Overley Hall School

Overley Hall School Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF6 5HE

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b)  Leaders ensure that effective arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school. For example, leaders make sure that there is a good pupil to staff ratio, which means that pupils are well supported.  The school’s safeguarding policy is fit for purpose and is published on the school’s website, together with related policies.  The designated safeguarding leads are skilled and knowledgeable. All staff have had training at the appropriate level for safeguarding in line with the latest guidance from the Secretary of State, effective from September 2018. Staff understand the guidance.  Staff share information about safeguarding successfully. Safeguarding meetings and reviews of actions take place frequently. Leaders regularly update risk assessments, including those relevant to staff. This means that staff are well

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Main inspection findings

informed of how to keep pupils safe, including in the administration of medication. Leaders ensure that the welfare of staff is secured.  Leaders work effectively with social services, the Local Safeguarding Children Board and other relevant agencies.  Staff are aware of the particular difficulties faced by pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that pupils can make their wishes, concerns and needs known to staff. Any medication prescribed for pupils is secured and managed effectively.  Leaders’ checks on staff’s suitability to work with children and young people are secure. Recruitment systems are followed well. All the required checks are recorded accurately on the single central record.  The standards for paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b) continue to be met. Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1)(c)  The school’s safeguarding policy is on the school’s website and is available in hard

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Main inspection findings

copy for parents on request.  The standard for this paragraph continues to be met. Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled Paragraphs 33, 33(a), 33(b), 33(c), 33(d), 33(e), 33(f), 33(g), 33(h), 33(i), 33(i)(i), 33(i)(ii), 33(j), 33(j)(i), 33(j)(ii) and 33(k)  The regulating authority asked that the inspector should focus on any other standards relevant to the commissioning of this inspection.  The school’s complaints policy is fit for purpose. It sets out clear systems for the informal and formal stages of handling a complaint. It links effectively to the school’s whistleblowing policy; both policies are well understood by staff. Staff know who they can go to if they have concerns, including any worries about senior managers or the proprietor.  The policies are on the school’s website and a hard copy can be made available to parents on request.  No formal complaints have been received by the school since the last inspection.

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Main inspection findings

 All of the standards in this part continue to be met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c))  Leaders demonstrate a good understanding of the independent school standards. They have taken appropriate action to ensure that these standards are met consistently.  School leaders have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils’ welfare and personal development are at the heart of leaders’ planning. The school has a strong safeguarding culture. For example, the school arranges a wide range of trips and visits for pupils and the safeguarding plans for these events are thorough and reasonable.  Since the last inspection, leaders have formed a governing body made up of nine members. They intend to train these new governors in a range of roles and responsibilities. Governors have already begun to monitor the quality of safeguarding.  A high level of morale exists among the staff, who feel trusted and well informed.

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Main inspection findings

Leaders have ensured that levels of recruitment are good and strongly promote pupils’ welfare and personal development.  The school works with several local authorities. Leaders have good and productive relationships with local authorities’ designated safeguarding officers.  Leaders ensure that staff’s management of pupils is good. Staff are well trained in, for example, supporting pupils with autism spectrum disorder. Staff give very effective support to pupils, keeping them safe. Staff demonstrate high levels of respect, dignity and understanding to pupils.  All of the standards in this part continue to be met. Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  The regulating authority asked that the inspector should focus on any other standards relevant to the commissioning of this inspection.  The school has an accessibility plan that is fit for purpose.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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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

School status Independent special 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 7

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 18–20 September 2018

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Information about this school

 Overley Hall is an independent special school. It is in extensive woodland grounds near Wellington in Telford, Shropshire. The school opened in 1981. It consists of the original school building, a large Victorian house, and a newer, purpose-built classroom block. There are a range of other facilities on site, including a well-maintained garden and horticulture area, a cinema, a hydrotherapy pool and a farm shop, used to help pupils learn a variety of vocational skills.  The school has provision for up to 24 pupils aged eight to 19 years. All the pupils have SEND, including autism spectrum conditions and complex needs.  There are currently 19 pupils on roll, aged between 10 and 19. Seven of these pupils are aged 16 to 19 years.  All the pupils have an education, health and care plan. Most pupils are children looked after.  Nearly all the pupils are of White British heritage.  Pupils are placed at the school by local authorities. The school currently caters for

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Information about this school

pupils from seven different local authorities.  The school does not use any alternative providers. Leaders ensure that pupils have supervised work experience.  The school’s previous standard inspection was in September 2018, when it was judged requires improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 This unannounced emergency inspection was conducted by Ofsted at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. It was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. This inspection was carried out in response to a complaint relating to the care and welfare of pupils at the school.  The inspector was taken on a tour of the school and visited a range of classes to observe pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning.  A meeting was held with the proprietor.  The inspector met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, who are both designated safeguarding leads.  There were meetings with the pastoral deputy headteacher, members of the therapy department, the teaching staff and pupils.  The inspector had a discussion with a local authority designated officer.  A range of school documents were scrutinised, including policies for safeguarding and child protection, behaviour and anti-bullying, and health and safety, including

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Information about this inspection

risk assessments and the administration of medicines.

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Inspection team

Graham Tyrer, 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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