Cambian Southwick Park School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Cambian Southwick Park School Southwick Park, Gloucester Road, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 7DG

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Overall outcome

The school meets all of the independent school standards that were checked during this inspection

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b)(i),  The previous standard inspection reported that the school did not have an effectively implemented written policy on the curriculum, and that the curriculum was not supported by appropriate plans or schemes of work. In addition, the plans being used by the school at the time of the inspection did not take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an education, health and care plan.  Leaders have made clear progress in developing the quality of the curriculum since the standard inspection. Leaders have introduced a new curriculum which takes account of a range of subjects. They have drawn up and implemented a new curriculum policy. This policy is supported by a curriculum overview which takes account of all subjects and key stages. Schemes of work for all subjects are now in place. Teachers use these schemes of work to draw up medium-term plans which take account of the ages, aptitudes and

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Main inspection findings

needs of all pupils. Consequently, pupils are making better progress. However, some inconsistency remains in the teachers’ understanding of planning effective lessons in some subjects. Minutes of governors’ meetings and a scrutiny of the school’s cycle of monitoring of teaching, learning and assessment confirm that leaders have plans in place to address this inconsistency.  The standard in paragraph 2(1) is now met.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3g  The previous standard inspection reported that teaching was not effective because the quality of teaching, learning and assessment was not of a sufficiently high standard to enable all pupils to increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught. In addition, the inspection found that teaching did not enable pupils to think and learn for themselves. Lessons were not sufficiently well planned to take account of pupils’ needs and prior learning. Teachers did not demonstrate good subject knowledge or understanding of the subject matter being taught. There was no framework in place to assess pupils’ work regularly.  Leaders have introduced a framework and systems to assess and track pupils’ learning and achievement. On arrival to the school, staff assess pupils’ knowledge and understanding. They use this information to set targets to measure pupils’ academic and

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Main inspection findings

personal development. The improvements made to curriculum planning and the implementation of medium-term and lesson planning is ensuring that the quality of teaching is improving. The introduction of the new curriculum, and improved training and supervision, has improved teachers’ subject knowledge. They use information relating to pupils’ achievement to plan work which meets their needs, ages and aptitudes more precisely. As a result, the opportunities are now in place for pupils to make stronger progress.  Leaders have retained their teaching team since the previous standard inspection. They have ensured that teachers receive training to develop the quality of their teaching. For example, teachers have visited local schools to develop their practice. Further visits are planned. Leaders have developed a committed staff team who are implementing the agreed systems and approaches with increasing effectiveness.

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Main inspection findings

 Nonetheless, leaders confirm that there is further work to do to ensure that teachers’ planning and their use of assessment information is of a consistently high quality across a range of subjects and age groups.  The work in pupils’ books and information in their ‘record of progress’ files, together with individual progress reports, confirm that most pupils are making progress from their starting points. This includes progress towards meeting precise targets set by the speech and language therapist to develop pupils’ communication skills. This work supports pupils to learn with greater independence. Staff implement interventions when progress slows, although the quality and consistency of the analysis of interventions is not yet in place.  The standard in paragraph 3 is now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Part 6. Provision of information

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b) 32(1), 32(1)(c)  The standard inspection reported that the arrangements to safeguard pupils were insufficient. In particular, the inspection found that leadership of safeguarding was inadequate and concerns identified were not being rigorously and appropriately investigated. At the time of the inspection, the school’s safeguarding policy was evaluated and found to comply with the most recent government legislation. The policy was appropriate to ensure pupils’ safety.  The school’s safeguarding policy takes account of the most recent government guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’, September 2016. Staff have a good understanding of the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures. Induction procedures ensure that new staff are given appropriate training to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. In discussions, recently appointed staff demonstrated a good understanding

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Main inspection findings

of what to do if they have concerns about the safety or welfare of pupils. The safeguarding policy is reviewed annually and is available on the school’s website. Scrutiny of staff files, particularly of those new to the school, and the school’s recruitment procedures confirm that this work meets requirements. Leaders’ renewed focus on improving the school’s policies and procedures since the previous standard inspection has resulted in a stronger culture of safeguarding to keep pupils safe.  Leaders have strengthened their approach to the recording of concerns and incidents involving physical intervention. They identify triggers and patterns in pupils’ behaviour. The frequency of incidents involving restraint is reducing.  The standards in paragraph 7 and paragraph 32(1) are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  The standard relating to the quality of leadership and management was unmet at the last standard inspection as the proprietor and school leaders had not ensured that all the independent school standards were met consistently.  The proprietor took swift action following the standard inspection to recruit experienced leaders. The leadership structure has been strengthened to ensure that the actions taken to address the unmet standards are implemented effectively. Minutes of governors’ meetings record an improved rigour in the challenge they bring to the school. Current leaders demonstrate a determination and ambition to improve the school to ensure that sustained progress is made towards meeting the unmet standards.  The standard in paragraph 34(1) is now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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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

Type of school Special school for pupils with complex needs

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School details

School status Independent residential special 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 5

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School details

Annual fees £108,500 (day pupils) £208,500 (boarders)

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School details

Website http://www.cambiangroup.com/ourservices/s ervice/home/tabid/106/id/7/s/14/xmps/1816 /default.aspx Email address education@cambiangroup.com

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 20–22 September 2016

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Information about this school

 Cambian Southwick Park is registered as an independent special school and a children’s home for 40 boys and girls aged from seven to 19 who have complex needs, including autism, severe learning disabilities and severe emotional, social and mental health difficulties. The school is owned by the Cambian Group.  The school opened in January 2013. Nearly all pupils live in the children’s home on the same site as the school. All pupils are placed by local authorities.  The headteacher took up post in August 2016. The head of education took up post on 1 September 2016. The interim executive headteacher took up post directly after the previous standard inspection.  There are currently 19 pupils on roll, aged seven to 19. All pupils have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  The proprietor, who is the company representative, has responsibility for the governance

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Information about this school

of the school. The proprietor joined the school in May 2016 and has appointed a director of education and an interim executive headteacher to drive improvements at the school.  No pupils use alternative provision.  The school’s last standard inspection took place on 20–22 September 2016 when it was judged to be inadequate.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The inspection was the first progress monitoring inspection undertaken since the last standard inspection and was carried out with no notice.  After the previous inspection, which found the school’s overall effectiveness to be inadequate, the school was required to produce an action plan explaining how it would meet the independent school standards that were unmet at this inspection. This action plan, evaluated on 24 February 2017, was found to be acceptable.  Prior to the inspection, the lead inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including that provided by the registration authority for independent schools. This

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Information about this inspection

included the previous inspection report and the school’s response to the unmet standards set out in their action plan, relating to Parts 1, 3 and 8. In addition, the lead inspector scrutinised the school’s policies, and other information available to families on its website, to check compliance with the unmet standards identified at the previous inspection.  Throughout the inspection, the inspector met with members of the school’s leadership team and held discussions with staff and spoke with pupils. The lead inspector also met with the executive headteacher and director of education form the Cambian Group to discuss the effectiveness of actions taken since the previous standard inspection. In addition, the lead inspector spoke with the designated officer in Gloucestershire to discuss the school’s work relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Catherine Leahy, lead inspector Her Majesty’s 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 visitwww.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

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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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