Compass Community School South

Compass Community School South Hilltop House, Palmerston Road, Newhaven, East Sussex BN9 0NS

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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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

 This happy, welcoming and highly effective school provides a safe, friendly and attractive learning environment for pupils and staff.  Leaders successfully combine high-quality care, skilful therapy and extremely effective teaching to support pupils’ development. As a result, pupils make exceptional progress, both personally and academically.  Clear expectations and well-established routines ensure that pupils settle into the school quickly. Pupils work hard and behave extremely well.  The school provides very effective support for pupils’ personal and social development. As a result, pupils rapidly grow in confidence and gain self-esteem.  The school successfully helps pupils to develop a renewed sense of purpose and direction by the time they leave the school.  Pupils enjoy learning and want to do well. They develop a renewed sense of purpose and direction during their time in the school.  The school’s broad and engaging curriculum

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

enables pupils to develop secure knowledge and skills across a range of subjects. This ensures that they are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Leaders give pupils’ safety and well-being the highest priority. They ensure that safeguarding procedures are rigorously followed by all staff.  Strong relationships throughout the school ensure that pupils feel exceptionally safe, valued and respected.  Leaders work closely and very effectively with agencies and colleges to support pupils in the move to the next stage of their education.  Governors are well informed about the school’s curriculum and about pupils’ personal and emotional progress. However, they are less clear about pupils’ academic progress. Recent improvements in reports to the governing body give a more precise view of pupils’ learning but are not yet fully established.  Leaders and governors make sure that all independent school standards are in place.

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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?

 Make sure that recent improvements in recording and reporting pupils’ progress are fully established so that governors have a more precise view of this aspect of the school’s performance.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 Leaders and governors provide exceptional leadership for the school. They have established a skilful staff team since the school opened a year ago. Extremely effective teaching ensures that pupils make substantial gains in their learning.  Leaders provide strong role models for the staff team. They lead with determination, commitment and humanity. All members of staff share leaders’ high expectations. They are ambitious for their pupils and for the school.  Leaders, staff and governors work extremely well together to support pupils’ personal, social and academic development. They construct a strong framework of support for each pupil so that pupils feel safe and learn well. The school’s calm, caring and hard-working atmosphere makes a strong contribution to pupils’ learning and well-being.  Leaders have developed a carefully planned curriculum to support pupils’ individual needs. Leaders and teachers continually review and adapt teaching to ensure that pupils of all

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

abilities make the same substantial and sustained progress from their different starting points.  Leaders provide good-quality training for their staff team, including specialist training to develop teachers’ understanding of pupils’ complex personal and emotional needs. As a result, all members of staff are extremely knowledgeable about pupils’ circumstances and provide skilful and highly effective support.  Effective careers guidance contributes very well to pupils’ ambitions and to their motivation to achieve academic qualifications. Pupils know that achieving recognised qualifications will give them greater access to the next stage of their education and more options in future careers.  Leaders give pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development a high priority. They give pupils plenty of opportunities to learn about life in the United Kingdom. Topics such as British history, the rule of law and the role of the British Parliament are central to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

pupils’ growing understanding of their place in society, their personal responsibility and their respect for others. Extra-curricular activities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme, make a valuable contribution to pupils’ personal and social development.  Recent developments in reporting pupils’ progress have ensured that governors have a more accurate view of pupils’ learning over time than previously. However, improvements are not yet complete. Leaders have rightly identified this as the next step in the school’s development.

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Governance

 Governors provide effective challenge and support for school leaders. They make good use of a range of evidence, such as discussions with members of staff and visits to the classrooms, to gain an overview of the school’s work.  Governors evaluate the school’s performance with increasing rigour and accuracy. In the past year, the chair of governors has successfully encouraged her fellow governors to ask challenging questions. The chair of governors is keen to secure further improvements in systems for reporting pupils’ progress to governors so that they develop an even more precise view of the school’s work.  Governors are clear about their responsibilities for pupils’ learning and safety. They work closely with leaders to ensure that staff recruitment checks are up to date and that safeguarding policies and procedures are compliant.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have established rigorous and consistent safeguarding procedures throughout the school. All members of staff pay close attention to pupils’ safety and well-being.  Leaders maintain detailed safeguarding records, which are stored securely and confidentially. The school’s safeguarding policy complies with current government requirements and is available to parents on request. Leaders and governors make sure that recruitment checks are complete and up to date.  Teachers and therapists liaise about pupils’ progress continuously. They adapt teaching and therapy according to pupils’ changing needs and maintain strong links with agencies, including social services and the police.  Leaders make good use of regular staff briefings to keep all members of staff informed about pupils’ personal and social needs.  Leaders make sure that the school is maintained to a high standard. Classrooms are well-

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Safeguarding

equipped and all areas of the school are clean and tidy.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Consistently strong teaching ensures that gaps in pupils’ understanding are addressed quickly and effectively. Teachers have a deep understanding of how best to secure pupils’ progress. They evaluate pupils’ starting points accurately when they join the school and tailor the curriculum carefully to support pupils’ needs.  Highly effective teaching ensures that pupils make exceptional progress in English, mathematics, science, history and other subjects. They use a range of resources and approaches skilfully to capture pupils’ interest and to develop their understanding. As a result, pupils quickly make up for lost time in their education, acquiring the secure skills and positive attitudes needed to achieve well.  Extremely effective teamwork lies at the heart of the school’s success. Teachers, teaching assistants and therapists work very constructively together. They regularly share ideas and expertise and respond flexibly to pupils’ interests and to their developing needs.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teachers combine high expectations of pupils’ learning with sensitive and constructive support. As a result, pupils develop a strong sense of personal responsibility for their own learning.  Teachers make sure that pupils are clear about what they need to do to be successful in examinations and to secure qualifications. For example, they give pupils helpful information about GCSE examination specifications and regularly remind pupils about the next steps in their learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils’ excellent progress in developing personal and social skills prepares them exceptionally well for their future lives. They rapidly develop the confidence, positive attitudes and personal skills needed to learn successfully. For example, the work in their books indicates an increasing willingness to persevere when tasks become difficult.  Pupils understand the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. Notable improvements in individual pupils’ attendance reflect the school’s success in re-engaging them in education. Pupils’ attendance is much higher than the national average.  Pupils contribute enthusiastically to discussions and debates. For example, during the inspection pupils made mature and perceptive comments about the workings of the House of Commons during a lesson on the British Parliament.

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Personal development and welfare

 Respectful and caring relationships between adults and pupils ensure that pupils feel valued, secure and comfortable. They say that adults are helpful and look after them very well.  Pupils understand how the school’s rules help them to keep safe, including when using the internet.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Strong relationships and highly effective support ensure significant improvements in pupils’ behaviour.  Pupils are interested in learning. They settle quickly at the start of lessons and work hard. Pupils listen carefully to their teachers and to each other.  Daily and ongoing discussions enable leaders, teachers and other members of staff to share information about pupils’ safety and well-being promptly. They respond to pupils’ developing needs swiftly and effectively.  Adults have extremely high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and set clear boundaries for their conduct. Pupils respect adults, get on well together and follow the school rules.  Bullying is extremely rare. Adults sort out any concerns about pupils’ behaviour quickly, successfully and without fuss.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Pupils have a range of complex personal, emotional and educational needs when they join the school which represent substantial barriers to their learning. The school’s leaders, teachers and therapists are extremely knowledgeable about pupils’ needs, and they provide skilful, sensitive and highly effective support.  Pupils often have substantial gaps in their knowledge and understanding when they join the school due to erratic attendance and periods out of the education system in the past.  Highly effective teaching ensures that pupils flourish during their time in the school, both academically and socially.  Pupils quickly acquire fundamental literacy and numeracy skills which enable them to access learning in increasing depth. Pupils go on to study nationally recognised qualifications, including functional skills qualifications and GCSEs in English, mathematics and a range of subjects. As a result, they are very well prepared with the knowledge and

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

skills needed to access future learning successfully.  The work in pupils’ books illustrates rapid improvements in the quality of their work and growing confidence during their time in the school. For example, pupils’ recent work reflects an increasing appreciation of literature, including Shakespeare’s plays, and an enthusiasm for writing.  Pupils’ progress in mathematics is equally impressive. Pupils rapidly make up for lost learning in the past. Confident number and calculation skills ensure that they tackle mathematical tasks with increasing success.  Pupils learn how to articulate their thoughts, feelings and ideas effectively through a range of media. For example, highly effective art teaching successfully challenges pupils to use new techniques and approaches to complete evocative artwork.  In the past year, pupils who have completed the school’s programme have gone on to pursue further training and qualifications in colleges of further education. This is a

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

testimony to the school’s success in re-engaging pupils in education and in equipping them with the confidence and skills to make plans for the future.

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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

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Website No website specific to the school

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School details

Email address Rebecca.Slayford@compasscommunity.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Compass Community School South provides education for boys with complex social, emotional and mental health issues, some of whom are known to the criminal justice system. All pupils are in the care of the local authority.  Pupils join the school at different times during the school year and at different ages. Their length of stay in the school varies according to their individual needs. Pupils receive education, care and therapy services while in the school.  The school teaches the national curriculum. Pupils study a range of subjects, including English, mathematics, science, geography, history and art. They work towards nationally recognised qualifications, including functional skills qualifications and GCSEs.  The school is registered to admit a maximum of five pupils. Two pupils are currently on roll.  The school opened in October 2017. This is the first standard inspection of the school.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning during five lessons. All visits were completed jointly with the executive headteacher.  The inspector toured the school and its classrooms at different points during the inspection with the executive headteacher. She also visited an assembly.  The inspector spoke with leaders, staff and pupils during the inspection. She considered one response to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and three responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspector met with the school’s proprietor, with the chair of the governing body and with the school’s psychologist.  The inspector reviewed a wide range of school documentation regarding the quality of education, the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements, and the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  The inspector analysed a range of pupils’ work and records of pupils’ achievement.

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Inspection team

Julie Sackett, 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 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

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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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 .

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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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