Independent Educational Services

Independent Educational Services Long Street 33 Long Street, Atherstone CV9 1AY

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school is well led and managed. Leaders have ensured that independent school standards are met.  Leaders have developed an ambitious and respectful culture. They set high expectations for all staff and pupils.  The directors provide effective governance. They know the school very well and use their detailed knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses to hold leaders to account.  The curriculum is tailored to meet pupils’ needs and provides opportunities for pupils to learn about a range of subjects. It also develops positive attitudes to learning, communication skills, good behaviour and emotional well-being.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the promotion of fundamental British values are embedded within the curriculum. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The arrangements for safeguarding are secure. There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Rates of attendance are outstanding. All pupils significantly reduce their levels of absence after joining the school. Almost all have excellent attendance.  Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare are promoted very well. Staff use a range of strategies to help pupils to improve their conduct.  There is some high-quality teaching in the school but not all teaching matches the best practice. When teaching has less impact, activities do not challenge pupils, particularly the most able, to make rapid progress.  Outcomes are good, and pupils move onto appropriate destinations. However, pupils made slower progress in mathematics than they did in English last year and accreditation opportunities did not reflect the full range of pupils’ knowledge and skills.  As the leadership structure is relatively new, some practices are not embedded. For example, the system to collect and analyse assessment information is not yet being used

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

fully to inform actions to bring about further school improvement.

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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?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’ outcomes by taking effective action to ensure that: – all teaching is of the highest standard – staff consistently challenge all pupils, particularly the most able, to make rapid progress – achievement continues to improve in mathematics – appropriate accreditation opportunities are broadened – new systems for collecting and analysing information are embedded to inform actions to improve further the quality of education provided by the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The school is well led and managed. Leaders fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met.  The relatively new leadership team are providing cohesive leadership. They have a clear vision and a strong moral purpose. Leaders have high expectations of all staff and pupils. They have developed an ambitious and respectful culture.  Leaders lead by example and positive and productive relationships between leaders, staff and pupils support the good progress that pupils make.  Leaders have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Although they are taking effective action to improve the school, some strategies are very new. Consequently, their impact cannot be evaluated.  Leaders plan staff training well and use it effectively to improve the quality of education provided. Staff value the training that they receive as it helps them to improve their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

practice.  The curriculum is tailored to pupils’ needs. It provides opportunities to learn about a range of subjects and promotes personal development very well. The curriculum helps pupils to improve their attitudes to learning, communication skills, behaviour and emotional well-being.  A variety of extra-curricular activities help to enrich pupils’ learning. Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips to places of interest that support their learning and develop their social skills. For example, pupils have enjoyed visits to places of worship, the theatre and a ‘living history’ museum. Pupils also use the local leisure centre and library on a regular basis.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the promotion of fundamental British values are firmly embedded in the curriculum. Opportunities to enhance pupils’ awareness of British values are identified and taken in different subject area. Assemblies, trips and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

visits, sporting events, projects and visitors are also used to develop an understanding of fundamental British values and promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils learn about democracy and the rule of law. They are taught about cultures that are different to their own and they are tolerant of the beliefs of other people. Leaders and staff openly promote diversity and equality of opportunity, paying regard to the protected characteristics in the 2010 Equalities Act. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders and staff work well with parents. Parents value the school’s communication and high-quality newsletters have kept them informed of developments at the school.

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Governance

 Effective governance is provided by the directors of the company. They know the school very well and use their detailed knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses to offer appropriate support and challenge to school leaders.  Those responsible for governance have ensured that all legal requirements are met and that resources are used efficiently.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have ensured that there is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. Robust procedures ensure that statutory requirements are met.  Staff are well trained and have a clear understanding of their responsibilities. They work closely with outside agencies and follow-up concerns appropriately. Staff are trained to recognise potential radicalisation or grooming issues and they are aware of their legal duties.  The school’s single central record is compliant, and records are stored securely. Pupils are taught to stay safe in a range of situations.  The school has a suitable safeguarding policy that meets the government’s current requirements. It is published on the school’s website and available to parents on request.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Staff know the pupils well and usually plan activities that fully engage them in their learning. Staff also use positive relationships and praise, along with high expectations, to support pupils’ learning. This helps pupils to develop a positive attitude towards their studies.  There is some high-quality teaching in the school. When teaching is most effective, staff provide pupils with challenging activities that help them to make rapid progress. Staff use a range of resources, combined with their experience and subject knowledge, to develop skills and strengthen pupils’ understanding. Questions are used well to help pupils deepen their knowledge.  Staff regularly take opportunities to promote reading, writing, mathematics and communication in different subjects. Pupils are encouraged to use academic language and links are often made between reading, writing and speaking.  Feedback is given in line with the school’s assessment policy and pupils respond

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

particularly well to verbal feedback. Pupils told inspectors that staff help them to improve their work.  Occasionally teaching is less effective. This is when activities do not challenge pupils, particularly the most able, to make rapid progress. For example, pupils are not given regular opportunities to develop reasoning skills in mathematics or produce sophisticated written work of the highest quality in some subjects. Staff do not always share the purpose of activities with pupils, so they are unclear of the ‘big picture’.  Homework is used effectively to consolidate learning and develop social, emotional and communication skills. Pupils are often set tasks that they have to discuss with other people.  The accuracy of assessment information is checked by staff across the different centres and by awarding bodies. However, the school does not currently work with other settings to moderate pupils’ work. Additionally, the new system for collecting and analysing

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

assessment information is not yet fully embedded.  The school regularly gives parents clear information about how pupils are progressing and what they need to do to improve.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Staff develop pupils’ self-confidence, self-awareness and independence by giving them specific roles in school. For example, pupils take responsibility for the library, complete administrative tasks and they are all are members of the school council.  Pupils feel that they are listened to. They are given opportunities to voice their opinions through the school council and during lunchtime activities with staff. This helps pupils to present their views in an appropriate manner.  Personal development is a core part of the school’s curriculum. Emotional well-being is promoted very well, and staff offer appropriate levels of personalised support. Healthy eating and regular exercise are actively encouraged.  Pupils are taught how to be successful learners and they support other pupils to help them to achieve their targets. However, as most pupils had disrupted education before

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Personal development and welfare

they started at the school, they are not yet confident, self-assured learners with consistently positive attitudes towards their studies. They also have limited opportunities to study with other pupils.  Good-quality, impartial careers advice and guidance help pupils to make informed choices when they leave the school. They are well prepared for the next stage of education, training or employment.  Pupils, staff and parents raised no concerns about bullying. Pupils told inspectors that they had experienced bullying in previous settings, but none had seen it happen at Independent Educational Services. Despite this, pupils were clear about how to report any concerns and they were confident that staff would deal with any issues quickly and effectively.  Pupils are taught how to use the internet responsibly, and they learn how to stay safe in a range of situations. For example, they are taught about how to protect themselves from

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Personal development and welfare

the dangers of grooming and how to stay safe at home.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils usually behave well in lessons and show an interest in their studies.  Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. They regularly discuss matters with the staff during social time. This contributes to the school’s calm and orderly environment.  Pupils’ behaviour is managed very well. Staff are trained in de-escalating situations and instances of poor behaviour are rare and declining. Positive behaviour is also recognised and rewarded.  Pupils who find it more challenging to manage their own behaviour are effectively supported to improve their conduct. There have been no permanent exclusions and fixed- term exclusions are rare.  Attendance is well above the average for mainstream schools and almost all pupils have excellent attendance. Pupils enjoy coming to school and rarely miss a day of their education. Many pupils were regularly absent in their previous settings and all have

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Behaviour

significantly improved their levels of attendance since joining the school.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Since the school opened, pupils have made good progress by following a tailored and appropriate curriculum. Pupils study national curriculum subjects and carefully planned activities also help them to improve their social skills and nurture their emotional development.  Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their lives. They are given a wide range of opportunities to develop their basic skills and become increasingly self-assured. Pupils also receive good-quality careers advice and guidance and support in making decisions about their future. As a result, every pupil who left the school last year moved onto apprenticeships, college courses or other appropriate destinations.  Staff encourage pupils to read in school and at home. All pupils are members of the local library and visit it regularly. Many enjoy reading and several read fluently and with expression.  In 2018, pupils gained a range of academic and vocational qualifications, including GCSEs.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

Pupils also achieved numerous small awards for many skills that did not lead to an overarching qualification. Leaders are currently investigating broader accreditation opportunities for pupils.  As pupils make accelerated progress in English, outcomes were particularly strong in 2018. However, in the past, pupils have made slower progress in mathematics and science than they did in English. Accreditation opportunities were not used effectively to show pupils’ mathematical knowledge in 2018.  Current pupils are making much improved progress in mathematics and science. Most pupils are making at least good progress across a well-taught curriculum. However, the most able pupils are not consistently challenged to make rapid progress in every subject.

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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

Proprietor Independent Educational Services Ltd.

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School details

Directors Leanne Beardmore and Shaun Major

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School details

Website www.independenteducationalservices.com

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School details

Email address info@independenteducationalservices.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Independent Educational Services Long Street is a small special school for pupils aged between 10 and 17.  All pupils have an education, health and care plan for a range needs including autistic spectrum disorder; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school makes use of a range of additional locations to provide sports, recreational and vocational experiences for pupils under the direction of its own staff. No pupils attend alternative provision.  The school is part of Independent Educational Services (IES) Ltd, which has six premises in Nuneaton and Atherstone. This site opened in July 2015 and began functioning as a school in its own right in January 2018.  The centre manager has led the school since January 2018. The former headteacher, who was responsible for all the company’s sites, left this role in August 2018. She has remained as a director of IES.

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Information about this school

 Governance is provided by directors of the company.  This is the school’s first inspection since it was registered as an independent school in October 2017.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited a range of lessons and observed learning with leaders and staff during this inspection. They spoke to pupils and observed behaviour in lessons and during social time.  Meetings were held with the centre manager, the special educational needs coordinator, the directors and staff.  There were not enough responses to Parent View for the results to be analysed.  Various documents were scrutinised, including the school’s self-evaluation and information about pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance. Documents relating to safeguarding were checked and the inspectors looked at published information on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Simon Mosley, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mary Maybank 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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