Rudolf Steiner School

Rudolf Steiner School Langley Hill, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire WD4 9HG

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected by Ofsted

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Systems to manage safeguarding are not robust. Complaints relating to the school have not been addressed with sufficient rigour.  Pupils, including children in the early years and students in the sixth form, are not kept safe at all times. Hence, the early years and sixth form provision are inadequate.  Leaders and trustees have not ensured that the independent school standards are met.  Leaders and trustees do not have a comprehensive overview of the school’s effectiveness. Roles are unclear.  There are early signs that leaders and trustees are attempting to tackle the school’s weaknesses but, as yet, there is little impact.  The quality of teaching is not consistently good. Teachers do not use assessment well to monitor pupils’ progress. Phonics is not taught well. Teachers’ performance is not managed robustly.  Pupils in the primary phase do not make consistently good progress, linked to weak teaching. Too many pupils do the same work,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

which does not meet their needs.  Pupils do not have consistently positive attitudes to learning. Work is too often untidy and homework incomplete.  Pupils do not read enough to make sure that they read well.  Attendance is well below the national average. The school has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  The curriculum is varied and pupils enjoy the range of activities available to them.  Progress in the early years and in the sixth form is good. Compliance with regulatory requirements

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Urgently address the weaknesses in the management of safeguarding by ensuring that: – safeguarding concerns are addressed quickly – required safeguarding records are kept methodically and robustly – all required safer recruitment checks are made – visitors to the school’s café are fully supervised whenever they are on site.  Strengthen leadership and management by: – establishing robust systems to monitor, evaluate and review the work of the whole school and taking appropriate action to address the issues identified – ensuring that performance management processes focus on school improvement and that all staff have a clear idea of what is expected of them – clarifying the roles of the school management team, the staff college and trustees so that all play their full part in leading and managing the school – tracking the progress made by pupils to ensure that it is consistently good or better.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that it secures good

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

outcomes across the whole school by: – making sure all teachers match the work in lessons to pupils’ different abilities when appropriate – making better use of assessment to check pupils’ progress and guide improvements – providing good-quality teaching of phonics – making sure that homework supports pupils’ learning – ensuring that pupils read widely and often.  Improve pupils’ behaviour and welfare by: – eliminating low-level disruptive behaviour in lessons – improving the presentation of pupils’ work in their books – raising levels of attendance to at least the national average.

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

 The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school: – enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; – involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of time; – shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress; – utilises effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging pupils to act responsibly (paragraph 3, 3(a), 3(c), 3(d), 3(g), 3(h)).  The proprietor must ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

issued by the Secretary of State (paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)).  The proprietor must promote good behaviour among pupils by ensuring that the policy is implemented effectively (paragraph 9 and 9(b)).  The proprietor must 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).  The proprietor must ensure that pupils are properly supervised through the appropriate deployment of school staff (paragraph 14).  The proprietor must ensure that the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified (paragraph 16, 16(a), 16(b)).  The proprietor must ensure that, for persons appointed as members of staff at the school: – no such person is barred from regulated activity relating to children in accordance

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

with section 3(2) of the 2006 Act where that person is or will be engaged in activity which is regulated activity within the meaning of Part 1 of Schedule 4 to that Act; – no such person carries out work, or intends to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any such direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act, or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction; – where relevant to any such person, an enhanced criminal record check is made in respect of that person and an enhanced criminal record check is obtained before or as soon as practicable after that person’s appointment (paragraph 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(d)).  The proprietor must ensure that an individual (‘MB’), not being the chair of the school, who is a member of a body of persons corporate or unincorporated named as the

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

proprietor of the school in the register or an application to enter the school in the register if: – subject to sub-paragraphs (7) to (8), the chair of the school makes the following checks relating to MB, where relevant to the individual, an enhanced criminal record check and, where an enhanced criminal record check is made, the chair obtains an enhanced criminal record certificate relating to the individual; – and subject to sub-paragraph (8), where the Secretary of State makes a request for an enhanced criminal record check relating to MB countersigned by the Secretary of State to be made, such a check is made (paragraph 20(6), 20(6)(b), 20(6)(b)(i), 20(6)(c)).  The proprietor must ensure that a register is kept which shows such of the information referred to in sub-paragraphs (3) to (7) as is applicable to the school in question. The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is, in relation to each member of a body of

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

persons named as proprietor in post on 1 August 2007 who was appointed at any time before 1 May 2007, whether each check referred to in sub-paragraph (6) was made; and whether an enhanced criminal record certificate was obtained, together with the date on which any check was completed or certificate obtained (paragraph 21(1), 21(6), 21(7), 21(7)(a), 21(7)(b)).  The proprietor must ensure that the school premises and the accommodation and the 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).  The proprietor must ensure that the information specified in paragraph 32(3) is made available to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils and, on request, to the Chief Inspector, the Secretary of State or an independent inspectorate which includes details of the complaints procedure and the number of complaints registered under the

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

formal procedure during the preceding school year (paragraph 32(1), 32(1)(b), 32(3)(f)).  The proprietor must ensure that a complaints procedure is drawn up and effectively implemented which deals with the handling of complaints from parents and pupils and which contains all of the information specified in the standard (paragraph 33).  The proprietor must ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)).

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

The proprietor must ensure that the statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements for the early years foundation stage are met.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 The school’s leaders have, over time, not acted with sufficient rigour and speed when managing concerns relating to matters of a safeguarding nature.  Pupils are potentially placed at risk because arrangements for managing and supervising visitors to the school are not robust. An example of inadequate practice is that, even though visitors to the school’s café sign in and are issued with a visitor’s badge, visitors are then at liberty to access the main school building through a variety of entrances or walk around the grounds unsupervised.  The school’s self-evaluation summary document is over-optimistic in its judgements. Inspectors did not agree with the majority of the judgements made by school leaders. The same self-evaluation document also judged all of the independent school standards to be met, which is not the case.  The school management team members do not have specific job descriptions. The chair

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

of the trustees acknowledges that the job descriptions in place for this group are generic in nature. This lack of clarity means that the roles allocated to staff do not necessarily play to strengths. It is not yet entirely clear how the roles of the school management team, the staff college and proprietors should complement each other.  Leaders have not implemented the school’s complaints policy well enough. Too few complaints have been resolved at an informal stage, which means that the number of complaints which have progressed to the formal stage have increased, and have yet to be resolved. The school has not published the correct number of complaints for the previous year, which is a requirement of the independent school standards.  Leaders do not routinely monitor, evaluate and review the effectiveness of the school’s provision. This means that they are unable to identify concerns and trends, and then act

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

on them.  Relationships between members of staff and parents have become blurred. This has led to errors in judgement about what needs to be done and actions not being taken urgently enough.  Until recently, teachers’ performance has not been managed well. There is still no formal system for monitoring teachers’ performance to secure the very best outcomes for the pupils they teach. Inspectors were informed that such a system will take time as it ‘requires a change in mind-set’.  The overwhelming proportion of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were positive about the school and what it aims to achieve. However, inspectors did not find sufficient evidence to support some of these positive views.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. The ‘main lesson’ time, which takes place before morning break, contains a wide range of interesting subjects. In addition, pupils have the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

option to participate in a range of clubs. They are also able to participate in exchange visits to France and German-speaking countries to enhance their understanding of different cultures and lifestyles.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Older pupils support their younger peers. Fund-raising for a range of charities is a common occurrence.  There are early signs to suggest that leaders and trustees have started to respond to the school’s weaknesses, but it is too early to demonstrate any major impact. A suitable school improvement plan is now in place. Two members of the school management team have enrolled on a leadership course. Teachers are due to visit other schools in January 2017 to look at good practice and then share this with their colleagues.

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Governance

 The board of trustees has contributed towards the school’s decline. The safeguarding of pupils has not been managed well and the trustees have been too indecisive in the past in responding quickly to safeguarding matters.  Historically, the board of trustees has not had a good overview of the effectiveness of the provision. The formation of the board of trustees, having a member of staff as the chair, has not ensured an appropriate degree of objectivity and rigour.  The recently appointed chair of trustees (who is not a member of staff) recognises that the arrangements for governance have not secured robust accountability in the past. He is aware of the challenges the school faces, and is also aware of the need to act decisively and swiftly so that the school can move on.  The trustees have ensured that the school has published a suitable safeguarding policy on its website.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  The school’s pre-employment checks do not meet statutory requirements. Although the single central record includes the checks that have been carried out, there are instances where some checks have not been completed before staff have been allowed to start at the school. There are a number of instances where the school has allowed individuals to carry out regulated activity or proprietal responsibilities without the necessary Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates being obtained as soon as practicable. In addition, where the required checks have not been completed, potential risks have not been adequately assessed.  The school’s systems for investigating allegations and handling complaints are not sufficiently robust or thorough. Investigations are not carried out in a timely fashion and decisive action is not taken where it is warranted. This means that the school’s trustees

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Safeguarding

and leaders have not taken all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of the pupils who attend the school. Parents expressed reasonable concerns about the safeguarding arrangements.  The school’s leaders and trustees have not ensured that suitable measures are always in place to escort or supervise unchecked visitors while they are on the school premises. Parents regularly visit the school’s coffee shop, which is within its secure perimeter. Although parents sign in at reception before doing so, they are not supervised beyond this point and, potentially, have open access to the large school site.  The recently appointed designated safeguarding leads have started to improve the quality of safeguarding at the school, and the early impact of their actions is clear. They have both undertaken appropriate training to enable them to fulfil their roles and they show a developing understanding of good safeguarding practice. Actions, such as sharing the

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Safeguarding

code of conduct with all staff and sharing key safeguarding guidance, have started to raise the general awareness of the crucial importance of keeping pupils safe.  Child protection records are not kept meticulously and methodically. They do not contain the necessary level of detail and are not kept sufficiently systematically. The new designated safeguarding leads have started to improve the way that child protection records are kept and the way individual concerns are recorded.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching is not consistently strong enough across all year groups and subjects to ensure that pupils make good progress, and systems for assessing pupils’ learning and progress are weak.  Where any form of assessment of pupils’ learning does take place, this is only at teachers’ discretion and can vary depending on who the teacher is or what subject is being taught. This lack of a consistent approach towards assessing pupils’ progress makes it hard for leaders to have a whole-school overview of how well pupils achieve over time. The lack of consistency also means that some pupils do not know how well the school is expecting them to perform.  Teaching does not allow for the different needs of pupils in the class to be met consistently. The most able pupils are not provided with sufficient opportunities to excel, and those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities cannot access the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

work sufficiently well enough to make consistently good progress.  The school does not have an agreed scheme or system for teaching phonics. This means that individual teachers decide for themselves what and how they will teach. As a result, pupils are not taught effectively to recognise how letters and sounds fit together. They are not taught well enough to blend sounds together to read words or to separate words in order to spell them.  In a primary class where pupils were singing Christmas songs, pupils struggled to sing the songs. The pupils did not know the songs well enough because the planning had not taken account of the different needs of the pupils. Pupils’ behaviour gradually deteriorated because they became bored, and learning was ineffective.  Relationships between teachers and their pupils are typically positive. Pupils told inspectors they like the fact that they get on well with their teachers, and teachers make

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

their lessons interesting.  Teachers and teaching assistants work well together in the classroom. Inspectors observed teaching assistants working alongside pupils and saw how they helped pupils to understand the work for themselves, rather than do the work for them.  Some teaching challenges pupils to deepen their understanding of the topic they are covering effectively. In a Year 9 history and politics class, pupils actively engaged in their learning of how to pass a law under the complex American legal system. They conducted detailed debates on a moral dilemma, that of an eight-year-old child accidentally shooting a parent, and discussed how the gun law might be amended because of this. This debate deepened pupils’ understanding of the democratic process.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate. This is because of the ineffective arrangements to safeguard pupils. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils do not meet statutory requirements, and risk assessments do not ensure that all reasonable actions are taken to keep pupils safe.  Pupils are encouraged to be self-assured and confident individuals. They respect each other’s differences and support each other when required to do so.  Pupils are taught well to keep themselves safe; for example, they have a very good understanding of the risks associated with the use of social networking sites and how to maintain their privacy settings.  Pupils also have a sound awareness of the different types of bullying and know what to do if they are a victim of bullying. They also told inspectors they were confident that any reported incidents of bullying would be dealt with appropriately by members of staff.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils have a good understanding of fundamental British values. They understand right from wrong, and demonstrate a sound understanding of the British political system and the ‘protected characteristics’ as defined in the Equality Act (2010).

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils do not have consistently good attitudes to learning.  Some lessons are interrupted by low-level disruptive behaviour, such as talking when the teacher is talking, doodling in books or chewing gum.  Homework is not completed well enough to support pupils’ learning.  Work in books is often untidy.  Teachers make regular use of the school’s system for reporting unacceptable behaviour, which results in pupils being given a detention or having them sit in the corridor. The majority of detentions logged are given to pupils who fail to do their homework.  The school’s record of unacceptable behaviour cites defiance, smoking and leaving school without permission as reasons for receiving sanctions.  Attendance in the previous academic year was too low, at 91%. Pupils’ persistent absence is being suitably tackled.  Most pupils are polite, courteous and model good behaviour to their peers. During the

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Behaviour

inspection, pupils greeted members of the inspection team, held doors open for them and were happy to talk about what they enjoy about their school.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils do not have good phonic skills because phonics is not taught effectively. Pupils do not know well enough how letters and sounds fit together, how to blend sounds together to read words or to separate words in order to spell them.  Younger primary-aged pupils struggle to read and write at an appropriate level for their age. Pupils, including older primary-aged pupils, make frequent spelling errors because they do not have sufficiently secure knowledge of the different ways that sounds can be represented.  Pupils’ attainment in key stage 1 is much lower than that typically found in primary schools. The school’s chosen educational philosophy means that pupils start their primary education a year later than those who follow the national curriculum. Even when this delayed start is taken into account, pupils’ attainment during the early stages of their primary education is well below national expectations for their age.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils’ attainment improves as they continue through key stage 2 and the differences between pupils at this school and others nationally diminish. By the time pupils reach class 5, and the end of their primary years, most pupils are working broadly within the expected standard for their age.  Pupils continue to make effective progress in key stage 3 across a range of subjects. This was evident from inspectors’ scrutiny of pupils’ books.  By the time they reach the end of key stage 4, pupils make good progress based on their starting points. They achieve above-average results in a wide range of subjects, including English, mathematics, science and modern foreign languages.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress by the time they sit GCSE examinations and this is due to the good-quality support they are offered by their teaching assistants. However, their progress is stalled lower down the

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

school, due to the weaker teaching they experience and their poor understanding of phonics.  The school’s most able pupils make good progress by the time they reach the end of key stage 4. The proportion of pupils achieving the top grades of A* and A at GCSE is high, particularly in English and mathematics. Inspectors’ scrutiny of these pupils’ books showed that their progress speeds up as they move towards the end of their final year. They are able to produce longer pieces of detailed writing and justify their thoughts and opinions well, using a range of analytical skills.  Pupils are well prepared for the sixth form when they reach the end of key stage 4 because they have made good progress across a range of different subjects. This puts them in a good position for continuing their studies in a sixth form or college, taking up an apprenticeship or starting a job.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 The early years provision is judged as inadequate overall because of the flaws relating to the school’s leadership and management of safeguarding procedures.  Staff know children and their families well. They are alert to the possibility of neglect or abuse. Staff pay close attention to what they are told and what they see, and this helps to keep children safe. However, leaders’ and trustees’ handling of matters relating to safeguarding in general mean that children remain potentially at risk.  The school has exemption from the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage and children are not taught in a formal way during their time in the early years. Children’s attainment in literacy and mathematics is below what is typically found nationally.  The early years environment (known as ‘kindergarten’) is welcoming and attractive. The extensive outdoor spaces offer children a very wide range of opportunities. Opportunities

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Early years provision Inadequate

include the very large sand pit, with a water supply nearby, which provides plentiful opportunities for children to construct and create, whether playing alone or with other children and adults.  The quality of teaching in the early years is good. Staff have very good understanding of the needs and development of young children. Staff are skilled at knowing when and how to intervene in order to extend children’s learning and, as a result, children make good progress during their time in the early years and are well prepared to start Year 1.  Staff in the early years focus very well on developing children’s communication skills and, as a result, children make particularly good progress in this area. Staff listen carefully to what children say and model active listening skills (such as nodding and smiling) routinely and well. Staff use the activities that children are engaged in as opportunities to

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Early years provision Inadequate

encourage them to talk; for example, during the inspection a teacher spent time scraping the dirty parts off crayons with pupils. As the adult and the children carried on with their task, the teacher questioned children skilfully and subtly, which encouraged them to talk competently and in detail.  Children have plentiful opportunities to develop their physical skills, which contribute well to children making rapid progress in this area of development. Children regularly make dens using items available in the classroom. They use pegs to secure sheets to wooden frames and then fold the sheets efficiently when it is time to tidy up.  Early years is well led. The early years leader has a very clear vision for the provision and is effective in ensuring that this vision is met. She sees the kindergarten’s role as being to help children to ‘develop capacities that guide them through their lives’. The early years

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Early years provision Inadequate

provision prepares children successfully for their future school careers.  Children behave very well in the early years. The rules are few but are enforced well. The early years leader believes passionately that the kindergarten should teach children to show ‘respect for another human being’, and the staff model this in every interaction with each other and with the children. As a result, children are friendly, helpful, curious learners who show a keen love of learning.

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

 The sixth form is inadequate because safeguarding in the school is ineffective and this potentially impacts on students’ welfare.  Students enter the sixth form with levels of prior attainment that are typically above the national average. The school’s sixth form admissions policy, that provision is open to all pupils in Year 11, ensures an inclusive sixth form. However, this also means that a very few students’ prior attainment does not enable them to achieve highly.  Most students make good progress in the sixth form because the quality of teaching they experience is matched to their particular needs, and teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve.  The proportions gaining the top grades at A level are well above the national average. The proportion gaining an A* to A grade in 2016 was 37%, and the proportion achieving A* to B was 67%. Students achieve well in most subjects, but fewer achieved the top

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

grades in either biology or the history of art in 2016.  The formal curriculum in the sixth form is restricted to subjects which lead to traditional academic qualifications, although the curriculum is currently under review. The curriculum meets the needs of most, but not all, students.  Students who have special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well from their starting points. There are currently no vocational courses on offer for students who join the sixth form less well qualified to succeed academically.  The very few students who enter the sixth form without a GCSE qualification in English and/or mathematics are supported well to gain a qualification as soon as possible.  Good-quality teaching and regular assessment of students’ progress help secure good progress. Teachers know how well students are doing and evaluate their progress at regular intervals. This helps teachers to identify gaps in students’ knowledge and adapt

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

their teaching accordingly.  Students behave well in the sixth form and there are no recorded incidents relating to poor behaviour. Students told inspectors: ‘We all know each other and are friends. It’s a joy and not a chore to come here.’  It is not clear whether there is one designated member of staff who leads the sixth form, or whether this role is shared, as are many other roles and responsibilities in the school. This lack of clarity prevents the leadership of the sixth form being as highly effective as it might be.  The school retains the vast majority of students who start their studies in Year 12.  Students are guided well to plan for the next stage of their educational career when they leave the school. Many students are successful in gaining a university place and receive good-quality careers guidance from within the school and by means of an external provider. There are no opportunities for students to do work experience, which is

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School details

Unique reference number 117631 DfE registration number 919/6109

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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

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 31

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School details

Proprietor Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley Ltd

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School details

Chair of School Management Team Tina Hobday

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected by Ofsted

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Information about this school

 Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley is registered with the Department for Education (DfE) as an independent day school for girls and boys. The school occupies a large site in rural surroundings. While the school is grounded in the Christian tradition, it admits pupils of any or no faith and is non-selective.  Almost a third of pupils are identified as pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Two pupils have education, health and care plans.  The school follows the philosophy and curriculum developed through the works of Rudolf Steiner. It opened in 1949 and is one of the longest-established Steiner Waldorf schools in the United Kingdom. Formal aspects of learning are introduced a year later in the Steiner Waldorf curriculum than in the national curriculum.  The school does not have a headteacher. Leadership arrangements are met through the staff college, which comprises a group of teaching and non-teaching staff, and through

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Information about this school

the recently introduced school management team.  The school aims to ‘develop human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives.’ The school’s priority is ‘to provide the best possible education for its pupils so that they may become not only knowledgeable, but also inwardly free, secure and creative adults.’  The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The school has an exemption from the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection took place with no notice. The school is usually inspected by the School Inspection Service (SIS).  The DfE commissioned Ofsted to conduct a no-notice progress monitoring inspection in November 2016 to check the school’s compliance with a number of independent school standards that the SIS inspection in June 2016 judged as met. The monitoring inspection in November 2016 found that a range of independent school standards were not met, including those met previously at the SIS inspection. The DfE then commissioned Ofsted to conduct this unannounced standard inspection.  Inspectors observed learning across a range of year groups and subjects. Inspectors also looked at a range of pupils’ books to focus on progress made over time.  Meetings were held with the chair and all other members of the school management team, the co-chairs of the staff college, the special educational needs coordinators,

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Information about this inspection

trustees, three groups of pupils and the co-chair of the parents’, teachers’ and friends’ association. The chair of the school management team met with inspectors to discuss the leadership of the sixth form. In addition, inspectors conducted a number of telephone discussions with parents of pupils who currently attend the school.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s self-evaluation summary; the school improvement plan; policies; information on progress; records of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment; and information on pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  The school’s records of the vetting of staff were scrutinised. Additional documents and records relating to safeguarding matters and complaints were reviewed.  Inspectors considered 196 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and 49 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

John Daniell, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Patricia MacLachlan 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.

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Inspection team

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

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.

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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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