Cressey College

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Cressey College 20 October 2016 Coombe Cliff, Coombe Road, Croydon CR0 5SP

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 11 and 12  At the emergency inspection in February 2016, not all the necessary checks on the safety of the premises at the school’s newest Moorings site had been made. In addition, the proprietor had received a letter informing her that the fire authorities did not consider these premises to be compliant with the relevant fire safety regulations.  The inspector visited all five of the school’s sites on this progress monitoring inspection to check the consistency of health and safety across the school.  A recently appointed premises, operations and contracts manager leads on health and safety across the school’s sites. He has overseen revisions to the school’s health and safety policy, which was last updated in September 2016. This policy is fit for purpose and ensures that consistent safety checks are undertaken by senior teachers at each school site and are recorded in designated yellow folders for

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Main inspection findings

inspection by senior leaders. These include the recording of many checks, including water temperatures, fire drills, fire alarm tests and maintenance issues.  The school commissioned an external fire risk assessment of the Moorings site in March 2016. The school’s premises manager ensured that all identified actions were completed. The proprietor received a further letter from the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority confirming the findings of its inspection of the site in May 2016. The letter confirms that the premises now comply with the necessary fire safety regulations. The most recent checks on the fire equipment at the site were completed in October 2016.  Some of the school’s sites, especially the Moorings site, suffer significant damage from pupils, who present varying levels of challenging behaviour. There is evidence that damage is repaired but school leaders could do even more to ensure that the

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Main inspection findings

buildings are consistently cared for and well maintained.  The previously unmet standards checked in this part are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraphs 7, 7(b), 32(1) and 32(1)(c)  The school’s safeguarding policy, available on the school’s website, was last updated in September 2016 and reflects the latest statutory guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’, 2016. Checks on training and the inspector’s conversations with staff, pupils and designated safeguarding leads confirmed a strong safeguarding culture across the school’s sites.  The standards checked in this part are met. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraph 21(3) and 21(3)(a)(i)  At the emergency inspection, the single central register of vetting checks did not make clear how identity checks on appointed staff had been made.  The inspector checked the single central register and a sample of staff files. The register now meets requirements as it includes the necessary checks on staff members’ identities.  The previously unmet standards checked in this part are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 24(1), 24(1)(a), 24(1)(b), 24(1)(c), 25, 27, 27(b), 28(1), 28(1)(c), 28(1)(d), 29(1) and 29(1)(b)  At the emergency inspection, several independent school standards were judged to be unmet at the school’s Moorings site.  The site’s medical room did not meet requirements as it did not include a washing facility, medical supplies or any means of disposing of used or soiled equipment. There was no functional outdoor lighting to aid safe entry to, and exit from, the premises. Drinking water was not clearly labelled and there were no controls on the temperature of hot water in the washrooms and no procedures in place to monitor the temperature of hot water or to carry out routine checks on this. The outdoor area at this site was also judged to be too small to accommodate the number and needs of pupils for outdoor recreation.  The inspector visited and checked the premises at all five school sites.

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Main inspection findings

 The medical rooms at each site meet requirements. All include a washing facility, appropriate medical supplies and a disposal facility.  There are three new outdoor floodlights covering the entrance to the Moorings site.  Drinking water is clearly identified with labels at all school sites. In general, drinking water is provided by staff on request from the kitchen areas, which are out of bounds to pupils.  The hot water tested by the inspector at all the school sites was not scalding. Evidence of weekly temperature checks on the hot water was also checked at all the school sites.  Each school site caters for different needs and ages. As a result, each has a different arrangement for the provision and use of outdoor space. At the Moorings site, the outdoor space has been developed since the emergency inspection. New gates and fencing have been installed and pupils have helped to create a new paved area. The

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Main inspection findings

area is used predominantly for the teaching of car mechanics and for short periods of ‘time out’ which pupils require from time to time. Formal arrangements for physical education and outdoor recreation make suitable use of local parks and these are appropriately risk assessed.  The previously unmet standards checked in this part are now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)  Leaders have taken appropriate and effective action to remedy the failures identified at the emergency inspection in February 2016.  As a result, all of the independent school standards checked during this inspection are met, including those related to the leadership and management of the school and the well-being of pupils.

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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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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 Ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school (paragraph 7, 7(a)).  Ensure that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy (paragraph 11).  Ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (paragraph 12).  Keep a register which shows such of the information referred to in sub-paragraphs (3) to (7) as is applicable to the school in question, this being: identity checks on staff (paragraph 21(3), 21(3)(a)(i)).  Ensure that suitable accommodation is provided in order to cater for the medical needs of pupils (paragraph 24(1), 24(1)(a), 24(1)(b), 24(1)(c)).  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).

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 Ensure that external lighting is provided in order to ensure that people can safely enter and leave the school premises (paragraph 27, 27(b)).  Ensure that cold water supplies that are suitable for drinking are clearly marked as such (paragraph 28(1), 28(1)(c)).  Ensure that the temperature of hot water at the point of use does not pose a scalding risk to users (paragraph 28(1), 28(1)(d)).  Ensure that suitable outdoor space is provided in order to enable pupils to play outside (paragraph 29(1), 29(1)(b)).  Ensure that those with leadership and management responsibilities demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; that they fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and that they actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)).

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School details

Unique reference number 133438 DfE registration number 306/6104 Inspection number 10021715 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 Day school School status Independent special school Age range of pupils 5 to 19 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 100 Number of part-time pupils 0 Proprietor Adrienne Barnes Headteacher Adrienne Barnes Annual fees (day pupils) Variable depending on needs of pupils Telephone number 020 8655 2798 Website www.cresseycollege.co.uk Email address enquiries@cresseycollege.co.uk Date of previous standard inspection 8 November 2013

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Information about this school

 Cressey College is a multi-site special school for male and female pupils between the ages of five and 19 years with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties. The school is based on five separate sites within the London Borough of Croydon.  There are currently 100 pupils on roll. The vast majority of pupils have education, health and care plans for their SEMH and other additional special educational needs.  The school opened in January 2010. It received its last full inspection in November 2013, when the overall effectiveness of the school was judged to be good.  This is the first progress monitoring inspection since an unannounced emergency inspection judged some of the independent school standards to be unmet in February 2016. The school’s action plan to meet the failed standards was accepted by the Department for Education (DfE) in June 2016.  The school’s website contains all the required information, including key policies.

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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 inspection was carried out without notice.  The school’s emergency inspection in February 2016 identified a number of standards that were not met in relation to safeguarding, health and safety and the premises. The school drew up an action plan for improvement in response to the report. It was evaluated in May 2016 and judged to be acceptable. It was subsequently accepted by the DfE in June 2016.  This is the school’s first progress monitoring inspection. The inspector was asked to focus on particular requirements contained within Parts 3, 4, 5 and 8 of the independent school standards.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector toured the premises and visited all classes at all five of the school’s sites.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, who is also the proprietor, and senior leaders at each site. He also met with those responsible for admissions and recruitment. He spoke informally with pupils throughout the inspection.  The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documentation related to the independent school standards, including key policies, the single central register of vetting checks, a sample of staff files and information related to health and safety, premises and fire safety.  There was only one response to the Ofsted online survey (Parent View) at the time of the inspection.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted 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

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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