Dove School

Dove School 194 New Road, Staincross, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S75 6PP

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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 Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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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

 The proprietor has not ensured that all of the standards have been consistently met.  Leaders do not have a precise enough view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. School improvement plans do not clearly identify effective actions for improvement.  School leaders have not yet put in place schemes of work for key stage 2 and key stage 5 pupils.  Although pupils often make significant improvement in attendance, leaders know that there is more work to do to improve attendance overall.  Pupils are not prepared well for life in modern Britain because the curriculum does not enable them to develop a strong enough understanding of how democracy works.  Pupils have a lack of understanding of the lifestyles of others defined in the Equalities Act.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment continues to improve as teachers recognise where pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding and teaching is tailored to get them back on track.  Pupils make good progress in English and mathematics from low starting points, because of the personalised learning that is planned for them.  Staff work successfully to develop strong and trusting relationships with pupils and this results in their positive attitudes to learning and participation in lessons.  Pupils feel safe at Dove School. Teachers are skilled at identifying and dealing with the complex barriers that pupils face in their lives.

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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 quality of leadership and management by: – ensuring that all of the required independent school standards are consistently met – sharpening leaders’ knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, to aid their understanding of the impact of their actions and improve the accuracy of their self-evaluation – ensuring that curriculum plans are in place for key stage 2 and key stage 5 – further developing the curriculum in order that pupils gain a more comprehensive understanding of British values and the protected characteristics within the Equalities Act 2010.  Improve the quality of personal development, behaviour and welfare by: – continuing to establish strategies to improve attendance for all pupils.  The school must meet the independent school standards, as set out in the annex of this report.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The proprietor and headteacher have not ensured that the independent school standards have been met, particularly those relating to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils and the quality of the curriculum provided. Pupils do not develop a strong enough understanding of British democracy and how to participate in the democratic process. They also lack an understanding of the different protected characteristics mentioned within the Equalities Act.  The proprietor and the headteacher have not ensured that the standard relating to premises has been met. The play area is not secure and there is no external lighting.  The school improvement planning process does not provide the proprietor with the information that is needed to hold the headteacher to account and to evaluate the actions that have been planned. The headteacher’s evaluation of the strengths and areas for development is not as good as it could be as it does not identify clearly the priorities for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

improvement. There is no correlation between the evaluation and the school improvement plan and therefore it is not clear how priorities have been identified. Targets in the school improvement plan are not precise enough to be measured and they are not linked to pupils’ outcomes, so further improvement is slowed.  Teachers’ planning for learning about democracy, public institutions and diversity is limited. Therefore pupils’ learning and levels of understanding are weak in these areas. This does not prepare pupils for the responsibilities of life in modern Britain or help them develop spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.  School leaders have not ensured that a curriculum is in place for any pupils who might join the school at key stage 2 and key stage 5. Therefore the Department for Education registration requirements for Dove School are not being met.  Pupils have the opportunity to learn about a wide range of subjects at key stage 3. Some

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

subjects are supported by specialist staff, for example science and art. The impact of the specialist staff is evident in pupils’ achievement of the bronze, silver and gold arts mark accreditation. At key stage 4 accreditation is available for all students and includes functional skills, English and mathematics at Entry Level, and GCSEs in English, mathematics and science. This enables pupils to have the opportunity to leave school with a range of accredited qualifications.  The curriculum is enriched through opportunities for pupils to gain accreditation in life skills and food preparation and through the recently introduced Duke of Edinburgh Award.  The headteacher is passionate and is very focused on what she can do to improve standards. She has introduced effective systems for assessing pupils’ academic skills on entry and checking their progress over time. All pupils now have access to relevant

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

qualifications.  The quality of teaching and learning is good because the headteacher works closely with other staff and carefully monitors their effectiveness.

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Governance

 The school does not have a governing body. The proprietor is responsible for the governance of the school. – Since the previous inspection, the proprietor meets monthly with the headteacher to discuss pupil progress and areas of concern. However, more needs to be done to probe and challenge leaders to increase the speed of school improvement. – The school’s current improvement plans do not enable the proprietor to evaluate the impact of actions that have been taken or hold the headteacher to account. There are few links between priorities for improvement and pupil progress, so it is not clear how plans will improve outcomes for pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school has written a safeguarding policy. The headteacher amended the safeguarding policy during the inspection to ensure that it included the latest guidance from the Secretary of State about keeping children safe.  Leaders have a thorough understanding of pupils’ complex needs and work tirelessly to keep them safe.  A comprehensive induction process is in place for all staff. They are provided with regular and relevant safeguarding training to support vulnerable pupils in their care. For example, staff have received recent training on female genital mutilation, ‘Prevent’, child exploitation and online protection and the effects of pornography. This has enabled staff to understand their responsibilities about safeguarding pupils in the school. Staff are clear about how they would identify and report any concerns that they have about pupils in

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Safeguarding

their care.  Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of the potential risks that are posed to pupils in the wider world and they work closely with other agencies to anticipate, assess and minimise the risk. For example, all pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe while using social media, before they are provided with access to computers.  Leaders engage well with parents, carers and a wide range of agencies to share information and expertise in order to plan for pupils’ safety and welfare. For example, the thorough induction process for new pupils provides detailed information to teachers, so that that they are able to plan to meet needs effectively.  Effective risk assessments are in place for individual pupils and for activities out of school. Although there are some inconsistencies, the vast majority of risk assessments are well written and identify possible risks to pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good overall because teachers know their pupils well and plan learning that is matched to their interests and abilities. Consequently pupils make good progress from their starting points.  The headteacher ensures that learning is personalised so that activities are tailored to interest pupils and as a consequence hold their attention and concentration. For example, in a mathematics lesson pupils were observed making progress in adding and subtracting two-digit numbers to calculate mobile phone tariffs and telephone contracts.  Some pupils who have previously been absent from education for long periods and have experienced negative attitudes to learning make good progress because of the nurturing environment and the positive support that they receive. Adults skilfully adapt, encourage and redirect learners to keep them on task.  Teachers have good subject knowledge, particularly in art and science, which they use to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

plan interesting and motivating lessons. In art, pupils have produced impressive and creative pieces of work based around their hobbies and have gained an accreditation in the Arts Award.  Teachers effectively identify gaps in pupils’ skills and knowledge. They tailor learning and develop personalised plans, which ensures that these gaps are diminished.  Specific targets set in each lesson help pupils to understand the focus of their learning and inform the teacher of how much progress has been made. Feedback to pupils, orally and in writing, enables pupils to understand how well they are doing and what they need to do next to progress further.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and consequently they achieve well. Teachers effectively challenge inappropriate language.  Work in pupils’ books shows that they make good progress in all aspects of English over time, for example when completing an extended piece of writing on ‘An Inspector Calls’.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

In mathematics, pupils make progress in understanding different mathematical functions, including algebra, with work that is aligned closely to GCSE level.  Extra-curricular activities, such as youth clubs, dance workshops, teen gym, choir and attendance at football matches, are based around providing opportunities for pupils to develop their own interests and participate with the local community. This leads to them extending their skills in a range of different activities.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Pupils are not provided with enough information about the different types of bullying that they may encounter, as the behaviour policy only recognises racist and sexist bullying.  Pupils are not sufficiently well prepared to be active citizens in the future. There are gaps in their knowledge about the protected characteristics in the 2010 Act and about how democracy and our public institutions work.  Staff build trusting and supportive relationships and they are sensitive to pupils’ often complex needs. However, pupils do not yet have enough resilience and strategies to manage their own emotions. This sometimes results in low-level disruption to learning.  Pupils learn and study other cultures well. Religious education learning resources illustrate different beliefs and schemes of work incorporate themes on different countries and

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Personal development and welfare

cultures.  Pupils’ personal, social and health education is not promoted effectively as it is not well planned for.  Pupils’ self-confidence and self-awareness are developed through teachers’ use of praise and rewards to instil a sense of pride in their achievements.  Pupils say that they feel safe at this school. They receive guidelines about how to keep safe online, before accessing the internet in school. Individual risk assessments are in place where pupils are particularly vulnerable to social media access.  The recently introduced Duke of Edinburgh Award is planned to provide opportunities for pupils to develop confidence and resilience.  The school provides a range of careers support and guidance and has good links with local colleges and training providers. This enables pupils to experience a smooth transition into relevant destinations which meet their social and academic needs.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Some pupils do not attend school regularly. Although a great deal of work is done by teachers, care staff, and outside agencies to reduce the barriers which prevent pupils attending school, improving attendance is still a priority.  Teachers have high expectations about how pupils should conduct themselves in school. As a consequence of the strong, trusting relationships that they have developed, pupils generally respond well. There are occasions where there is low-level disruption in lessons, but this is dealt with skilfully by teachers, using a range of successful strategies to redirect learning.  Parents confirm the strong relationships that staff have with pupils and that effective communication between home and school supports positive behaviour.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils who attend the school have often missed much of their education. Consequently they have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. A thorough assessment of each pupil’s strengths and interests is carried out with parents and pupils and an individualised curriculum is planned to provide the learning that they need to catch up.  Learning observations, scrutiny of pupils’ work and the school’s assessment information show that pupils are making good progress from their starting points in English and mathematics and other subjects, such as art.  The headteacher places a high priority on giving pupils the opportunity to gain accreditation and qualifications so that they are well prepared for their next stage of education, training or employment. Pupils who left at the end of the last academic year gained a range of qualifications and accreditations which helped them progress to and remain in further education.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils are encouraged to read out loud in class. Electronic reading devices have been provided for pupils to extend their love of reading and rewards are used effectively to choose and obtain alternative texts to read. This consolidates the good progress that pupils are making in reading.  Pupils make good progress in art. They achieve the Arts Award accreditation which also contributes to building self-confidence.  The strong relationships between home and school result in a concerted approach to delivering life skills, food skills and independence at home, through an accredited award scheme, which makes a positive contribution to preparing pupils effectively for life after school.

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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

Proprietor Barbara Whittaker and Dianne Lodge

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School details

Email address educationstaff@dovecare.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 February 2015

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Information about this school

 Dove School is a very small independent special school, for pupils aged between 9 and 18 years with social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school opened in 2007 and is registered to accommodate 16 pupils.  Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and two other staff have been appointed.  A minority of pupils currently on roll have special educational needs and an education, health and care plan.  The previous inspection was on 10 February 2015, when the overall effectiveness was judged to be good.  The school does not provide or use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors checked the school’s compliance with the independent school standards to ensure that pupils’ education and welfare needs are taken into account.  The inspectors viewed the school’s policies, and examined schemes of work and other relevant documentation.  Work in books and classroom observations were carried out alongside senior leaders.  Responses from two parents and carers who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire were taken into account. Parent View was taken into account, as well as a parent who was spoken to and two parents who responded via text message.  Inspectors toured the premises both inside and outside to consider if required independent school standards were met.  Inspectors met with the proprietor, the headteacher and teachers.

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Inspection team

Suzette Garland-Grimes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively – 2(2)(d) personal, social, health and economic education which – 2(2)(d)(ii) encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act[9]; – 2(2)(g) where the school has pupils above compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their needs.

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

 5 The standard about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school is met if the proprietor – 5(a) actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; – 5(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which – 5(b)(ii) enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England; – 5(b)(iv) enable pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England; – 5(b)(vi) encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act; and – 5(b)(vii) encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 27(b) external lighting is provided in order to ensure that people can safely enter and leave the school premises  29(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable outdoor space is provided in order to enable – 29(1)(b) pupils to play outside.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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