St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College

Inspection report for residential special school – St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College 1 St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College St Helens Drive, Welton, Brough HU15 1NR Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

This residential special school is maintained by a local authority. The school has 160 pupils on roll, who have a range of severe and complex needs. The school has an attached residential facility, ‘The Residence’, which has separate access from the school. Currently, 48 pupils use The Residence, with up to 14 pupils, aged between eight and 19 years old, staying each night. In rare circumstances, pupils as young as five may use The Residence. Pupils stay at The Residence for short breaks of one or two nights each week, on a regular basis. There is flexibility for extra nights and longer stays, both on a planned and emergency basis. Pupils also stay at weekends and during some of the school holidays. The school is in the village of Welton, near the town of Brough.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The residential special school provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the school contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

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outstanding

Date of previous inspection: 14 November 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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Key findings from this inspection

This residential special school is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The pupils receive excellent levels of care. Inspection report for residential special school – St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College 2  The staff provide the pupils with much-needed stable, consistent and predictable responses. The structured and stimulating environment helps the pupils to flourish and thrive.  The pupils make sustained development in their self-help, social and communication skills, and in their independence.  Parents really value the school and find that the staff and managers are very approachable.  Parents feel reassured that their children are exceptionally well looked after.  The emotional well-being of the pupils has a high priority. Consequently, pupils feel safe, have a strong voice, enjoy positive relationships and develop ambitions for the future.  The school’s safeguarding arrangements are thorough and comprehensive.  The leadership in the school is firmly established and has an excellent track

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Key findings from this inspection

record.  The school leaders are influential in changing the lives of pupils and their families, and consistently generate ideas for improvement.  The governors are proactive and significantly contribute to the school’s success.

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Key findings from this inspection

The residential special school’s areas for development are:

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Key findings from this inspection

 11.1 The school ensures that: arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of children at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State. In particular, the school’s safeguarding records should include relevant information about the outcome of any safeguarding referral to children’s services. Inspection report for residential special school – St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College 3

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outstanding

The staff provide pupils with excellent levels of care. The staff are skilled, experienced and consistently meet the diverse needs of the pupils. The staff know the pupils well and make The Residence a welcoming, friendly and happy place.

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outstanding

The pupils are relaxed and at ease with the staff. They trust the staff to look after them and they experience much-needed stable, consistent and predictable responses. The high levels of care and guidance within a structured and stimulating environment helps the pupils to flourish and thrive.

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outstanding

The pupils have a strong voice through regular residents’ meetings, support from the local authority’s children’s rights workers and daily interaction with staff. Staff are vigilant and notice when the pupils are not themselves. The staff are strong advocates for the pupils. Consequently, the pupils have a strong influence over the running of The Residence and their welfare is proactively promoted.

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outstanding

The relationships between pupils are positive and beneficial. Pupils commented about being able to socialise with their friends. This is an important aspect of their development and is held in high regard by their parents and social care workers.

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outstanding

The staff are sensitive to pupils’ individual needs, especially when any pupil is in distress. The environment is fully inclusive and the staff support all the pupils to join in activities of their choice. There are a wide range of fun and interesting events, including a summer camp, trips to the local fair and going out to clubs in the community. The pupils enjoy pampering evenings, watching DVDs, baking, using the trampolines and outdoor play. The pupils can just relax indoors if they want to.

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outstanding

The pupils make sustained development in their self-help, social and communication skills, and in their independence. Staff encourage achievement of individual aims linked to the pupils’ education, health and care plans.

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outstanding

The improvement in the pupils’ independence, confidence and acquisition of new skills is significant. This is frequently commented on by parents, who reported that they see their children grow in maturity, learn life skills, socialise with friends and have fun. These improvements enhance the pupils’ future life opportunities because of the progress they make.

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outstanding

The pupil’s well-being is a high priority for the school. All of the staff ensure that the pupils’ day-to-day experiences are positive. Consequently, the pupils feel secure, confident and happy, and this benefits their learning.

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outstanding

The pupils’ experiences are encapsulated in this comment from a parent: ‘I would highly recommend St Anne’s School Residence to other parents and carers and really Inspection report for residential special school – St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College 4 value the support they have given to us as a whole family over the years.’

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outstanding

Pupils report feeling safe and this is echoed by their parents and social workers, who consistently commented on how safe the school is. Parents feel reassured that their children are exceptionally well looked after. A typical comment from parents was: ‘We can relax knowing that she is safe and being cared for by brilliant staff.’

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outstanding

There is excellent staff practice in promoting the emotional well-being of the pupils. This improves pupils’ sense of safety, promotes their voice and ensures that they have positive relationships and are active and ambitious. It also lowers pupils’ anxiety, improves their behaviour and helps them to feel secure.

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outstanding

Pupils’ behaviour is very good. There are few incidents that require staff intervention. Physical restraint is used as a last resort. The head of care closely monitors any incidents and along with in-house trainers ensures that staff practice is focused on de-escalation. Staff know the pupils well and are adept at avoiding triggers, ensuring that the pupils are happy and relaxed.

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outstanding

Missing-from-school incidents are very rare. There has only been one in the last three years. The head of care and the staff responded to this promptly, contributing to the pupil’s safe return. The head of care thoroughly investigated this occurrence and reviewed staff practice to reduce the risks of any future incidents. Pupils are not at risk of offending, smoking, or misusing alcohol and/or substances.

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outstanding

All staff are trained to recognise if pupils may be at risk of harm. Future training is planned, with the aim of improving the staff’s knowledge and experience. This is to help keep pupils in the sixth form free from criminal exploitation. School leaders have good links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board. This helps to keep safeguarding practice up to date. There has been a quick response within the school to ensure all staff understand the new statutory guidance issued in September.

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outstanding

Concerns about pupils are shared appropriately with partner agencies. Safeguarding leaders in school maintain full oversight of actions taken to keep pupils free from harm. The school’s records do not always account for the outcomes of actions taken by children’s social care services. The school leaders do challenge children’s social care services on these occasions to confirm these outcomes and fulfil the school’s safeguarding responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a track record of successful and firmly established leadership. Leaders are inspirational, confident in their abilities and ambitious for the school and the pupils. Inspection report for residential special school – St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College 5 Their efforts are influential in changing the lives of pupils and their families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders continue to generate creative ideas to improve the high quality of care that pupils receive. They are extremely thorough in their approach and their highly effective management ensures that all staff contribute to the school’s success through a comprehensive and integrated whole school approach to improvement. For example, care and education staff at all levels and pupils’ parents are involved in promoting the well-being of pupils.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a cohesive staff team that is positive and motivated to do the best for the pupils and help them to fulfil their potential. The staff are aspirational for the pupils and committed to the pupils’ welfare. They maintain high levels of professional practice, are proud of what they do and enjoy high morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are extensive governance arrangements. The governors are accomplished in challenging the school to perform well and they provide dynamic strategic oversight of the school’s development and improvement. Monitoring undertaken by management is comprehensive and there is regular, thorough self-assessment and reflection. Consequently, school leaders benefit from an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders continue to develop the well-being project and have started a new parent partnership project. These are innovative projects, research driven with a clear evidence base. This is to improve pupils’ well-being, attendance, progress and behaviour. The systems for tracking the pupils’ social, emotional and personal development and for monitoring incidents and pupil behaviour are more thorough. Consequently, there is better management oversight, as recommended at the last inspection, and support for pupils is more focused.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Parents really value the school and find that the staff and managers are very approachable. Hence, parents are confident about raising any concerns with the school. Exceptional relationships between the school, social workers, healthcare professionals and the voluntary sector ensure that pupils receive the best all-round support.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the school knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, Inspection report for residential special school – St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College 6 protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential special school – St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College 7

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC056736

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Lesley Davis

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential special school

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Residential special school details

Email address: lesley.davis@stannes.eriding.net Inspection report for residential special school – St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College 8

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Inspector

Simon Morley, social care inspector Inspection report for residential special school – St Anne’s School and Sixth Form College 9 to 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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