North London Hospital School

North London Hospital School Priory Hospital, Grovelands House, Southgate, London N14 6RA

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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 Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Exceptional leadership ensures that pupils receive an outstanding education, which restores their self-belief. The school aims for the successful reintegration of all pupils to their mainstream or other school, known as their ‘home school’.  The executive headteacher, head of school and governors are highly effective. Together, they have ensured that the school meets the requirements of the independent school standards.  The broad curriculum provides engaging activities and experiences. Pupils succeed via a personalised curriculum, which promotes British values, careers education and life skills.  Excellent teamwork exists among staff. They share leaders’ high expectations for this school. Staff are highly reflective and work closely, including with health professionals, to plan learning best suited to pupils’ needs.  The provision for the sixth form is outstanding. Students achieve highly and receive excellent

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

support in preparation for their next steps after leaving this school.  Safeguarding arrangements are effective.  Outstanding teaching inspires pupils to learn. Most pupils continue with their education despite their health needs and make exceptional progress, both academically and socially.  Teachers’ secure subject knowledge enables pupils to achieve high standards in their GCSE examinations, including in English and mathematics.  Assessment is a particular strength. Staff regularly use well-established and highly effective systems to check pupils’ academic progress and their learning attitudes.  A caring ethos and positive climate for learning, which prevail throughout this school, support pupils’ personal development and welfare extremely well.  Pupils’ excellent behaviour reflects the school’s efforts to promote high standards.  Overall attendance is improving. Leaders recognise that a few pupils require further

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

encouragement to improve their individual attendance.

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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?

 Continue to raise pupils’ attendance to be in line with or above the national average.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 Exceptional leadership provided by the executive headteacher and head of school, supported by governance, sustains an ambitious culture for this outstanding school. This includes a focus on enabling pupils to re-engage, aim for their potential and successfully reintegrate to their home school.  Governors who represent the proprietor work closely with school leaders. Together, they have ensured that all the independent school standards are met.  The school’s values (trust, fairness, teamwork, learning, independence and purpose) underpin this successful school. Along with dynamic leadership and excellent teaching, these contribute to significant improvements from the school’s previous inspection. This in turn has a positive effect on pupils’ behaviour and their outcomes both academically and socially.  Morale among the staff is extremely high. Leaders have created a climate of effective professional development and trust staff to take risks in ways that are right for the pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

Often, staff review and debate their practice to make further improvements. All staff responded positively to Ofsted’s inspection survey and they said that they are proud to work at this ‘aspirational’ school.  The highly effective curriculum enables pupils to follow their home school’s learning options, while meeting their needs. If work is not available from the home school, pupils receive a bespoke and rich curriculum. Along with English and mathematics, subjects such as art add to the breadth of the curriculum. Careers education introduces pupils to the world of work and stimulating work placements.  Pupils’ personalised curriculum provides wide-ranging experiences. For instance, educational visits to places of worship enable pupils to learn about and show respect for all cultures. The curriculum promotes British values and equality of opportunities, including the protected characteristics, such as age, race and religion. These play an

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

important part in preparing pupils positively for life in modern Britain.  This school is particularly successful in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Innovative additions to the curriculum, such as managing the impact of mental health on pupils’ capacity to learn, are successfully developing pupils’ life skills. Additionally, programmes help pupils adapt to public spaces and travel. Strong assessment systems show that pupils flourish in these areas.  Leaders are keen to further raise pupils’ individual attendance to maximise their learning time. Leaders know that some absence for medical reasons may be unavoidable but are nonetheless keen to improve individual attendance further to maximise learning time.

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Governance

 Governance is highly effective. Governors are equally ambitious for all pupils to receive excellent teaching which re-engages them with education while they attend the hospital school. The governing body makes a significant contribution to the life and success of the school.  Governors have a deep, accurate understanding of the school’s effectiveness. This is because rigorous systems exist to monitor the provision at regular intervals. Governors use their expertise to support and challenge school leaders, holding them to account for all aspects of school improvements.  The governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities extremely well. Governors make checks to ensure that the independent school standards are met and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Governors have full confidence in school leaders and are rightly proud to be part of this outstanding school.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have ensured that a culture of vigilance exists to ensure that pupils are safe at all times. Safeguarding is accepted as everyone’s responsibility. The safeguarding policy, published on the school’s website, reflects the latest statutory guidance.  Arrangements for the recruitment of staff and procedures to deal with child protection issues follow guidelines. Staff training is up to date and refreshed regularly. Staff understand the steps to take should they have a concern, including the risks associated with child sexual exploitation and radicalisation.  The school works exceptionally well with health professionals, parents and other external partners for the benefit of the pupils. Detailed and timely records show that leaders rigorously follow up referrals made to relevant services to check the appropriateness of actions. Parents and carers receive information on how to keep their child safe, for

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Safeguarding

instance from the exploitation of children into criminal activity.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding throughout the school and meets pupils’ needs extremely well. Deliberate actions have led to consistent improvements since the previous inspection. Excellent teaching ensures that pupils continue with their learning while they are in hospital.  Teaching is highly effective in helping pupils settle into their new environment. Teachers quickly convey the high expectations for all pupils to achieve well. The speed at which teaching enables pupils to engage in their learning is remarkable.  Typically, learning time is purposeful and effective. Aspirational teaching enthuses pupils with their learning and to reintegrate them to their home school. This school’s values of trust, fairness, teamwork, learning, independence and purpose, support this extremely well.  Teachers are very experienced and skilled in supporting pupils, and detailed planning

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

underpins this. Teachers know pupils very well because they work closely with medical professionals. Pupils’ individualised learning includes consultation with the home school, which usually provides study material. Pupils of all abilities, including the most able, work on activities unique to them and so thrive in their studies.  Assessment of pupils is rigorous and highly productive. Initial checks establish pupils’ subject knowledge and learning attitudes when they join the school. Teachers and pupils constantly review the realistic targets. This ensures that pupils move on rapidly in their learning.  Teaching across the curriculum, including in English, mathematics and science, is highly effective. Teachers have great enthusiasm for and deep knowledge of the subjects they teach. Teaching is innovative, flexible and highly creative, leading to excellent use of resources that captivate pupils’ interests.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teaching is highly effective in developing pupils’ skills. Pupils have opportunities to read and are often challenged to analyse and discuss what they have read. Pupils’ learning in art is particularly noteworthy, for example their sculpture designs. Some pupils develop strong artistic skills because of the specialist teaching they receive.  Teachers are very keen for pupils to achieve well. Teachers are consistently encouraging pupils to try their best but are very understanding of their medical needs. This inspires pupils to stay on track with their learning and achieve.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Leaders place a strong emphasis on raising pupils’ self-esteem and confidence. Communication, study and social skills are key areas of pupils’ individualised curriculum. Pupils reflect on their development, which empowers them as they understand how to be a successful learner.  Leaders and teaching staff support pupils’ physical and emotional well-being extremely well. Therapists work closely with leaders and teaching staff to deliver programmes and set targets tailored to pupils’ needs. Opportunities are available for regular physical activity, and pupils learn about nutrition to keep them fit and healthy.  Pupils’ safety and welfare are key priorities at this hospital school. Pupils display a high level of trust in adults to help them in situations to keep themselves safe. E-safety is part of the curriculum and ensures that pupils are aware of the steps to follow for online

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Personal development and welfare

safety. Anti-bullying events teach pupils the effects and types of bullying, including cyber bullying. School records confirm that bullying incidents are rare.  Pupils value their education along with the care and help they receive from their teachers. They feel that their views are always welcomed and listened to on aspects of the organisation of the school. The decision to supply more reading books came as a result of an opinion-seeking exercise. Pupils often use the word ‘supportive’ and the phrase ‘teachers go over and above’ to describe their experiences in the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils are courteous and behave well throughout their learning day. Warm, inclusive relationships mean that staff value pupils and treat them with respect. In turn, pupils get on well together, and this makes a strong contribution to their learning attitudes and behaviour.  The school’s designated classrooms provide a calm and nurturing learning environment. Disruption is extremely rare because pupils concentrate well on the interesting and purposeful activities teachers provide. Eye-catching pupils’ work fills classrooms, including in the art room, and acts as a celebration of their work and learning.  Staff are highly sensitive to pupils’ varying needs and behavioural difficulties. Subtly, staff use effective strategies to defuse situations whenever possible and ensure that problems do not escalate. Exclusions of pupils are non-existent at this school.

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Behaviour

 Most pupils are punctual to their lessons, and overall attendance has improved significantly from the last inspection. Teachers constantly reinforce the school’s high expectations for all pupils to attend school and on time. Despite the caring but persistent approach of teaching staff, a few pupils still require encouragement to rise early and attend school.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Most pupils make substantial progress, both academically and socially, during the short period of time that they are in the school. On entry, many pupils have low levels of enthusiasm and gaps in their education resulting from their medical needs. Excellent teaching enables pupils to re-engage with learning, gain qualifications and enjoy school.  Pupils with varying abilities and different starting points achieve exceptionally well at this school. The most able are suitably challenged and so meet or exceed their targets. Stimulating teaching and interesting resources help lower-ability pupils to make rapid progress. Similarly, disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the help they need to reach their potential across the curriculum.  Throughout all year groups, current pupils make good or better progress in a range of subjects, including English, mathematics and science. Pupils take on board the subject

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

expertise of teachers to make significant gains in their knowledge, understanding and skills. Pupils’ outcomes in art are strong.  The attainment of pupils is high. In 2018, a large proportion of pupils who sat their GCSE examinations, including English, mathematics and science, achieved a good pass and above. Aspirational teaching and appropriate guidance led to almost a third of pupils achieving top grades across many subjects, including in history. Pupils achieved certification in a number of other courses, such as knitting, gardening and ‘making a speech’.  Pupils develop excellent attitudes to learning and social skills over time. Often, pupils are feeling unwell or frustrated by their medical condition but this changes with great perseverance from their teachers. Additionally, pupils’ learning attitudes are rigorously tracked and appropriate intervention applied to enthuse pupils when their motivation dips.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

Some pupils miss out on making further progress in their studies when they do not attend school regularly.  The school prepares pupils exceptionally well for the next stage of their lives after North London Hospital School. Most pupils are successfully reintegrated into their home school to continue with their education. Others receive the necessary guidance and tools to embark on further studies, employment or training. Conversations with pupils demonstrate that they are hopeful and have goals for their future education or joining the world of work.

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Sixth form provision Outstanding

 The sixth-form provision models the high aspirations that leaders, including governors, have for the younger pupils of the school. Leaders have ensured that students are able to continue with their education, including A-level studies, while receiving treatment at the hospital.  Leadership and management of the sixth-form provision are excellent. Leaders have ensured that all the independent school standards in relation to the provision are met.  The sixth-form curriculum is suitably varied to meet the diverse academic and medical needs of all students. They also receive careers education and impartial advice to consider their next steps in education, employment and training. Some have undertaken work experience aligned to their future career choice, including working with animals.  Students demonstrate high standards of behaviour and extremely positive attitudes towards their learning. Their respect for diversity and preparation for life in modern

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Sixth form provision Outstanding

Britain is strong.  Students enjoy an extensive range of outstanding teaching. Students make good or better progress and develop appropriate skills in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Highly effective systems of tracking students’ learning attitudes inform teachers’ planning, and where to direct extra help should a student need it.  Students’ outcomes in the sixth-form provision are strong. They tend to perform slightly better on vocational courses and non-qualification activities such as physical education and mindfulness than academic subjects. However, this is not always the case.  Students’ destinations after this school are carefully planned. The school’s information indicates that all sixth-form students who left in the last academic year have progressed to education, employment or training opportunities.  Attendance is close to the national average. Leaders recognise that a few students will

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Sixth form provision Outstanding

benefit from a rise in their attendance at school.

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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

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 11

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School details

Proprietor Priory Education Services Ltd

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School details

Website www.priorychildrensservices.co.uk

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School details

Email address NorthLondonHospitalSchool @priorygroup.co m Date of previous inspection 18–20 October 2016

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Information about this school

 North London Hospital School provides specialist education for pupils admitted to the hospital’s child and adolescent mental health service unit (CAMHS) at the Priory North London Hospital in Enfield. The school’s classrooms are based on and very close to the hospital ward.  Pupils and students at the school have special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorders, and social and emotional needs. They are usually admitted to the hospital during a mental health crisis.  Pupils attend school for a period of 12 weeks on average before they are discharged from hospital. A small number of pupils are admitted for shorter or longer periods. Almost all pupils are dual registered with their home school.  There are currently a very small number of pupils on roll with an education, health and care plan.  Priory Education and Children’s Services own the hospital and school. They are a countrywide provider of CAMHS-specific specialist schools, colleges and education

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Information about this school

services.  The executive headteacher is also responsible for two other hospital schools, The Chelmsford Hospital School and Ticehurst Hospital School. Each of the three schools has its own full-time head of school to manage the school on a day-to-day basis.  Both the current executive headteacher and head of school were in post at the previous standard inspection, which took place in October 2016, when its overall effectiveness was judged to be good.  Since the last inspection in October 2016, a material change inspection took place in November 2017 that resulted in a published report. It indicated that the school was likely to meet the relevant school standards if the school increased its capacity from 18 to 22 pupils.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school’s mission is ‘to enable every young person to develop their courage, determination and skills as a learner so that they can re-engage and reach their full

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Information about this school

potential within and beyond our school’.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector made visits to lessons in all year groups to observe pupils’ learning, accompanied by school leaders.  The inspector examined pupils’ assessment information, viewed pupils’ work across a range of subjects, listened to pupils read and talked to pupils informally about the progress they were making. A meeting was held with a group of sixth-form students to ascertain their experiences of the school.  A range of evidence was collected to check compliance with the independent standards, including scrutinising safeguarding procedures, the school’s policies and curriculum plans. A tour of the school’s premises was carried out.  Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, head of school and two members of the governing body.  Telephone conversations were held with the chair of the governing body and parents to hear their views of the school.  The inspector spoke formally to all teaching staff and considered seven responses to

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Rosemarie McCarthy, 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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