Mark College

Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 1 Mark College Mark College, Mark House, Blackford Road, Mark, Highbridge, Somerset TA9 4NP Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

Mark College is owned and operated by Priory Education Services, a national organisation that manages a number of health, social care and education settings. It is a 38-week secondary coeducational residential special school for pupils with special learning difficulties, including Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ASD, Speech and language difficulties and anxiety. The college accommodates some young people from overseas.

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Information about this residential special school

The college has three purpose-built boarding houses located together at the centre of the site. Two new flats are also used to promote independent living for older young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.

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inadequate

Date of previous inspection: 17 January 2017

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This residential special school is inadequate because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Safeguarding procedures do not protect children. Staff do not follow the safeguarding procedures consistently.  Risk management strategies are not implemented effectively in order to ensure that children are protected.  Staffing levels are insufficient to safeguard children, meet their needs or provide safe levels of supervision for them on the college site.  Staff are not receiving the support or training that they need to meet the children’s needs.  Admission procedures are poor.  Leaders and managers do not fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of the residential provision.  Leaders and managers do not ensure that all of the national minimum standards are met.

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Key findings from this inspection

The residential special school’s strengths:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children who board are making greater progress in English and mathematics than children who do not board. Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 3

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

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 2.2 The school identifies at least one person other than a parent, outside the staff, and those responsible for the leadership and governance of the school who children may contact directly about personal problems or concerns at the school. This person may be known as the ‘independent person’. Children are informed who this person is, and how to contact them and they are easily accessible. Children are also provided with one or more appropriate helpline(s) or outside contact numbers, including the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England, to ring in case of problems or distress.  2.4 The school makes all reasonable efforts to obtain all necessary information about a child’s health, education and care needs, prior attainment and achievements prior to (or in an emergency, at the time of) admission.  6.2 The school premises, accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health,

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safety and welfare of children are ensured.  6.3 The school ensures that the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy and appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.  10.4 Children have access to a range and choice of safe recreational areas, both indoors and outdoors, and there are safe areas at school where children can be alone if they wish.  11.1 The school ensures that: arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of children at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  12.3 Staff receive appropriate training and support to recognise and deal with incidences of challenging behaviour or bullying. This training should include assistance in managing staff members’ responses and feelings arising from working with children who have emotional difficulties which result in challenging

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behaviour. Staff training is regularly refreshed.  13.3 The school’s leadership and management demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role.  13.4 The school’s leadership and management consistently fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the standards are met.  13.5 The school’s leadership and management actively promote the wellbeing of Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 4 pupils.  13.6 Staff with management responsibilities have an adequate level of experience or training in the management and practice of boarding to ensure that children’s welfare is safeguarded and promoted.  13.7 The school follows and maintains the policies and documents described in Appendix 1.  13.8 The records specified in Appendix 2 are maintained and monitored by the school and action taken as appropriate.  13.9 The issues specified in Appendix 3 are monitored, and action taken to

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improve outcomes for children as appropriate.  14.4 All adults visiting residential accommodation (e.g. visitors, outside delivery and maintenance personnel) are kept under sufficient staff supervision to prevent them gaining substantial unsupervised access to children or their accommodation.  15.1 There is a sufficient number of competent staff deployed appropriately, both as a staff group and on individual shifts, to fulfil the school’s Statement of Purpose and meet the individual needs of all children resident in the school.  15.2 Records of staff working in the school demonstrate sufficient competent staff are deployed and that contingency plans are in place in the event of a shortfall in staffing levels.  15.8 The arrangements for deploying staff facilitate continuity of care for individual children, and maximise children’s choices of staff members to provide their personal care, where appropriate. The school can demonstrate that, as far as

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is possible, children are able to choose who provides their personal care.  15.9 Where only one member of staff is on duty at any time, a risk assessment has been carried out and recorded in writing, identifying any likely risks to children, staff and members of the public.  19.3 A school ensures that new staff undertake an induction programme designed and delivered to enable them to meet the range of needs of children at the school and fully equip them to identify and safely manage safeguarding issues. The programme should begin within 7 working days of starting their employment and be completed within 6 months.  19.6 All staff have access to support and advice for their role. They also have regular supervision and formal annual appraisal of their performance. Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 5

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inadequate

Staffing levels are insufficient to support the needs of children and to ensure that children are fully protected at all times. Some children require additional staff supervision, yet this is not consistently provided. Insufficient action has been taken to deploy staff effectively and to implement strategies to prevent the recurrence of known risks and to protect children.

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inadequate

The arrangements to support and protect children as they move into their accommodation are inadequate. On one occasion, a child moved in without a trial visit. Leaders and managers failed to obtain full information about the child’s needs, including their health needs, before they arrived. As a result, the staff team was not equipped with the information that it required to provide suitable care for the child and, after a short space of time, it was necessary for the child to leave the school because the child’s needs could not be met. This caused disruption to the child and to other children that could have been avoided, had leaders and managers obtained full information before offering the child a place. Staff have failed to obtain comprehensive information about some international children’s needs. Leaders and managers have failed to carry out assessments to ensure that the children’s needs are compatible and that the staff team can manage the range of children’s care

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inadequate

The staff team has developed good relationships with the children in its care. Generally, children spoke positively about the staff who look after them. However, the use of temporary staff and staff from an external agency to cover vacancies in the permanent staff team has unsettled some children.

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inadequate

Accommodation in the boarding houses is generally suitable, although some areas require redecoration and some parts of the site are not well lit. Some children said that the lack of external lighting leaves them feeling unsafe. Some refurbishment of the accommodation has taken place and more is planned. Each child has their own room that they are able to personalise. Each house has communal areas where there are televisions, electronic games and a good range of toys for children to use.

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inadequate

Compared to day pupils, children who board are making progress in their education. In English, 72% of boarders are making expected or better progress, compared to 52% of day pupils. Similar results have been achieved in mathematics.

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inadequate

Children have access to a good range of social activities, both on campus and in the local community. They are able to suggest ideas for new events which, where possible, staff will arrange. Children told the inspectors that the staff shortages reduce the range of activities that are available to them.

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inadequate

Healthcare arrangements are generally good. Children have access to a range of in- Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 6 house therapists, as well as to external support services. Medication is well managed and suitable records are maintained.

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inadequate

Children maintain good contact with their families. Children have their own mobile phones, and phones in each house are available for children to use. International students said that they had no problems in keeping regular contact with their families and friends.

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

Leaders and managers take insufficient action to protect children when safeguarding incidents occur. Following an incident in June 2017, the action taken was poor. When similar incidents occurred, leaders and managers still failed to review and strengthen the safeguarding arrangements. Risk management strategies remain insufficient to ensure that children are fully protected.

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

Leaders and managers fail to demonstrate sufficient understanding of the complex needs of some children and how some behaviours can have a negative effect on other children. Leaders and managers have not carried out a detailed review of the compatibility of the children or the sufficiency of staffing arrangements in each location.

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

On two occasions, leaders and managers failed to follow procedures for reporting safeguarding allegations to safeguarding agencies. These failures to adhere to statutory guidance potentially jeopardised any investigation by the appropriate agencies.

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

On three occasions, staff failed to recognise the significance of the safeguarding information disclosed to them by children, and there was delay in passing the information to the designated person responsible for safeguarding and in ensuring that children were protected.

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

Since the last inspection, a new signing in and out system has been implemented. Children are held responsible for ensuring that signing in and out is carried out. Staffing levels are insufficient for staff to check that children are where they say they are. This system lacks crucial information, such as the date and what checks the staff have carried out around the college grounds. The same deficient system is used for children who require an enhanced level of supervision.

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

In order to protect children's personal space, leaders and managers have recently extended the key card entry system for children's bedrooms to all houses. Children welcome this introduction, as it protects their privacy. In addition, a system to allow doors to be held open when children socialise in each other’s rooms has been installed. This enables staff to observe children to ensure that they are safe, yet also ensures that the doors will self-close in the event of a fire. However, in one house, the self-closing door mechanism is not working effectively. Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 7 Recruitment records have improved since the last inspection, and references for all new staff are now verified. However, leaders and managers have failed to meet their own action plan to verify past references, highlighted as a shortfall at the last inspection.

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

The college has a code of general conduct for external workers, such as contractors, who carry out work on the college site. This document lacks information about how external workers should conduct themselves during any interactions with the children. Prior to this inspection, a safeguarding concern connected to an external worker arose. Leaders and managers have failed to review their conduct procedures to guard against repetition.

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

Since the last inspection there have been no incidents of restraint in the boarding house or any that have involved children who board. At the last inspection a recommendation was made regarding restraint record so records of restraints involving day pupils during the education day were inspected. These restraint records have improved and children are now receiving opportunities to talk with staff about the restraint. However, the quality of records relating to these de-briefing discussions are too variable. Some records do not contain sufficient information on the discussion held with the child to understand what led to the behaviour. Staff and children were unable to learn from the incident and identify ways to ensure that similar incidents did not happen again.

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

After staff provided children with development sessions on how to keep themselves safe, some children felt confident to disclose safeguarding concerns to staff. While staff have provided children with guidance regarding online safety, the children have learned how to bypass the college's computer safeguards. They told the inspectors that they are using virtual private network connections on their mobile phones to use the internet unchecked. The college has informed the Priory IT department, spoken to parents and has carried out spot checks; however these have not been documented and have not prevented reoccurrence.

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

Children said that bullying can happen, but that staff will address this behaviour. The college has appointed one of the children as a bullying ambassador, and the children value the idea.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that all national minimum standards are met. At the last inspection, 13 recommendations to meet failed standards were made. Of these, five remain unmet.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and manager do not have a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the residential provision. Plans to make improvements have failed to address all of the shortfalls found at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Current staffing levels are insufficient to supervise children effectively or to meet Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 8 their individual needs. In addition, temporary staff employed by an agency are regularly working to cover shifts in the boarding houses. Since January 2017, the college has used 16 different agency staff. This affects the consistency of care that the children receive. Children told the inspectors that they do not like having so many different adults caring for them. In one house, staff work alone with the children in their care. The lone-working risk assessment does not contain enough detail to be effective. The potential risks are not evaluated and the assessment does not detail what actions are to be taken to reduce risks. As a result, neither the staff nor the children are provided with information about safety measures when lone working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff supervision is insufficiently regular and lacks rigour. Supervision records are poorly maintained, and no evidence could be found that all staff are having regular supervision. Staff are raising concerns in their supervision sessions, but records of these sessions lack information about the actions that leaders and managers have taken to address the concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff training and induction are weak. The induction process fails to prepare staff for their role, and insufficient resources have been targeted at supporting new staff. Staff told the inspectors that they feel ill equipped to meet the needs of children and that the current training programme is not addressing these concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

During the inspection, inspectors found that the independent listener, whose details were displayed on noticeboards for children, had left some time previously. When this was highlighted by inspectors, the leaders and managers arranged a new independent listener. However, they had failed to identify this weakness themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Although monitoring of the quality of care has improved, leaders and managers have not identified all of the failings found during this inspection. When monitoring behaviour records, the leaders and managers look for any trends and set actions to develop staff’s practice. Some of these actions have been insufficient to reduce identified risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The following national minimum standard were not inspected at this inspection: 2.6, 2.7, 3.11, 9.4, 10.3, 12.2, 19.4, 19.5, 20.4 and 22.3.

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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 whom it is trying to help, Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 9 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 Mark College 10

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC033024

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Chris Sweeney

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential special school

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Residential special school details

Email address: markcollege@priorygroup.com

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Inspector(s)

Wendy Anderson, social care inspector (lead) Polly Soper, social care inspector Inspection report for residential special school Mark College 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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