Rosa House School

Rosa House School Bridge House, 1 Stuart Road, Bredbury SK6 2SR

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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 Outstanding

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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 positive and happy. Leaders have ensured that it helps pupils to engage with their learning and to succeed.  Leadership has many strengths. Leaders have successfully steered the school through its first half year of operation. It is already making a significant difference to pupils.  The school is very well organised. The lead teacher has adopted tried and tested systems from other schools but has adapted and extended these to best match pupils’ needs.  The proprietor, in his role as director of education for the company which owns the school, provides knowledgeable and challenging governance.  The school is well equipped. However, the current facilities do not include specialist space for practical subjects, such as art and cookery.  Pupils make strong progress in developing positive attributes, such as their self-esteem and confidence. Their progress across the full range of academic subjects is at an earlier

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

stage, so is less sustained and their understanding is not as deep.  Staff give the safeguarding of pupils very high priority. Safeguarding is effective.  The relatively early stage of pupils’ education in the school means that much of teachers’ work has been aimed at developing pupils’ skills and confidence. In addition, pupils have filled gaps arising from previously disrupted schooling. Teachers have had less focus on long-term learning across the whole curriculum.  The school provides a wide range of subjects and activities. Learning is built around a core of English, mathematics and science, but also includes aspects as diverse as art, looking after animals, Japanese and horse riding. Pupils also experience activities that help them to restore their confidence in themselves and school.  Pupils are looked after very well. They are known well by staff. Staff adjust their teaching and strategies for managing pupils’ behaviour in

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

response to daily circumstances.  Pupils behave very well. They are polite, friendly and respectful of adults and each other. There have been no recorded instances of serious misbehaviour or bullying. Pupils attend regularly.  Leaders, including the proprietor, ensure that the school meets the independent school standards.

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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?

 Leaders, teachers and other staff should further build on pupils’ strong progress in developing their confidence and skills for learning in order to secure the best possible academic progress across the curriculum.  Leaders should further broaden the curriculum and pupils’ practical learning by ensuring that the plans to extend and enhance the school building are completed as quickly as possible.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The lead teacher has very successfully led the initial development of this relatively new school. She has worked closely with colleagues, including the proprietor, who is also Care 4 Children’s (C4C’s) director of education and the company’s head of education, to create a very positive learning experience for pupils. She ensures that pupils’ success is celebrated, and that pupils believe that they can, and will, succeed. The school’s expectations are very high and all those involved work hard to meet these. Despite the continuing challenges some pupils face, the school’s atmosphere is a happy one where laughter is often heard.  Leaders and other staff have built this ethos on a determination to re-engage pupils in learning. Staff’s high levels of commitment to pupils helps them to successfully achieve this aim. Leaders ensure that pupils’ views on their school are listened to and, where possible, acted on. For example, leaders arranged for two rabbits to become classroom

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

pets. These are now an integral part of the life of the school. Pupils have very positive views about the school.  The school is very well organised. Its systems are based on those already working in other schools owned by C4C. However, the lead teacher has adapted these to make sure that they match the particular circumstances of this school and the needs of pupils.  Leaders know what the school does well and are honest in identifying things that will help it to improve further. This, together with the successes so far, gives those involved confidence that its development will continue. The training for staff provided by C4C is comprehensive and allows staff to be confident in the specialist skills needed for their work.  The curriculum is well planned to meet the developing needs of pupils. It is designed around three phases, which start with a careful programme to help pupils to accept that, whatever their previous experience, school is for them. This phase has considerable

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

emphasis on activities and direct support to build pupils’ confidence. However, it also includes a broad range of subjects and activities so that pupils can become interested in and enjoy learning. During this first phase, teachers also ensure that weaknesses in pupils’ subject knowledge that have built up over time are filled. The phase-one curriculum’s focus on securing earlier learning and preparing pupils to be more confident in future learning, means that they have less opportunity to make rapid academic gains. However, where pupils have a particular interest, for example in studying Japanese, then leaders make sure that this can be addressed. Leaders intend that the second phase will start to move pupils’ learning more closely towards a more traditional school curriculum, which will be delivered in phase three. As classes are very small and pupils are known very well by staff, teachers adjust the balance between activities so that the curriculum is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

adjusted to match the needs of each pupil. In phase one, activities outside school are carefully controlled to ensure that pupils are happy while taking part. Pupils explained how much they enjoy horse riding, which is provided for them during and after the school day.  Leaders ensure that pupils are very well supported in developing their spiritual, moral, social and cultural skills. Aspects of these form a key part of helping pupils to have a positive view of themselves, and of school and the wider world. In addition, pupils are taught about important values, such as respect for and tolerance of others, and about democracy.  The school classroom is looked after well by pupils and staff. It provides an attractive place for pupils to learn. Care 4 Children has detailed plans to extend the provision into a currently unused part of the buildings. This will provide specialist facilities for practical

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

learning in, for example, art and cooking. Currently, the activities staff can provide in subjects such as these are somewhat restricted.  Leaders have close contact with parents, carers and others with similar responsibility. Such partners are highly complimentary about the difference the school makes to the lives of pupils.

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Governance

 The director of education provides governance for the school. He ensures that detailed information about all aspects of the school’s performance is shared each week. This is followed up in detailed meetings involving school staff, representatives of C4C and, where appropriate, pupils. This system forms part of the very clear lines of accountability for staff. It allows the director of education and the head of education to provide helpful support to the school. It also ensures that there is a high level of challenge so that pupils gain the most benefit. As the school is becoming more and more established, the amount of support is being reduced and so, proportionately, the level of challenge is being increased.  The proprietor and other leaders ensure that the independent school standards underpin school’s provision. These standards are properly met.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Staff are highly aware of the potential vulnerabilities of pupils at the school and so ensure that systems and approaches to safeguard pupils are thorough. They know about risks which could affect pupils, such as grooming to become involved in gangs or being exploited in other ways. Staff training is up to date, including about the latest government guidance on safeguarding, first aid and circumstances when it may be appropriate to have physical contact with a pupil.  Staff’s close knowledge of pupils means that they are sensitive to any changes in demeanour or mood which could indicate that pupils are unhappy or worried.  The procedures for ensuring that members of staff and visitors are suitable to have contact with pupils are systematic and include the necessary checks.  The safeguarding policy reflects current government guidance. The school does not have

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Safeguarding

a website, so this policy is not published online. However, the policy is readily available on request from the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching challenges pupils and helps them gain the skills and confidence they need to progress further. Teachers’ expectations are very high. Pupils respond very well to these in their behaviour and effort.  When pupils join the school, teachers use a range of tests to assess their attainment and wider attributes. Teachers use information from this testing to plan learning which benefits each individual. As learning progresses, teachers’ continuing assessment is supported by the strong and individual relationships between staff and pupils. Teachers and other members of staff are highly encouraging. They recognise and praise pupils’ success. This leads to pupils trying even harder.  Teachers are flexible so that learning can respond to daily circumstances. For example, a teacher adjusted their approach during an English class to take account of pupils being unavoidably late. This enabled the pupils present to benefit from the teaching provided,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

even though this was not quite as originally planned.  The strong learning relationships mean that teachers can address important but sensitive topics in their teaching without upsetting or worrying pupils.  Staff use resources effectively to make learning engaging. For example, the classroom has a small library, with some books chosen by pupils. Where needed, to help pupils gain confidence and practise their skills, teachers hear pupils read prose and poetry each day.  Teachers use things that happen day by day to make teaching relevant to pupils’ experience. For example, after pupils found some frogs near to the school, teachers encouraged them to find out about how frogs can be kept safely. This practical learning continues as the school has set up an aquarium for some frogs. Pupils continue to learn about science and their responsibility for other creatures as they care for the frogs.  Homework is set regularly. Teachers plan this to correspond to each pupils’ learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching is extended further by bringing specialist teachers into the school. These include subject specialists, who also teach in other schools owned by C4C, to enable pupils to continue with subjects that they have started to study elsewhere. In addition, a teacher linked to Burnley Football Club provides a sports-related approach to developing pupils’ self-esteem and physical ability.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Staff ensure that the school is calm and purposeful, which helps pupils to understand that they are being looked after well.  The progress made by pupils in all aspects of their learning is only possible because of the changes in pupils’ attitudes achieved by the school. These arise from very thorough knowledge of pupils and carefully planned programmes of support. Teachers provide these by working in conjunction with specialists, including, for example, a clinical psychologist. This means that pupils’ emotional needs and mental health are understood and responded to very well. The school’s focus on individual pupils also means that those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities have these properly considered.  The weekly review meetings organised by the school, include close consideration of

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Personal development and welfare

pupils’ progress and wider needs. These meetings include teachers, specialist staff and other representatives of C4C. These meetings ensure that teachers’ knowledge of pupils is finely tuned to changes as pupils develop their confidence and skills.  Pupils are closely supervised throughout the school day. Information about their progress is shared with parents each school day.  The school’s computer system only allows access to suitable websites and is closely monitored to ensure that pupils do not deliberately or inadvertently find unhelpful or inappropriate information. Pupils are taught to understand the risks which can arise when using the internet.  The curriculum includes suitable opportunities for pupils to learn about how to be healthy, for example in their recent study of the human body in science.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils behave very well. There have been no recorded instances of very poor behaviour or bullying since the school opened.  Pupils attend school regularly. In the previous school year, pupils’ absence was considerably less than typically seen across all schools. While absence has increased slightly since the start of this school year, this is as a result of pupils’ medical and other needs. Teachers provide very successful encouragement to ensure that pupils want to be in school. In return, pupils demonstrate their commitment to school by attending well.  The strengths in pupils’ conduct and attendance are often in highly marked contrast to that in their previous schools. Pupils are proud of how they are doing at Rosa House School.  The school’s systems for encouraging good behaviour include frequent reward of pupils’ success, in both the short- and long-term. However, these also make the school’s high

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Behaviour

expectations very clear. For example, pupils understand that swearing is not allowed. Pupils do not swear in school.  The inspector saw pupils taking part in learning and trying hard to succeed. Pupils do not disrupt their own learning, or that of others. They are polite to, and respectful of, their classmates and adults, whether staff or visitors. However, pupils are sometimes cautious of interactions with each other while taking part in class activities.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 The school intends that pupils will take external qualifications appropriate to their ability. However, pupils have not attended the school for long enough as yet to complete any such qualifications.  Teachers identify that pupils have moved forward from the baseline established when pupils joined the school. However, they have not yet completed the first formal rechecking of their initial tests on pupils. These are scheduled later this term.  Pupils make strong gains in the skills and attributes needed to let them learn well. For example, their self-esteem and pride have increased, and they now believe they can achieve and succeed. In addition, they make clear progress in their literacy and numerical skills. During the inspection, pupils were keen to share examples of their success in English and mathematics.  Pupils’ exercise books sometimes show inconsistent progress, often because teaching has

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Outcomes for pupils Good

concentrated on filling gaps left from pupils’ previous, disrupted education. Pupils experience examples of challenging learning which leads to strong progress, for example in English and science. However, in line with the expectations of phase one of the school’s curriculum, this academic learning is not deeply embedded across all subjects.  Pupils’ marked gains in wider aspects, such as their attendance and participation, put them in a position to help them make further gains in their learning in the future.  Even at this relatively early stage of their experience in the school, teachers help pupils to consider their future options. For example, teaching and other activities involving animals have allowed teachers to help pupils learn more about further education courses and possible jobs in this area.

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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

Email address tariq.verpalen@care4children.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Rosa House School is a small independent school located in a rural setting. The premises have recently been converted to be suitable for use as a school.  The school is owned by Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd.  The school caters for girls aged from 11 to 18 years who have experienced trauma in their lives. Some of the pupils have emotional, social and mental health difficulties, including some who have an education, health and care plan.  All pupils are looked after by their local authorities and have experienced disrupted education and significant periods out of education.  The school uses off-site facilities for physical education lessons at local leisure centres and sports facilities.  The school does not use alternative off-site provision for pupils.  There are currently no pupils of sixth-form age.  The school’s motto is ‘Beyond Expectations’. The school places particular importance on

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Information about this school

‘recognising, rewarding and celebrating all individual achievements’. The school offers ‘learning and behavioural support so that pupils access a full curriculum and achieve a range of qualifications, drawing on the national curriculum, examination courses, including GCSE and functional skills, and a breadth of accredited vocational courses’.  ‘Get information about schools’, the Department for Education’s website that publishes key details about schools, states that the proprietor is Care4Children Residential Services Ltd. However, this is inaccurate. The proprietor is the company’s director of education, Tariq Verpalen.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met with the lead teacher, the proprietor, who is also the director of education of the company which owns the school, and the company’s head of education. He had discussions with other members of the company’s staff team, with a visiting teacher from Burnley in the Community, a charity linked to Burnley FC, and with a social worker from a local authority which commissions places at the school.  The inspector had discussions with pupils in and out of lessons.  The inspector observed teaching and learning. He scrutinised pupils’ books as a joint activity with the lead teacher.  The inspector examined school documents about outcomes, teaching and learning, behaviour and leadership. These included the school’s record of self-evaluation and school improvement plan. In addition, he considered records and information about safeguarding.  The inspector scrutinised policies and other documents to provide information about

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Information about this inspection

the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  There were no responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents.  The inspector considered six responses from members of staff to an inspection questionnaire provided by Ofsted, as well as pupils’ responses to surveys about their school experience recently administered by the school.

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Inspection team

David Selby, 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

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

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