Oakwood Community School

Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 1 of 10 Oakwood School

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14 Faire Road, Glenfield, Leicester LE3 8EA

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Inspection dates 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016

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The overall experiences and progress of children and young people Good 2

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The quality of care and support Good 2 How well children and young people are protected Good 2 The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Good 2

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The residential provision is good because

 The residential provision has a strong leadership team that has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. Plans effectively address identified shortfalls.  Young people enjoy their residential experience. Subsequently, they make good progress from their starting points. This is with particular regard to education, emotional well-being and their behaviour.  The safety of young people is a high priority for staff at this school. Young people feel safe and say that staff help them to feel safe. Young people feel well looked after and have strong trusting relationships with staff.  Young people are protected from unsuitable adults by good recruitment procedures, a well-trained staff team and a strong leadership team.  Staff work cohesively with the education and therapy teams as well as external professionals and parents. This helps to provide a holistic package of care and

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The residential provision is good because

support for young people.  Minor shortfalls have been identified in relation to the continuing development of staff practice, ensuring that the fire risk assessment is fully complied with, completing written risk assessments for all identified risks, and continuing to encourage young people to get involved with planned activities. Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 2 of 10

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schools

The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools .

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to support staff to develop their practice to work consistently, provide planned direct work with young people and ensure that good practice is properly evidenced within records.  Ensure that there is a written risk assessment for all identified risks to young people to help staff to minimise risks, ensuring consistency of practice.  Continue to encourage young people to get involved in activities in the local and extended community.  Ensure that the kitchen fire door is not propped open by a door wedge, which prevents the door closing in the event of a fire. Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 3 of 10

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was announced on the morning of the start of the inspection. The inspector visited the residential accommodation and spoke to residential students and staff, including key staff with responsibility for the residential provision. The inspector also observed practice in the residential provision and scrutinised school policies and records. The inspector was unable to gather information from Parent View as there were no responses.

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Inspection team

Joanne Vyas Social care inspector Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 4 of 10

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Information about this school

This is a small independent school that offers education to young people who have emotional or behavioural difficulties. The residential provision provides a home for up to three young people in term time only. It is a short walk from the school, which is based in Glenfield, Leicestershire. The residential provision was a new addition to the school in October 2014. Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 5 of 10

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Inspection Judgements

The overall experiences and progress of children and young people Good

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Inspection Judgements

Young people make good progress from their starting points, particularly in their behaviour, emotional well-being and education. For example, young people who had poor school attendance previously are starting to attend school or have completed exams at GCSE level. Their life chances are enhanced as a result of the residential experience. Young people are happy in the residential provision and say that staff have helped them to make good progress. They are well supported, valued and respected. They like the staff and generally get on well with each other. The quality of care provided is good, which means that young people feel cared for. They have strong trusting relationships with staff. Young people feel safe and relaxed. The safety of young people is a high priority for this school. The positive behaviour of young people is promoted, and risky behaviour is minimal. The residential provision is well organised and run for the benefit of young people. Staff

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Inspection Judgements

have time to listen to, understand and meet the individual needs of the young people. Staff are mostly qualified. They are all very caring and competent. The house manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the residential provision and has plans in place to address shortfalls.

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Inspection Judgements

Staff know the young people well. Care planning is detailed and provides good information for staff. A social worker said, ‘His plans are flexible and cater for his individual needs.’ A young person said that the key strength of the service is, ‘The way staff treat you. They’re understanding.’ Regular care team meetings provide good opportunities for staff, parents, the young people and external professionals working with them to come together and review progress. Risk management is good because staff have a clear understanding of the risks that young people are exposed to. Most risks are well recorded within a risk management plan. However, written plans do not currently assess all identified risks. This is important to ensure that staff know the agreed strategies to minimise risks for young people. Staff complete direct work with young people to help them have a better understanding of issues such as offensive language and behavioural expectations. This is generally not

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Inspection Judgements

planned and so tends to be reactive rather than proactive. Additionally, staff do not always evidence the good work that they do with young people. This has been a recommendation within the reports written by a representative from the company, who completes regular visits to assess the conduct of the provision, but remains an issue. The health of young people is promoted well. Staff encourage young people to eat healthy meals and take regular exercise. Young people are able to access health professionals as required. Furthermore, young people have access to weekly therapy sessions. A youth offending team worker said that the young person he works with Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 6 of 10 would not consider going to see a therapist before he came to this school. He is now starting to attend regularly. This helps young people to come to terms with traumatic events in their lives and develop strategies for coping with future life events.

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Inspection Judgements

The voice of young people is important to staff. Young people are asked for their views regularly through house meetings, direct work, care team meetings and statutory reviews. Young people feel that they are listened to. Staff act on requests from young people. For example, a young person asked if they could have a double bed, this was bought for him. When staff are unable to fulfil requests, they fully explain the reasons for their decisions. Staff support young people to build positive relationships with parents, siblings and friends. This is important to ensure that young people have a good network of people when they transition into adulthood. A parent said, ‘He has been pleasant and polite on both occasions, thanks for everything you do for him.’ The environment provides a well-maintained, clean and homely place for young people to reside. Bedrooms are single and young people are encouraged to personalise them.

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Inspection Judgements

Young people’s privacy is respected as they are able to lock their bedroom doors. Young people have plenty of communal space and enjoy the company of staff as well as their own company, playing on games consoles, listening to music or watching television. The garden offers a good space for them. Young people are encouraged to be active, but they often refuse to go out to the many activities staff offer. Young people do regularly visit their family and friends.

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Inspection Judgements

How well children and young people are protected Good

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Inspection Judgements

Young people are protected from unsuitable adults. Staff receive good training in safeguarding children, including issues such as radicalisation and protecting children from sexual exploitation. Staff have a good knowledge of the school’s safeguarding policies. Records of safeguarding concerns are good and provide a clear account of actions taken and outcomes. Recruitment procedures also help to protect young people from unsuitable adults. Young people have strong relationships with staff based on mutual trust and respect. A young person said, ‘I trust them all and they all trust me. We have a good relationship.’ Staff maintain clear boundaries, which help to keep young people safe. Young people, mostly, do not put themselves at risk by going missing, taking illegal substances, drinking alcohol or self-harming. However, when incidents have occurred, staff have acted quickly and effectively, working collaboratively with external agencies and parents

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Inspection Judgements

to ensure the safety of young people. The positive behaviour of young people is promoted by staff. Young people receive incentives and praise for good behaviour. Incentives are used well. For example, a young person is given a reward for each lesson that he attends and for good behaviour within the lesson. This ensures that his attendance has increased and poor behaviour in class has reduced. Staff are well trained in de-escalation techniques as well as physical intervention. Consequently, young people are very rarely restrained. One restraint has occurred since the last inspection, which used minimum force and for a matter of seconds. This helped the young person to calm without anyone being injured. Young people learn how to effectively control their emotions and manage their behaviour. A Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 7 of 10 teacher said, ‘He sees this place as a place of security. He seems calm and settled.’

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Inspection Judgements

Health and safety procedures are good, as are fire safety procedures. However, the fire door for the kitchen is routinely propped open, which is not compliant with the home’s fire risk assessment.

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Inspection Judgements

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

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Inspection Judgements

The residential provision has a strong leadership team. The headteacher and house manager manage the provision well. The staff team is fairly new and the manager is focusing on developing them as a team to ensure a cohesive and consistent approach for young people. A therapist commented, ‘They are a team under construction, working towards being cohesive.’ Staff work closely with the education and therapy teams to provide young people with a holistic package of care. Staff are mostly qualified. They are caring and have the young people’s best interests at the heart of their practice. Staff feel very well supported by the manager, senior managers and the therapy team. Staff meet with the link therapist fortnightly to reflect on practice with young people. A therapist said, ‘We support staff to have the psychological capacity to look after the young people. The organisation supports the training needs of staff and staff have completed all mandatory training. Other training

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Inspection Judgements

specific to the needs of the young people are also offered such as self-harm and internet safety.’ Parents and external agencies agreed that staff are very good at keeping them informed. Staff work in partnership to ensure the safety and well-being of young people. The manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the residential provision and has good plans in place to address any shortfalls. The house manager is appropriately qualified. A representative of the company visits the residential provision regularly and provides good insight into the conduct of the residential provision. This supports the house manager in the development of the provision, enabling them to provide a good service for young people. Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 8 of 10

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What inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspections of boarding and residential provision in schools: the inspection framework’.

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What inspection judgements mean

Judgement Description Outstanding A school where the experiences and progress of children and young people consistently exceeds the standard of good and results in sustained progress and achievement. The outcomes achieved by children and young people are outstanding and the impact the boarding/residential provision has had in supporting this progress and achieving these outcomes is clearly evidenced. Good A school providing effective services which exceed minimum requirements. Children and young people are protected and cared for and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. Requires improvement A school where there are no serious or widespread failures that result in children and young people's welfare not being safeguarded or promoted. However, the overall outcomes, experiences and progress of children and young people are not yet good. Inadequate A school where there are serious and/or widespread failures that mean

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What inspection judgements mean

children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded or if their care and experiences are poor and they are not making progress. Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 128078 Social care unique reference number SC484569 This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for residential special schools. Type of school Residential Special School Number of boarders on roll 7 Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 8 to 16 Headteacher Jennifer Collighan Date of previous boarding inspection 12 January 2016 Telephone number 01162876218 Email address jcollighan@barfordchildrensservices.co.uk Inspection Report Oakwood School, 13 June 2016 to 15 June 2016 Page 10 of 10 guidance 'raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/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

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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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/ofsted

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School details

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 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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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.co.uk/ofsted

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