aged four to 11 years.  The last standard inspection of the school was in November 2014, when the school was judged to be good.  There are currently 112 pupils on roll. There are 11 children in the Early Years Foundation Stage who attend part time, in the mornings only.  The school prepares pupils for entrance examinations to grammar schools and independent secondary schools.  No pupils have a statement of educational needs or an education, health and care plan. A few speak English as an additional language, but all are confident users of English at school.  The school’s aim is to provide a ‘challenging, yet supportive environment to stimulate, maintain and develop, a lively, enquiring mind’. Emergency inspection: Reedham Park School Limited, 15 September 2015 5 of 6

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Inspection team

Gaynor Roberts, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Emergency inspection: Reedham Park School Limited, 15 September 2015 6 of 6 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 4231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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