Papillon House

Papillon House Pebble Close, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 7PA

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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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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and staff bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to their roles. Exceptionally strong and charismatic teamwork characterises almost all aspects of the school’s provision. This is a united school community that is fully dedicated to serving its pupils exceptionally well.  In all of leaders’ decision-making, pupils’ voices, views and opinions reverberate powerfully. Representing pupils’ best interests is of paramount importance. Consequently, pupils learn well and benefit from abundant opportunities to shine.  Leaders, including the proprietor, have ensured that all of the independent school standards are met. This school continues to go from strength to strength.  The quality of teaching and learning is excellent. Leaders, staff, parents, carers and pupils all work together to provide pupils with a rich and memorable experience of education.  The school’s curriculum is appealing and meets pupils’ needs well. Nevertheless, for older

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils, the range of accreditations alongside the school’s career programme is still developing.  Pupils achieve well. Staff invest wholeheartedly to ensure that all pupils experience success and realise their personal best. Many make rapid gains in a whole host of learning opportunities.  Pupils’ ability to keep themselves safe, including beginning to manage risk for themselves, is promoted strongly. As a result, pupils take giant strides in becoming increasingly independent and self-reliant.  Safeguarding is effective. Staff share in a high degree of expertise. Nevertheless, leaders have not yet taken all reasonable precautions to keep pupils as safe as they could be when using the internet.  Pupils attend regularly. They thoroughly enjoy their schooling because of the trusting and supportive relationships they forge with all adults. This is a happy, purposeful school where pupils and staff share a deep-seated sense of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

security and belonging.  Parents are extremely positive about the school and praise the quality of provision unreservedly.

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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?

 Strengthen the school’s curriculum by: – extending the range of accreditations on offer to meet pupils’ needs and ensuring that careers guidance fully supports and promotes pupils’ aspirations – reviewing the school’s approach to enabling internet access so that all sensible steps are taken to ensure that computer-users access only appropriate material.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The headteacher, proprietor and staff collectively offer service of the highest order. Utterly devoted to the pupils in their care, they ensure that pupils thoroughly enjoy their schooling and make rapid progress, achieving well in a safe and caring environment. All staff readily live and breathe the school’s ambition to ‘enable every pupil to experience success’.  Leaders’ work is characterised by the headteacher’s firmly held belief that ‘if we work together we get the best.’ Staff heap praise upon leaders’ open communication and upfront approach to school leadership. Such is the depth of fondness and loyalty to Papillon House school that many staff return, following work or training in other settings. Weekly meetings with leaders are awash with ideas and solutions, as all feel secure to contribute to future developments. This buoyant, optimistic approach is skilfully tempered with a strong culture of respect where each other’s views are valued.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 Leaders seize the initiative to seek out external advice from a range of sources, including consultants, national research and findings as well as that associated with professional bodies. They listen judiciously and reflect upon advice routinely, adapting and refining the school’s approach as necessary. The work of school leaders is highly effective and, therefore, the school fully meets all the requirements of the independent school standards.  All staff revel in the opportunity to work at the school. The level of job satisfaction is superb, as leaders ensure that all are exceptionally well supported personally and professionally. Activities after school, such as the ‘fit and fab’ club for adults, further ensure that a healthy work–life balance is maintained.  Working together typifies adults’ approach at all levels. High-quality mentoring, both formal and informal, is commonplace, as all staff bring a wealth of experience in teaching

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

pupils with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As there is such commitment to continual improvement, all are open to learning from one another to strengthen individual skills and expertise. Staff exhibit a vivacious appetite to be the best they can be and, therefore, ensure that pupils succeed.  Staff training in a range of aspects, including behaviour management, safeguarding and team teach strategies, is comprehensive. As a result, there is a high level of consistency and everyone knows what is expected.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy a rich and varied menu of activities. The curriculum is expansive and expertly prioritises pupils’ social, language and communication skills. Specialist on-site staff, including speech and language therapists and occupational therapists, give a boost to pupils’ learning experiences.  Leaders describe the school’s curriculum as one that adopts a community and communication emphasis, where pupils’ independence and self-help strategies are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

prioritised. Outreach activities, including horse riding and cycling, enrich pupils’ experiences well. In return, pupils contribute positively to their local surroundings, such as when undertaking conservation activities for the National Trust.  The school’s curriculum is supported by well-considered assessment systems. Leaders have taken time and energy to modify, adapt and refine assessment processes over considerable time, making excellent use of external advice and guidance. Leaders utilise different approaches to capture pupils’ progress. Leaders are wisely seeking ways of streamlining the information they gather in order to further enrich their own evaluation of school effectiveness.  Parents are highly satisfied with the school’s provision. They are complimentary about the work of staff, with one parent commenting, ‘The staff are amazing and accept all the challenges they face with fortitude and a big smile.’ All parents who responded to Ofsted’s

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

parent survey would recommend the school.

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Governance

 The school does not have a governing body. The proprietor, who is also the founder of the school, has a wealth of experience, having previously served as the school’s headteacher when it opened in 2007. The proprietor has a clear view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Despite being a constant presence in school, she has successfully empowered others to take up the mantle and lead with intent. This means that the school’s aims are fully understood, and the proprietor plays her part well in helping the provision sustain high quality.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of what is required to ensure that adults are safe to work with children. Recruitment checks are timely and fully understood. This means that leaders are highly alert to any inconsistencies and are swift to explore anything that ‘doesn’t look quite right’. The school’s business manager retains a clear and helpful line of sight at all times, bringing a striking level of expertise to her role.  The school’s safeguarding policy is published on its website. Policies and procedures are robust, and all staff are in no doubt of how to deal with disclosures and child protection concerns. Staff training is comprehensive and covers a multitude of useful topics related to pupils’ welfare and safety. All adults are trained well to ensure that they are confident to identify and deal with any safeguarding concerns.

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Safeguarding

 The school’s curriculum contributes very well to equipping pupils with the skills they need to become independent to keep themselves safe. Staff are adept at weaving useful conversational topics into day-to-day activities, such as how to keep safe in the sun. During the inspection, pupils demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of how to take care in hot weather, such as drinking plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe and can express many aspects of this learning articulately.  The school faces some specific challenges, as many pupils travel considerable distances to attend. Staff are highly alert and take relevant action if pupils are absent. Occasionally, leaders have had to pursue local authorities to ascertain the whereabouts of pupils who are missing. Leaders’ knowledgeable and tenacious responses mean that pupils’ welfare is always at the centre of the school’s work.

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Safeguarding

 Leaders have worked well with families to ensure that appropriate levels of internet security are in place in family homes for pupils. This is helpful. In school, pupils use the internet very occasionally and only when under one-to-one adult supervision. However, this methodology is overly reliant on clear adult direction at all times, as leaders have yet to ensure that accessible material is first filtered by an appropriate provider. Leaders know that adding an additional level of security to the school’s internet access is an urgent priority.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 All staff, including therapists, hold the highest expectations of pupils. Staff gain fulfilment from working at the school, and in return they give their full commitment to ensuring that pupils learn well. As a result, pupils readily adopt an ‘I can’ approach to all that is on offer.  Staff training is comprehensive. This ensures that adults readily draw on a wide range of approaches to ensure that pupils become increasingly capable of managing their emotions to retain engagement in educational activities. As a result, staff are highly expert in how to ensure that pupils with ASD experience a rich and rewarding education, making sure that there are no barriers to success.  Pupils’ behavioural and emotional needs are well understood. Adults model expectations well and are adept at removing any anxieties pupils feel from time to time. For example, in a primary class, pupils were well prepared for a farm visit by completing a task that

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

enabled them to rehearse the day ahead and know what to expect where and when. Adults successfully allayed any pre-visit jitters by discussing the journey and timings for the day, within the context of the pre-prepared activity.  Adults know pupils’ needs well. They are adept at reading pupils’ engagement level and skilled in diverting or readjusting pupils’ focus. As a result, learning activities are conducted in a highly focused and individualised manner. Lessons are generally free of disruption.  As pupils move through the school they become more proficient at communicating their thoughts and ideas with each other and adults, developing increasing independence and secure decision-making skills. They can express their dislikes and likes and become more accomplished at exploring preference, including when undertaking writing tasks.  Pupils gain much satisfaction from the regular praise they receive from adults. Activities

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

are punctuated with smiles and expressions of enjoyment. Staff have created an environment where pupils feel secure. As a result, pupils blossom in developing their confidence and self-esteem well.  Teachers’ questioning in lessons is thoughtful and encourages pupils to consolidate their understanding and rehearse their skills well. Adults have high expectations, and pupils quickly become proficient at communicating, such as signing ‘finished’ when ready to move on.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Leaders are adamant that there should be no boundaries for pupils with ASD, and this is unequivocally brought to fruition through the rich menu of activities on offer. Pupils’ opinions are actively sought, listened to and acted upon. Pupils freely and often make suggestions, confident in the knowledge that staff will always respond. For example, the school’s lunchtime clubs are planned around pupils’ interests and requests and assembly includes a regular ‘Papillon’s got talent’ feature.  Pupils’ voices are strong and echo through all aspects of the school’s provision. The curriculum is designed well and strongly influenced by meeting pupils’ needs well. Pupils regularly participate in polling tasks during ‘Let’s vote’ activities, making suggestions and ably exerting their democratic rights. As a result, pupils gain valuable first-hand

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Personal development and welfare

experience of modern British values in action.  The school’s care for pupils reaches far beyond the school gates. Leaders ensure that partnerships with families are strong and mutually beneficial. For example, pupils make strong gains in their personal care because staff go the extra mile to work in partnership, such as when helping older boys to master the skills associated with learning to shave. This prepares pupils well for independence into adulthood.  In recent times, all leavers have moved on to take up college courses. The secondary leader supports families to find the right placement, making sure that pupils settle in and are supported well. However, careers guidance is still developing, particularly for younger pupils.  Pupils respond well to additional responsibilities. Adults encourage pupils to develop independence, such as when taking the register to the office, setting up for snack time or

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Leaders have adapted the extensive grounds to meet the school’s curriculum aims well. Play areas are safe and there is a secure playground that doubles up for physical education activities. During breaks, pupils play enthusiastically on the equipment and respond well to adults’ directives. Many pupils play alongside each other, sometimes engaging in conversation, which marks a huge improvement in their social development.  The school’s strategies are highly successful at encouraging pupils’ positive attitudes. Leaders are clear that strategies are implemented thoughtfully so that the school doesn’t simply cope with difficulties but actively prevents occurrences. Staff are skilful at teaching pupils to self-manage their emotions. As a result, pupils can calm down or refocus when becoming unsettled. With a strong multidisciplinary influence, including the timely

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Behaviour

intervention of the school’s therapists as appropriate, pupils manage their reactions and behaviour exceptionally well.  Most pupils have excellent attendance. This is significant, as many pupils have experienced extended periods out of full-time education prior to admission to Papillon House. Pupils develop a strong sense of security and thrive at the school, enjoying positive relationships with staff and their peers.  The school keeps comprehensive behaviour management plans and individual risk assessments for each pupil. On occasions, when pupils find it difficult to manage their emotions, they are ably supported by highly trained and dedicated staff who quickly re- engage pupils in lessons, including when off site. Such instances are short-lived and managed well, as adults are quick to respond and look to support one another well. As a result, interruptions quickly dissipate, and staff seamlessly restore a calm and purposeful

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Behaviour

atmosphere.  Due to the thoughtful approach by staff, pupils’ behaviour rapidly improves over a short period of time and they respond increasingly well. During the inspection, for example, a pupil became disgruntled after a peer received a turn first, declaring that they didn’t want to be friends any more. Staff were quick to intervene, and following wise counsel, the pupil was able to concede that they ‘wouldn’t say things like that any more’. Lessons typically portray a high level of harmony between classmates.  Staff are highly skilled at defusing any minor disagreements. As leaders rightly note, playground squabbles for some pupils are a step forward as their communication and interactions with others begin to develop. Commendably, many pupils form friendships with their peers and can happily socialise during activities such as tennis sessions.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 All pupils have education, health and care plans and a diagnosis of ASD. Pupils make excellent progress and achieve well in a range of aspects, including communication, language, literacy and mathematics.  Within the school’s rich and varied curriculum, pupils’ personal, social and health development is kept at the fore. Leaders know that self-help and independence are key skills that pupils often lack when they join the school. Through liaison with families, pupils take rapid strides, mastering key skills such as brushing their teeth or independently dressing after physical education sessions.  Activities are carefully planned and to just the right level in order to enable success for all pupils. As a result, pupils make excellent progress with communication skills, including honing their reading and writing capabilities to an appropriate level. For example, in a Year 7 and Year 8 activity, pupils wrote independently to review a production of their

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

choice, while others had success matching key letters to picture prompts. This means that all succeed and make excellent progress.  Pupils’ development of social communication skills is carefully structured. Primary-aged pupils quickly get to grips with the school’s ‘hello’ song, for example, learning to make eye contact and greeting their teacher appropriately. As pupils mature, they can smoothly transfer these skills, greeting one another and other adults suitably, extending their spoken language to include questioning such as ‘How are you today?’  Pupils, including the most able, make substantial progress with life skills. For example, older pupils thrive as they receive regular opportunities to rehearse and consolidate useful skills in the school café at lunchtimes. Pupils delight in preparing and serving food and then waiting on staff. Such opportunities enable pupils to practise and develop these

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

social conventions, so that their confidence and application grows.  Pupils’ independence is nurtured and encouraged. The school organises overnight stays as part of its enrichment programme, starting with a camp-out in the school house and building up to a residential visit off site. Older pupils are supported well, as staff recognise this as a big step forward for many pupils who have not stayed away from home previously.  Pupils make excellent gains in their physical coordination and dexterity. The school’s curriculum design contributes well, with plentiful opportunities such as horse riding, cycling and dance.  Post-16 pupils are taught in the secondary department and follow the secondary-aged curriculum. All pupils leaving the school at the end of Year 12 in the last three years have gone on to further education, studying college courses.  In recent times, the school has introduced a narrow range of accredited awards for older

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

pupils. This has been highly successful, with pupils gaining ASDAN (a curriculum development organisation and awarding body) awards in personal skills. Leaders are now beginning to consider how the range of accreditations can be extended.  Most pupils improve their behaviour over time, often joining the school with significant challenging behaviours. During the inspection, older pupils were able to participate in a dance performance for parents, showcasing their superb ability to perform to an audience alongside one another.

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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 Other independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £45,408–£59,283

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School details

Email address head@papillonhouseschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12–14 May 2015

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Information about this school

 Papillon House is an independent special school for boys and girls aged five to 19 years with profound autistic spectrum conditions and associated challenging behaviours. The school opened in 2007.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  Prior to attending this school, some pupils have experienced significant periods of disruption to their education.  The school is set in a large country house in extensive grounds in rural Surrey. Currently, the school takes pupils from eight local authorities.  The headteacher was appointed in January 2015, having previously been the deputy headteacher. The proprietor was previously the school’s headteacher from when the school opened.  Pupils attend off-site provisions, including Epsom Riding for the Disabled Association for horse riding, Dorking Leisure Centre for swimming, Tadworth Leisure Centre for gym

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Information about this school

sessions and Surrey Wheels for All for cycling.  There are a small number of pupils in the sixth form. However, this is not reported separately as pupils are taught a secondary-aged curriculum, alongside key stage 4 pupils.  The school aims to ‘enable every child to experience success by developing their strengths, celebrating their achievements and acknowledging their unique personalities’.  The school was previously inspected in May 2015.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector carried out a number of classroom visits during the inspection, all accompanied by the headteacher.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the proprietor, the deputy headteacher, the school’s business manager and other staff with significant responsibilities.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, at playtime and lunchtime and as they moved around the school.  The inspector looked at a range of pupils’ profiles and supporting information.  The inspector considered eight responses to Parent View, and six free-text comments.  The inspector analysed 43 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspector scrutinised a range of school documents and policies, including those regarding safeguarding and other aspects of the independent school standards, and reviewed the checks made on staff about their suitability to work with children.

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Farr, lead inspector 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 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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