Tram House School

Tram House School 520 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield, London SW17 0NY

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leadership and governance are exceptional. Trustees, governors and leaders share a deep- seated ambition and work together to provide an outstanding quality of provision.  All the independent school standards are met. Leaders and governors meticulously check compliance with all statutory requirements.  Staff have very high expectations of pupils. Teachers and instructors skilfully balance care, structure and very well-planned learning activities, which effectively motivate and inspire pupils to learn.  The school‟s systems to keep pupils safe are effective.  Leaders‟ work to promote pupils‟ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. A range of enriching activities, community events and work experience placements prepares pupils well for their futures.  The overwhelming majority of parents and staff speak exceptionally positively about the school.  Pupils evidently love learning at Tram House

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

School and make outstanding progress.  The curriculum is creative, innovative and is still expanding, with more exciting developments due to be implemented from September 2018.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 („the independent school standards‟) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further embed the relatively new curriculum and assessment system to ensure that pupils‟ outcomes continue to be outstanding over time.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 Tram House School is exceptionally well led. Leaders work with staff at all levels to provide an outstanding and innovative education that meets the complex needs of pupils with autism.  Leaders ensure that all the independent school standards are met, and they regularly and meticulously check compliance with each and every requirement.  Almost every parent who contributed their view during the inspection was overwhelmingly positive. Parents told the inspector that this is a school that goes „above and beyond‟; it is a school where staff „see a “yes”, when others see a “no”‟. Comments, typical of those shared, include, „Tram House is a great school; my child is happy and thriving in their care‟ and „Every day I leave my child at school, knowing not only that they are safe, but also learning and achieving.‟  Leaders‟ rigorous monitoring and modelling of excellent practice ensures that the quality

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

of teaching, learning and assessment is typically outstanding.  The outstanding curriculum, personalised for every pupil, is bespoke. Its careful design ensures coverage of all the required areas of learning, and innovatively meets pupils‟ complex needs. At the core of the curriculum is the effective preparation of pupils for life in society, focusing on communication, social skills, independent living and, when pupils are ready, the world of work.  Pupils learn individually and in groups, when this is appropriate, a range of subjects including English, mathematics, science, personal and social education, the humanities, the arts, physical education and technology. Therapeutic interventions, including speech, language and communication, and occupational therapies, are skilfully integrated, which makes the curriculum even more accessible. When pupils are ready, they work towards vocational qualifications and attend regular work experience placements.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The development of pupils‟ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding threads through the curriculum and is highly effective. Events, assemblies and celebrations this year have included Martin Luther King Day, St Patrick‟s Day, Valentine‟s Day, art workshops, a food bank workshop, Safer Internet Day, Diwali, World Space Day and Road Safety Week. The inspector was lucky enough to watch an extract of the school‟s Christmas „Disney extravaganza‟, in which pupils and staff came together to perform a wonderful evening of song and dance at a local theatre in front of their families. Pupils access a range of enrichment choices, including song, dance, book and Spanish clubs. Educational visits have included sports events, swimming galas, careers events and adventure playgrounds. Pupils are taught about equality in an age-appropriate way, focusing especially on friendships, relationships and appropriate touch.

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Governance

 The chair of trustees, chief executive officer and chair of governors are equally driven, ambitious and effective. They are uncompromising in their vision to empower pupils to lead full and productive lives as a result of outstanding education.  The proprietorial body, BeyondAutism, delegates governance of the school to a governing body. This group of individuals, which includes staff members, parents and community governors, provides support, insight, advice and challenge to the head of school. Governors, including the chair, who has oversight of safeguarding, regularly undertake learning walks with the school‟s leaders. These, much like the governing body meetings, are documented meticulously, and any actions identified are followed up quickly and robustly.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school‟s deputy head, who leads safeguarding across two schools, facilitates a vigilant culture. Staff are suitably trained to recognise signs that pupils may be at risk, and refer concerns, which are consistently followed up with tenacity.  Parents say they trust the school to keep their children safe. Indeed, staff ensure that pupils are as safe from harm as possible. Pupils are taught effectively about how to keep themselves safe.  When incidents or accidents occur, or mistakes are made, leaders investigate thoroughly, take decisive action and ensure that clear and robust protocols are in place to minimise any possibility of repetition. For example, the management of pupils‟ allergies is now much more effective than it was previously.  The school‟s safeguarding policy is compliant with the latest statutory guidance, and is available online.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Walking around the classrooms at Tram House School is a joy because every area seen, whether it be a classroom, the gym, the living skills area or outside, is abuzz with learning.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is exceptionally effective in ensuring that pupils make outstanding progress, especially in relation to their personal development. Teaching very effectively prepares pupils of all abilities for their next steps, as they progress through the school.  Every pupil has a one-to-one instructor, who knows their pupil very well. Learning tasks are designed in a bespoke way to meet each pupil‟s individual needs. Excellent relationships, very high expectations and high-quality resources all help to develop pupils‟ communication, social and academic skills very successfully.  Teaching is highly effective across the curriculum. Pupils‟ complex special educational needs and disabilities are never seen as an excuse for lowering expectations. As a result,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

pupils of all abilities make outstanding progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school‟s work to promote pupils‟ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils feel safe coming to school and know that they can trust the adults there to help them. This enables pupils to feel comfortable enough to focus and learn.  The school‟s innovative curriculum, which is focused on the development of life skills, helps pupils to flourish in their self-confidence and social skills. Pupils learn to communicate effectively, look after themselves, keep themselves safe and say „no‟.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils typically make very good progress in managing their emotions and their behaviours. They are very well prepared for their lives outside and after school.  Pupils enjoy coming to their school and attend very well overall. A few pupils with more complex medical needs understandably have higher levels of authorised absence. Leaders work hard to follow up non-attendance.  Staff are very well trained, including in relation to physical intervention. Staff know the importance of adhering to the school‟s procedures consistently. As a result, the management of challenging behaviour is highly effective. Records of incidents and physical interventions are meticulous, and used effectively to analyse trends and amend practice. Incidents typically decrease over time, as a result.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 The school‟s multidisciplinary team works together to identify pupils‟ starting points. Bespoke provision is then tailored effectively, and enables pupils‟ communication and social skills, self-confidence and behaviour to improve significantly over time. This, in turn, enables pupils to make strong academic progress. As a result, pupils‟ outcomes are typically outstanding.  The school‟s moderated assessment information shows that almost all pupils, including the most able, are making good or outstanding progress across the different subject areas.  The school‟s curriculum includes an increasing number of vocational qualifications. For example, pupils have been successful in completing accreditation in personal progress and social development. Older pupils enjoy very regular opportunities for relevant work experience in shops, cafes and hotels. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in wider society.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 As a result of the outstanding offer at Tram House, pupils are being very well prepared for their lives beyond school. Although pupils have not yet left this new school, this year‟s leavers will be progressing on to appropriate further education provision.

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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

Type of school Day special school for pupils with autism

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £65,000 to £90,000

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School details

Email address tramhouseschool@beyondautism.org.uk

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Information about this school

 Tram House School is an independent special school in the London Borough of Wandsworth.  All pupils have a diagnosis of autism, and have a wide range of associated difficulties.  All pupils have, or are being assessed for, education, health and care plans.  Pupils are placed in the school by a wide range of local authorities.  The school opened in September 2017 and relocated to its new premises in January 2018.  The school is part of the charity, BeyondAutism, which is overseen by a board of trustees. The organisation is led by a chief executive officer. The governance of the school is delegated to a governing body, which also governs Park House School.  In September 2017, Rainbow School, which was judged by Ofsted in 2016 to be a good school, was split into two new schools: Park House School and Tram House School. This is the school‟s first full inspection.  The school makes regular use of three alternative providers: Platform 1 Café, 9–10

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Information about this school

Bramlands Close, London SW11 2NT; Roots and Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, London SE11 6DN and Carshalton College, Nightingale Road, Carshalton SM5 2EJ.

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Information about this inspection

 This full standard inspection took place with one day‟s notice.  The inspector observed learning in all areas of the school alongside two senior leaders.  The inspector scrutinised the school‟s information about pupils‟ progress and attendance. He also considered a wide range of pupils‟ work and leaders‟ monitoring information.  The inspector considered the seven contributions to Ofsted‟s online questionnaire, Parent View. He also considered the school‟s recent internal survey of parents, met with two parents and also spoke with three parents by telephone.  The inspector had several meetings with a wide range of key people including senior teachers, all members of the leadership team, the chief executive officer, chair of trustees and chair of governors. He also considered the 29 staff surveys and met with a member of support staff.  The inspector spoke by telephone with a representative from a placing local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector reviewed a wide range of documentation, including policies, logs, evidence of staff training and information related to safeguarding and health and safety. The inspector toured the premises and considered additional information and evidence in relation to the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

James Waite, 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

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 visit www.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

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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