Novaturient School

Novaturient School 22 Euston Road, Great Yarmouth NR30 1EA

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher has provided strong leadership in successfully improving the school since the last inspection.  The headteacher is relentless in her vision of high aspirations for the future of all pupils who attend the school, and she models this consistently.  The new proprietor works closely with the headteacher and governors to ensure that the school meets the independent school standards.  Teachers are skilled practitioners and take every opportunity to encourage and support pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding across the curriculum.  The headteacher manages the day-to-day monitoring and development of teaching and learning effectively. However, leaders have yet to make full use of the skills of senior teachers to support this work so that the headteacher can take a strategic lead.  Attendance is excellent. Almost all pupils attend every day and arrive punctually.  Pupils make good progress from their starting

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

points. The new key stage 3 pupils are already displaying strong progress in English and mathematics, while older pupils are making good progress towards achieving the qualifications needed for the next stage in their education, employment or training.  Pupils learn well due to teachers’ careful planning. However, there are too few subject specialists to improve curriculum provision further.  The school provides a secure, well-supervised and orderly environment. Staff deal with occasional challenging behaviour expertly and safely.  Pupils say that they enjoy school and that it has given them another chance to learn.  The welfare of pupils is at the heart of the school. Pupils all have a key worker and are confident that they have someone to talk to if they have a concern. There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school.

p.1

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.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning by: – Ensuring that senior staff are supported to take on more responsibility for curriculum development and the monitoring of teaching and learning – developing the role of the headteacher to take a strategic lead in establishing collaborative links with providers from wider settings – establishing a wider, permanent staff team of subject specialists.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The proprietor and governors have supported the headteacher well to ensure that all of the independent school standards are met.  Leaders have a clear view of the school’s effectiveness. Development plans focus on the most important issues that will ensure teaching continues to improve.  Leaders set consistently high expectations of pupils and staff. Staff respond positively to this ethos, saying, ‘We have a great staff team led by great management.’ They feel valued and are proud that ‘the school has improved greatly’.  The headteacher has been very effective in improving the quality of teaching since the last inspection. This has taken up a great deal of her time and the proprietor and governors accept that other staff have not contributed enough to the continuing development of teaching and the curriculum.  Staff are passionate about reviewing and developing the way they teach, so that pupils

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

consistently engage in their learning. Leaders have created an open culture where fresh ideas are welcome and staff feel they can be creative in the classroom. Leaders have identified that the school now needs to look to other providers to share best practice and further enrich learning experiences for pupils.  All pupils have equal access to the school’s provision and the school makes appropriate adjustments for disabled pupils.  The curriculum offers appropriate opportunities for pupils to experience a wide range of subjects, including music, art and physical education. It has a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school also makes good use of local facilities, including a sports centre, stables, swimming pool and the public library.  Leaders and staff ensure that pupils are respectful to each other and develop a clear sense of right and wrong. The school code of conduct helps inform the choices that pupils

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

make regarding their own behaviour.  Leaders have ensured that each pupil has a member of staff designated as their key worker to provide an individualised focus on their well-being, safety and learning. This supports all aspects of their progress.  Leaders hold a well-attended ‘garden party’ at the end of the summer term. All pupils and their families are invited to celebrate their child’s achievements and to reinforce the positive relationships the school has built through the year. Parents who spoke to the inspector said that they are grateful for the support the school has given to their children and that the school helps pupils to make positive choices in their lives.  Leaders consider the views of parents through individual conversations with a family support adviser. School documentation, seen by the inspector, indicates that parents are overwhelmingly positive about the experiences of their child and all would recommend the

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

provision to another parent.  Pupils receive excellent careers guidance so that they can make informed choices about their next steps and realise that there is good reason to be motivated about their future.

p.3

Governance

 The new proprietor takes seriously the responsibility to ensure that the independent school standards are met.  The proprietor works closely with governors and the headteacher to ensure that safeguarding is effective and that the school ethos of high aspirations is reflected in the day-to-day running of the school.  The proprietor ensures that teachers have access to suitable training, including supporting a number of staff to achieve teaching qualifications.  The proprietor and governors receive regular detailed reports from the headteacher. This allows them to ask probing questions and identify any support needed.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  A very strong culture of safeguarding exists within the school. The school safeguarding policy is up to date and available on the website. Staff take their responsibilities very seriously and know what to do if they believe a pupil requires ‘early help’. They respond to any concerns about pupils’ welfare quickly.  Staff maintain high levels of supervision during the day to ensure that pupils are safe.  Staff carry out detailed risk assessments for any potential identified risks, including for off- site activities.  Pupils say that they feel safe and staff teach them how to keep themselves safe.  The school has a thorough system to check the suitability of staff to work with pupils. Staff files provide a meticulous record of these procedures.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and their teaching of basic skills in English and mathematics ensures that pupils make strong progress, often from very low starting points.  High expectations are evident in every lesson, and teachers support pupils well to become more resilient in their approach to learning. Skilful questions such as ‘can you help me find the answer?’ re-engage pupils with their task.  In mathematics, pupils have every opportunity to make practical use of their new knowledge. For example, a lesson focusing on mass and volume comparisons involved a supervised visit to a local supermarket, where pupils collected information and then returned to the classroom to make budgeting choices. This approach deepened their understanding of this core concept and helped prepare them for life in modern Britain.  In English, across all age groups, there is a clear focus on reading, improving vocabulary

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

and developing creative writing skills. Teaching assistants support very well and allow pupils sufficient time to think for themselves. Many pupils were able to improve their work independently.  Teachers assess what pupils have learned at the end of each lesson. This informs new targets to track pupils’ progress over time. Teachers use the targets agreed in pupils’ education, health and care plans to ensure that they meet their needs, both emotionally and academically. Pupils receive clear feedback from teachers, which helps them to understand how well they are doing. The school assessment policy is clear that pupils must play a role in setting their own targets. Key workers meet with pupils at the end of the week, both to celebrate achievements and address any concerns  Staff maintain very good relationships with pupils and there is a positive environment in classrooms. Staff identify pupils’ special interests and refer to these to ensure a

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

constructive classroom dialogue. Occasionally, pupils display challenging behaviour, but staff deal with this calmly and professionally so that pupils quickly return to learning.  There is frequent monitoring of classroom practice by the headteacher. Staff benefit from a wide range of training opportunities supported by leaders, including completing teaching qualifications.  Staff have the necessary capacity to continue to deliver the current good standard of education. However, the school lacks enough staff with specific subject expertise to take learning to a deeper level.  Parents say that they are able to ask for regular updates on how well their child is progressing both emotionally and academically at any time. All parents receive a formal report at the end of the school year.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Often pupils join the school with very low self-esteem as they have been disengaged from education for a long time. Previous experiences of school have left most with a negative view of schooling. Leaders and staff work extremely hard to ensure that pupils soon come to understand that they are welcome at this school, so that they can develop trusting relationships and begin to re-engage in learning.  Staff welcome every pupil into school each morning. Key workers discuss with pupils any issues that have arisen overnight so that pupils can focus quickly on their learning. The headteacher works very closely with a full range of external partners, including the local authority, child and adolescent mental health services, social services and the police, in order to ensure the safety of pupils both in school and when in the local community.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 Pupils are confident that they can speak to someone if they have a problem. They said that teachers are kind and that they can now begin to learn again. Pupils say that they learn about the dangers of talking to strangers on the internet and of becoming involved with drugs and alcohol.  Pupils say that bullying rarely happens, as teachers always make it clear that it is not ‘OK’.  Pupils learn how to travel safely, and older pupils plan routes for supervised school trips using train and bus timetables.  The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including residential trips, sporting activities and meals out together in restaurants, to improve confidence, social skills and self-esteem. Each day the school provides a hot meal, which staff and pupils take together around the kitchen table. Lunchtime is central to helping pupils feel they belong and are valued.  School records show that pupils’ health and safety, in all activities, are carefully

p.5

Personal development and welfare

considered. Risk assessments are detailed and thorough, including individual risk assessments for pupils.  All necessary checks on electrical equipment and fire safety are up to date.

p.6

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  The school is generally a calm and orderly environment. Pupils respect their school and there is no evidence of damage or litter.  Behaviour expectations are clearly displayed in each room. Pupils respond well to the rules in the code of conduct and the system of rewards that underpins it. Staff are well trained and very skilled in de-escalating any poor behaviour, so that significant intervention is rare.  Sometimes, pupils find the school environment overwhelming and they can opt to make a positive choice to take a short ‘time out’. Staff then support pupils to make a swift return to learning as soon as they are able.  All pupils usually attend. Pupils value their education and enjoy the opportunities that the school provides. Staff rigorously ensure that they make contact with the parent or carer of any pupil who is not in school when registration opens, to check their whereabouts.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils join the school with a wide range of complex needs. All have an education, health and care plan. Most have a history of disrupted education, including exclusion, moving between numerous settings and extended periods of home education. Consequently, pupils often have low prior attainment and a reluctance to learn, which the school works hard to overcome.  Taking into consideration the context of their starting points, over time, pupils make strong progress with both their academic work and in their social and emotional development. All pupils who left the school at the end of key stage 4 in 2017 and 2018 achieved nationally recognised qualifications in English and mathematics, which enabled them to get a job, join the local college or take up an apprenticeship.  Currently, older pupils are preparing well for qualifications in English, mathematics and employability to support college placements and skills-based training.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

 Key stage 3 pupils, who joined at the start of term, are already making strong progress in English and mathematics, seen both in lessons and in their work. Some pupils write with great imagination and use extensive vocabulary. They use punctuation accurately and can self-correct when re-reading their work.  Teachers often plan learning to deliver cross-curricular themes, for example using the drawing of Ancient Egyptian symbols to prompt a discussion about the cultural aspects of this civilisation. This helps pupils to make connections in their knowledge that are more complex and support further progress and understanding of the wider world.  Teachers make certain that pupils take every opportunity to read in lessons and, consequently, many are fluent and confident readers. Pupils enjoy regular visits to the local library, where they choose books to suit their interests. This helps to encourage them

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

to read at home.  The wider curriculum offers an extensive range of opportunities for all pupils to reflect on possibilities for the next steps in their education, employment or training, and so to drive up aspirations.

p.7

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.

p.8

School details

Type of school Other independent special school

p.8

School details

Date of previous inspection 4–6 October 2016

p.8

Information about this school

 The school opened in 2012.  The school occupies the basement and first floor of the three-storey building  The school is registered to take boys and girls. All have education, health and care plans for their social, emotional and mental health needs. All are funded by Norfolk local authority.  Since the previous inspection, there have been changes to the leadership of the school.  The new proprietor, PCT Education Services Limited, took over as owners of the school in January 2018.  The previous headteacher, who led the school at the time of the last inspection, was reappointed as headteacher of the school in January 2018.  The proprietors have established a new governing body to oversee the management of the school.  The school has changed its name from Copperfield School and is now known as Novaturient School.  The school does not use alternative providers.

p.8

Information about this inspection

 The inspector visited lessons in each key stage jointly with the headteacher and looked at pupils’ work, curriculum plans and assessment information.  Meetings were held with the proprietor, the headteacher, the chair of governors, senior teachers, and parents.  Telephone discussions were held with parents and the lead officer for quality assurance for the local authority in order to seek their views. No responses were made to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. The inspector looked at questionnaire responses completed by staff during the inspection.  Informal discussions were held with pupils.  The inspector examined the school’s website and looked at a range of documentation, including: documents related to safeguarding; school policies available for parents to see; minutes of meetings of the governing body; attendance information and the school register; records of exclusions and records of behaviour; the school’s self-evaluation; and

p.10

Inspection team

Kay Leach, 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 .

p.10

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

Inspection team

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11