Brompton Hall School

Inspection report for residential special school - Brompton Hall School 1 Brompton Hall School Brompton Hall School, High Street, Brompton-by-Sawdon, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO13 9DB Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

Brompton Hall School is a local authority maintained residential special school for up to 65 boys, located near to Scarborough in North Yorkshire. The residential provision accommodates up to 43 pupils and provides extended days to a number of pupils who do not board. All pupils have an education, health and care plan in respect of their complex needs. There are three residential units within the main building that are age-related. The youngest pupils are accommodated in a separate house within the school grounds. The residential service operates term-time, Monday to Thursday. At the time of inspection, there were 37 boarders. The age of pupils was from eight to 16 years old.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The residential special school provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of previous inspection: 16 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for residential special school - Brompton Hall School 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This residential special school is good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The pupils make good progress in all areas of their development.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The pupils enjoy a range of activities, which help them to develop their social skills and confidence.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The pupils thrive in a stable environment, which offers them structure and routine.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The senior leaders are aware of the strengths and areas they need to develop.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The senior leaders have plans in place to address areas of development.

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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

 The residential leaders are not clear on their job roles. Consequently, the residential leaders are not consistently fulfilling their management responsibilities effectively.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Best practice for the auditing, recording and the administration of controlled drugs is not being followed.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Risk assessments do not always clearly define risks and do not provide staff with clear instructions for managing risk. Inspection report for residential special school - Brompton Hall School 3

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special schools

The school does not meet the following national minimum standard for residential special schools:

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special schools

 13.4 The school’s leadership and management consistently fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the standards are met.

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Recommendations

 Policy for administration of medication should reflect guidance provided by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (Handling of Medicines in Social care) (National Minimum Standards, standard 3 paragraph 3.6) This is specifically in relation to the auditing, recording and administration of controlled drugs.

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Recommendations

 The school ensures that: arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of children at the school (National Minimum Standards, standard 11 paragraph 11.1) Consider updating the quality of information in risk assessments so that risk is clearly defined, and the actions staff are to take to manage risk are clear. Consider providing clear evaluation as to how risks are graded. Inspection report for residential special school - Brompton Hall School 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The pupils enjoy spending time with the staff. The staff know the pupils well. The staff use their knowledge of each pupil to tailor care to the pupils’ likes and dislikes. The pupils feel secure in this calm and stable environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The pupils enjoy a variety of activities, which help them to improve their social skills and confidence. Their life experience is broadened by the range of activities that the pupils access on the school grounds and in the community. On the school grounds, the pupils access the outdoor play areas, the all-weather football pitch, the school gym and the games room. In the community, the pupils like going to the motorbike track, the swimming pool and to the beach.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The pupils make good progress in all areas of their development because learning is reinforced across the 24-hour curriculum. Every opportunity is taken by the staff to strengthen the pupils’ learning, both in the day and in the evening. Events such as mealtimes, bedtimes and morning routines are providing good opportunities for pupils to develop essential independence and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The pupils partake in regular physical activity. This is improving both their physical fitness and the pupils’ mental health. The school nurse works with the pupils and the staff to ensure that the pupils’ physical and emotional needs are supported. Where the pupils need additional support, the nurse works with the staff to source specialist services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The recording and auditing of controlled drugs is not robust. Consequently, this failing could lead to a delay in identifying drug administration issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The pupils feel valued because staff listen to their views. The pupils are regularly consulted about the care they receive. The staff help the pupils to hold regular pupil councils. The pupils share their ideas during the council, and where possible the staff help them to put ideas into practice.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

High priority is given to the pupils’ safety. The procedures for keeping the pupils safe are effective. The designated safeguarding officers are quick to act when any potential safeguarding issues arise. The school’s designated safeguarding officers work with other professionals in the local authority to make sure that they take effective action to protect the pupils.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The pupils’ anxiety reduces, and their behaviour improves, because they thrive in the consistent routine. The staff use their positive relationships with pupils to manage challenging behaviour. Consequently, physical intervention is used as a last resort. Inspection report for residential special school - Brompton Hall School 5 Bullying is not tolerated. The pupils feel confident to talk to the staff if they have any worries. The staff help the pupils to resolve conflict.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There are risk assessments in place to help staff to manage risk. The information in the risk assessments does not always clearly define the risks presented. The risk assessments do not always detail actions the staff should take to manage risk. As a result, this could lead to staff managing risk inconsistently.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff have regular training, which helps them to identify wider risks to the pupils, such as radicalisation and sexual exploitation.

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good

Since the last inspection of this residential provision there has been instability in the leadership team. This has led to some residential staff lacking confidence to follow through their job roles in areas related to management. The interim headteacher is focused on improving the residential service and now has a better oversight of the residential provision. She has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development.

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good

The head of care is currently absent from her role. The roles of the new extended leadership team in the residential setting are not clearly defined. The lead residential childcare officers are not clear about the areas which they should be monitoring. They have not been given a clear understanding of the expectations of their roles. Consequently, there are shortfalls in the monitoring of care practice. There is a new action plan in place to define extended leadership roles and clarify management monitoring systems. The effectiveness of this cannot be assessed at this point.

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good

The senior leadership team is ambitious for the pupils to achieve socially and academically. The leadership team works with the staff to ensure that the care is focused around the needs of pupils.

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good

The pupils benefit from intervention from specialist services. The leadership team works in partnership with other services, such as counsellors and family support workers.

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good

A new independent visitor is helping the interim headteacher to improve care practice. The interim headteacher benefits from support from the school governors.

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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 Inspection report for residential special school - Brompton Hall School 6 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, 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 - Brompton Hall School 7

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC007923

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Headteacher/teacher in charge:

Type of school: residential special school

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Headteacher/teacher in charge:

Email address: headteacher@bromptonhall.n-yorks.sch.uk Inspection report for residential special school - Brompton Hall School 8

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Inspector

Jamie Richardson, social care inspector (lead) Inspection report for residential special school - Brompton Hall School 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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