Waterside School

North Bridge Enterprise College Marshgate, Elwis Street, Doncaster DN5 8AF

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have directed improvements well. Good routines and systems mean that the school operates smoothly on a day-to-day basis.  Good governance has ensured that all policies are regularly updated and that procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust.  Governors have supported the headteacher well to improve the quality of teaching through regular access to support and training.  The good mix of core subjects and vocational options ensures that there is something for everybody in the curriculum.  While a range of vocational subjects are on offer, some pupils do not study these subjects in sufficient depth.  Good-quality advice and guidance mean that no pupils leave the school without securing further education, employment or training.  Time is spent in lessons developing pupils’ personal and social skills. This has a good effect on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 High-quality teaching ensures that pupils’ learning needs are met well. Good support is given to those pupils who have previously missed much time at school through absence.  Teachers’ assessments sometimes are not precise in identifying next steps in learning and sharp, measurable targets for pupils.  Pupils’ behaviour is managed well by staff. Pupils know the boundaries. Staff successfully re-engage pupils who have a history of poor behaviour.  Pupils feel safe and secure. Bullying is rare and is dealt with quickly when discovered by staff.  Most pupils leave the school with qualifications appropriate to their abilities.  Most pupils achieve a qualification in mathematics and English. No pupils leave the school without being able to read, write and calculate.

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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.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching further by ensuring that: – assessments pinpoint pupils’ next steps in learning with more accuracy – pupils’ targets, including for those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, are precise and measurable.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: – the curriculum, particularly for the most able and middle-ability pupils, enables them to study vocational subjects in more depth – leaders fully evaluate the effect of their actions and are clear about areas needing further improvement.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher and her dedicated team of staff know each of the pupils well. As a team, they meet each morning to discuss each pupil’s welfare and learning needs. This sharing of information is important in ensuring that provision and outcomes continue to improve.  Through regular checks made by leaders and reports checked by governors, leaders and managers have ensured that all the independent school standards are met.  The Ofsted questionnaire for staff confirmed that morale is high and that staff have a high regard for the headteacher. All staff feel that the school has improved since the previous inspection.  The curriculum is well designed, giving pupils a good balance of important mathematical and English skills, alongside a varied vocational offer. Each pupil is given an individualised curriculum based on their interests and abilities.  Personal, social and health education is taught regularly. This includes visiting police

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

officers who talk to pupils about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Assemblies are well planned, enabling pupils to discuss such issues as road safety and how to stay safe when using the internet.  The curriculum enables pupils to understand life in a modern, multicultural Britain. Visits to the nearby prison help pupils understand about the judicial system. A recent cultural awareness day gave pupils the opportunity to cook and sample food from around the world.  The leadership and management of teaching are of high quality. Leaders give teachers valuable and detailed feedback on how to improve their teaching. For example, the teaching of literacy across the curriculum improved as a result of feedback received.  Leaders have made good links with the local authority. Staff access training provided by local authority officers which has, for example, sharpened the provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Moreover, the local authority has recently improved the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

school’s access to educational psychology services.  Some middle-ability and most-able pupils study a range of vocational subjects, but few in sufficient depth. This is because leaders are too quick to change a pupil’s subject if they do a unit of work they might not find as interesting as others, for example, a unit studying health and safety in construction.  School leaders collate much information on attendance, behaviour, the curriculum and pupils’ outcomes. However, leaders do not always analyse this information in sufficient detail to fully evaluate what has worked well and what needs further development.

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Governance

 Governance, provided by the Keys Group, ensures that school leaders are held well to account. Policies are regularly updated to reflect changing legislation as appropriate.  Governors have ensured that improving the quality of teaching and improving the curriculum offer for pupils are central to performance management arrangements.  Support and challenge are regular and rigorous. Governors are updated each term on matters relating to staffing, attendance and outcomes. Urgent matters, such as safeguarding concerns, are immediately reported to the chief executive of the company.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  A safeguarding policy is published on the school’s website. This meets all current government requirements.  Regular and comprehensive training is provided to staff. Staff have a good understanding of how to report any concerns  Record keeping is particularly strong. There is a detailed log of communications with outside agencies and parents and carers.  While providing food is not part of the service level agreement, leaders are aware that many pupils would not otherwise receive a hot meal during the day. Consequently, generous portions of hot food are available for pupils at lunchtime.  The site is safe and secure and regularly checked. A main access door had broken during the inspection, which was immediately repaired by a maintenance crew.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and know how to make difficult work accessible to pupils. For example, work on the immune system in science engaged and enthused pupils so that they had a thirst to find out more on their own.  Teachers ensure that they develop the least able pupils’ basic skills. In mathematics, the least able pupils become fluent with their skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Real-life problems in mathematics help them cope with real situations they are likely to encounter when they leave school.  Pupils who are particularly vulnerable or have SEN and/or disabilities are given very precise support, sometimes on a one-to-one basis. Consequently, they make good progress.  Teachers question pupils well so that they answer in full sentences. This develops their speaking skills well and enables them to think through answers carefully.  Teachers celebrate pupils’ successes. This has a strong effect on lifting pupils’ sometimes

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

fragile self-esteem. During the inspection, pupils beamed with pride as they shared the cakes they had made in food technology.  Leaders and teachers provide full reports for parents. These give detailed information of pupils’ behaviour and progress.  Assessments are routinely made of what pupils can do, although they lack some precision in pinpointing pupils’ next steps in learning. Moreover, pupils’ targets, including those for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, are not as precise or measurable as they might be.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Behaviour logs indicate that there are few bullying incidents. Pupils told inspectors that they would feel comfortable talking to an adult if they felt they were being bullied or harassed.  A number of pupils told inspectors about their negative experiences at their previous schools but that they felt adults listened to them at this school.  Pupils who access alternative provision are monitored closely to ensure that they attend regularly.  Assemblies and lessons help pupils to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. In one lesson, pupils learned about positive relationships and the meaning of sexual consent. Pupils made a positive contribution, asking sensible questions and debating sensitive issues.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Relationships are good between pupils and staff. Teachers model the good behaviours they expect of pupils and lead by example. Most pupils respond by being polite and courteous to visitors and staff.  Pupils’ behaviour is sometimes extremely challenging. Most staff are adept at handling difficult situations. Only occasionally are there delays in dealing with poor behaviour, which leads to escalations. Teachers ensure that any disruptions to learning are minimised. Any pupils who have to be withdrawn from the classroom re-join the class and make a positive contribution to learning.  Pupils respond well to the school’s rewards and sanctions system. They show pride when rewarded and understand what will happen if they receive sanctions. The clear school rules help pupils to understand boundaries for behaviour and what is and is not acceptable.  Pupils’ absence is followed up meticulously by administrators. Any absence at off-site

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Behaviour

alternative education provision is investigated and communication with parents is immediate. Pupils’ attendance is rising. Records indicate that pupils who have a history of poor attendance at previous schools attend more frequently when they join the school.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 In 2017, pupils achieved qualifications in English, mathematics, hair and beauty, construction and food technology. Pupils currently in the school are also studying science.  Most pupils are making good progress while at the school. Assessment records indicate that pupils make particularly good progress in mathematics. Work in pupils’ books in mathematics shows that the most able are well stretched through the challenges they receive, and that those who struggle with basic mathematics are supported appropriately.  All pupils are assessed when they join the school to ensure that they study English and mathematics at the right level. Consequently, all pupils are literate, including those who have a history of poor or non-attendance at their previous school.  The school prepares pupils well for the next stage in their education. Advice on careers and further education is strong. As a result, since the school opened, all pupils who leave

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Outcomes for pupils Good

the school have progressed to further education, training or employment.  In vocational subjects, all pupils leave the school with a range of qualifications in construction, hair and beauty, or food technology. However, some middle-ability and most-able pupils study all these subjects, but none in depth.  Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress. This is because they receive good-quality support for their literacy and numeracy. In vocational subjects, they are given good opportunities to use and apply their literacy and numeracy skills, for example by weighing ingredients when making a cheesecake in food technology.

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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

Email address emmawhite@keyschildcare.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3–5 November 2015

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Information about this school

 North Bridge Enterprise College is registered by the Department for Education to take boys and girls aged from 11 to 17 years. There are currently 46 pupils on roll, aged between 14 and 16 years. All pupils are referred to the school by the local authority.  The school is located on an industrial estate near the centre of Doncaster. It is owned by the Keys Group, a company providing education and care for children across England and Wales.  Pupils attending North Bridge often have a history of having been excluded from schools, often several times. A number of pupils have experienced difficulty in their learning as a result of social, emotional and mental health issues.  Around 15% of pupils are supported through an education, health and care plan.  The school was previously inspected in November 2015. This was a standard inspection.  The school uses the following alternative providers of education: Enhancement, Opencast,

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Information about this school

YMCA, Maple PRU, Engage, Dearne Valley Personal Development Centre and Higher Rhythm.  A lead teacher who has senior leadership responsibilities took up post in January 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited several lessons and two assemblies. They also looked at the work pupils were doing in their books and observed behaviour at the beginning and end of the day.  Inspectors had discussions with senior staff from the Keys Group, the headteacher, staff and a representative from the local authority. Inspectors spoke to various pupils during lunchtimes and after school.  Inspectors checked various documents on site to ensure that the school complies with the independent school standards. These included documents relating to safeguarding, health and safety, the curriculum, performance management and the monitoring of teaching.  The lead inspector toured the building inside and outside to ensure that the relevant independent school standards were met and that pupils’ welfare is taken into account.  No responses were received to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents (Parent View).

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors scrutinised 25 questionnaires from staff.

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Inspection team

Robert Jones, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Sharpe 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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