Excelsior College

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Draft and confidential - Not for disclosure or publication Excelsior College Selby Centre, Selby Road, Tottenham, London N17 8JN

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 3, 3(a), 3(d), 3(g)  At the previous inspection, curriculum plans for subjects other than English, mathematics and personal, social, health and economic education were not well planned and did not match pupils’ needs, including those with an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The quality of teaching was too variable, and teachers did not use the school’s assessment procedures to identify pupils’ starting points or to check on their progress. Teachers did not know how well pupils were doing or were expected to do, and did not provide pupils with effective support and challenge in subjects other than English and mathematics.  This inspection found that none of the actions in the school’s action plan have been completed.  There are new schemes of work for art, design and technology, religious education, physical education (PE), French, music and geography. These are long-term plans. They

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Main inspection findings

include learning objectives and suggested teaching activities. However, they do not consider pupils’ needs, including those who are the most able, those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or those with an EHC plan.  The proprietor showed the inspector the current assessment arrangements for English and mathematics and confirmed that he is thinking about whether to extend the same system to other subjects.  There was no other relevant evidence available.  These paragraphs continue to be not met.  Some of the independent school standards in this part continue to be not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)  At the previous inspection, the school’s safeguarding policy did not meet the requirements of the latest statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2016). Arrangements for liaising with the local authority to safeguard pupils were ineffective and the single central record of vetting checks did not meet statutory requirements.  This inspection found that none of the actions in the school’s action plan have been completed.  The school’s two separate policies for safeguarding and child protection still do not meet requirements. As there is now no website, the only available versions were hard copies in the school’s policy file. Both are annotated throughout with proposed changes but have not actually been finalised. Even if these annotations had been formalised and the policies updated and shared with parents and carers, they still would not meet the

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Main inspection findings

requirements as they do not consider much of the key guidance from the most up-to- date version of ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2016). The single central record of vetting checks continues to not meet statutory requirements.  This paragraph continues to be not met. Paragraphs 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 16(a), 16(b)  At the previous inspection, the school’s health and safety procedures were not robust: fire safety was poor; staff were not suitably trained to deal with first aid issues; the admission register did not meet requirements; and leaders had not assessed the potential risks and dangers that pupils face, especially in relation to the poor state of repair of the school site.  This inspection found that very few of the actions in the school’s action plan have been realised. Only very basic actions, such as replacing one fire extinguisher and stopping waste draining into the outdoor play area, have been completed.

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Main inspection findings

 The health and safety and risk assessment of the premises are a serious cause for concern. The kitchen area, which is unlocked, has a broken door handle and lacks signage. It is cluttered, dirty and unhygienic. It also contains bleach in an unlocked cupboard beneath the sink. Portable appliances, such as electric heaters, have not been safety tested. The hot water is not regulated. The pupils’ toilets are in a poor state of repair. There are two fire extinguishers in the entire premises and the only water extinguisher was last checked in 2012 and is kept in the staff toilet. There is no suitable medical space for pupils.  The admission register was not available to review as it was at the proprietor’s home at the time of the inspection.  These paragraphs continue to be not met.  Some of the independent school standards in this part continue to be not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors Paragraphs 18(2), 18(2)(b), 21(1), 21(3), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(b)  At the previous inspection, not all the required checks were being undertaken and recorded on the single central record of vetting checks on staff.  This inspection confirmed that nothing has changed. The single central record of vetting checks still does not identify the relevant prohibition from teaching and/or management of independent schools checks for all staff and volunteers.  These paragraphs continue to be not met.  Some of the independent school standards in this part continue to be not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 25, 29(1), 29(1)(a)  At the previous inspection, the school site was poorly maintained and unsafe. There was inadequate outdoor provision and inconsistent use of local outdoor facilities for PE.  This inspection found the school site still to be poorly maintained and unsafe. Though there are arrangements for some PE sessions at local facilities, the available outdoor area for daily play is not a suitable play or PE space, and is poorly resourced.  In addition, this inspection found the arrangements for the medical care of pupils to be unacceptable. There is no suitably equipped space near to a toilet with a washing facility.  The hot water supply at the washing facilities is not regulated. It is far too hot.  These paragraphs continue to be not met. In addition, paragraphs 24(1), 24(1)(a), 24(1)(b), 28(1), 28(1)(d), 29(1) and 29(1)(b) are now also not met.

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Main inspection findings

 Some of the independent school standards in this part continue to be not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1), 32(1)(c), 32(1)(d), 32(3)(a), 32(3)(b), 32(3)(e), 32(3)(f)  At the previous inspection, some of the required information was not available on the school’s website.  The school’s website is no longer active, as the domain name has been lost. The proprietor is currently working to create a new website which will be hosted in the future at www.excelsiorcollege.online.  In the absence of a website, hard copies of key policies, inspection reports and other required information have not been finalised or printed and are therefore not available for parents.  These paragraphs continue to be not met.  Some of the independent school standards in this part continue to be not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled Paragraph 33, 33(f), 33(g), 33(h), 33(i), 33(i)(i), 33(i)(ii), 33(j), 33(j)(i), 33(j)(ii), 33(k)  At the previous inspection, the school’s complaints procedures did not contain all the necessary information for parents, and did not show how the school would manage the complaints panel or provide information to inspectors or the Secretary of State.  This inspection found the complaints policy to have been updated but only to say that the next step beyond a complaint to the proprietor is submitting a complaint to the school’s complaints panel. However, the proprietor is still finalising who the complaints panel would actually comprise. The policy still makes no reference to meeting the other unmet standards.  This paragraph continues to be not met.  Some of the independent school standards in this part continue to be not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  At the previous inspection, leadership and management were judged to be inadequate. Many of the independent school standards were not met.  The school’s action plan identified a range of actions focused clearly on the monitoring of teaching and learning, pupils’ progress, safer recruitment and procedures around pupils’ safety and welfare. The actions the school intended to take, and had apparently already taken, were suitably detailed with appropriate timescales. The plan stated that almost all actions would be fully implemented by the end of March 2018.  This inspection found the school’s action plan to be nothing more than a paper exercise. None of the previously unmet standards are now met, and some additional standards are not met because of further concerns identified with the premises. Though there is a

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Main inspection findings

willingness to improve, there is a significant lack of capacity, urgency and understanding of the independent school standards.  This paragraph continues to be not met.  All of the independent school standards in this part continue to be not met.

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Main inspection findings

Statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage

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Main inspection findings

 There continued to be no children on roll in the early years at the time of this inspection.  The school continues to not meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage.  The school continues to be unlikely to meet the learning and development requirements because of the unmet standards in relation to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and continued weaknesses in outdoor provision.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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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

Date of previous standard inspection 7–9 November 2017

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Information about this school

 Excelsior College is a Christian primary day school registered to provide full-time education for up to 20 pupils. There are currently five pupils on roll, aged from six to 10. The school is situated within The Selby Centre in the London borough of Haringey.  The school’s proprietor is also the headteacher. There is only one other employed staff member, who fulfils the role of teacher and consultant. There continue to be no arrangements for governance.  The previous inspection was a full standard inspection in November 2017.  The school currently does not have a website. A new website is being developed.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  In November 2017, a full standard inspection of the school judged it to be inadequate. The school submitted an action plan. Ofsted’s review of this plan in March 2018 judged it to be acceptable. The Department for Education subsequently accepted it. This inspection was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection and was conducted without notice.  The inspection focused on the school’s progress against specific requirements within Parts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the independent school standards.  On the day of the inspection, the proprietor (who is also the headteacher) was the only

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Information about this inspection

member of staff present. The inspector met with him, toured the premises and scrutinised all the available relevant documentation, including that relating to safeguarding, health and safety and the curriculum.  There were no recent responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, at the time of the inspection.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain unmet at this inspection

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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; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work- – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan.  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.  12 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005[12].  13 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that first aid is administered in a timely and competent manner by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written first aid policy.  15 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration)

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

(England) Regulations 2006[13].  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

 18(2) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 18(2)(b) no such person carries out work, or intends to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act, or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction.  21(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor keeps a register which shows such of the information referred to in sub-paragraphs (3) to (7) as is applicable to the school in question.  21(3) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is- – 21(3)(a) in relation to each member of staff (‘S’) appointed on or after 1 May 2007, whether- – 21(3)(a)(iii) a check was made to establish whether S is subject to any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification,

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in such a direction; – 21(3)(b) in relation to each member of staff (‘S’), whether a check was made to establish whether S is subject to a prohibition order or an interim prohibition order, including the date on which such check was completed.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.  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)(a) PE to be provided to pupils in accordance with the school curriculum.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 32(1)(c) particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request; – 32(1)(d) following an inspection under section 108 or 109 of the 2008 Act, a copy of the report of the inspection (if it has been sent to the proprietor) is published and maintained on the school’s internet website, and provided to the parents of each registered pupil, by any date specified by the body who conducted the inspection.  32(3) The information specified in this sub-paragraph is- – 32(3)(a) particulars of the school’s policy on and arrangements for admissions, misbehaviour and exclusions; – 32(3)(b) particulars of educational and welfare provision for pupils with EHC plans and

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Part 6. Provision of information

pupils for whom English is an additional language; – 32(3)(e) particulars of the school’s academic performance during the preceding school year, including the results of any public examinations; – 32(3)(f) details of the complaints procedure referred to in paragraph 33, and the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure during the preceding school year.

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

 33 The standard about the manner in which complaints are handled is met if the proprietor ensures that a complaints procedure is drawn up and effectively implemented which deals with the handling of complaints from parents of pupils and which- – 33(f) where the parent is not satisfied with the response to the complaint made in accordance with sub-paragraph (e), makes provision for a hearing before a panel appointed by or on behalf of the proprietor and consisting of at least three people who were not directly involved in the matters detailed in the complaint; – 33(g) ensures that, where there is a panel hearing of a complaint, one panel member is independent of the management and running of the school; – 33(h) allows for a parent to attend and be accompanied at a panel hearing if they wish; – 33(i) provides for the panel to make findings and recommendations and stipulates that a copy of those findings and recommendations is-

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

– 33(i)(i) provided to the complainant and, where relevant, the person complained about; and – 33(i)(ii) available for inspection on the school premises by the proprietor and the headteacher; – 33(j) provides for a written record to be kept of all complaints that are made in accordance with sub-paragraph (e) and- – 33(j)(i) whether they are resolved following a formal procedure, or proceed to a panel hearing; and – 33(j)(ii) action taken by the school as a result of those complaints (regardless of whether they are upheld); and – 33(k) provides that correspondence, statements and records relating to individual complaints are to be kept confidential except where the Secretary of State or a body conducting an inspection under section 109 of the 2008 Act requests access to them.

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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; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Standards that were met at the previous inspection, but are now judged to not be met at this inspection

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 24(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable accommodation is provided in order to cater for the medical and therapy needs of pupils, including- – 24(1)(a) accommodation for the medical examination and treatment of pupils; – 24(1)(b) accommodation for the short-term care of sick and injured pupils, which includes a washing facility and is near to a toilet facility.  28(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 28(1)(d) the temperature of hot water at the point of use does not pose a scalding risk to users.  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. 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

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at 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 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visitwww.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 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

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