Eastcourt Independent School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Eastcourt Independent School 1 Eastwood Road, Goodmayes, Ilford, Essex IG3 8UW

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b) and 32(1), 32(1)(c)  This progress monitoring inspection confirmed leaders’ actions as effective in keeping pupils as safe as possible at school. The school’s child protection and safeguarding policy has been updated in light of the latest statutory guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2018), and is published on the school’s website. Newly appointed safeguarding leaders have recently had the required level of training, as have all other staff. The school’s system for identifying, reporting, recording and following up concerns is fit for purpose.  Leaders have ensured that these standards continue to be met. Paragraphs 12, 13, 16, 16(a), 16(b) and 24(2)  At the time of the previous inspection, the school’s arrangements for fire safety were not fit for purpose, because the fire risk assessment was not implemented effectively. The

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Main inspection findings

school’s first aid policy was not implemented well, because first aid logs and records lacked detail. Leaders were not analysing school records, such as those relating to first aid provision, in order to enable them to respond to regular concerns.  This inspection found leaders’ actions to have transformed the school’s approach to the provision of first aid. A new purpose-built medical room facility is situated next to the school’s reception area. It is staffed by a full-time, appropriately trained, welfare coordinator. Reports of accidents and the provision of first aid are now logged in writing and provided to parents via email. Records are now routinely analysed by leaders in order to review trends over time and minimise repetition. As a result, the school’s appropriate first aid policy is now implemented well.  All the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 are now met.

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Main inspection findings

The school now records weekly fire alarm tests electronically, and all other records of other fire safety checks and emergency evacuations are maintained accurately. The school’s robust fire risk assessment is implemented well.  The school’s risk assessment policy is fit for purpose and implemented well. It is complemented by a range of thorough and appropriate risk assessments, including for the premises, use of the local park and trips.  Leaders have taken appropriate action to ensure that the independent school standards in this part are now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)  At the time of the previous inspection, leaders did not ensure that the independent school standards were met consistently.  The school’s action plan was not fit for purpose, because leaders had not addressed the specific failings identified in the previous inspection report.

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Main inspection findings

 However, this inspection found all the requirements to be met. Leaders have worked diligently to remedy all the identified weaknesses and have successfully ensured that the arrangements for fire safety, first aid and risk assessment are effective.  Leaders have taken appropriate action to ensure that the independent school standards in this part are now met. Statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage  At the previous inspection, the statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements were not met overall, because of the failings identified above in relation to first aid, fire safety and risk assessment.  As leaders have taken appropriate action to ensure all the independent school standards are now met, the associated statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage are now also met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets 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. 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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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 Ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (paragraph 12).  Ensure that first aid is administered in a timely and competent manner by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written first aid policy (paragraph 13).  Ensure that the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by ensuring that a written risk assessment policy is effectively implemented and that risk assessments are specific and that appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified (paragraph 16, 16(a) and 16(b)).  Ensure that a medical room facility is always readily available to be used (paragraph 24(2)).  Ensure that the proprietor and 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, they fulfil their responsibilities

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

effectively and actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)).

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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

Proprietor Eastcourt Independent School Ltd

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School details

Email address admin@eastcourtschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 6–8 February 2018

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Information about this school

 Eastcourt Independent School is a selective day school.  The proprietor is also the headteacher and is supported by a senior leadership team and an advisory board.  The early years provision consists of two Reception classes. All children attend the Reception classes full-time. There are two classes in each of the year groups, from Year 1 to Year 6.  The school’s previous inspection was a full standard inspection in February 2018.

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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 that 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.  This inspection was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection and was conducted without notice.  In February 2018, a full standard inspection of the school judged it to be inadequate. The school submitted an action plan. Ofsted’s review of this plan judged it not to be acceptable. The inspection focused on the school’s progress against specific requirements within Parts 3, 5 and 8 of the independent school standards and some of the requirements of the early years foundation stage.  The inspector met with the proprietor, who is also the headteacher, and the deputy headteacher. He toured the premises, focusing on fire safety and the provision of first

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Information about this inspection

aid. He observed pupils playing during breaktime and scrutinised the school’s systems and documentation related to fire safety, first aid, risk assessment and safeguarding.  The inspection took account of the 33 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Parent View.

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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 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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