Eden Park Academy

Eden Park Academy Barkly Road, Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS11 7EN

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Inspection dates 11–13 July 2017 Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and managers have not ensured that all the independent school standards are met. As a result, pupils do not always make the progress of which they are capable.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not yet good across the school. As a result, pupils, including the most able, do not make consistently good progress from their different starting points  Checks made on the quality of teaching and learning are not sufficiently robust. As a result, leaders responsible for the day-to-day running of the school are not always clear about what needs to be done to bring about improvement.  Currently, the school does not have a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO). As a result, pupils’ additional needs are not always clearly identified and extra provision is not always as closely matched to their needs as it should be.  Curriculum plans do not always match what is taught in classrooms. This reduces the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

effectiveness of planned learning for pupils.  Some teaching staff lack the knowledge and skills to successfully teach the curriculum subject to which they are assigned. This sometimes slows pupils’ progress.  Systems in place to check on pupils’ progress are not always as accurate as they could be and, at times, the amount of progress pupils make is not clear.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Safeguarding practices and procedures are a strength of the school. Staff are knowledgeable and observant. Incidents are recorded effectively and in a timely manner.  Staff offer pupils a nurturing and safe environment when they come to school. Pupils’ behaviour improves as they settle into school and begin to enjoy learning.

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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) Regulation 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the main report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – making sure that work set for all pupils accurately meets their needs and enables them to make good progress over time – ensuring that teachers and other staff who undertake a teaching role have strong levels of knowledge and understanding of the subjects that they teach and the way in which pupils learn – ensuring that staff who support pupils in the classroom are suitably trained and are confident and skilled at supporting pupils’ learning.  Increase the progress that pupils make by: – making sure pupils’ additional needs are fully recognised and that effective support is put in place to enable them to make good progress – increasing the level of challenge of work given to the most able pupils in order that they make the progress of which they are capable.  Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring: – that a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) is appointed so that pupils with

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

additional needs are clearly identified and supported to make good progress from their starting points – systems are securely in place which assist staff in closely monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and accurately inform leaders of strengths and areas for improvement within the school – the system in place to check the progress pupils make accurately identifies the progress they make over time.

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

 The proprietor must ensure that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub- paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively and takes into account the needs of pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and does not undermine fundamental British values. This must also ensure that all pupils are given the opportunity to learn and make progress and reflect standards 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b)(i) and 2(1)(b)(ii).  The proprietor must ensure that teaching in 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 and teaching fosters in pupils self-motivation and the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves. The curriculum must be

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

delivered by staff through well-planned lessons using effective teaching methods and showing an understanding of pupils’ prior attainment. Teachers should manage class time effectively and have good subject knowledge. Effective teaching and learning must also be supported by effective use of a range of classroom resources and a framework must be in place which enables staff to use assessment to plan pupils’ future work. Standards 3, 3(a), 3(c) 3(d), 3(e), 3(f), 3(g).  The proprietors must ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibility demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that independent school standards are consistently met, and actively promote the well-being of pupils. Standards 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b).

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders and managers do not yet have a clear view of the strengths and areas in need of improvement within the school. The quality of teaching, learning and outcomes for pupils has dipped since the previous inspection. As a result, several of the independent school standards have not been met.  Systems to monitor the quality of teaching and learning are not sufficiently robust and do not challenge weak practice effectively. As a result, staff sometimes have too low expectations of what pupils can achieve and this slows the progress pupils make over time.  A system is in place which checks the progress pupils make. Targets are set and are clearly displayed in classrooms. Pupils are aware of the system and how it works. However, the information it provides does not give leaders sufficient information about the progress of different groups, particularly the most able pupils and those with additional needs. As a result, targets set do not always match pupils’ needs.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The school does not currently have a SENCO in post on the site. As a result, staff do not always recognise the additional needs that some pupils have and learning tasks set do not accurately meet their needs.  Performance management strategies are in place but, at the time of the inspection, it was not possible to analyse the effectiveness of the system in improving the quality of teaching and learning.  The curriculum offers pupils opportunities to develop a range of skills and knowledge which prepares them effectively for the next stage in education or the world of work. However, curriculum plans do not always take into account the needs of pupils with additional needs, are occasionally out of date, and do not accurately reflect what is taught in the classroom.  Enrichment activities enable pupils to experience and gain skills in a wide range of activities. For example, pupils annually complete a course at an outdoor activities centre.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

Their participation in a wide range of activities, including archery, climbing, raft building, canoeing and sailing, not only enables them to develop skills in a range of different areas, but also helps to build social and emotional skills and resilience.  The school has a highly inclusive ethos. Leaders and staff make all pupils feel included and welcome at all times. As a result, pupils feel understood and welcomed into the school community. Leaders ensure, through daily whole-school discussion time, that pupils develop a strong understanding of life in modern Britain. Through personal, social and health education lessons, pupils learn about right and wrong and democracy. This enables them to make the right decisions and to become good citizens.

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Governance

 The proprietor and members of the company’s leadership team take on the role of governance for the school. They visit regularly and an evaluation of the school’s progress is a regular item on the agenda at weekly meetings. However, they do not always give senior leaders the support and challenge that they need to bring about improvement at a fast enough pace.  The newly appointed head of education has developed a clear view of the strengths of the school and intends to implement planned improvements as soon as possible. However, at the time of the inspection, it was too soon to evaluate the impact of planned changes.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Safeguarding pupils and attention to their welfare are at the heart of the school. Staff are effectively trained and are very clear about what to do should a safeguarding concern be raised.  Staff are clear about safeguarding requirements and are familiar with, and vigilant against, the dangers to pupils posed by radicalisation.  Safeguarding records and documentation are kept to a high standard. The school’s safeguarding policy meets requirements set out in recent legislation. A copy is available for parents to view either on the company’s website or on request from the school.  Checks to ensure the suitability of staff are carried out diligently and are accurately recorded on the school’s single central register.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching and learning requires improvement because not all staff have a strong enough knowledge in the subjects that they teach. Some also lack a clear understanding of how pupils learn. As a result, work planned does not always meet the needs of pupils as accurately as it should, and this slows pupils’ learning overall.  Staff do not always use their previous knowledge of pupils’ learning to plan further learning. They also do not always have high enough expectations of what pupils, particularly the most able, can learn in the time available. This is clearly reflected in the quality of work completed in pupils’ books and files.  Support in the classroom is largely carried out by unqualified staff who have little training but know the pupils well. While this system helps support pupils’ behaviour effectively, it reduces support for their academic progress. At times, this slows pupils’ progress,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

particularly for pupils with additional needs.  Pupils’ progress in English and mathematics is not yet consistently good because the quality of teaching and learning in these subject areas is not always as effective as it should be.  Pupils often start school at times other than the beginning of the school year. Some arrive at the school in Year 11. Staff focus on ensuring that pupils gain as much accreditation as possible in the time available. This sometimes means that courses undertaken offer less challenge to pupils than the standards reached previously suggest they are capable of. However, it ensures that older pupils leave with a range of accreditation and a readiness to learn, which enables them to successfully transfer to the next phase in their education or the world of work.  Staff understand the needs of their pupils well and form strong and nurturing relationships both inside and outside the classroom. Comments such as ‘This school has

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

helped me to respect myself and make progress; I wish I had come here in Year 7’ are evidence of the impact of this on pupils’ learning.  Pupils make strong progress in both art and the humanities. At the time of the inspection, two pupils had completed GCSE portfolios in art and were anxiously awaiting the results of their hard work. Both subjects are taught by staff who have strong subject knowledge and a clear understanding of the needs of their pupils.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Staff are successful at developing pupils’ self-esteem and self-worth. They understand pupils’ social and emotional needs well and put in place effective support. As a result, pupils are able to re-engage with school and learning.  Staff are highly skilled at recognising pupils’ needs and work hard to reduce the barriers to learning caused by pupils’ previous experiences. The nurturing environment of the school enables pupils to feel cared for and respected.  Pupils spoken to said they felt very safe in school and enjoyed attending. Comments such as ‘Staff understand us,’ and ‘I wish I had been at school here for longer,’ reflect pupils’ views well.  Safeguarding and keeping safe are very clear priorities for both staff and pupils.  Through lessons in canoeing and rock climbing, pupils learn the important role that

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Personal development and welfare

exercise plays in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Planned weekly physical education (PE) lessons reinforce this key message.  Visits to other organisations in the community, such as care homes for the elderly, have increased pupils’ awareness of the needs of others. Pupils described with pride how they have undertaken a dementia-friendly accreditation which has helped pupils gain insight into disability.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Despite their very high level of need, pupils’ behaviour improves as they settle into the routines of the school.  They learn, sometimes for the first time, how to listen and to re-engage with learning. These skills enable them to make progress and to start to believe that they can achieve in the classroom.  Staff work hard and successfully with pupils to increase their self-esteem and to enable them to learn the skills needed to control their emotions and modify their behaviour. This is reflected in the very small number of incidents requiring physical intervention over the last three years.  Pupils’ enjoyment of school is clearly reflected in their regular attendance. Overall, attendance is just above the national average for secondary-age pupils.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress from a variety of different starting points requires improvement because the quality of teaching and learning is not yet consistently good.  With the exception of humanities and art, no other subjects are taught by subject specialists with relevant qualifications. As a result, pupils’ progress in mathematics and English is not as good as it should be.  Several pupils at the school are new to learning English. Staff do not have a clear enough understanding of how to teach these pupils. They lack the skills to support them to make consistent progress, particularly in learning to write.  Pupils who attend the school have a range of needs. Nearly all have social, emotional and mental health needs. Some have education, health and care plans which describe extra needs, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and dyslexia. Staff are not always trained to meet these needs and, as a result, pupils make less progress as their additional needs

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

are not always satisfactorily addressed.  Pupils leave at the end of Year 11 with a range of qualifications and accreditations, including mathematics and English. However, work in books shows that some pupils, particularly the most able, are capable of attaining higher levels of accreditation. They fail to do so because of staff’s low expectations for pupils’ achievement.  Pupils make good and better progress in art. Some leave with A–C grades at GCSE. This is due to the high expectations of the skilled art teacher. Pupils also make similar progress in humanities, once again due to the skills and knowledge of the teacher.

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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 Other independent special school

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School details

Email address epaleeds@radicalservices.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11–13 June 2014

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Information about this school

 Eden Park Academy is a day special school located in the Beeston area of Leeds.  The required school information is displayed on the company website.  It opened in September 2013 and provides full-time education for pupils in the age range 11 to 16 years who experience behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. A small number of pupils have education, health and care plans.  The school is registered to accommodate up to 17 pupils. There are currently seven pupils on the school roll. The vast majority of pupils live in accommodation arranged by the company which owns the school.  Since the previous inspection, a new interim headteacher has been appointed who divides her time between the school and a sister school, Eden Park Academy, Carlisle. A new head of education has also been appointed, and took up his post in June 2017.  The previous inspection took place between 11 and 13 June 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning in all classes across the school. The acting headteacher accompanied the inspector for most of the observations undertaken.  Meetings were held with staff, pupils and the leadership team. Telephone conversations were held with a member of the school’s executive board and the newly appointed head of education.  The inspector analysed a wide range of documents in relation to the independent school standards. These included the school’s curriculum plan and supporting schemes of work, safeguarding documentation and a wide range of policy documents.  There were no responses received on Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Marian Thomas, 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 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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