Maple Hayes Hall School

Maple Hayes Hall School 27 September 2016 Abnalls Lane, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 8BL

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b).  The safeguarding policy is published on the school website but has not been reviewed annually as stated within the policy.  The policy sets out steps to ensure the welfare, health and safety of pupils but the arrangements in practice are inconsistently applied. For example, a safeguarding complaint in 2015 was dealt with following the established procedures, but a later safeguarding complaint in 2016 was not. This inspection was put in place because of concerns that complaints regarding safeguarding were not dealt with properly.  In a recent incident, the headteacher failed to act appropriately when a safeguarding allegation was made. There was a delay of more than three weeks before referring this potentially serious matter to the local authority designated officer (LADO). This incident and subsequent action did not comply with school policy or the requirements as set out in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’.

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Main inspection findings

 Staff and pupils’ understanding of what to do in the event of a safeguarding concern was limited to telling the headteacher or going to the school office. Pupils’ views about their welfare are only sought on an annual, formal basis. Leaders have not made keeping pupils’ safety and welfare a high enough priority. These standards are not met.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 9, 9(a), 9(b), 9(c).  The behaviour and discipline policy of the school sets out clearly the school’s approach to managing behaviour, and sanctions are clearly defined.  Pupils know and understand what is expected of them and what the consequences are if they fall short of those expectations.  An incident file currently logs the date, the pupil involved and the reason for recording a serious incident. Sometimes the action taken is also included, but not always. Some incidents may also be recorded in the safeguarding file. Consequently, leaders do not have a clear overview of what types of behaviour are recorded, how different behaviours are dealt with and how they are analysed to inform policy and school improvement.  A new management information software programme has been installed which the school intends to use, in due course, to centralise this information.  During the inspection, those pupils spoken to were charming and helpful, and

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Main inspection findings

behaviour was good. Most said that they felt safe in school, that they liked and enjoyed school, and that they felt they were doing well.  The single central record is compliant. These standards are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 33  The complaints policy with reference to complaints made by parents follows the statutory instruments laid out in The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. These standards are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 34  The specified requirements for Part 3, paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b) are not met. This is because the headteacher did not follow the safeguarding procedures properly and effectively.  In failing to meet the standards specified in Part 3, the school has also not met the standards in Part 8.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet 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. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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standards

 Part 3 – paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b): the standards about the welfare, health and safety of pupils of the school.  Part 8 – paragraph 34 (1), 34 (1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34 (1)(c): the standards about the quality of leadership and management.

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School details

Unique reference number 124488 DfE registration number 860/6022 Inspection number 10021412 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 Special school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 7–17 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 100 Number of part-time pupils 0 Proprietors Dr Neville Brown, Mrs Brenda Brown Headteacher Dr Daryl Brown Annual fees (day pupils) £14,475 – pupils under 13 years £19,350 – pupils over 13 years Telephone number 01543 264387 Website www.dyslexia.gb.com Email address office@dyslexia.gb.com Date of previous standard inspection 10–12 March 2015

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Information about this school

 This is a small school with a specialist approach to working with pupils with learning difficulties and in particular dyslexia (difficulties with reading).  The proprietors and headteacher are a family unit and own, govern and manage the school.  At the previous inspection in March 2015, the school was judged to be good overall with outstanding behaviour and safety of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 This emergency inspection was scheduled at the request of the regulatory body, the Department for Education.  The school was given no notice of this inspection.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and proprietors; pupils were observed in the dining facility and clubs and at breaktimes; discussions were held with pupils and staff and by phone with the local LADO. Documents were scrutinised, including policies on safeguarding and child protection, behaviour and discipline, and complaints. Incident files, complaints files, behaviour logs, safeguarding and child protection files, the single central register and staff files were also scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Ellis-Martin, 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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