Cotswold Chine School

School progress monitoring inspection report Cotswold Chine School 6 October 2016 Box, Stroud GL6 9AG

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 6, 7, 7(a), 7(b)  The inspection in October 2015 found that some standards relating to welfare, health and safety were not met, which raised wider concerns about leadership and management of the school. The recording of pupils’ views following incidents of restraint was found to be limited and not following statutory guidance. In addition, the inspection found that leaders did not sufficiently check and monitor the implementation of risk assessments such as for school trips.  Since the inspection, leaders have been vigilant in ensuring that the school’s safeguarding policy is compliant with the most recent government guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’, September 2016. All staff read and sign part one and have a good understanding of how to keep pupils safe. Leaders ensure that all staff receive training to implement the changes stated in this guidance. They

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Main inspection findings

consistently and effectively implement the school’s policies and procedures, and are well placed to recognise and act on signs of risk or harm. Consequently, there is a strong culture of safeguarding. The policy is available to parents on request and placed on the school’s website.  Leaders have strengthened their approaches to recording incidents of restraint. This now meets statutory guidance. All staff are trained to carry out physical intervention. However, this is seen as a last resort. Record-keeping is now of a high quality and includes a full analysis of the triggers leading to incidents requiring restraint. Staff plan and implement strategies to minimise risk and develop pupils’ understanding of the causes and consequences of their behaviours. Thorough debriefs with pupils now follow all incidents and staff carefully record pupils’ responses. In addition, all pupils are assigned an independent advocate for further support. The work carried

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Main inspection findings

out with the local authority designated officer (LADO) and external adviser has contributed effectively to improving the school’s approaches to safeguarding and the use of restraint. Detailed records confirm that the frequency of incidents has reduced, particularly since the previous inspection. Paragraph 9, 9(a), 9(b), 9(c)  A complaint received by Ofsted raised wider concerns about the implementation and effectiveness of the school’s behaviour policy. Following the inspection, leaders have strengthened the school’s behaviour policy. It is made available to parents on the school’s website. Pupils and staff confirm that they understand the school’s approaches to giving rewards to promote positive behaviour. When incidents occur, they are recorded systematically. Sanctions are explained to the pupils so that they can provide their views. Leaders and staff analyse and identify patterns triggering behavioural incidents. Personalised strategies are drawn up to support

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Main inspection findings

pupils to understand and modify their behaviour patterns. Pupils told the inspector that their behaviour has significantly improved during their time at the school. Pupils were mostly calm in lessons and seen to behave well at break and lunchtimes. Paragraph 11  The previous inspection reported that leaders did not sufficiently check and monitor the implementation of risk assessments, specifically for school trips. Also, leaders did not ensure that risk assessments were always reviewed to take account of changes in circumstances to ensure that risks were minimised.  The school has reviewed the health and safety policy since the previous inspection. Leaders have significantly improved their systems to assess the risks associated with off-site visits. Staff understand and effectively implement the procedures stated in the school’s risk assessment policy. The headteacher and the chief executive officer

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Main inspection findings

monitor all risk assessments to ensure compliance with the school’s policy of a 2:1 ratio for supervision. Records confirm that all off-site visits are further reviewed on the day of the trip to take account of any changes needed to ensure the safety of pupils. This includes arrangements for supervision.  Leaders have taken prompt action to inform pupils more effectively of the dangers of social media. For example, all pupils have taken part in an information and communications technology workshop. As a result, they are better protected from potential issues when using electronic and social media outside of the school environment. The involvement of parents for day pupils further supports this work. Paragraph 14  Records confirm leaders and staff are vigilant in ensuring that pupils are well supervised when on school trips and travelling in cars or minibuses. In addition, staff consider pupils’ individual needs when planning appropriate supervision in school.

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Main inspection findings

This helps to minimise risk and reduce incidents of challenging behaviour or absconding. All risk assessments comply with the school’s risk assessment policy and are monitored by the headteacher, chief executive officer and trustees to ensure rigour and full compliance with the school’s risk assessment policy. Paragraph 16, 16(a), 16(b)  The chief executive officer and trustees have ensured that a written risk assessment is effectively understood and implemented. They have ensured that appropriate action has been taken since the previous inspection to reduce identified risks.  All pupils have an individual and personalised risk assessment and safety plan. These plans are continually reviewed and amended to effectively promote pupils’ welfare, health and safety.  The standards for welfare, health and safety of pupils are met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)

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Main inspection findings

 The chief executive officer and trustees have ensured that the standards not met at the previous inspection relating to pupils’ welfare, health and safety are now met.  Leaders recognised the shortcomings identified at the previous inspection. Policies relating to these standards have been reviewed and updated. Training has been central to ensuring that staff understand and effectively implement the school’s policies and procedures to promote pupils’ welfare, health and safety. Increased monitoring by the chief executive officer and trustees has ensured that greater rigour is now applied to this aspect of the school’s work.  Standards relating to leadership and management are now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

Unique reference number 115802 DfES registration number 916/6040 Inspection number 10021139

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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 School status Independent school Age range of pupils 7 to 19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 47 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 19 Number of part-time pupils 0 Proprietor Novalis Trust Chair Jake Lukas Headteacher Tim Makaruk Annual fees (day pupils) £55,282–73,710 Annual fees (boarders) 39 week: £85,995–150,345 52 week: £114,660–200,460 Telephone number 01453 837550 Website www.cotswold-chine.org.uk Email address mail@cotswold-chine.org.uk Date of previous standard inspection 13–15 October 2015

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Information about this school

 Cotswold Chine School is an independent charitable special school and is also a registered children’s home.  Novalis Trust is a charitable trust. The chief executive officer manages the trust on behalf of the trustees.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs or education, health and care plan. Pupils have a range of social, emotional and mental health difficulties that have made it difficult for them to attend mainstream school.  The school does not currently use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The school received a full inspection in October 2015. This inspection was brought forward by the Department for Education due to concerns it had about the safeguarding of pupils. A number of standards relating to Parts 3 and 8 were found not to be met.  The subsequent action plan produced by the school was evaluated in May 2016 and found to be acceptable.  This was the first progress monitoring inspection. This inspection also took account of a complaint received by Ofsted regarding the effective implementation of the school’s behaviour policy. This raised wider concerns about the quality of leadership

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Information about this inspection

and management.  The inspection was carried out with no notice.  The inspection focused on the school’s progress in those parts of the action plan relating to Parts 3 and 8 of the independent school standards. In addition, the implementation of the school’s policies and procedures for safeguarding pupils was evaluated.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer, the headteacher and members of staff. In addition, the inspector spoke to pupils throughout the day.  Inspectors analysed a range of documentation provided by the school.  The lead inspector visited lessons and observed pupils’ behaviour at other times during the day.  The inspector spoke to the local authority designated officer (LADO) by telephone.

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Inspection team

Catherine Leahy, lead inspector Her Majesty’s 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

Parent View 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. 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 children looked after, 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-

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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