Saville House School

11 Church Street, Mansfield Woodhouse, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG19 8AH

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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 Inadequate

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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

 Pupils are not achieving as well as they should. Leaders do not have a system for checking that pupils, especially the most able, are making good progress.  Leaders’ judgements about the school are over generous. The school improvement plan is not effective.  Subject leaders have not provided teachers with the guidance and plans they need to ensure that teaching meets all pupils’ needs.  Teachers in key stages 1 and 2 do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to reason and apply their mathematical skills.  Teachers do not provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills.  Teachers do not use assessment information effectively to ensure that lessons meet pupils’ needs and lead to good progress.  The headteachers do not ensure that teachers receive regular, high-quality training and guidance to improve the quality of teaching.  The proprietor has not sufficiently challenged

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the headteachers.  Leaders have not ensured that all independent standards have been consistently met.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Children in the early years settle quickly and make good progress.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They are very polite and respectful towards others.  Reading is a strength of the school because the teaching of letter sounds in the early years is strong and pupils read regularly at home.  The school keeps pupils safe and pupils say they feel safe in school.

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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?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management at all levels by ensuring that: – the curriculum provides opportunities to extend pupils’ thinking and deepen their knowledge, especially for the most able – there is an effective system for checking that all groups of pupils are making good progress – school self-evaluation is accurate and leaders at all levels take prompt action to address weaknesses – the school improvement plan is precise about the important actions needed, who is responsible for actions, the timescales for improvement, and how progress will be checked and measured – teachers receive regular, high-quality training, guidance and feedback on how to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment – the performance management of teachers, including leaders, is more robust and objectives are linked to pupils’ progress – the proprietor regularly challenges and holds headteachers to account for pupils’

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

progress, especially the most able.  Improve teaching, learning and assessment in key stages 1 and 2 so that pupils make good progress across a range of curriculum areas by: – using assessment information to ensure that work is challenging, especially for the most able – giving pupils regular opportunities to develop reasoning and problem-solving skills in mathematics – providing better opportunities for writing across a range of curriculum areas – ensuring that pupils’ punctuation, handwriting and presentation are of a good standard.

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

 The proprietor must ensure that the curriculum policy and schemes of work take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an education, health and care plan, and that they are implemented effectively (paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b) and 2(1)(b)(i)).  The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at this 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 (paragraph 3, 3(a)) – involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time (paragraph 3, 3(c)) – 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 (paragraph 3, 3(d)) – demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

(paragraph 3, 3(e)) – 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 make progress (paragraph 3, 3(g)).  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, and that leaders and managers fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b)).

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The proprietor and school leaders are not ensuring that all independent standards are met consistently.  The headteachers and subject leaders have not provided staff with curriculum planning and guidance that ensures effective teaching in mathematics, writing and other curriculum areas. Although the headteachers had begun to question if the curriculum plans are effective, they have not taken action to address their concerns.  The headteachers have not planned time to carry out regular checks on the quality of teaching. This is partly because the headteachers have their own class teaching commitments. The consequence of this lack of oversight is that the headteachers have an overgenerous view of teaching quality. In addition, the weaknesses in teaching are not being identified, so teachers do not get the guidance they need to improve.  Leaders do not have a system for checking that all pupils are making good progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

Although leaders ensure that teachers make regular assessments of pupils’ attainment, leaders do not analyse the information. Consequently, leaders have not identified and addressed the underachieving groups of pupils. The underperformance of the most able pupils has gone unnoticed.  The headteachers’ plan for improvement is not effective because it lacks precise, measurable targets which link to improving outcomes for pupils. The plan is not clear about who is responsible for actions or the precise arrangements for checking that the actions are making a difference. The proprietor is not able to use the plan to hold leaders to account for the effectiveness of their work to ensure improvement.  The system for performance management has not been successful in improving the quality of teaching or leadership. This is because the headteachers do not set challenging objectives that are sharply linked to improving teaching and pupils’ progress. In addition,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

the headteachers have not ensured that staff training needs are met. As a result of these weaknesses in the performance management, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has declined since the last inspection.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. All the staff have a strong commitment to helping pupils to be responsible members of modern British society. Leaders promote British values well. Assemblies play an important part in this work. During the inspection, pupils told the inspector how the daily assemblies help them to learn to respect others. Pupils told the story of a 101-year-old skydiver and explained to the inspector that ‘You can’t judge people by what they look like.’  There is a good range of extra-curricular activities, including lots of sports, art and gardening. The clubs make an important contribution to pupils’ all-round development

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

and growth in confidence. Pupils say they particularly enjoy ‘Cool Choir Club’ because they love the opportunity to perform at Mansfield Museum.  Parents are unanimously positive about the school. They appreciate that pupils are well cared for and happy at school.

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Governance

 Although the proprietor has regular contact with the school, she has not been effective in challenging the headteachers to ensure a good curriculum, effective teaching and strong progress for all groups of pupils.  The proprietor has accepted too readily the headteachers’ overgenerous evaluations of the school’s performance. The proprietor has not ensured that performance management arrangements are effective in improving teaching and developing staff with leadership responsibilities.  The proprietor has high expectations of pupils’ conduct, manners and movement around the school. Staff report that the proprietor’s visits to school help to secure the school’s focus on maintaining high standards in these areas.  The proprietor takes seriously her responsibility to ensure that the school buildings are safe and well maintained. During the summer, much of the school was redecorated so that it is a bright, welcoming and safe environment for pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders are committed to ensuring that the school is a safe place for pupils. Leaders have ensured that the improvements identified in the last monitoring visit have been sustained.  Staff are vigilant and aware that safeguarding issues can arise anywhere. Staff have regular training, so they have a good understanding of the different types of abuse.  Leaders are persistent in following up concerns about pupils who could be missing from education. Leaders work with the Nottinghamshire local authority where there are any concerns.  Staff follow the school’s risk assessment policy to ensure that all events and outings are safe.  Leaders ensure that fire safety regulations are met. Pupils report that regular fire drills are taken ‘very seriously’ and everyone is careful on the staircases. Fire practices take place on different days so that part-time members of staff understand what to do.

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Safeguarding

 The school’s safeguarding policy takes account of the most recent government safeguarding guidance. Staff understand the policy and know exactly what actions to take if they have concerns about a pupil or a member of staff. The policy is published on the school’s website.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teachers make regular assessments of pupils’ learning, including through national curriculum tests at the end of key stage 2. Teachers do not use the available assessment information effectively to plan teaching that meets the needs of different pupils. As a result, too many pupils, especially the most able, are not making good progress.  Teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to practise their mathematical calculation skills, but too few opportunities for pupils to use mathematical reasoning and problem- solving skills. The most able pupils often do the same activities as other pupils and then some calculations. Consequently, pupils are not making progress because they are not being challenged to apply their skills, reason and to think hard.  The Year 1 writing books show pupils use letter sounds to spell simple words, write neatly and begin to use basic punctuation. However, pupils do not build on this good start as

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

they move through key stages 1 and 2. Teachers do not have high expectations for pupils’ use of punctuation, neat handwriting and tidy presentation. The standard of writing in pupils’ books is not good enough.  Pupils’ work in their books in a range of other subjects, including geography, history and science, show that teachers are not providing enough opportunities for pupils to explain their thinking and understanding. Pupils have very few opportunities to develop their writing skills in these subjects.  Where learning is more effective, teachers plan activities that engage pupils’ interests and challenge pupils’ thinking. For example, in mathematics, pupils worked on a puzzle where they had to apply their mental calculation skills and use their reasoning skills. Although pupils kept telling the teacher it was ‘really hard’, pupils soon became immersed and thrived on the challenge. Pupils persevered and they wanted to carry on when it was time

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

to stop.  The teaching of reading is a strength of the school. Pupils who met with the inspector spoke with great enthusiasm of their enjoyment of reading and praised the quality of the books provided in school. Year 6 pupils explained how they have enjoyed reading classic stories, including Rudyard Kipling’s ‘Just So Stories’ and the ‘Jungle Book’. Pupils also explained how the ‘Jungle Book’ had inspired them to write their own ‘Tales from the Woodland’. Pupils benefit greatly from regular reading at home.  Pupils say their homework ‘is fun’ because they enjoy researching new things, such as the digestive system.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are confident, happy learners because the school provides a secure and nurturing environment. Most pupils concentrate well and are confident to ask for help or clarification when they need it. However, when pupils are faced with a challenge, they do not always persevere and work things out for themselves.  Pupils do not always present their work neatly, especially in key stage 2. The standard of presentation in pupils’ books falters when teachers’ expectations are not sufficiently high.  Pupils understand different types of bullying, including physical, racial and homophobic. Pupils say bullying is not a problem and no children have a ‘hard time’ at Saville House. Pupils know exactly what to do if they have a problem and they trust the adults in the school to help them solve issues.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe in different situations. Older pupils

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Personal development and welfare

explained to the inspector how they to do this in different situations, and how to deal with pressure and the dangers of substance misuse. Pupils also explained how the school’s internet filter system keeps them safe when researching on the internet.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils like the reward systems in school and look forward to collecting house points and golden tickets. Pupils understand the sanctions but say these are not often needed.  Pupils are very polite to each other and all adults. ‘Please’ and ‘thank you’ are regularly heard throughout the school. Pupils greet visitors politely and engage confidently in conversation.  At play, lunchtimes and in lessons, pupils are very supportive of each other and use their initiative to help each other when needed. During the inspection, older pupils were seen helping the younger ones to take off coats, play safely in the playground and hold doors open.  Pupils move around the school very responsibly, especially on the staircases.  The school environment is well maintained. Pupils show respect for the building and the resources. There is no litter and classrooms are neat and tidy.

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Behaviour

 Most pupils concentrate well and apply themselves in lessons. Weaker teaching occasionally leads to minor off-task behaviour.  School records show that there are very few incidents of poor behaviour. Inspection evidence, including comments from pupils, parents and staff, supports this view.  Attendance is good compared to the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils’ books for writing, mathematics and a range of other subjects show that progress in key stages 1 and 2 is not as good as it should be. This is because teachers do not use well assessment information to plan lessons that provide the right level of challenge, and expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low.  Progress is weakest for the most able pupils. Although most of these pupils work diligently, they do not have enough opportunities to apply their knowledge in mathematics or to write regularly. As a result, the majority of the most able pupils do not make strong enough progress to reach the higher standards at the end of key stage 2 in mathematics and writing.  Pupils’ attainment in writing and mathematics is broadly in line with other pupils of the same age. Girls and boys make similar rates of progress. The standards of work, coupled with pupils’ good social development, ensure that they are prepared for the next stage of

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

their education.  Reading is a strength of the school. Year 1 pupils achieve well in the phonics screening check. Attainment in reading at the end of key stage 2 is above the national average. The most able pupils make good progress in reading. The school’s success in this area is an outcome of effective phonics teaching and high expectations of reading throughout the school.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make similar progress to their peers. Adults in the school know these pupils well and provide extra help. However, individual education plans are not precise enough and are not reviewed regularly. As a result, these pupils do not always make as much progress as they should.

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Early years provision Good

 Children, including the two-year-olds, settle very quickly in the early years because staff work well with parents. The ‘star moments’ system helps the parents and school to share children’s successes and to find out about each child’s individual needs.  The early years leader keeps a careful check on children’s progress to ensure that no child falls behind. Most children achieve a good level of development by the time they leave the Reception Year. Many of the most able children exceed the expectation for age, especially in reading. Children are well prepared for learning in Year 1.  The teaching of reading is a strength because adults ensure that learning about letters’ sounds is regular, fun and part of all activities, even in mathematics. For example, during mathematics, the teacher held up a circle, and one child pointed out that the circle looks the same as the letter ‘o’. Then another child said, in a perfect French accent, ‘o is for

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Early years provision Good

orange’.  The teaching of mathematics is strong in the Reception Year because the early years leader has very good knowledge of the subject. She models the correct use of mathematical vocabulary and inspires the children to learn new words and use language correctly. During the inspection, children were challenged to explain the difference between a square and a rectangle. The children succeeded without adult support and then asked the teacher if they could look at a hexagon.  Expectations of children’s writing are high. Both boys and girls enjoy lots of opportunities for making marks and independent writing. This, along with the good teaching of phonics, ensures that the children are confident by the time they move into Year 1.  Children make good progress because adults make regular and accurate assessments of what children can do and what they need to do next. In the Reception class, this information is used well to ensure that activities are planned well to match children’s

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Early years provision Good

needs and interests.  Children understand the Saville House behaviour expectations and respond quickly to adults’ requests. Children are given opportunities to take and manage simple risks. For example, they learn to ride scooters and trikes safely and responsibly in the outdoor play area.  The early years staff have up-to-date training in safeguarding and first aid. They have a good understanding of their responsibilities and ensure that all the early years welfare requirements and independent school standards are met. This results in children feeling and being safe.  The use of assessment to match children’s needs is not so well established in the kindergarten provision for two-year-olds. Some activities do not inspire children’s thinking, exploration and learning. Adults are less skilled in communicating and encouraging children to develop their language.

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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

Proprietors Susan Mills, plus Robert Everist

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School details

Headteachers Chantal Hill and Claire See

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School details

Email address savillehouseschool@cemuk.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1–3 July 2014

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Information about this school

 Saville House is an independent day school situated in Mansfield Woodhouse.  The number of pupils on roll has decreased since the last inspection when there were 66 pupils on roll.  Since the last inspection, the school has offered places for two-year-olds.  A small proportion of pupils are identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities and there are no pupils with an education, health and care plan. The school does not receive any additional funding for pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities.  The school’s previous inspection was 1–3 July 2014. An emergency inspection took place at the same time. The school had a monitoring visit on 1 April 2015.  The school employs specialist teachers in dance, music, physical education, art and French. Parents make additional payments for music lessons and swimming at key stage 2.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector carried out a tour of the site with a headteacher to check facilities against Part 5 of the independent school standards.  The inspector met with both headteachers, teachers, the early years leader and the coordinator of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The inspector also had a telephone conversation with the proprietor.  The inspector observed teaching in all classes. One observation was carried out with a headteacher. During classroom visits, the inspector spoke with pupils and looked at their books. The inspector also scrutinised pupils’ mathematics books and writing books with a headteacher. She spent time reviewing pupils’ books in a range of subjects and reviewed writing and mathematics books from the last academic year.  The inspector met with pupils both formally and informally. The inspector also observed pupils at playtime, in the lunch hall, in the school council meeting and in both key stages

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Information about this inspection

1 and 2 assemblies.  The inspector listened to Year 2 and Year 6 pupils reading.  The inspector considered 25 parent responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the parents’ responses to the free-text service. The inspector also spoke with four parents at the start of the school day. The inspector also considered 10 staff responses to the Ofsted staff survey.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation relating to the school’s provision, including those concerning: the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan; pupils’ attainment and progress; behaviour and attendance; complaints against the school; accessibility plan and safeguarding. The inspector also checked the school’s single central register and the school’s systems for recruiting staff.

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Inspection team

Carol Smith, lead inspector 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

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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

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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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