Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia

Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 1 Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 4PB Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia is a non-maintained residential special school providing a specialised service for pupils aged between 9 and 18 years old who have dyslexia and associated learning difficulties. The school is located approximately 10 miles from Morpeth and is a large country house which has been converted for its present purpose. The grounds cover 12 acres and facilities include a tennis court, playing field, garden and outdoor play areas, including a go-kart track. The school admits pupils on a day basis, as well as providing accommodation, currently for nine boarders. The boarding provision was last inspected in February 2016.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The residential special school provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of previous inspection: 1 February 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This residential special school is good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young people enjoy their residential stays and they have developed strong bonds with their peers and the house parents. They continually progress and achieve, which is directly linked to their positive boarding experiences. Consultation with the young people is meaningful and effective.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young people receive highly individualised care and support. Improvements to the young people‟s residential plans show they are involved in deciding their aims and objectives, and in making important decisions in their lives. Activities are a strength.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young people‟s health needs are met. They have access to the services they need and they live healthy lifestyles. The young people are safe and the house parents see each young person‟s welfare as paramount.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Behaviour is managed positively. All aspects of health and safety within the school are robustly monitored. Leadership and management outcomes are very good and the headteacher leads a committed staff team that puts the young people at the heart of its practice.

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Key findings from this inspection

The residential special school‟s areas for development are:

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Key findings from this inspection

 To improve and update the showers in the residential provision to ensure that the young people‟s privacy and dignity are respected.

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Key findings from this inspection

 To ensure that the young people have individual, written risk assessments and to have in place a lone-working risk assessment that specifically relates to staff working in the residential provision. Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 3

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special schools

The school does not meet the following national minimum standard(s) for residential special schools:

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special schools

 5.3 Suitable toilet and washing facilities are provided for children which are reasonably accessible from the sleeping accommodation. Separate toilet facilities are provided for boys and girls unless each toilet facility is provided in a separate room intended for use by one pupil at a time, the door to which is capable of being secured from inside. Toilet and washing facilities provide appropriate privacy for children.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the young people‟s residential boarding plans include individual risk assessments that identify any risks specific to their boarding experiences.

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Recommendations

 Prepare lone-working risk assessments for the residential staff which take into account lone working both within the school and when accompanying young people away from the school. Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people enjoy their residential experiences and they thrive and flourish. Their outcomes are very good and they continue to progress and attain their potential. Their educational and social outcomes are significantly improved as a direct result of boarding at the school. This betters their overall quality of life and propels them towards a bright future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A parent said: „My son has been at this school since he was in Year 5. I cannot imagine how our lives would have been affected if he had been forced to attend a mainstream school. The school has, quite honestly, ensured that our son has grown into a confident and happy young person. We can now see a positive future for him as he matures into an adult and the school has played a pivotal role in his development.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people have forged positive friendships with each other. For some young people this is the first time they have made friends and felt accepted within their peer group. Relationships between the house parents and the young people are excellent. The house parents‟ nurturing, caring approach fully engages the young people and leads to them forming positive, trusting bonds. Consultation with the young people is superior. They are included in all decisions made about their care and welfare, and their wishes and feelings are fully taken into account. This empowers the young people and boosts their confidence and feelings of self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A young person said: „At my old school I felt horrible. To begin with it was OK, but then I was bullied. At Nunnykirk no one laughs at you. Since coming here I have felt so much happier. I feel more confident to speak with people and I have gained a self confidence that helps me to work towards my goals. This school has had a bigger impact on me than any other school. It is an amazing school.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A newly appointed teacher said: „When I came here I knew this was the place I wanted to be. I am very impressed with the boarding; it is like a big family and I firmly believe that the young people who board here improve massively in school. The house parents are doing an absolutely fantastic job, and they deserve high praise and recognition for everything they do. I cannot praise them enough, they are very special. I think it‟s very important that Ofsted recognises the house parents‟ input, and their progress and how they work with the young people.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of care for the young people is very good. Their needs are met by the individualised care and support that they receive. Recent changes and developments within the young people‟s residential plans have made the plans more child friendly, which better involves the young people. There is much more consultation that takes into account the young people‟s wishes and they decide what goals they would like to achieve while they are boarding. This person-centred approach respects the young people‟s views and promotes their equality and their rights. Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 5 A young person said: „I am asked about everything. I think this is important. I am leaving school soon, and I want to go to college. My key worker, Mr [name] has talked to me about my plans and he has really helped me to do what I want to do.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A parent said: „My son is well cared for and has a wonderful relationship with the boarding staff, who treat him with both care and respect.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people rate the evening activities as „one of the best things about boarding‟. There are daily, planned activities that day pupils can also attend if they wish. The wide range of activities enhances the young people‟s experiences and develops their social skills. A recent addition to the activity programme is the setting up of „clubs‟ that focus on specific activities that the young people have expressed an interest in. One club, „The Nunnykirk Explorers‟, is offering the young people the opportunity to do an archery course and the photography club is developing the young people‟s skills and knowledge, from using a camera to developing pictures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A young person said: „I really enjoy the archery and I will continue to do this. I have my own bow and arrows, and I am getting really good.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Another young person commented: „I do a lot of activities and from these I now help other children to learn how to swim. This is something I would like to do as a job. This school drives you to believe in yourself. When you say you “cannot” they help you to realise “I can” and “I will”. They do not push, they encourage.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The school is a large rural house with extensive grounds. The residential accommodation is located on the first floor, which is separate from the main school. The school has responded to a previous area for improvement by starting to redecorate the residential areas, particularly the young people‟s sleeping accommodation. The house parents have added homely touches, such as new bedding, pictures and other soft furnishings. However, there is still work outstanding to improve the showers. Not all the showers used by the young people can be locked from the inside to protect their privacy and dignity. Another area for improvement was to enhance the overall cleanliness of the school. This has been fully addressed, and the school is now spotlessly clean and tidy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people‟s health needs are very well met. The safe administration of medication is robust, and where young people have specific health care needs, their written health plans detail their day-to-day arrangements. The young people live very healthy lifestyles and their meals are varied and nutritious. This supports them to meet their developmental milestones. The school has improved by making arrangements to provide supplementary health care support. They have employed counselling services for the young people; an occupational therapist; and a speech and language therapist. These additional services provide the young people with access to the specialist support they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A parent said: „Without the input from this school, my child would not be flourishing Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 6 like he is. This school recognises the whole boy, not just the ability to do well in exams; his entire well-being is valued and enhanced by his being within this school. This school is part of our family and we will be forever grateful to the staff for giving our son confidence in himself and his abilities.‟

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The school‟s child protection policy has recently been updated, and it is being disseminated to the staff for their feedback. This measure ensures that all the staff are aware of any safeguarding updates and that they are familiar with the school‟s reporting protocols. All the staff have received child protection training and there are two designated safeguarding officers, one being a senior teacher and the other being a house parent. This gives the young people and the staff 24-hour access to a safeguarding officer should they need any help or advice.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no young people going missing, nor are they at risk from exploitation. The young people feel safe during their residential stays and parents are confident their children will be very well cared for.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

A parent said: „Boarding is brilliant and it has improved my daughter‟s confidence. The boarding staff are approachable, fun and responsible and they keep my daughter safe; she says it is like having another family. Just what you want to hear, when you leave her in their care.‟

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff manage behaviour positively. They believe in encouraging and supporting the young people by using praise and rewards, thus avoiding punitive or controlling methods to channel unwanted behaviours. The staff are skilled in de-escalation techniques and restorative approaches. Consequently, there have been no restraints and sanctions are very rarely used.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The senior teacher responsible for behaviour management said: „We have a positive ethos to manage behaviour both in the school and in the residential. We have recently reviewed how we manage behaviour and we have a new policy that sets out the school rules and the young people‟s expectations, which gives the pupil a voice. We do use sanctions and although the residential staff can impose sanctions, they choose not to do so. There have been no restraints; in fact, there have been no restraints in the 11 years I‟ve worked at the school.‟

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The management of health and safety in the school is robust. The responsible members of staff are very knowledgeable, and the health and safety documentation is meticulous. The local fire officer regularly visits to support and advise the school‟s designated fire officers. A recent environmental health visit resulted in the kitchen staff being awarded a five-star rating for good health and safety management in the kitchen. There have been no new residential staff employed since the last inspection.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Overall, risk management is very good. There are a range of written risk Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 7 assessments, which are regularly evaluated and updated, to protect the young people, the staff and visitors from known hazards. All visitors to the school have their identification checked and vetted, and they sign the visitors‟ book. All external contractors are supervised, which prevents them from having direct contact with the young people. There are, however, some missing risk assessments relating to the residential provision. The young people do not have individualised risk assessments within their boarding plans and there is no lone-working risk assessment for the house parents. This has not significantly impacted on the young people, but, without these written risk assessments, there is the potential for young people‟s welfare to be compromised in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, strong leadership and management have generated a wide range of improvements that have unquestionably enhanced the young people‟s outcomes. The headteacher is a motivated, committed leader who has high expectations of his staff. He is supported by two senior teachers and a strong team of governors. They all strive to ensure that every young person achieves their full potential. The educational and residential staff are highly dedicated to their roles, and to the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A newly appointed teacher said: „I have been here for 18 weeks and this is the best place I have ever worked, and I have never been happier. The staff and the young people are phenomenal and all the staff are passionate about what they do. There is something about the school, something very special. It is a natural therapeutic community, where the young people‟s needs are looked at as a whole.‟

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The two house parents‟ posts have now been made substantive. This gives the young people stability and maintains consistency. The house parents work extremely well as a team and they each have individual strengths that provide the young people with inspiring and innovative support. Relationships with the educational staff are seamless, which ensures continuity for the young people throughout the school.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A house parent said: „We can talk about anything, and we never disagree about anything. We back each other up and we work consistently. We are working with the teachers a lot more, which is great; communication and consistency across the school is a lot better and we feel we can talk to any of the education staff about anything.‟

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective monitoring ensures that the school operates smoothly. The headteacher and the house parents regularly evaluate the residential provision to highlight any strengths and areas for improvement. This generates ideas for further development. An area for improvement to provide the house parents with a training and development plan has been met. The house parents receive the training they need Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 8 and they are supported to attend additional training as part of their ongoing professional development. Regular supervision offers the house parents an opportunity to reflect on their practice, which further enhances their learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A house parent said: „We have had a lot of training since the last inspection. I have my level 3, and [name] is almost finished hers. We have had training in mental health, and child protection. The headteacher is very supportive.‟

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been no complaints since the last inspection. The young people know how to complain and they feel they can talk to the staff „about anything‟. The house parents have very good relationships with parents and carers. They regularly communicate with and update parents and carers regarding their children‟s experiences and progress. This inclusive way of working creates trust and supports family units.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A parent said: „My son is well cared for and has a wonderful relationship with the boarding staff, who treat him with both care and respect. They are very good at keeping us informed; I can relax knowing my son is safe and cared for.‟

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other, and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the school knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the „Social care common inspection framework‟, this inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 9

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC041408

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/Teacher in charge: Mr Barry Frost

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential special school

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Residential special school details

Email address: secretary@nunnykirk.co.uk Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 10

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Inspector

Debbie White, social care inspector (lead) Inspection report for residential special school - Nunnykirk Centre for Dyslexia 11 to 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 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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