Queensmead School Limited

Queensmead School Limited Kings Road, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 2AX

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(b), 2(2)(c), 2(2)(d), 2(2)(e), 2(2)(f), 2(2)(g), 2(2)(h) and 2(2)(i)  This emergency inspection was undertaken as a result of complaints that raised concerns about the quality of education and the welfare, health and safety of pupils at the school.  Clear aims and objectives underpin the written curriculum policy which states that the school takes into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils. Specialist facilities and staff are provided and pupils of all ages follow a broad curriculum. Pupils learn about the British values of democracy and are tolerant of those with different faiths and beliefs. The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum encourages pupils to learn about themselves and others. They are prepared well for life in British society. Pupils say, ‘It is a multicultural school and everyone is the same.’

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Main inspection findings

 The school provides a number of extra-curricular activities and trips, including sports clubs and cultural visits. Pupils say that they appreciate these opportunities.  The curriculum policy is not implemented effectively. Leaders and teachers do not provide appropriate support for the small number of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. Individual pupils’ education plans (IEPs) do not provide helpful or precise information for staff about pupils’ needs or actions to take to support them. Nor are IEPs reviewed regularly enough. Support for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is too variable. Currently, there are no pupils attending the school with an education, health and care plan.  Leaders have not ensured that senior pupils, including sixth-form students, receive impartial careers advice. Leaders say that staff talk about possible careers with pupils within their field of knowledge. Pupils have attended a careers event, although they

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Main inspection findings

told an inspector it was not useful in helping them decide future career pathways. Pupils say that they have not received personal careers guidance, despite leaders’ views that they have provided for it.  Because of inconsistencies in careers education and guidance and in the support for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, standards are not fully met. Paragraph 3, 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), 3(e), 3(f), 3(g), 3(h), 3(i), 3(j) and 4  The school’s information shows that, over time, most pupils exceed academic expectations by the time they take external examinations. However, inspection evidence provided through observations and work scrutiny shows that pupils’ current progress is not as strong as the school’s historic information would suggest.  Class sizes are very small in the senior school and pupils have close supervision. Teachers have good subject knowledge and know examination requirements well. The

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Main inspection findings

few sixth-form students receive helpful tuition which enables them to prepare well for their post-16 examinations. Sixth-form students said, ‘We are supported well and teachers ensure we do not fall behind.’  In the early years and key stages 1 and 2, teaching enables pupils to make expected progress in literacy skills. Results of reading- and spelling-age tests confirm such progress. Pupils make good progress in learning mathematical skills, although their work shows that they do not get enough opportunity to apply their knowledge, for example to solve mathematical problems.  Pupils of all ages are articulate and keen to learn. They say that lessons are fun and they like being challenged with hard work. Pupils’ work in books shows that expectations of what pupils can achieve are not consistently high enough.  Teachers provide helpful feedback and encouragement to pupils during lessons. There are good working relationships between pupils and teachers. Written feedback to pupils

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Main inspection findings

follows the school’s policy but pupils do not always act on their teachers’ advice.  Teachers assess pupils’ progress in termly tests. Leaders compare results in tests to pupils’ starting points to find out about pupils’ progress.  Overall, the standards in Part 1 are not met. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b)  The school’s child protection policy is published on the school website, takes into account current statutory requirements, and meets paragraph 32(1) and 32(1)(c).  Leaders ensure that a safe and supportive culture permeates the school. There is a designated safeguarding lead with up-to-date knowledge about safeguarding matters. Staff take part in safeguarding training so that everyone knows how to keep pupils safe. The school seeks the support of other agencies, including child and adolescent mental health services, when appropriate to ensure the safety of pupils in their care.

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Main inspection findings

School staff communicate well with parents and carers about pupils’ welfare.  Pupils state that they feel safe in the school and are looked after well. They report that no bullying takes place in the school. Should they have a problem, pupils say they are confident that school staff would resolve it.  The school has focused on online safety in the PSHE curriculum. Leaders have developed a comprehensive e-safety policy. Pupils have strong knowledge about how to protect themselves while using the internet.  Parents say that their children are happy, safe and looked after well at school. Paragraph 14  Pupils are supervised well during lessons. At breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils play happily and are supervised closely. Paragraph 16, 16(a) and 16(b)  Leaders have produced a risk assessment policy which is fit for purpose. It provides useful guidance to the school community about steps to take to alleviate risks to pupils.

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Main inspection findings

For example, in science lessons, a helpful template document helps science technicians and teachers to consider and minimise potential hazards when carrying out practical activities.  Staff consider risks associated with premises or activities, including off-site visits. Staff record in advance of trips all of the actions that they can take to reduce risks. Senior staff and the headteacher then check these written records. Pupils said, ‘During trips, we feel safe and there are lots of adults.’ Procedures to safeguard pupils during trips are developed well.  The standards checked in this part are fully met. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraph 18(1), 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(d), 18(2)(e), 18(2)(f), 18(3), 18(4), 18(4)(a), 18(4)(b) and 18(4)(c)  Leaders carry out statutory checks to ensure that staff employed at the school are suitable to work with children. Administrative records are thorough and a suitable

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Main inspection findings

single central register summarises the checks made. The headteacher, head of business affairs and data manager have all completed safer recruitment training.  The standards checked in this part are fully met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)  The proprietor and school leaders have a strong moral purpose and want to provide the best education possible for their pupils. They have provided a safe place for pupils and take care of them well.  The proprietor carries out the function of governance and meets regularly with the headteacher and head of business affairs to find out about the school. Minutes show that meetings focus well on safeguarding.  The management of teachers’ performance is underdeveloped. While there are opportunities for staff to attend external courses, professional development opportunities, including sharing good practice within the school and with other schools,

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Main inspection findings

are minimal.  Leaders have not monitored the effectiveness of careers education well enough.  Leaders at all levels do not monitor pupils’ progress sufficiently well. The proprietor requires the headteacher to provide objective evidence of pupils’ learning through regular tests. However, leaders do not make sure that the quality of teaching and learning is checked effectively. Leaders have not ensured that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities thrive at this school. Consequently, independent school standards to ensure the quality of education are not met.  While there are audits by independent health and safety experts, there are no external checks on the quality of education provided by the school. The proprietor says there are plans to improve quality assurance processes, but these are yet to be put in place.  The standards in this part are not met.

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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 below. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

 Ensure that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – the written policy, plans and schemes of work take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those with an EHC plan (paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i)) – provides a programme of activities which is appropriate to pupils’ needs (paragraph 2(2)(g)) – that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress (paragraph 2(2)(h)).  For pupils receiving secondary education, ensure access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance – that is presented in an impartial manner – that enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of careers options – that helps them to fulfil their full potential (paragraph 2(2), 2(2)(e), 2(2)(e)(i), 2(2)(e)(ii), 2(2)(e)(iii)).

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

 Ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school: – demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently – fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)).

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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

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 4

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £6,630 to £13,320

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School details

Email address mail@queensmeadwindsor.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Queensmead School is an independent day school for students aged two to 19 in Windsor, Berkshire.  The school was set up by the Brigidine Convent and was formerly Brigidine School. The school changed its registered name with the Department for Education (DfE) in 2017 to Queensmead School because it had been taken over by a sole proprietor. There is no board of governors.  The senior leadership team consists of the headteacher, the designated safeguarding lead, who is also the head of pastoral care, the early years leader, the marketing manager, the head of business affairs and the data manager.  The school is registered to take up to 200 pupils. There are currently no pupils with education, health and care plans.  The school has received planning permission to build a boarding facility on the school site. The building works have yet to begin. Permission for this material change has not yet been requested of the DfE, including permission to accept foreign students in the

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Information about this inspection

 This emergency inspection was carried out at the request of the DfE following complaints about the quality of education, including that for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. There were also concerns about the welfare, health and safety of pupils and the quality of leadership and management. The school was given no notice of this emergency inspection.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, head of business affairs, the designated safeguarding lead, who is also the acting special educational needs coordinator, a group of staff, and pupils. The lead inspector held a telephone call with the proprietor. Inspectors spoke with a number of parents. Conversations were held with two representatives of Windsor and Maidenhead Council.  Inspectors toured the school with senior staff. Pupils and staff were observed working in lessons and around the school. A selection of pupils’ work was scrutinised.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors looked at a number of policies and documents, including analysis of the school’s performance data, safeguarding and risk assessment information, and minutes from meetings between the proprietor and school leaders.

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Inspection team

Sue Child, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Dom Cook Her Majesty’s 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

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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