Oasis School

Oasis School Independent special school progress report

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DCSF registration number 881/6057 Unique Reference Number (URN) 135514 URN for registered childcare and social care SCO60001 Inspection number 353867 Inspection dates 18 March 2010 Reporting inspector Jill Bainton

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Published: 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 Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 08456 404040 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090137 Inspection report template – progress monitoring

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Purpose and scope of the visit

This inspection visit was carried out by Ofsted under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002 1 , as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005 2 .

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Purpose and scope of the visit

The visit was conducted at the request of the Registration Authority for independent schools in order to monitor the progress the school has made in implementing its action plan following the previous inspection.

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Information about the school

Oasis School, owned by Oasis Young People’s Care Services UK, is a small children’s home providing education currently registered for up to 10 students with behavioural, social and emotional difficulties. The school is registered for students aged from 10 to 16 years old. There are 2 students on roll, one of whom has a statement of special educational need. It is located in Essex and opened in September 2008. It aims to benefit students educationally and avoid social isolation while adhering to the requirements of the National Curriculum and supporting young people to achieve projected GCSE grades. The school’s first inspection was in April 2009 and a separate inspection of one of the two boarding facilities also took place at the same time. A full-time lead teacher commenced at the school when it opened but left in October 2008, since then other staff have been in post but currently no teaching staff are employed. The school is taking urgent steps to address this. There

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Information about the school

have been some managerial and organisational changes. The management has applied for a variation to reduce the number of students as the additional premises formerly in use are no longer available.

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Context of the visit

The school had its first inspection in April 2009, which included the inspection of the boarding facilities. At this inspection the quality of education was inadequate. The school had got off to a bad start because for much of the time no one had been overseeing the quality of provision. The curriculum was not sufficiently planned and teaching and assessment were inadequate. This meant that students were not able to make the progress of which they were capable. There was little planned within the curriculum to support students’ personal development, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development was inadequate. Welfare, health and safety were satisfactory. The school submitted a letter and a curriculum policy, which was evaluated in October 2009 and found to be inadequate. This is the first progress monitoring visit to evaluate the progress the school has made in implementing its action plan.

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Context of the visit

1 www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2002/ukpga_20020032_en_14#pt10-ch1-pb4-l1g162 2 www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2005/ukpga_20050018_en_15#sch8 Inspection report template – progress monitoring

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action plan

The school was required to provide a written curriculum policy to ensure: that all areas of learning were fully taught, especially technology, creative and aesthetic subjects; that the students’ speaking and listening skills were promoted; that the education met the requirements of any statement of special educational need that students may have; that there was a sufficient emphasis on planning to develop the personal, social and health education of the students; that they were given sufficient careers guidance; that the curriculum provided the opportunity for all students to learn and make progress and they were provided with opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.

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action plan

The school has devised suitable schemes of work using the National Curriculum, for a sufficient range of subjects, including information and communication technology (ICT) and creative and aesthetic subjects. These schemes are intended to promote the students’ speaking and listening skills. They are suitable and contain sufficient detail but cannot be fully implemented at present as experienced teaching staff are not in post. As a result the students are unable to learn and make sufficient progress. One student has a statement of special educational need and the school currently cannot fulfil the requirements of this. The school has devised an appropriate scheme of work to promote the students’ personal, social and health education. This is being partly implemented by the residential care staff as part of their role to provide the students with opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. As an interim measure, until suitable teaching staff can be appointed,

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action plan

the residential care staff are teaching the ASDAN awards, supporting students to take an ICT course online and supporting the students to access as much of the curriculum as possible.

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action plan

The school was required to improve the teaching: to enable all students to acquire new knowledge and make progress according to their ability; to ensure that lessons are well planned, effective teaching methods and suitable activities are used and class time is managed wisely; to ensure that teachers show a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the students, and that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; to provide classroom resources of an adequate quality, quantity and range and ensure that they are used effectively; and to put a framework in place to assess students' work.

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action plan

The school has increased the range and quantity of resources and the care staff are using them well. However, the school has been unable to recruit sufficiently qualified and experienced teaching staff to ensure that the teaching and assessment meet the regulatory requirements. As a result, students are not receiving an appropriate curriculum and are not making the progress of which they are capable. The school is taking urgent steps to address the lack of teaching staff and until they are in post the regulations for teaching and assessment will not be met. Inspection report template – progress monitoring In order to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the students the school was required to: enable them to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence; encourage them to accept responsibility for their behaviour, understand how they can contribute to community life; provide them with

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action plan

a broad general knowledge of public institutions and services in England and to improve the way they assist students to acquire an appreciation of, and respect for, their own and other cultures.

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action plan

The school has devised suitable policies to address these regulations. The residential care staff are supporting the students to enable them to develop their self confidence and self esteem and are encouraging them to accept responsibility for their own behaviour. Through the planned visits outside the home the students are being given some knowledge of the world outside school. There is racial tolerance and harmony within the home. The school is taking urgent steps to address the lack of teaching staff and until they are in post the full regulations related to students’ personal development will not be met.

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action plan

In order to ensure the welfare, health and safety of the students the school was required to implement written policies to safeguard and promote the welfare of students and maintain an attendance register. These improvements have been implemented. The school has robust arrangements for safeguarding students with all staff trained and a policy, which meets the current guidance, given to all interested parties. The attendance register is kept according to the regulations.

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action plan

In order to ensure the suitability of the proprietor and staff the school was required, prior to the confirmation of the appointment of all staff, to ensure that all appropriate checks on their suitability are carried out. The school now has rigorous appointment procedures in place, for all staff in the school and the residential provision. All the required information is kept on the single central register of staff checks.

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action plan

The school were required to ensure the suitability of the premises and accommodation by providing hygienic facilities in all toilets so that students can dry their hands and ensuring routine fire system checks in the boarding premises are carried out at the intervals recommended. The school now has appropriate hand drying facilities in the students’ toilets. Fire procedures are robust. The school meets the regulations for the premises and accommodation.

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action plan

The school has not made sufficient progress in implementing its action plan. The school is very aware of the current situation regarding the lack of experienced teachers and is continually working to improve this situation. It has put in place sufficient documentary provision for the curriculum but this cannot be fully implemented until experienced teaching staff are appointed. The regulations relating to the quality of teaching cannot be met, but the school has put in place some interim measures to engage the students in education. The school is providing some opportunities to promote the students spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. These cannot be fully implemented until the teaching staff are Inspection report template – progress monitoring appointed. The regulations relating to the welfare, health and safety of the pupils are now fully met. The school has rigorous appointment procedures now in place, for all

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action plan

staff. All the required information is kept on the single central register of staff appointments. The premises and accommodation meet the regulations.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school has not made sufficient progress in implementing its action plan.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

As a result of this inspection visit, the school must take action to meet the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 3 as amended (‘the Regulations’), as follows:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the curriculum (standard 1) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide a curriculum policy set out in writing and supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, and ensure these are implemented effectively (paragraph 1(2))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that all areas of learning are fully taught, especially technology and that students have experience in the aesthetic and creative areas of learning (paragraph 1(2)(a)(ii))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that the subject matter is appropriate for the ages and aptitudes of students, including those students with a statement of special educational needs (paragraph 1(2)(b))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 produce a policy and programmes that ensure that students are able to acquire skills in speaking, listening and literacy (paragraph 1(2)(c))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 where a student has a statement of special educational needs, ensure that the education provided fulfils its requirements (paragraph 1(2)(e))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that there is sufficient emphasis on, and planning for, personal, social and health education (paragraph 1(2)(f))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide the opportunity for all students to learn and make progress (paragraph 1(2)(i))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

3 www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20031910.htm Inspection report template – progress monitoring  ensure that the teaching enables students to acquire new knowledge and make progress according to their ability, so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught (paragraph 1(3)(a))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 improve the teaching so that it encourages students to apply intellectual, physical or creative effort, to show interest in their work and to think and learn for themselves (paragraph 1(3)(b))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that lessons are well planned, effective teaching methods and suitable activities are used and class time is managed wisely (paragraph 1(3)(c))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that teachers show a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the students, and that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons (paragraph 1(3)(d))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 increase teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject matter taught (paragraph 1(3)(e))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 put a framework in place to assess students' work regularly and thoroughly and use information from such assessment to plan teaching so that students can make progress (paragraph 1(3)(g))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide a framework by which student performance can be evaluated by reference to either the school's own aims, as provided to parents and/or, by national norms (paragraph 1(4)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (standard 2) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that the school enables students to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence (paragraph 2(a))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 encourage students to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and understand how they can contribute to community life (paragraph 2(c))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide students with a broad general knowledge of public institutions and services in England (paragraph 2(d)) Inspection report template – progress monitoring  improve the way the school assists students to acquire an appreciation of, and respect for, their own and other cultures, in a way that promotes tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions (paragraph 2(e)). Inspection report template – progress monitoring

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School details

Name of school Oasis School DCSF number 881/6057 Unique reference number (URN) 135514 Type of school Children’s home providing education for students with behaviour, emotional and social difficulties. Status Independent Date school opened September 2008 Age range of pupils 10-16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 1 Girls: 1 Total: 2 Number of boarders Boys: 1 Girls: 1 Total: 2 Number of pupils with a statement of special educational need Boys: 1 Girls: 0 Total: 1

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School details

Number of pupils who are looked after Boys: 1 Girls: 1 Total: 2 Annual fees (boarders) £172,113 Telephone number 01702 555055 Fax number 01702 555955 Email address info@oasisypcs.com Headteacher Mrs Terri Wright Proprietor Mrs Terri Wright, Mr Keith Rumsby, Mr Ian Greenfield Reporting inspector Jill Bainton Dates of inspection 18 March 2010

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