Farney Close School

School material change inspection report

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Farney Close School Bolney Court, Bolney, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 5RD

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2  The planned curriculum for key stage 2 will broadly follow the content of the national curriculum, with enhancements to ensure that it adequately meets the social, emotional and mental health needs of all pupils in the school. Detailed schemes of work covering Year 5 and Year 6 have already been prepared for all subjects.  Suitable consideration has been given to the development of pupils’ speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills, including their personal, social, health and economic education, which will be offered as a discrete subject as well as permeating other areas of the curriculum, including the extra-curricular and enrichment activities.  The school intends to use a bespoke programme which helps pupils to self-regulate their behaviour and encourages them to become more emotionally aware of themselves and of others. The programme will be supplemented with a focus on

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Main inspection findings

social and communication skills as well as outdoor play and learning.  The provision takes very good account of the ages, abilities and special educational needs of the pupils to be admitted. Buildings have been identified and work is under way to convert them into classrooms. Specialist facilities, including a technology room, science laboratories and a swimming pool, are available nearby. Paragraphs 3, 4  The school intends to maintain the high quality of teaching, learning and assessment that was identified in the previous Ofsted inspection report, which judged this aspect of the school’s provision to be outstanding. The report said that staff had a detailed knowledge of pupils and extremely high expectations of what they can achieve.  Lesson plans seen were detailed and well considered to increase pupils’ understanding and develop their subject-specific skills. Lesson plans make good use of effective

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Main inspection findings

teaching methods and include extensive resources such as video clips, challenging texts and well-designed worksheets.  It is intended that pupils in key stage 2 will be assessed regularly and that these assessments will be used to support teachers’ planning and improve pupils’ attainment. The quality of the school’s assessment, including pupils’ self-assessment, was another positive feature of the school identified in the previous report.  School leaders have ensured that all standards are likely to be met if the Department for Education (DfE) decides to approve implementation of the material change.

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Main inspection findings

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

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 5  Leaders have made appropriate plans for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Most of this will take place through the personal, social, health and economic education programme which has been carefully planned and developed for pupils in Years 5 and 6.  The programme has been thoughtfully written to include a range of age-appropriate themes, including friendship, responsibility, happiness and well-being in Year 5, as well as topics on fair trade in Year 6 offering a focus on developing empathy, consumer awareness and financial aid.  Fundamental British values are threaded through the curriculum and supported by a range of enrichment activities, including trips to museums and art galleries and visits to churches, temples and synagogues, as well as celebrating events such as Remembrance Sunday and International Women’s Day.  All standards relating to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

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Main inspection findings

at the school are likely to be met if the DfE decides to approve implementation of the material change.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 34  Leaders are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They have developed high- quality policies which provide strongly for pupils’ welfare and well-being. All the required policy documents have been produced, including admissions, anti-bullying, behaviour, health and safety, complaints and child protection.  Suitably qualified and knowledgeable staff, including a primary school coordinator, have been identified to teach in the primary phase. The school will also use existing staff to support specialist areas. Staff training has been planned once approval has been granted.  Documents meet the requirements of the independent school standards and take account of the need to promote pupils’ social and emotional well-being. The school has a detailed and comprehensive child protection and safeguarding policy. The policy takes account of the latest statutory advice for schools and colleges.

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Main inspection findings

 Staff are highly alert to any safeguarding concerns that may arise and knowledgeable about serious concerns, such as child sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation and risks of extremism or radicalisation. Safety when using the internet or social media sites is a top priority.  In their preparation to date, leaders have demonstrated that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to ensure that the independent school standards are likely to be met consistently if the DfE decides to approve the implementation of the material change.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is likely to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that are relevant to the material change.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the material change that the school has applied to make.

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School details

School status Independent residential special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £65,000 (residential only)

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 3–5 November 2015

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recommendation

Age range of pupils 11 to 18 9 to 18 9 to 18

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 47 72 72

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Mixed Mixed Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 47 72

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities 47 72

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan 47 72

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan 47 72

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff 10.6 13

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision 26 30

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Information about this school

 Farney Close School is a smaller than average independent residential special school, registered for boys and girls aged from 11 to 18. All pupils board from Monday to Friday in residential accommodation on site.  The last integrated inspection of the school and residential provision was carried out in November 2015. The inspection found the school to be outstanding in all areas .  The school is applying to admit primary-aged pupils so that the age range will extend from 9 to 18. The key stage 2 provision will be in separate buildings which will be fenced off from the rest of the school.  There are currently 47 pupils on the school roll, although the school has capacity for up to 72 pupils. The intention is to admit a small number of pupils into Years 5 and 6, with a modest increase of primary-trained staff.  All pupils will have a statement of special educational needs or education, health and

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Information about this school

care plan for their severe social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.  Over 25 local authorities place pupils in the school. Approximately one half of the pupils currently on roll are in the care of their local authorities. There are no pupils at an early stage of learning English.  The sixth form opened in September 2011. Pupils currently in the sixth form study a wide range of vocational courses and attend the YMCA in Hove, Central Sussex College in Crawley and Plumpton College in East Sussex.  The school’s aims are ‘that all children and young people should have the opportunity to receive an education that supports each of them to become the best version of themselves’.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector looked at the school’s website and a range of school documentation, including policies and procedures. The visit included a review of the school’s safeguarding procedures and a tour of the school site. Discussions were held with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, 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 .

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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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Inspection team

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