Pontville Residential School

Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 1 of 11 Pontville Residential School Black Moss Lane, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4TW

p.1

Inspection dates 06/12/2016 to 08/12/2016

p.1

The overall experiences and progress of children and pupils Good 2

p.1

The quality of care and support Good 2 How well children and pupils are protected Good 2 The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Good 2

p.1

The residential provision is good because

 The pupils continue to be at the centre of all practice and make significant progress during their time at the school. They make progress academically, behaviourally and socially. Leaders, managers, staff, parents, professionals and pupils themselves recognise this progress.  A committed staff team, led by passionate and aspirational managers, provides a consistent approach that enables positive relationships to develop, and underpins the progress that pupils make and the good quality of care that they receive.  The pupils feel safe at the school. They are able to identify staff with whom they can share concerns. When concerns have been identified, the school has shared these with the appropriate agencies.  The pupils benefit from access to a range of creative and stimulating leisure activities. They are able to enjoy opportunities that they would not otherwise experience.  Feedback from external professionals is consistently very good. The school has

p.1

The residential provision is good because

good relationships with families and is flexible in meeting their needs.  The residential provision plays a significant part in, and makes an essential contribution to, the positive outcomes attained by pupils. These are successfully measured by individual, achievable targets identified by staff and motivated pupils. Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 2 of 11

p.1

schools

The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Produce within a residential pupils’ health plan steps to address any significant health and welfare needs, for example when a pupil smokes cigarettes.  Enhance further the communal areas, bedrooms and lounge areas in Elmwood.  Record the pupils and residential staff who participate in the fire drills carried out in residential time.  Ensure that physical intervention records and pupils’ views on restraints are recorded within a 24-hour period.  Operate safe recruitment for all contractors who have access to sensitive information about pupils and/or speak directly with pupils and staff.  Ensure that staff receive regular supervision that includes feedback and guidance on practice, and that it is recorded.  Ensure that staff have the additional driving qualification required to ensure that they are driving a school minibus safely, as set out within the school’s policy and risk assessment. Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 3 of 11

p.2

Information about this inspection

This inspection was announced in the morning, and the social care inspector arrived at the school within three hours. An inspector visited all residential accommodation areas during the inspection. Inspection activities included meeting pupils, eating meals with pupils, observing evening activities, meeting the headteacher and head of care, meeting a group of residential staff, meeting staff with designated responsibilities, holding online discussions with parents and external professionals, and sampling documentation relating to the safety and welfare of pupils.

p.3

Inspection team

Elaine Clare Lead social care inspector Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 4 of 11

p.3

Information about this school

Pontville School is a non-affiliated independent school. It provides residential provision for up to 15 boarders in two residential units at the school itself. The school provides day places and boarding for both boys and girls with social communication difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorders and associated challenging behaviours. The residential facility provides care from Monday to Friday afternoon during term time only. The school is located in a residential area on the outskirts of a busy market town and is set in its own grounds. A range of community facilities in the town is available within walking distance. The last inspection was undertaken in February 2016. Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 5 of 11

p.4

Inspection judgements

The overall experiences and progress of children and pupils Good

p.5

Inspection judgements

The needs of pupils lie at the heart of the boarding arrangements. The pupils who attend the school make significant progress in relation to their starting points. They make progress educationally, emotionally and socially. A parent said: ‘The support that he receives from the residential staff enables him to experience things, with support, that I believed he would never have been able to achieve prior to his placement.’ In line with the school’s ethos, there is a well-established focus on preparing pupils for life after the school. This includes the significantly successful reintegration of pupils to their home communities and to mainstream higher education.

p.5

Inspection judgements

The residential provision is an integral part of the whole school. The school ensures that boarding is an opportunity for 24-hour learning. They are committed to offering safe but enjoyable experiences. The activities are wide ranging and imaginative. For example, pupils recently went on an overnight trip to Blackpool. Activities allow the pupils to learn to work as a team and respect one another. All activities are well organised and reviewed.

p.5

Inspection judgements

Activities are risk assessed and parental consents are obtained. The pupils know about issues such as internet safety, safety in the classroom, not walking on the road and not being on the farm on their own. They report getting on well with one another most of the time.

p.5

Inspection judgements

The pupils have developed close and positive relationships with staff. They know what to expect and whom to talk to. They have their own key worker and approach all staff confidently. One parent said: ‘He has an excellent relationship with (his worker) and, while I feel that the whole team supports him, (my son) trusts him without question, admires his wisdom and respects his opinions. He is kind, patient and understanding, and the most positive role model that my son has known and better than I, as his mother, could have wished for.’ The staff are highly skilled. They have an appropriately authoritative manner, but are interested and attentive.

p.5

Inspection judgements

The views and wishes of pupils are central to planning processes. They are able to contribute in various ways, both directly with staff and more formally through care planning processes. There is an emphasis on a speedy response, so pupils are confident that their views are taken seriously.

p.5

Inspection judgements

Leaders and managers are passionate about the quality of the school and have high aspirations for the pupils. They have addressed the recommendations made at the last inspection. However, a recommendation made at the last inspection in January 2015, around the refurbishment of the residential unit Elmwood, has been delayed.

p.5

Inspection judgements

The pupils make good progress as the result of the well-organised and committed approach by the school. Feedback from professionals and families is generally positive, noting the school’s willingness to work in partnership and to take on new ideas. One Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 6 of 11 parent said: ‘They truly care for her and her future. They go out of their way for all of us, for example, taking her to orthodontist appointments when they know that she needs to go as soon as possible or she gets too anxious. Between the school’s pastoral manager and the residential staff, we feel completely supported around how to support (our daughter’s) needs effectively.’ A professional said: ‘Partnership is excellent and they are in touch regularly and often.’

p.5

Inspection judgements

The admission process for pupils is sound and robust. Once the school commits to taking a pupil, it goes to considerable lengths to ensure that they can settle and are able to raise any comments or concerns. There is a school council. The pupils are aware of who their representative is. The pupils have regular liaison meetings with their teaching tutor, other professionals working with them in school and key worker, at which they talk about progress. The pupils are able to contact their families while they board. A phone is available to them, but many choose to have contact via their own mobile phone.

p.6

Inspection judgements

The staff and managers know the needs and vulnerabilities of the pupils. Care plans are up to date and regularly reviewed. The staff have regular, systematic meetings during the day to exchange key information regarding the pupils. This enables the timely sharing of information and contributes to a consistent approach by the staff team. There is a seamless service, with care and education staff working together. The pupils see this and feel secure as a result.

p.6

Inspection judgements

The staff value the pupils and treat them with respect. The pupils are encouraged to behave in a way that is polite and courteous to each other and staff. The school sees this as a way for pupils to learn how to behave at school and in the community. Interaction at mealtimes is part of the learning day. There is a strong culture of rewarding positive behaviour. For example, pupils are rewarded with points that lead to monetary awards.

p.6

Inspection judgements

The two residential units are clean, tidy and comfortable. One residential unit is of a higher standard than the other. A recommendation has been raised previously to improve this, but as yet this has not been actioned. The pupils learn to keep their rooms and communal areas tidy. They take pride in themselves and their surroundings. The school sees leisure as a learning opportunity. The pupils have a role in choosing what they want to do, but a number of factors are taken into account, such as ensuring that some involve physical activity, getting out into the community and learning to behave in a restaurant or other public venue. All activities have purposeful goals. While the staff ensure that activities are grounded in risk assessments, they are creative and ambitious. As a result, the pupils have access to spirited and wide-ranging leisure activities that they may not otherwise experience.

p.6

Inspection judgements

The school promotes healthy living. Many of the activities that pupils participate in are active. The school’s arrangements for managing medication are safe and effective, and they link with mental health professionals to ensure that pupils receive the support that they need. Healthcare plans do not always incorporate issues that are affecting pupils. For example, one pupil smokes, but no action plan to help him to reduce his habit and seek healthy alternatives is within his health plan. Consequently, his health is affected by smoking cigarettes. Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 7 of 11 The pupils are encouraged to eat nutritious, home-cooked meals. They are encouraged to try new and unusual foods. As a result, mealtimes are another opportunity for pupils to broaden their experiences while eating healthily.

p.6

Inspection judgements

How well children and pupils are protected Good

p.7

Inspection judgements

The pupils report feeling safe and are able to identify people at the school with whom they can share concerns. There have been no incidents of bullying within the residential provision. The pupils have not raised this as a worry during this inspection.

p.7

Inspection judgements

The school maintains a log of all child protection concerns. When staff identify safeguarding concerns, they share these with the appropriate authorities. In the early part of the year, two decisions around keeping pupils safe may not have been as robust or as rigorous as they could have been. The new headteacher recognised this and a new safeguarding policy came into operation from September 2016. This has made the processes to follow when allegations are made against staff much more rigorous, and it significantly improves the outcomes for pupils by keeping them safe during any investigation.

p.7

Inspection judgements

Regular fire tests and drills take place. Fire drills do not record which pupils and staff were in attendance. As it is not always the same pupils and staff in the residential provision, there is no way of monitoring who has taken part in a fire drill. The site manager conducts regular audits and observations to monitor the safety of the physical environment. Visitors have to sign in and provide identification before proceeding into the school.

p.7

Inspection judgements

There has not been any incidents of residential pupils going missing from the school. Staff are able to implement an appropriate policy to safeguard them if such an event did occur. There are well-established processes in place for staff recruitment, with pupils and governors involved in this process. The school adheres to safe recruitment principles. However the recruitment of the representative of the governors tasked with undertaking monitoring visits under the national minimum standards does not meet the same standard as the school’s recruitment procedures. The organisation accepted a curriculum vitae, one reference, and his Disclosure and Barring Service certificate. As the monitoring visitor has access to highly confidential information and speaks to children and staff about the boarding provision, his suitability should have been checked to a similar standard as the school procedures.

p.7

Inspection judgements

There are frequent occasions when staff are required to intervene physically to safeguard pupils at the school. The number of physical interventions in the autumn term 2016 decreased in comparison to that in the spring term of 2016. Leaders and managers monitor the number of physical interventions and are alert to a number of contributory factors. These include a cohort of pupils having complex behavioural issues. There is access to statistical data. This supports the analysis of incidents. The school maintains records of physical interventions, but on two occasions these were not completed within a 24-hour period. The records include pupils’ views. On two occasions, pupils were not asked for their views within the 24-hour period. However, records are generally completed within timescales, and this conveys the message that pupils’ opinions on something as significant as this are important. Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 8 of 11

p.7

Inspection judgements

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

p.8

Inspection judgements

Suitably qualified leaders and managers lead the residential provision. They have considerable experience, and are passionate about the school that they lead and the pupils whom they support. There is a clear culture of high expectations of pupils and of staff. There have been no complaints since the last inspection.

p.8

Inspection judgements

Leaders and managers work hard to engage with parents who speak highly about the quality of care provided and the difference that this makes to them and their children’s lives. One parent said, ‘Pontville School has changed our family life for the better. Choosing Pontville for my son was the best choice that I could have made and I haven't been disappointed. Fantastic school.’

p.8

Inspection judgements

There is a clear, staggered induction process in place for new employees. This begins with the school’s own induction booklet, moving onto the Children’s Workforce Development Council induction standards and culminating in the national vocational qualification level 3. This provides staff with a secure introduction to the school. They receive training in safeguarding, physical intervention and de-escalation techniques. The school states within its risk assessments that all staff who drive the school’s vehicles will hold an additional minibus safe driving qualification. The qualification is designed to enhance minibus driving standards and promote the safer operation of minibuses. Staff either do not hold this qualification or the qualification has lapsed. This does not provide staff with additional skills to keep pupils safe when being driven. The school has a broad range of policies and procedures in place, in line with statutory expectations. There is a

p.8

Inspection judgements

The staff receive annual appraisals and a mid-year review. Some staff were not receiving regular supervision however the new Head teacher provided assurances that all staff will receive regular supervision. This provides staff an opportunity to consider their practice and make improvements.

p.8

Inspection judgements

Leaders and managers undertake internal audits and quality assurance procedures to scrutinise the quality of service provided at the school. The management committee asks an external person to monitor the quality of practice, who scrutinises plans, performance and arrangements and provide challenge to the leaders and managers of the school. The management committee receive reports and seek further information as they see fit. They have high expectations and a clear focus on both the present and the future direction of the school. Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 9 of 11

p.8

What inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and pupils 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’.

p.9

What inspection judgements mean

Judgement Description Outstanding A school where the experiences and progress of children and pupils consistently exceeds the standard of good and results in sustained progress and achievement. The outcomes achieved by children and pupils 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 pupils 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’s and pupils' welfare not being safeguarded or promoted. However, the overall outcomes, experiences and progress of children and pupils are not yet good. Inadequate A school where there are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and pupils are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or

p.9

What inspection judgements mean

safeguarded or if their care and experiences are poor and they are not making progress. Inspection Report Pontville Residential School, 06/12/2016 Page 10 of 11

p.9

School details

Unique reference number Social care unique reference number SC061727 DfE registration number 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 5 Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 5 to 19 Headteacher Mrs Justine Sims Date of previous boarding inspection 09/02/2016 Telephone number 01695 578734 Email address justine.sims@witherslackgroup.co.uk Inspection Report Pontville Residential 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.10

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.

p.11

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

p.11

School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and pupils, 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

School details

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

School details

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

p.11