SHC School

31–33 London Road, Barking, Essex IG11 8AL

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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This is an inadequate school

 The proprietor and school leaders have failed to ensure that the school meets the independent school standards.  Leadership and management are inadequate because safeguarding is not effective. Some checks on staff are not completed and school leaders have failed to develop a strong positive culture of prioritising safeguarding.  The curriculum is inadequate because pupils do not experience learning in technology. There is insufficient practical science and weaknesses in physical education and social studies.  Teaching, learning and assessment are inadequate. In addition to weaknesses in the subjects being taught, teachers’ planning does not take into account the learning needs and prior attainment of the pupils. As a result, pupils do not make enough progress.  School leaders are overgenerous and inaccurate in their evaluation of the quality of teaching. As a result, school leaders have not developed clear plans

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This is an inadequate school

for improving the quality of teaching.  Pupils’ personal development and welfare are inadequate. Pupils are not safe because school leaders have too casual an approach to managing risk for pupils on the premises and for visits outside. Risk assessments are not fit for purpose.  Outcomes for pupils are inadequate. This is because of weaknesses in the curriculum, lack of planning to meet the needs of the pupils and poor quality teaching.  Careers guidance for pupils is poor. The school is using pupils’ personal career plans, which are out of date and do not reflect pupils’ current interests and aspirations.

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The school has the following strengths

 The proprietor has a very clear vision of how she would like the school to develop in the future.  Strong relationships between staff and pupils have a positive impact on pupils’ behaviour.  The after-school club engages pupils successfully in a range of activities and contributes to their personal development.  Pupils’ behaviour is good.

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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 (‘the independent school standards’) 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 the impact of leadership and management by ensuring that: all safeguarding requirements are met and checks on staff are fully recorded reliable risk assessments are in place which are written to take account of pupils’ needs a positive culture of safeguarding is developed to help keep pupils safe technology is introduced into the range of subjects practical science is fully implemented social studies is broadened to include more history and geography opportunities for physical education are further developed through the curriculum school leaders receive appropriate training so that they can better implement the school’s process for checking the quality of teaching all staff fully understand pupils’ learning needs and are familiar with pupils’ individual education plans school policies are fully adapted or rewritten so that they are appropriate for SHC School and its pupils careers guidance is up to date and suitable for pupils’ ages and interests.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes by ensuring that teachers: take full account of pupils’ learning needs, as stated in pupils’ statements, education, health and care (EHC) plans and from prior attainment, to plan activities which enable them to make better progress plan adaptations to the subject workbooks so that the work is more appropriate for pupils and they can do more of the work themselves use effective questioning to check that pupils have understood the work listen more attentively to pupils and give them a chance to answer questions choose resources which are more appropriate and help pupils to make progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by ensuring that: pupils are kept safe in school through better management of the premises the internet system does not enable pupils to access inappropriate material registration, break and lunchtime have a clear purpose learning sessions are structured to help pupils concentrate in lessons.

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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 a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work is implemented effectively (paragraph 2(1) and 2(1)(a)) The proprietor must ensure that the written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work takes into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan (paragraph 2(1)(b)(i)) The proprietor must ensure that full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education (paragraph 2(2)(a)) The proprietor must ensure that for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to-

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

date careers guidance is presented in an impartial manner 2(2)(e)(i); enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options 2(2)(e)(ii); and helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential 2(2)(e)(iii) (paragraph 2(2)(e)) The proprietor must ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to earn and make progress (paragraph 2(2)(h)) The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school 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 (paragraph 3 and 3(a)) The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time (paragraph 3 and 3(c)) The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

the planning of lessons (paragraph 3 and 3(d)) The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range (paragraph 3 and 3(f)) The proprietor must ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraph 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; and appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified (paragraph 16, 16(a) and 16(b)) The proprietor must ensure that enhanced criminal record checks and prohibition from teaching checks are completed for staff (paragraph 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(d), 20(6) and 20(6)(a)(ii))

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

The proprietor must ensure that they keep a register which shows such of the information referred to in sub-paragraphs (3) to (7) and (21(1)) The proprietor must ensure that a check was made to establish whether S is barred from regulated activity relating to children in accordance with section 3(2) of the 2006 Act; a check was made to establish whether S is subject to any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in such a direction; (paragraph 21(3)(a)(ii), 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(a)(v) and 21(3)(b)) The proprietor must ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

school standards are met consistently; and actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)).

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 School leaders and the proprietor have failed to meet the requirements of the independent school standards. As a result, this has had a negative impact on pupils’ welfare, safety, learning and academic outcomes.  The proprietor and school leaders have not made sure that all the necessary pre-employment checks have been completed for all staff. Not all the checks were recorded on the single central record (SCR) of recruitment checks. Some checks recorded on the SCR were not confirmed by staff personnel files. The checking of the suitability of staff is haphazard and staff files are disorganised.  School leaders have not ensured that pupils are safe because there is far too casual an approach to risk management on the premises and when pupils are taken out of school into the park and local area. Risk assessments are from general published schemes and do not take into account the special educational needs

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

of the pupils. Where risk assessments have been written for SHC School they are not fit for purpose.  The curriculum does not cover all the areas of learning sufficiently well and as a result, pupils cannot make progress across the full range of subjects. Pupils do not experience learning in technology, even though there are timetabled sessions on the timetable. There is no evidence of practical science. In social studies, there is not enough specific history and geography. The provision for physical education is improving.  School policies and procedures are not specific to SHC School. They are often from published collections of policies or come from other schools and so policies refer to staff roles and structures not yet in place in this school. They are not written for SHC School and so lack detail and focus; this limits their effectiveness in developing and improving the school.  There is a programme for monitoring the quality of teaching. Teachers and teaching assistants receive

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

detailed written feedback on their teaching. However, school leaders are overgenerous in their assessment of the quality of teaching. They believe it to be outstanding, so the process is not being used with sufficient rigour to improve teaching, learning and assessment.  School leaders have put in place a self-evaluation system based on the independent school standards. However, their judgements are very generous and do not accurately reflect where the school currently is. Once again, this limits the ability of the school leadership to drive the school forward.  The proprietor has a clear vision of how she wants the school to develop in the future. She intends to offer an inclusive provision for pupils who have special educational needs and those who may be at risk of exclusion. The proprietor has a strong conviction from her Christian faith and is determined to make the provision work successfully for pupils. School leaders have developed strong relationships with parents.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

Parents are supportive of the school and welcome its Christian ethos and values.  School leaders have taken advice from a number of organisations and clearly made a concerted effort to meet the standards. However, leaders have not pursued this with sufficient detail and diligence and do not currently have the depth of understanding necessary to meet the requirements. The headteacher and special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) work part-time and are only occasionally in school. This also limits their effectiveness.  The development of pupils’ understanding of British values is an important priority for the proprietor. This is achieved primarily through the Christian ethos of the school but tolerance and understanding of other faiths through common values is also covered.  The opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, although not strong, are varied and are at the heart of the school’s values.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The proprietor and school leaders have not been successful in creating a safe culture in the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Teaching, learning and assessment are inadequate because they do not enable pupils to learn and make progress across a range of subjects. Pupils are not taught the full range of subjects required by the independent school standards.  Pupils use the individual workbooks for mathematics, science, social studies and aspects of literacy including comprehension and word building. However, teachers’ planning and use of the workbooks do not take enough account the special educational needs and prior attainment of the pupils. As a result, pupils make limited progress.  Teaching assistants are unclear about the special educational needs of the pupils and how these impact on their learning. They do not know the pupils’ targets on their individual education plans. They are unable to plan teaching effectively and so pupils do not make enough progress.  Teacher questioning is poor. They do not plan questioning and often talk so much that the pupils are unable

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

to answer before the teachers have given the answers.  The workbooks include tests so that pupils move onto the next workbook when the test has been completed to a suitably high level. Pupils are set goals as to the number of pages they are expected to complete. Assessment of activities in the workbooks is effectively monitored and recorded, particularly in English and mathematics. Assessment of art, music and physical education is less successful, because activities are often used as rewards and are not assessed with the same rigour.  Resources are not tailored to pupils’ needs. In a music lesson, pupils watched a lengthy video clip about drumming. This was clearly aimed at adult drummers with much more drumming equipment available to them, so very little learning took place. In another clip about ‘being kind’, the language was Vietnamese, with a musical soundtrack and English subtitles. The content was relevant and charming, but the resource

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

had not been adapted or used in such a way which would enable pupils to understand it.  There are some strengths in teaching. The teaching assistants have developed strong relationships with pupils which impact positively on pupils’ behaviour. Teaching assistants are most successful when they show the pupil what they want them to do. In a music lesson, the teaching assistant showed a pupil how to hold the drum stick to improve their performance.  Visual resources to support work on mammals in science and the use of dice and counters in mathematics are used effectively to engage pupils and support their learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Pupils are not safe in school. Although the school premises meet the independent school standards, school leaders do not manage the school site well enough to ensure that pupils are safe. For example, the door code for the first floor premises is not always in use and when it is, pupils know how to open the door and can leave and walk out into the stairwell.  Pupils’ safety on the regular trips to the local park is not secure. The risk assessment for the park visits is not fit for purpose.  Pupils’ emotional well-being is at risk. During the inspection, a pupil accessed an inappropriate video on a laptop computer. The teaching assistant took immediate steps to close the video. However this should not have occurred.  Pupils are developing self-confidence and enjoy their learning. They are well supported through the ethos of

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Personal development and welfare

the school.  The activities and sharing ethos of the after-school club contributes effectively to pupils’ personal development.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils listen and respond well to instructions. Their social skills are developing well and they are welcoming to visitors; they smile and say hello. They are keen to share their work and demonstrate their skills.  The long lessons and lack of appropriate planning for learning can make it difficult for pupils to maintain their concentration and behave well throughout the lesson time. Nevertheless, the positive relationships mean that they are usually successful in doing this.  In the after-school club, pupils adapt well to larger groups, they enjoy the social interaction and enjoy a variety of learning and recreational activities with other young people.  Pupils’ attendance is well above the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Pupils’ progress is inadequate because of weak teaching and weaknesses in the curriculum which does not meet the independent school standards.  Pupils’ progress is English and mathematics is not measured accurately enough by teachers and school leaders. Leaders do not check pupils’ academic progress well enough. As a result, leaders and teachers do not know whether pupils are making the progress they expect of them.  Teachers and teaching assistants do not give pupils enough opportunities to do the work themselves and give too much guidance on completing the work so that the workbooks do not always accurately reflect what the pupils can do.  Relationships between adults and pupils are positive. However, activities that pupils select are not sufficiently well planned, which leads to limited gains in pupils’ learning.  Pupils’ progress in number is stronger than other aspects of mathematics. Pupils can count and add

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

confidently and are starting to work on simple subtraction. They enjoy number puzzles and are confident learners in this subject.  Pupils make insufficient progress in reading because there is not enough emphasis on teaching phonics (letters and the sounds they represent).  Pupils’ progress in working scientifically is poor because there are not enough opportunities for practical science.

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School details

Unique reference number 141679 Inspection number 10017773 DfE registration number 301/6004 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 Christian school School status Independent special school Age range of pupils 10−19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Not applicable Number of part time pupils 0 Proprietor Ruth Dakoru-Whyte Chair N/A Headteacher Philip Regis Annual fees (day pupils) N/A Telephone number 07784 491731 Website www.sohecares.org.uk Email address info@sohecares.org.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 SHC School is a Christian school for pupils who have special educational needs in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.  The school’s mission is to provide a rich and challenging education with a Christian learning ethos.  The school was registered and opened in June 2015, closed in July 2015 and then re-opened in January 2016. The school is registered for up to 25 boys and girls from Years 6 to 14. There are currently no pupils in key stages 2, 4 and the sixth form.  The school is owned by the proprietor, who also acted as the headteacher during the inspection. There are no governors.  The school is located in Barking Methodist Church. The school occupies the first floor of the church hall and includes a large multi-purpose teaching space, a store room, a kitchen and pupil toilets. Staff toilets and a first aid room are located on the ground floor. The school uses a local park for recreation and some

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Information about this school

physical education activities.  The headteacher was appointed in November 2015, and works part time. The majority of other staff are volunteers.  The school does not use any off-site provision.  This was the school’s first inspection.  The school meets requirements for the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with one day’s notice  The inspector visited several classrooms in a range of subjects. The inspector was accompanied by the proprietor for some of these visits.  The inspector visited morning registration, breaktime and the after-school club.  Meetings were held with the proprietor, the special educational needs coordinator and a teaching assistant.  The inspector talked informally to pupils during the inspection.  A tour of the building and premises was undertaken with the proprietor.  The inspector considered a range of documentation including the school’s self-evaluation, policies and schemes of work and information about pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance.  The inspector spoke to representatives from Barking and Dagenham local authority and Thurrock local authority.  The inspector took account of the views of two parents.  There were no responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Janet Hallett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector DRAFT AND CONFIDENTIAL NOT FOR DISCLOSURE OR PUBLICATION 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

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