Birkett House

Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 1 of 11 Birkett House Birkett House School, Launceston Road, Wigston, Leicestershire LE18 2FZ

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Inspection dates 21/02/2017 to 23/02/2017

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The overall experiences and progress of children and young people Outstanding 1

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The quality of care and support Outstanding 1 How well children and young people are protected Good 2 The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Outstanding 1

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The residential provision is outstanding because

 Children and young people thoroughly enjoy their residential experience. They particularly enjoy the wide range of activities on offer, especially trips out and socialising with their friends.  Children and young people make significant progress in all aspects of their lives. They learn social, communication and independence skills that help them with their learning in class. Furthermore, they gain in confidence, self-esteem and resilience, which enables them to successfully move on to more challenging experiences such as transferring to a mainstream provision and into adulthood.  Children and young people have valuable independent living experiences with support from staff to help them successfully transition into adulthood.  Staff have a thorough understanding of children and young people, including those with complex healthcare conditions and/or who are unable to communicate verbally. Staff build warm, trusted and secure relationships and ensure that children and young

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The residential provision is outstanding because

people have the time and space to express themselves.  The safety of children and young people is central to all practice. This ensures that children and young people feel safe and parents are confident about leaving their child in the residential provision.  Staff are highly supportive of families, attending meetings with parents and providing extra stays when families are in need.  Staff are highly experienced and qualified. They have access to a robust training programme.  The leadership team provides strong effective leadership that is highly supportive in Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 2 of 11 difficult circumstances. This has meant that staff remain highly motivated and enthusiastic about providing exceptional care and education to children and young people.

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schools

The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Consider ways of making information stored about reported safeguarding concerns more organised so that action taken and outcomes can be easily accessed.  Consider strengthening governance oversight of safeguarding practice by evaluating the effectiveness of safeguarding in the school. Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 3 of 11

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was announced on the morning of the start of the inspection. The inspector visited the residential accommodation, spoke to children and young people and staff, including key staff with responsibility for the residential provision. The inspector also observed practice and scrutinised school policies and records. The inspector was unable to gather information from Parent View because not enough had been completed for it to be viewed.

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Inspection team

Joanne Vyas lead social care inspector Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 4 of 11

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Information about this school

This school educates pupils with severe and moderate learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties and disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder and sensory impairment. All pupils have statements of special educational needs or Education, Health and Care plans. The school operates on four sites, three of which are in mainstream schools. Pupils access the Wigston Birkett House site, Thythorn Fields Primary School, The Centre at Thomas Estley and Countesthorpe Community College. Most pupils are White British and English is their first language. The residential provision offers eight overnight places at any one time. These are used by approximately 50 pupils part-time, including seven pupils using the residential facilities for an extended day. The residential provision was last inspected in June 2015 and was judged to be outstanding in all aspects. Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 5 of 11

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Inspection judgements

The overall experiences and progress of children and young people Outstanding

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Inspection judgements

Children and young people enjoy coming into residence either for a ‘tea stay’ or overnight. They particularly enjoy meeting up with friends and going out on trips. Children and young people who may otherwise be socially isolated are able to meet up with friends, make new friends and enjoy ‘sleepovers’ as their peers would. Activities are well planned, with staff ensuring that there are excellent opportunities for children and young people to participate in new experiences. Activities are clearly linked to measurable targets that demonstrate significant progress. For example, a child who is shy worked on saying hello to the shift leader during the welcome session. At first, the child would indicate ‘hello’ by touching the shift leader. The child will now say ‘good afternoon’ and hold out his hand to greet people. This is significant progress for this child in a short period of time. Staff have high expectations of and high aspirations for

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Inspection judgements

children and young people. Young people are provided with excellent opportunities to learn social and independence skills, as well as encounter new experiences. This means that they make exceptional progress with their independent and social skills. Residential staff work closely with post- 14 teaching staff so they can provide opportunities for young people to practise their independence skills at weekends within the independent living facility. This work provides good evidence towards an accredited qualification that furnishes young people with a strong base to successfully transition into adulthood and independent living. It also gives them a sense of achievement and self-esteem and builds resilience. They feel valued and respected. Children and young people make significant progress in all aspects of their life, not only with their social and independence skills but also with their personal hygiene and

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Inspection judgements

communication. These skills have considerable impact on their ability to learn in the classroom in a positive way. For example, counting the number of ‘sleeps’ in residence has encouraged a child to count. Another child learned to only pick up what she wanted to buy in shops and also has a better understanding of personal boundaries. A teacher said this not only had a huge impact on the child but also the whole class, as their outings are not disrupted and, therefore, they could all focus on learning. Furthermore, teachers say that children and young people in residence act as role models to other children and young people in class, helping them to access learning. Additionally, children and young people who attend the residential provision are more able to accept the transition away from the main site to satellite mainstream schools because they have gained in confidence through accessing the residence.

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Inspection judgements

Staff have warm, trusted and nurturing relationships with children and young people. Children and young people have trusted and secure relationships with each other and feel well supported, respected and valued by each other and staff. Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 6 of 11 The quality of care and support Outstanding

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Inspection judgements

Children and young people receive a gradual introduction into the residential provision. They only move to overnight stays if they are happy to do so. A parent explained that his daughter had been coming to ‘tea stays’ for three years as this is what she wanted to do. A young person explained that he had stayed overnight but wasn’t sure so he returned to ‘tea stays’, which he thoroughly enjoys. Parents are fully involved in the induction process and provide staff with good information about their child. Staff know and understand the children and young people very well. This helps children and young people to feel safe and enjoy their residential experience. It also means that staff are able to provide exceptional care for them. For example, staff are able to understand the wishes and feelings of children and young people who have profound physical and learning disabilities, and are highly responsive to their requests.

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Inspection judgements

Furthermore, it is crucial that these children and young people know the staff well. They show this by responding to them accordingly, such as with a smile or a facial expression that they reserve only for people they know. A parent said, ‘She knows them and they know her so well.’ Children and young people fully participate in a wide range of activities. Activities can be linked to cultural and religious festivals such as the Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day, Easter and so on. They also enjoy walks to the local shops, bus rides, bowling, and crafts, to mention just a few. The achievements of children and young people, no matter how small, are celebrated, which helps to foster self-esteem and confidence. Children and young people’s artwork adorn the walls, giving the residential provision a homely feel. Staff are highly supportive of parents. For example, staff will attend meetings with parents and provide extra nights in accommodation when families are in need. Parents

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Inspection judgements

all agree that staff are ‘lovely’ and that communication between them and staff is very good. Parents are welcomed into the provision and feel they can contact the staff at any time. Furthermore, they appreciate the record of stay that staff provide, which has valuable information about the activities, meals and other information relevant to their child’s stay. Children and young people are significantly involved in making decisions about their care, safety, activities and the running of the residential provision. For example, they have reviewed the ‘rules’ of the provision and decided to rename them ‘values’. They also discuss activities and the associated risk assessments to ensure that they have a good understanding of risks and how to keep themselves safe while out in the community. The health of children and young people is made a priority. A child said, ‘Staff take good care of me and are always there to watch over me.’ Staff are highly trained in healthcare

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Inspection judgements

tasks, such as gastrostomy feeding, to ensure that they provide exceptional care to children and young people who have complex healthcare needs. Healthcare needs are not a barrier to accessing the residential provision. For example, a child who requires oxygen overnight is able to access the provision as staff have all received appropriate training prior to him staying overnight. Furthermore, a school nurse is available during the school day to advise and provide regular refreshers and up-to-date guidance. Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 7 of 11 Children and young people also have good access to other healthcare professionals, including mental health services. Mealtimes are relaxed and sociable occasions. Children and young people are sensitively supported when this is required. They have access to appropriate equipment to help them be as independent as possible. During the independent living weekends, young

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Inspection judgements

people practise planning, shopping and preparing meals. This not only provides them with valuable independent living experience, but also provides good evidence towards a home management unit for their qualification. The residential provision is warm, bright and comfortable, offering a homely feel. Notice boards provide children and young people with good information about children and staff in residence, children’s achievements and the values of the provision. Information is accessible to the children and young people by using pictures and symbols. The provision is highly adapted to meet the needs of children and young people who have physical disabilities without creating an institutional feel. Residential areas are clean and well maintained.

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Inspection judgements

How well children and young people are protected Good

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Inspection judgements

The safety of children and young people is central to all practice. Staff have a good understanding of the school’s safeguarding procedures. They report concerns to the designated safeguarding lead and these are dealt with quickly and effectively; these concerns are then passed on to the appropriate agencies where necessary. Records of concerns are kept, but could be improved further by being better organised, making it easier to understand, and access, the actions taken and what the outcomes were. The governors provide some oversight of safeguarding practice. The safeguarding governor produces an annual report that goes to the full governors’ meetings. This report provides a good insight into what the school does, but could be strengthened by including an evaluation of the effectiveness of safeguarding practice in the school. Children and young people feel safe in the residential provision. A child said that they

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Inspection judgements

feel safe because, ’The staff know me well and I know them.’ Parents have confidence that their child is safe. Good practice ensures that children and young people are safe while staying in the residential provision. Children and young people learn how to keep themselves safe as they practise in class and in the residential provision. A particular focus currently is online safety, and young people have produced a film to help primary- age children have a better understanding of this. Staff also discuss safety prior to trips out, asking children and young people what they need to remember to keep themselves safe. Staff also work with parents, particularly around online safety, providing workshops for parents to attend. The school’s website provides parents with good information about keeping their children safe. High staffing levels, together with staff being experienced and skilled and having strong

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Inspection judgements

relationships with children and young people, mean that children and young people do not go missing from this school. Children and young people are well behaved, polite and helpful. Positive behaviour is highly promoted through modelling, friendships, warm and nurturing relationships with staff and familiar routines. Staff are trained in physical intervention, but this is rarely Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 8 of 11 used. Staff rely on their knowledge of the child and the strong relationships they have with them to de-escalate potential incidents quickly and effectively. Good vetting procedures help to prevent unsuitable adults from working with children and young people. Children and young people have a good understanding of the fire evacuation procedures, as they complete work regarding fire safety when they first come into residence.

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Inspection judgements

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Outstanding

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Inspection judgements

Together, the head of residence and headteacher provide strong and highly supportive leadership. The school is going through a transitional period whereby the school will move to a new site, which will see the residential provision close in the near future. This could have been an anxious time for staff, and the standards of care and education within the provision could have fallen. However, managers have thoroughly supported staff with the path they want to take, such as extra training for staff moving into the school. Consequently, morale remains high and the standards of care and education for children and young people in residence remain exceptional. Children and young people and parents are aware of the changes being introduced. Although parents are unhappy about the closure of the provision and are uncertain of what the future will hold for their child, they remain positive and appreciate being kept informed of the changes.

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Inspection judgements

The head of residence is very experienced and qualified. She is part of the senior leadership team, ensuring that the residential provision is an integral part of the school. Managers have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and are ensuring that the provision continues to provide a high-quality service until it closes in July. The head of residence has completed a robust response to the point for improvement made at the previous inspection, ensuring that it has been fully addressed. The established staff team is highly motivated and committed to providing an excellent service to children and young people. Staff have access to exceptional training opportunities that furnish them with the knowledge and skills they need to provide a high-quality service. Staff are very well supported by each other and managers. They enjoy their work and seeing children and young people achieve.

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Inspection judgements

Staff work well in partnership with other agencies such as social workers, virtual heads and healthcare professionals. This enables them to have a holistic view of the child. Staff are very well informed about each child’s home circumstances, which enables them to effectively support each child and their family. Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 9 of 11

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What inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people 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’.

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What inspection judgements mean

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 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

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What inspection judgements mean

children and young people are not protected, or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, or if their care and experiences are poor and they are not making progress. Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 Page 10 of 11

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School details

Social care unique reference number SC001835 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 167 Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 5 to 19 Headteacher Mrs Susan Horn Date of previous boarding inspection 12/05/2015 Telephone number 0116 2885802 Email address shorn@birketthouse.leics.sch.uk Inspection Report Birkett House, 21/02/2017 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

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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.

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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

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School details

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 children looked after, 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

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School details

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School details

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

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