Face Youth Therapeutic School

Face Youth Therapeutic School John Innes Youth Centre, 61 Kingston Road, London SW19 1JN

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

p.1

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leadership requires improvement. The new proprietor and her team have only very recently acquired the school. The impact of actions to secure improvement, including implementing new systems to check staff performance and the quality of teaching, are yet to be seen.  Pupils’ conduct requires improvement. Teachers’ expectations of punctuality, dress code and use of mobile phones are not demanding. Consequently, pupils are not well prepared for their next steps into further education, training or employment.  The quality of teaching requires improvement because some staff lack the required skills and knowledge to teach effectively. Leaders have begun to organise training and support for all staff with teaching responsibilities.  Leaders do not know how much progress pupils have made over time. Checks on pupils’ skills and abilities are not completed accurately in all subjects when pupils join the school. Until very

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

recently, leaders had no system for checking pupils’ outcomes.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school’s new proprietor, steering group and leadership team have a clear vision for the direction of Face Youth Therapeutic School. Since September 2017, they have put together a robust action plan and begun some positive work to improve the school.  Safeguarding is effective. Pupils said they are safe in school and well cared for.  The staff team are committed and caring.  Parents, carers and professionals from placing authorities speak positively about the school.  Leaders have ensured that all the independent school standards are met.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Rapidly improve the quality of teaching by: − fully implementing the proprietor’s action plan, including the proposed systems for checking on the quality of teaching and the performance of staff − providing effective professional training to those with teaching responsibilities.  Improve pupils’ outcomes by recording, monitoring and evaluating pupils’ progress in all subjects from accurate starting points.  Improve pupils’ behaviour by raising expectations, especially in relation to pupils’ dress code, punctuality and use of mobile phones and headphones.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders have work to do to improve the quality of education, to raise professional expectations of staff and to increase teachers’ expectations of pupils’ conduct.  The school’s assessment information is unreliable, patchy and only for English, mathematics and science.  Some staff do not have a secure knowledge of how to meet the learning needs of pupils. Leaders do not formally monitor teaching quality and have not identified specific strengths and weaknesses. A programme of visits to classrooms and checks on planning, pupils’ work and outcomes is currently at an early stage.  The new headteacher has overseen some initial improvements, including ensuring that all the independent school standards are met. The headteacher is fully aware of the school’s weaknesses, and has begun to implement an appropriately ambitious and relevant action plan. Leaders are reviewing how pupils’ progress is monitored, recorded and evaluated,

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

as a matter of urgency.  The school’s curriculum is appropriate in meeting pupils’ needs. The overwhelming majority of teaching is personalised and taught individually. Pupils study all the required areas of learning and focus on accredited courses in English, mathematics, science and physical education. The curriculum includes careers education, cooking and first aid sessions. These sessions help to prepare pupils effectively for their next steps.  The school’s daily ‘check in’ and ‘check out’ activities and mentoring sessions have a positive impact on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They include adequate opportunities for pupils to learn about British values, equality and diversity. For example, pupils have recently learned about Remembrance Sunday, Black History Month and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Month.  Parents and representatives from local authorities who spoke to the inspector were

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

positive about the school. They consistently agreed that the school’s strengths are its caring ethos and flexible approach to meeting pupils’ social and emotional needs.

p.3

Governance

 The chair of the steering group has an accurate understanding of the school’s current performance. The steering group is aware of the actions required to improve the quality of the school’s work rapidly. Written records of the steering group’s meetings show that members understand the challenges in improving the quality of education, and the journey ahead to increase quality and consistency. They have set ambitious timescales to drive improvement and are providing effective challenge to the headteacher.

p.3

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school’s safeguarding leaders are knowledgeable, supportive and care deeply about pupils’ welfare. Frequent training, daily briefings and a strong safeguarding culture ensure that pupils are supported and safe. Concerns are very well documented and referred on to external agencies, where necessary. Leaders and staff engage very well with parents.  The school’s safeguarding policy reflects the most recent statutory guidance, including in relation to the ‘Prevent’ duty. It is published on the school’s website, alongside all other required policies and information.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is variable.  In some lessons, teachers’ expectations of pupils lack ambition. Sometimes, pupils are not clear about what is expected of them, are not given time to develop responses to questions or are not sufficiently challenged. This means that pupils do not make as much progress as they could.  Tasks are not routinely based on pupils’ progress in previous sessions and teachers do not consider carefully how to meet pupils’ learning needs and interests.  Teaching staff have not received professional training in order to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  In English and science, teaching is more effective. Teaching staff engage pupils’ interest and help pupils to make good progress, including in reading and writing skills.  There are strong professional relationships between pupils and staff, which enable pupils to participate in class and feel confident to ask questions and seek help. The school’s

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

nurturing and flexible approach typically enables pupils to re-engage positively with learning.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are kept safe and trust staff to support them.  Bullying is exceptionally rare, and appropriately dealt with when it does happen.  Pupils understand how to stay safe, including online. They learn about equality, discrimination and the importance of British values.  Pupils’ social skills and emotional well-being are developed well. The school provides counselling, mentoring and speech and language therapy, which help to support pupils’ personal development.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Leaders have not ensured that pupils are encouraged to develop the attitudes and behaviours that will prepare them well for the next steps in their education. Expectations of pupils’ compliance with the school’s dress code and the use of mobile phones are not demanding.  Some pupils are frequently late to school. Leaders do not emphasise with sufficient clarity the importance of attending school on time.  Pupils’ attendance is variable. Most pupils attend very well, which is commendable because the majority of pupils join the school following significant periods out of education. Where pupils’ attendance is low and not improving quickly enough, leaders work hard with pupils, parents and external agencies to support regular attendance.  Pupils behave well. Incidents of challenging behaviour are dealt with effectively. Leaders record and review incidents of misbehaviour carefully. As a result, the team discusses

p.4

Behaviour

pupils’ behavioural needs on a daily basis, and tailors provision accordingly.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 There is currently no system to measure pupils’ starting points and the progress that they make over time. The school is unable to provide accurate, consistent information about pupils’ progress in any subject.  Pupils’ work and staff members’ tracking information show that pupils make variable progress, in line with the variable quality of teaching that they receive. For example, in mathematics there is evidence of pupils making uneven progress. In English and science in particular, pupils’ work shows they make good progress over time.  Pupils typically join the school with considerable gaps in their learning. This is often as a result of periods of absence from education prior to starting at Face Youth Therapeutic School. As a result of the support they receive and the variable quality of teaching, pupils’ outcomes require improvement overall.  Last year, at the end of key stage 4, pupils left the school having achieved accreditation

p.5

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

in functional skills qualifications and other entry-level qualifications, such as in physical education and personal effectiveness. However, the school’s lack of an assessment system means that the progress these results represent is not known.  The majority of key stage 4 leavers in July 2017 successfully proceeded to further education.

p.5

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.

p.6

School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £40,000 to £45,000

p.6

School details

Email address a.cherrywood@cresseycollege.co.uk

p.6

School details

Date of previous inspection 9–11 December 2014

p.6

Information about this school

 Face Youth Therapeutic School is an independent special day school in the London borough of Merton. It is located within premises owned by the YMCA.  The school provides placements for pupils who have social, emotional and mental health difficulties and a range of other complex special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities.  All pupils have education, health and care plans.  The school’s last full inspection was in December 2014, when it was judged to be a good school.  Off-site sports, shower and changing facilities are made available to pupils at the nearby YMCA gym, Wimbledon SW19 1RY. The school makes no other use of off-site training providers.  Since September 2017, the proprietor and headteacher of the school have changed. Face Youth Therapeutic School is now owned and managed by the proprietor of another independent special school, Cressey College. The proprietor is also the headteacher.

p.6

Information about this school

 The Cressey College steering group is now responsible for governance at Face Youth Therapeutic School.

p.7

Information about this inspection

 This full standard inspection took place with one day’s notice.  The inspector observed a range of learning throughout the inspection. He was always accompanied by either the head of school, deputy headteacher or the proprietor.  The inspector met with all pupils to discuss their learning, behaviour and well-being.  The inspector scrutinised the school’s information about pupils’ progress and attendance.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. However, the inspector spoke with two parents by telephone.  The inspector held meetings with the school’s leadership team. He also met with staff and considered the eight responses to the questionnaire for staff.  The inspector spoke by telephone with two local authority officers responsible for placing pupils at the school.  The inspector met with the chair of the steering group and scrutinised the written records of steering group meetings.

p.8

Information about this inspection

 The inspector reviewed a wide range of documentation, including school policies, logs, evidence of staff training and information related to safeguarding and health and safety.  The inspector toured the premises and considered additional information and evidence in relation to the independent school standards.

p.8

Inspection team

James Waite, 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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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 .

p.9

Inspection team

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.

p.9

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 .

p.9

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9