Westfield House School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Westfield House, 191 Sutton Road, Terrington St Clement, Norfolk PE34 4EX

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 3 and 3(a)–(j)  At the standard inspection in July 2016, the independent school standard for the quality of teaching at the school was not met because: – teachers did not assess pupils’ work efficiently, or use this information to set suitably challenging work to ensure that pupils were stretched – teachers did not offer opportunities for pupils to practise their mathematical and writing skills in practical contexts – pupils’ work was not presented and completed to the highest standard.  In the action plan, the proprietor undertook to ensure that: – all relevant historical and contextual information about each pupil is gathered prior to admission so that key areas of need are identified and planned for – all baseline assessments are completed upon or prior to admission – teachers are employed who are equipped with the knowledge and skill required to make accurate assessments

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Main inspection findings

– extra sessions for English and mathematics are incorporated into the weekly timetable – teachers provide pupils with reasonable challenge, in keeping with pupils’ changing individual needs both academically and socially – staff are provided with clear expectations of ongoing assessment and achievement through consistent use of the review and evaluation cycle – teachers have high expectations of pupils and use the school’s new marking policy to ensure that pupils know the distance they have travelled in their learning through a points system.  The quality of learning and assessment across the school since the inspection in July 2016, as seen through lesson observations and some pupils’ work, has recently started to improve.  The headteacher has worked with the proprietor to ensure that staff employed by the school are better equipped to deliver a curriculum that suits the needs of the pupils at Westfield. Recent appointments evidence some capacity for the school to continue to

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Main inspection findings

improve.  It is too early to judge whether the new approach to checking pupils’ progress is making as much difference as it needs to. The headteacher reports that pupils are more focused in their learning and teachers are better prepared to teach the curriculum. However, it is too early to see whether this will ensure that pupils’ progress is consistently good, particularly in English and mathematics.  Checking on pupils’ progress in English and mathematics is not yet sufficiently developed. Consequently, it is not always possible to see the progress that pupils make from the work in their books or the tracking of their progress over time.  Some teachers do not plan work that challenges pupils academically. There is an expectation that a baseline assessment is made for each pupil upon which teachers build. However, this does not take account of pupils’ previous learning. For example, in at least two classes, pupils’ work from the last academic year was more advanced than

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Main inspection findings

the work they are currently being offered.  Opportunities for pupils to practise their mathematical and writing skills in practical contexts are too limited.  A new and systematic record of daily tracking of pupils’ progress has been introduced very recently. In one or two classes, this is already having a direct impact on pupils’ progress. However, it is not yet consistently influencing work that teachers plan for pupils to challenge them and move them on in their learning.  The school’s marking policy, introduced in July 2017, is not being used consistently. The headteacher has set a clear expectation for all staff to follow this policy and to ‘acknowledge, guide and develop progress in all areas including the presentation of pupils’ work’.  The work in pupils’ books is often poorly presented and of poor quality. Expectations of what is acceptable for individuals and for the school as a whole are inconsistent. There

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Main inspection findings

is, however, some better practice. In one class, for example, the teacher’s high expectations ensured that pupils completed their work in the time permitted. It also enabled pupils to look back at their previous work, which supported them with their current learning. Several pupils told me that this helped them to ‘jog their memory’.  The support from teaching assistants is too inconsistent. Effective support for individual pupils’ readiness for learning is evident in some classes. For example, in one lesson seen during the inspection, pupils were reminded about health and safety, and were supported with the preparation of vegetables for cooking. Pupils responded very respectfully and positively to the teaching assistant’s questions and support. In other lessons, teaching assistants were not supporting any pupils well enough.  School leaders have not ensured that this independent school standard is met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 32(1), 32(1)(b)–(d), 32(3) and 32(3)(e)  The school’s website is under reconstruction. However, it is still possible to access the current website, which does not contain the required information. The headteacher explained that she is working to update the website and that she has tried to close the previous site.  The previous inspection report and information about the arrangements to safeguard pupils are not on the website as required.  Most of the required information is available to parents and others on request. There is no information related to academic achievement or recent examination results.  School leaders have not ensured that this independent school standard is met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1) and 34(1)(a)–(c)  This standard was not met at the inspection in July 2016 because not all of the independent school standards were met.

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Main inspection findings

 In the school’s action plan, the proprietor undertook to: – develop a solid staffing structure, including for administration and specialist teachers in specific areas – ensure that the staff team is provided with the knowledge and skills they require through achieving relevant qualifications and experiences – provide staff with a clear structure and expectations of recording, ongoing assessment and achievement – ensure that pupils are guided to understand what they need to do, why they need to do it and how this can be achieved – continue to develop a culture of high expectations of staff and pupils.  The revised action plan sets a suitable tone for school improvement, focusing on high expectations, improving the quality of teaching and raising pupils’ achievement.  The action plan includes some support from external consultants. The frequency with which monitoring of their work takes place and by whom is not clear in the action plan.

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Main inspection findings

 It is too early in the new term to evidence whether the school’s current staffing complement has the capacity to improve the quality of teaching to meet the needs of the pupils, or to ensure that pupils make good progress, particularly in English and mathematics.  The headteacher has made her high expectations to staff clear. She has not shied away from making difficult staffing decisions since the previous inspection. She is aware, however, that she is at the start of ‘the journey’ with some new members of staff.  Appropriate procedures are in place to safeguard pupils and are mostly reflected in the safeguarding policy. The policy has not been updated to include all of the information from the most recent statutory documentation. Discussions and documents indicate that the appropriate procedures are followed.  Not all of the independent school standards that were checked at this inspection are

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Main inspection findings

met. The standard for teaching remains unmet. The standard for the provision of information is not met.  School leaders have not ensured that the independent school standard for the quality of leadership and management is met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet 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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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain un-met at this inspection  The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the 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 – involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time – shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainment of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons – 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 progress (paragraphs 3, 3(a), 3(c), 3(d) and 3(g)).  The proprietor must ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school:

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

– demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently – fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b)). Standards that were met at the previous inspection, but are now judged to not be met at this inspection  The proprietor must ensure that the provision of information by the school is provided to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils and, on request, to the Chief Inspector, the Secretary of State or an independent inspectorate, specifically: – particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 (safeguarding arrangements) are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request – following an inspection under section 108 or 109 of the 2008 Act, a copy of the report

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

of the inspection (if it has been sent to the proprietor) is published and maintained on the school’s internet website, and provided to the parents of each registered pupil, by any date specified by the body who conducted the inspection – particulars of the school’s academic performance during the preceding school year, including the results of any public examinations (paragraphs 32(1), 32(1)(b), 32(1)(c), 32(1)(d), 32(3) and 32(3)(e)).

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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

School status Independent 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 (day pupils) £12,000 to £40,000

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School details

Email address jo.murray@westfieldhouseschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 5–7 July 2016

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Information about this school

 Westfield House is an independent special school run by Unique Care Homes.  The school is registered with the Department for Education (DfE) to admit a maximum of 32 pupils.

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Information about this school

 The school specialises in provision for pupils who have social, emotional and mental health needs. Most pupils have education, health and care plans. Many have been excluded from their previous schools or have experienced a breakdown in school placement allied to social problems. The majority have some degree of delay in their learning.  Pupils are placed by local authorities, currently from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Leicestershire.  Almost all pupils are from a White British background and their first language is English.  A large majority of pupils are disadvantaged and are therefore eligible for additional pupil premium funding.  The school does not use alternative providers.  Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious allegations of a child protection nature were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the school in

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Information about this school

response to the incident were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

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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.  This is the first progress monitoring inspection since the standard inspection in July 2016. The inspection was conducted at no notice.  Following the inspection in July 2016, the DfE required the school to submit an action plan to show how the proprietor planned to meet the unmet independent school standards. Ofsted evaluated the action plan in May 2017 and judged it as not acceptable. In September 2017, the proprietor sent a revised action plan to the DfE. The suitability of the revised action plan was considered at this progress monitoring inspection.  The DfE asked that the inspector specifically include scrutiny of the safeguarding

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Information about this inspection

arrangements in this inspection because the DfE had received a complaint .  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and the leader of the sixth form.  The inspector, along with the headteacher, gathered a range of evidence to judge the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. The inspector observed learning in lessons, or parts of lessons, and talked to pupils about their learning in the lessons.  The inspector looked in detail at pupils’ work in their books in different subjects from this year and the last academic year.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s checks on the suitability and qualifications of adults to work with children. The headteacher made available the school’s own self-evaluation document, development plan and safeguarding information. Checks were made on the school’s processes, procedures and documentation regarding behaviour, pupil assessment, pupil profiles, and information

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Information about this inspection

related to pupils’ special educational needs.

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Inspection team

Ruth Brock, 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

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Inspection team

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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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