Kensington Park School

Progress monitoring inspection boarding report

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Kensington Park School 59 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5JP

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Inspection dates 13/03/2018 to 14/03/2018

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Context of the inspection

This was a progress monitoring inspection conducted following an inadequate judgement at the previous full, integrated inspection undertaken 26-28 September 2017. This inspection was aligned with an education inspection which took place at the same time. A separate report for the education inspection is available on the Ofsted website. The inspection was undertaken in one day. The inspector spoke to a group of eight boarding pupils, three boarding staff, two designated safeguarding leads, the school nurse and the executive headteacher. The inspector examined documents which included policies and recording in relation to safeguarding, recruitment, staff training and complaints. Some activities were undertaken alongside the education inspector.

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

The school has made significant progress in implementing the actions identified in the school’s action plan to improve the boarding provision in response to the shortfalls identified at the previous full inspection. Not all actions have been fully implemented and, therefore, a number of minimum standards for boarding schools (2015) remain unmet. The independent listener for the boarding pupils resigned at the end of January 2018. Several boarding pupils reported that they were not aware of the existence of an independent listener, while those that were aware had never met her or spoken to her. Staff also reported that they had never seen the independent visitor. The school recognises the need to have an independent listener that is known to the young people, and is at an advanced stage of recruiting a replacement who will be more proactive and seek to engage with the boarding pupils. At the time of this inspection, boarding pupils

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

did not have access to an independent listener. At the previous inspection, boarding pupils reported that they did not feel that they could raise concerns with staff and that they were not confident that any complaints would be addressed by them. However, the head of boarding is responding to a number of recent complaints raised by boarding pupils and practice in this area is improving. Further work is required to ensure that young people feel that their voice is heard and Inspection Report Kensington Park School, 13/03/2018 Page 2 of 7 that their ideas lead to improvements in their experience of boarding. Actions to improve arrangements for safeguarding boarding pupils have not been implemented in full. The school has employed specialist staff to audit and take action to ensure that all staff, across the school, are checked and vetted in line with safe recruitment procedures. The school has identified a high number of gaps in its checking

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

and vetting systems and is taking a ‘belt and braces’ approach to address shortfalls. This has created a large volume of work and, at the time of this inspection, not all checks are in place for all staff. The school does not have evidence, for example, that subcontracted staff who undertake domestic duties in school and boarding have a current and clear check undertaken by the disclosure and barring service. The school has taken action to improve the guidance to staff in the event that a boarding pupil is missing or their whereabouts are unknown. The school has also improved recording and communication systems to ensure that staff know when young people are in the building and when they are out with permission. Boarding pupils sometimes stay out late or overnight if agreed by the boarding staff and with the permission of parents or guardians. This permission is usually obtained by email. This system requires some improvement to ensure that emails from parents are authentic. In

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

one example, three different email addresses were used by a parent to grant permission for their daughter to stay out overnight. The contact information for this parent held by staff only listed one of these email addresses as being authenticated. Parents may use different emails, but it is also easy for anyone to create an email account, and therefore it is important that the boarding staff are certain that emails are genuine. All staff in the boarding provision have undertaken recent training in safeguarding. They are alert to signs that a young person may be at risk of harm and understand how to record and report concerns. Staff have also undertaken Prevent training. This training enables them to recognise signs that a young person may be at risk of radicalisation. Staff understand what action to take if concerns arise. Boarding pupils report that staff do not talk to them about the risk of using the internet

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

and social media. Staff have undertaken training in e-safety, but do not feel confident that they fully understand the risks associated with commonly used social media formats. Staff report that they are not familiar with some of the social media platforms that are frequently used by students from overseas use. Internet filtering systems prevent students and boarders from accessing inappropriate websites on-site, but no such restrictions are in place when they are outside the school. It is, therefore, important that staff have the knowledge and confidence to have regular conversations with pupils about how to stay safe online. Boarding pupils also report that they receive little guidance on how to stay safe in the community. Given that most boarders are living away from home for the first time and come from overseas, so may not be aware of the risks associated with living in London, this is an area of practice that needs to improve.

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

Boarding pupils report feeling safe in the school and in the community. There have been no significant incidents of concern. Pupils are well behaved, responsible and are not engaged in any risk-taking or harmful behaviours. It is important, however, that they continue to receive the support and guidance that they need in order to continue to make informed, safe choices. Inspection Report Kensington Park School, 13/03/2018 Page 3 of 7 The school has made some improvements in relation to safeguarding. The designated safeguarding leads for both the school and boarding hold weekly meetings to share information, discuss any concerns and agree how best to support boarders and pupils at the school. The executive headteacher also attends these meetings. This weekly forum strengthens communication between the school and boarding and ensures that staff are aware of concerns and provides support across the whole school.

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

Recording in relation to concerns about the well-being of students and boarders has improved. There is now a central record. Concerns are identified at an early stage and the school ensures that pupils and boarders are closely monitored and get the support that they need in relation to their health and emotional well-being. Safeguarding concerns are referred appropriately to local authority children’s services. The leadership and management of the school and boarding have a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. They are taking action to address the shortfalls identified in this and the previous inspection. This has resulted in some improvements. The links between school and boarding have been strengthened, the recording of and response to concerns has improved. Complaints are clearly recorded and responded to in line with the school’s complaints policy. The school has updated

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

guidance for boarding staff in relation to young people who go missing. The school has also updated the job description for the head of boarding and this accurately describes the responsibilities that are essential to the role. The school’s action plan describes how the school needs to improve the service and meet the national minimum standards. Not all actions have been completed and, therefore, not all of the national minimum standards in relation to the leadership and management of the school and boarding are met.

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schools:

 2.3 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 boarders may contact directly about personal problems or concerns at school. Boarders are informed who this person is, and how to contact them and they are easily accessible. Boarders are also provided with one or more appropriate helpline(s) or outside telephone numbers, including the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, to contact in case of problems or distress.  11.1 The school ensures that: arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  13.1 The school’s governing body and/or proprietor monitors the effectiveness of the leadership, management and delivery of the boarding and welfare provision in the school, and takes appropriate action where necessary.

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schools:

 14.1 Schools operate safe recruitment and adopt recruitment procedures in line with the regulatory requirements and having regard to relevant guidance issued by the Inspection Report Kensington Park School, 13/03/2018 Page 4 of 7 Secretary of State. Inspection Report Kensington Park School, 13/03/2018 Page 5 of 7

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Information about this school

  Kensington Park School, previously known as Duff Miller College, is an independent, co-educational boarding school, currently teaching 124 pupils aged 13 to 20 years.  At the time of the inspection, 124 of the 125 pupils on roll were students aged 16 to 19, and all pupils on roll were accessing the school’s sixth-form provision and studying for their A levels. Thirty students from the school were accessing boarding.  The school’s main premises are located in South Kensington, London. The school’s boarding provision, shared with other schools under the ownership of the proprietor, Astrum Education, is located nearby in Earl’s Court, London.  The school’s last inspection of its boarding provision was undertaken as an integrated inspection on 26-28 September 2017. Inspection Report Kensington Park School, 13/03/2018 Page 6 of 7

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School details

Unique reference number 100526 Social care unique reference number SC482934 DfE registration number n/a

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School details

This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for boarding schools. The inspection 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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School details

Type of school Boarding School Number of boarders on roll 30 Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 13 to 19 Headteacher Marwan Mikdadi Date of previous boarding inspection 26/05/2015 Telephone number 02072250577 Email address m.mikdadi@kps.co.uk Inspection Report Kensington Park School, 13/03/2018 Page 7 of 7 guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.co.uk/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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School details

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School details

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School details

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School details

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School details

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School details

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School details

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