Hampden House PRU

Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 1 of 11 Hampden House Hampden House PRU, Cats Lane, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2SF

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Inspection dates 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016

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The overall experiences and progress of children and young people Requires improvement 3

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The quality of care and support Requires improvement 3 How well children and young people are protected Good 2 The impact and effectiveness of leaders and senior leaders Requires improvement 3

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The residential provision requires improvement because

 The current senior leadership team has driven improvement since the last inspection. However, further improvements are needed to ensure that a consistently good service is provided.  There remain a number of shortfalls against the national minimum standards. Although the shortfalls have not undermined young people’s safety, unchecked they have the potential to do so.  The residential staff are not receiving sufficient supervision, and annual appraisals for residential staff are weak. This does not provide residential staff with the support that they need. There has been no evaluation of the training programme. As a result, its effectiveness has not been fully explored.  Issues remain with the decor of the building. This impacts on the homeliness of the residential environment.  Improvement is required in some policies and documentation.  The residential provision would benefit from further improvements in relation to the

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The residential provision requires improvement because

scrutiny and challenge by the management committee, the monitoring and review of the impact of the residential provision, the recording of meetings with the young people’s voice group and in safe recruitment.  Safeguarding practice is good. Concerns are shared with appropriate professionals and advice is acted upon.  The staff have good relationships with young people, families and professionals. The Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 2 of 11 young people enjoy their time in residence.

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schools

The school does not meet the following national minimum standards for residential special schools:  3.6 The school has, and implements effectively, appropriate policies for the care of young people who are unwell, and ensures that young people's physical and mental health and emotional well-being are promoted. These include first aid, care of those with chronic conditions and disabilities, administration of medicines (including controlled drugs) and dealing with medical emergencies. Policies for administration of medication should reflect guidance provided by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (Handling of Medicines in Social Care).  5.4 Accommodation is appropriately lit, heated and ventilated, cleaned and maintained, and reasonable adjustments are made to provide adequate accessible accommodation for any young people with restricted mobility. The accommodation contains suitable specialist facilities to support young people whose disabilities require

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them.  13.7 The school follows and maintains the policies and documents described in Appendix 1.  19.4 The learning and development programme is evaluated for effectiveness at least annually and is updated if necessary.  19.6 All staff have access to support and advice for their role. They also have regular supervision and formal annual appraisal of their performance.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make better use of data that focuses explicitly on the experiences of residential pupils in order to monitor the impact and effectiveness of the residential provision.  Ensure that consultative meetings with young people are recorded and that the records are shared with the young people.  Ensure that the management committee provides sufficient challenge and scrutiny to promote further improvements within the residential provision.  Ensure that any gap in the employment history of staff is followed up. Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 3 of 11

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Information about this inspection

The inspection of the residential provision took place within three hours of announcement. The inspectors reviewed the policies, documentation, residential provision and residential arrangements over a period of three days. The inspectors spoke to key staff, young people and parents. The inspection considered feedback from external professionals as part of the inspection process.

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Inspection team

Ashley Hinson Lead social care inspector Michael Mulvaney Social care inspector Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 4 of 11

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Information about this school

Hampden House is a residential pupil referral unit maintained by the local authority. The school can accommodate 24 boys aged between 8 and 14 years, 12 residential pupils and 12 day pupils. Residential pupils reside at the school for up to four nights a week. The residential accommodation is part of the school. Situated in a residential area of Sudbury, the pupil referral unit caters for young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The last residential inspection took place in July 2015. Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 5 of 11

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Inspection Judgements

The overall experiences and progress of children and young people Requires improvement

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Inspection Judgements

The current senior leadership team has driven significant improvement since the last inspection. However, while the trajectory is positive, the residential provision requires further improvement to be good. There is limited evidence to show the progress that young people make. Monitoring of the effectiveness and impact of the residential provision is in its infancy. The headteacher is able to produce raw data that shows the status of young people’s achievement, but this does not yet demonstrate the impact that the residential provision has on the young people. Further work needs to take place to show the difference that staying in residence makes to young people in relation to their social, emotional and academic achievement and progress. The staff support young people to work towards increasing their independence. Some young people have limited freedom granted to them during the school day. This enables

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Inspection Judgements

them to make gradual progress in this area. The staff consult with young people and the young people are able to see the results of their views being listened to. For example, they have recently been involved in designing a new school uniform. However, the staff have not recorded recent consultative meetings with the young people’s voice group. Therefore, the staff have not shared the records with the young people in a formal way. This does not enable further discussion to take place with young people about the issues that they raise and conveys a message that these meetings, and young people’s views, are not important enough to record. The young people speak positively about the staff and the staff speak empathetically about the young people. There are good relationships between them. These relationships support the young people to feel secure in the company of staff. The young people are encouraged by staff to manage their feelings and behaviour well. A young

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Inspection Judgements

person said, ‘They help me. I can control my temper now. Before, if someone said something I would hit them. I don’t now. I’m calmer.’ There is ongoing work with the young people to explore attitudes and behaviours in the group. One carer said, ‘I think it has helped with his structure and routines. I found this hard at home. They have managed to do this at school. It has also decreased the tension at home. Things would have got really bad, but now this is minimised.’ The young people and their carers report that young people enjoy their time in residence. Young people are able to pursue a range of leisure activities, both in the residential provision and in the community. The staff support the young people to participate in activities to raise money for charities and to raise the young people’s own awareness of issues. A carer said, ‘He loves it there. It is because he gets to do lots of things. He likes the horse riding and swimming and loves the members of staff and all

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Inspection Judgements

the attention, even though he gives them a run for their money.’ Many of the young people are new to the residential provision and therefore, there is no evidence of the impact of the residential provision on their academic achievement. The staff support young people to complete their homework. Young people have access to computers and additional resources to complete this work. The residential staff work closely with the educational staff to ensure that they understand how young people are doing in school. Further plans are in place to link recreational activities to educational Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 6 of 11 goals. The safeguarding arrangements are good, with appropriate liaison with safeguarding professionals. There are sufficient staff to meet the needs of the young people.

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Inspection Judgements

The quality of care and support Requires improvement

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Inspection Judgements

There have been improvements to the decor of the building since the last inspection. However, there are areas that still require improvement. Some of the windows in the building have blown seals, causing condensation and making them unsightly. The senior leadership team has challenged the local authority to replace these, but this has not been effective. The windows significantly impact upon the homeliness of the building and the delay in repair does not convey a sense of worth to the young people. It conflicts with the aspirational ethos. The staff support young people to maintain their health and well-being. The young people have access to a counsellor who attends the school twice a week. Young people engage in a range of physical activities during their stays. The staff administer medication appropriately. However, the policy is not consistent with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society guidance. In addition, the policy is confusing regarding the

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Inspection Judgements

approach to administering controlled medication. This increases the risk of mistakes and does not provide clarity for staff. The young people experience residential care that is sensitive to their needs. There is focus on positive reinforcement. An external professional said, ‘They use lots of positive reinforcement. They use a lot of consequences. They give him new opportunities.’ This assists the young people to develop their self-esteem. Other professionals support this view, with one professional stating, ‘There is a reward system in place. He loves showing off his certificates. He is really proud of this and he can see the progress. This helps his mum to praise him as well.’ The staff have a good understanding of the young people’s needs. Families and young people are happy with the quality of the service provided. Families report that the staff handle introductions to the residential provision well. The young people are able to

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Inspection Judgements

contact their families and families report that there is good communication and say that they receive weekly reports about their children. The young people and their families report that there is ample opportunity to experience a range of leisure activities. The young people are able to enjoy swimming, trips to local parks and trips further afield, such as, to the seaside. The young people’s behaviour during the school day influences their participation in activities. Discussions about participation are transparent and involve the young people. Activities are also available in-house, for example, art and craft and cookery. The staff seek the views of the young people and act upon them. For example, the young people are able to personalise their rooms. The young people enjoy a range of meals. They talk positively about the quality of the food provided. Evening meals are social occasions, when young people sit together and

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Inspection Judgements

interact positively. Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 7 of 11 How well children and young people are protected Good

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Inspection Judgements

The school places a high priority on the safety of the young people. The staff are aware of the whistleblowing processes and are able to identify the designated staff with who they can raise concerns. When staff identify concerns, senior leaders share these appropriately with safeguarding professionals in a timely manner. The young people are able to identify individuals with who they can share their concerns. The headteacher monitors incidents of bullying and the staff challenge bullying and racist behaviour. The senior leadership team responds to behaviour in a proportionate and young person-focused manner. For example, the staff initially supported one young person who was using racist terms to help him to understand why the terms were offensive as he had no concept of this. However, once he had grasped the concepts and used the terms in a targeted way towards staff, the headteacher liaised with the local

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Inspection Judgements

police community support officer who met with the young person and discussed the incident. A parent said, ‘They are very hot on bullying. This is really good. They just won’t have it. As soon as it arises they take action. They really, really listen.’ There are occasions when the staff need to use physical intervention to keep young people safe. The headteacher monitors these incidents. He completes regular reports to senior senior leaders within the local authority to provide them with an overview. This monitoring increases the likelihood of identifying and acting on any inappropriate interventions. The residential staff team works with the education staff to explore any issues or concerns. Twice-daily meetings take place so that the staff can share important information, such as young people’s behaviour. Staff also use these meetings to celebrate success. This significantly contributes to the whole school approach to meeting

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Inspection Judgements

the young people’s needs. The senior leadership team has updated the fire risk assessment since the previous inspection and is addressing the actions. There has been an improvement in the recording of fire tests and drills and in the general management of health and safety risks. No young people have gone missing from the residential provision. The senior leadership team has updated the policy and the staff are aware of the process to follow. This promotes young people’s safety should an incident occur. The senior leadership team uses recruitment processes that comply with statutory guidance. However, in one case, there was a short gap in employment history that had not been explained. The senior leadership team has liaised with the designated officer in the local authority when concerns about staff conduct have arisen. No concerns have been upheld. The designated officer was positive regarding the liaison that takes place.

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Inspection Judgements

Senior leaders follow up incidents quickly and communicate well with the appropriate agencies. The designated officer was clear that senior leaders seek advice and take appropriate action, which ensures that young people are protected. The risk assessments are brief, but fit for purpose and usable for the staff. They include triggers of behaviour and the approach to use to manage the presenting behaviour. The staff communicate well with each other to report any issues or concerns. Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 8 of 11 The impact and effectiveness of leaders and senior leaders Requires improvement

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Inspection Judgements

The headteacher is highly regarded. He has a good understanding of the residential provision. The head of care is appropriately qualified and experienced to carry out her role. The senior leadership team includes a ‘health and social inclusion manager’ who is held in high esteem by parents and professionals. There were 12 unmet national minimum standards at the time of the last inspection. Of these, two remain unmet. These relate to evaluating the training programme and maintaining the necessary policies. Although there is clear progress, monitoring and oversight arrangements have not picked up that these issues have not been addressed. Although there is scrutiny from the management committee, this has not been sufficiently robust to identify some gaps in policies. The staff articulate high aspirations for the young people. There are sufficient staff to manage the needs of the young people and contingency plans are generally effective.

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Inspection Judgements

There has been one instance when staff sickness resulted in the cancellation of care for some young people. However, no parents have raised this as a concern. New bank staff are being recruited to provide additional flexibility. The staff have not received supervisions at the frequency outlined in the staff handbook. Some staff have only had one or two supervisions since the last inspection. In addition, although annual appraisals have taken place, they are weak and offer little direction on how staff will progress. This does not provide support and challenge to ensure the professional development of staff and to ensure that leaders provide the right environment for good practice to thrive. The staff have all gained an appropriate qualification or are working towards one. They have accessed training in relation to radicalisation and e-safety and are up to date with physical intervention and safeguarding training. However, senior leaders have not undertaken an evaluation of the

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Inspection Judgements

training programme. This limits the senior leadership team ’s awareness of how effective the programme is. Policies and procedures require further improvements. Some of the policies and documents require review. Some policies on the school website do not reflect the most recent version. This does not provide sufficient guidance or clarity for staff. Parents and carers give consistently positive feedback regarding the quality of the residential provision and the communication that they receive from the staff. One parent said, ‘As a provision they are really brilliant. They have helped us so much. I cannot tell you how much.’ A carer said, ‘The way they work with these young people is exceptional.’ These positive relationships mean that families and staff can discuss issues before they become a problem. As a result, there have been no complaints concerning the residential provision since the last inspection.

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Inspection Judgements

The service maintains good relationships with external professionals. They work in partnership, offering challenge as appropriate. One professional said, ‘The school was very proactive in making sure that we did all that we were supposed to do.’ Professionals are positive about the depth of knowledge that staff have of the young people. One said, ‘They know the young people really well and they get on well. He has been through so many different provisions.’ An independent person visits the school each half-term and produces a thorough report. These reports have the potential to assist the senior leadership team to make the necessary improvements. Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 9 of 11

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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 Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 10 of 11

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School details

Unique reference number 124530 Social care unique reference number SC024594 DfE registration number 935/1104 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 12 Gender of boarders Boys Age range of boarders 9 to 14 Headteacher Mr G Alcock Date of previous boarding inspection 13/07/2015 Telephone number 01787 373583 Email address grahamalcock@hampdenhouse.net Inspection Report Hampden House, 12/10/2016 to 14/10/2016 Page 11 of 11 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

to 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 young people'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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