Bristol Waldorf School

Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 1 of 11 Bristol Steiner School Redland Hill House, Redland Hill, Bristol BS6 6UX

p.1

Inspection dates 06/12/2016 to 07/12/2016

p.1

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

p.1

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

p.1

The boarding provision is good because

 There are safe and effective systems to assess, approve and monitor host families and their accommodation.

p.1

The boarding provision is good because

 The opportunity to stay with a host family provides a positive experience of living in England. Young people make progress in their personal and social development. Visiting students from Europe benefit from attending this school and improving their English language skills.

p.1

The boarding provision is good because

 Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Host families are provided with up-to-date information on how to promote the safety and welfare of visiting students. There are plans to enhance this level of understanding by providing host families with access to online training on safeguarding.

p.1

The boarding provision is good because

 Effective communication between school staff, host families and parents contributes to the success of the experience for the visiting students. Host families speak positively about the support and guidance they receive from school staff.

p.1

The boarding provision is good because

 The senior leadership team strives to develop the school, and welcomes independent audits to drive improvement. Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 2 of 11

p.1

Compliance with the national minimum standards for boarding schools

The school meets the national minimum standards for boarding schools.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend the online training regarding safeguarding to host families.  Produce a written agreement with the independent listener for clarity on responsibilities and expectations. Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 3 of 11

p.2

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out within three hours of notification by telephone and occurred over two days. Discussions were held with the business manager, the host family coordinator, the designated safeguarding officer, the independent listener, the class guardian, the host family and the visiting student. The inspection included scrutiny of documents and contact with the local authority designated officer.

p.3

Inspection team

Clare Davies Lead social care inspector Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 4 of 11

p.3

Information about this school

Bristol Steiner School is a non-denominational, non-selective, co-educational day school. It is a member of the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship and inspected by the School Inspection Service. The school is located in the northern suburbs of Bristol.

p.4

Information about this school

At the time of this inspection there were 157 students on the school roll between the ages of two and 16 years, to include the kindergarten. The school uses the Steiner curriculum, which is structured to respond to the development needs of children and to provide them with the skills they need to become balanced, well-rounded individuals. As well as academic skills, students are taught to acquire a sensitive and caring interest in the cultural and natural worlds.

p.4

Information about this school

Bristol Steiner School offers up to four students aged 14 to 16 years, with EU passports, an opportunity to join the school for a term, in Years 10 and 11. These international students reside with host families, throughout the term, as they attend Bristol Steiner School as a day student. At the time of this inspection there was one visiting student staying with a host family. This is the first inspection as a boarding school following registration in March 2015. Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 5 of 11

p.4

Good

Young people make good progress during their short stay. In addition to learning English language skills, they grow in confidence and accelerate in their personal and social development. They are motivated in their learning and have excellent attendance at school.

p.5

Good

Young people enjoy their stay in the UK as they embrace British culture and participate in family life. They engage in local activities organised through the school or the host family. Young people report that they enjoy visiting the cities of London and Bath in addition to all that Bristol has to offer.

p.5

Good

Host families provide internet access enabling young people to easily maintain contact with family and friends in their home country. Young people are supported to use technology appropriately to promote their personal safety and to respect other users of social networks.

p.5

Good

The safety and welfare of young people are paramount, as promoted by the school staff and host families. Robust policies and procedures provide clarity for staff, and host families, on what to do if concerned about any young people. These documents are underpinned by training and regular discussions on safeguarding issues.

p.5

Good

Young people say that they feel safe and recognise that key adults are available to support them. This includes school staff who can converse in the young people’s first language.

p.5

The quality of care and support Good

Prior to coming to this school, young people and significant adults are actively involved in comprehensive assessments and interviews. This process enables school staff to establish that young people have the emotional maturity to cope with living away from home for a term in another country. In addition, the young person’s comprehension of the English language is assessed to confirm that the young person will be able to learn with the class.

p.5

The quality of care and support Good

Visual technology provides an opportunity for young people and their parents to virtually meet and communicate with the host family prior to the young person’s arrival in the UK. Young people and host families report how valuable this is before meeting in person, and subsequently, as host families can have direct contact with young people’s parents.

p.5

The quality of care and support Good

Visiting young people are invited to the school the day before term starts. This provides a good opportunity to meet school staff and tour the building without any other students present. Young people are introduced to school staff who speak their first language, a reassurance upon arrival in the UK often for the first time. Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 6 of 11 Senior leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to all visiting students. For example, when visiting students stay with family members it is a private arrangement and they are not considered as staying with a host family. However, senior leaders arrange a home visit and provide support to the family and the young person. Senior leaders wish to provide the same level of pastoral support, and consider that this is their duty of care. Family members and visiting students report how they appreciate this involvement and

p.5

The quality of care and support Good

the networking with host families and other young people.

p.6

The quality of care and support Good

An independent listener is made known to young people as someone to contact if they have any worries that they are unable to raise with their host family or school staff. This person has been carefully selected as someone who has previously hosted young people for this school. This ensures that she is fully aware of the experience that young people are receiving and understands the Steiner philosophy of the school. The independent listener understands her role and responsibility to report any safeguarding concerns. This arrangement would benefit from a written agreement in line with good practice.

p.6

The quality of care and support Good

Referral forms identify the health needs of young people and contribute to the assessment of suitability to ensure that the school and host family can meet any medical or health needs. Access to medical care can be arranged through the host family’s medical practice if required as a temporary resident. Routine medical and dental care is arranged prior to arrival and on return home after the term’s placement has ended. Staff are suitably trained in first aid at school to respond to minor injuries and accidents.

p.6

The quality of care and support Good

There are no catering arrangements at school. All students bring a packed lunch and the host families ensure that this is provided. Likes and dislikes of food are discussed during the introductions to ensure that young people are well catered for by host families.

p.6

How well children and young people are protected Good

Safeguarding practice is good, led by the designated safeguarding officer who is suitably trained. Strong support for maintaining current practice occurs by being a member of the multi-agency network meetings for schools. The designated safeguarding officer cascades information about the protection of children to school staff and host families. Host families value this input and one carer commented on how reassured she was to receive a flow chart on what action to take if a young person had not returned home on time.

p.6

How well children and young people are protected Good

In addition to regular safeguarding updates and a standing agenda item at staff meetings, formal training for school staff occurs every two years. Staff training is supplemented with online training courses. Host families receive informal training at a personal level when the safeguarding policy and procedures are discussed as part of the initial assessment. There are plans to provide host families with access to the online courses that will further enhance their knowledge.

p.6

How well children and young people are protected Good

School rules and the code of conduct promote being a good citizen, and being kind and tolerant of others. Incidents of disruptive behaviour are rare within the school and there are no reports of any incidents involving visiting students. Equality is promoted throughout the school and led by the collegiate colleagueship model with the concept Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 7 of 11 that there is no overall responsibility held by a headteacher or principal. Diversity is celebrated where everyone is valued as an individual.

p.6

How well children and young people are protected Good

Young people are provided with information to help keep them safe. This includes familiarisation tours around the local area with the host families. In school, a counsellor is available once a week from the local drugs project. This confidential service provides support to young people who may be tempted into drug use. Senior leaders recognise the social pressures on young people and the availability of drugs, such as cannabis, within this city environment.

p.7

How well children and young people are protected Good

Senior leaders have developed good working relationships with social care professionals external to the school. Referrals of any safeguarding concerns are reported appropriately, and in a timely manner, as confirmed by the local authority designated officer. There are effective systems to notify the local authority when a young person under the age of 16 years is staying with a host family. This meets the statutory requirements of private fostering.

p.7

How well children and young people are protected Good

Senior leaders adopt safer recruitment practices by referring to the latest guidance document from the government, ‘Keeping children safe in education’. Part one of this document is distributed to all staff and host families. Senior leaders ensure that all suitability checks are undertaken of new staff, and host families, before they work with young people. The school business manager maintains a list of suitability checks on a single central record in order to monitor compliance.

p.7

How well children and young people are protected Good

Senior leaders are committed to providing a safe environment, and an external provider completed a health and safety audit the day before this inspection. Senior leaders have invited an independent audit of safeguarding systems within the school to commence in January 2017. Alongside this audit, a self-assessment is currently underway to show good practice in the school’s e-safety policy and procedures.

p.7

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

Senior leaders have an effective overview of the small provision for visiting students accommodated with host families. The host family coordinator is knowledgeable and ensures that the national minimum standards are met and that the visiting students are cared for in a safe, welcoming family environment.

p.7

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

Host families come forward from the school community as either parents of children who attend or former staff. This ensures that they are committed to the Steiner ethos of creative learning and are known to the school. Suitability checks occur for all members of the household over the age of 16 years before a host family is approved. Home visits assess matters of health and safety, and check that the bedroom offered to young people is of a good standard to meet their personal and educational needs.

p.7

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

The hosting coordinator maintains contact with the host family to check that all is well, and seeks feedback from the family and the young person. At the time of the inspection the experience for one young person has been so beneficial and enjoyable that a second term has been arranged with the same host family. Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 8 of 11 The senior leadership team strives to develop the school, and welcomes independent audits to drive improvement. A recent review of the school structure has concluded that from September 2017 Years 10 and 11 will be delivered through alternative education providers off site. As a consequence of this, the school will no longer be inviting visiting students. Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 9 of 11

p.7

What inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors 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’.

p.9

Judgement Description

Outstanding A school where the experiences and progress of children and young people consistently exceed the standard of good and result in sustained progress and achievement. The outcomes achieved by children and young people are outstanding and the impact that 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 children and young people are not protected or that their

p.9

Judgement Description

welfare is not promoted or safeguarded or that their care and experiences are poor and they are not making progress. Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 Page 10 of 11

p.9

number

DfE registration number 801/6011 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 boarding schools. Type of school Boarding School Number of boarders on roll 1 Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 14 to 16 Headteacher The College of Teachers

p.10

Email address

Inspection Report Bristol Steiner School, 06/12/2016 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 .

p.11

Email address

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.

p.11

Email address

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 .

p.11

Email address

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

p.11

Email address

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'.

p.11

Email address

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

p.11