The Robert Ogden School

The Robert Ogden School Clayton Lane, Thurnscoe, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S63 0BG

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7  The school safeguarding policy meets current government requirements. It has been recently updated to include recent changes in legislation.  School staff have a thorough understanding of the role they play in keeping children safe inside and outside of school. They know what to do should an incident occur and are well versed in how to record incidents and any actions taken.  Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They also receive regular updates on current safeguarding issues. This enables them to be aware of the signs or changes in pupils’ behaviour which may signal a concern.  Pupils feel safe. Despite pupils often having a very high level of need, pupils settle into school routines well. This enables them to begin to respond and manage their feelings and emotions more effectively.  Leaders’ continued actions have ensured that the standards described in this

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Main inspection findings

paragraph remain met. Paragraph 9  The school’s overall behaviour policy is written by the central National Autistic Society’s (NAS) team. Senior leaders in the school have ensured that the policy is adjusted when necessary so that it is bespoke to the school.  Staff are clear about the behaviour policy and ensure that it is used consistently in classrooms across the school.  The recording of all behavioural incidents is carried out very diligently. Incidents of difficult behaviour, including, for example, pupils climbing and or running away, are recorded in individual pupils’ files. This approach enables staff to build up records of each pupil’s pattern of behaviour, which are regularly reviewed by an educational psychologist.  Pupils, because of their high level of need, sometimes require restraining when their emotions are high. When restraints are undertaken record-keeping is once again carried out diligently. Staff follow a set pattern of discussion and debriefing after each

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Main inspection findings

restraint, enabling a clear pathway of reflection and accountability to be followed. Practice is closely monitored by senior staff, trainers and the central NAS staff.  Educational psychologists, working within the school, feel that it is inappropriate to give pupils sanctions as punishments for difficult behaviour. This is due to pupils’ high levels of need which can prevent them from developing an understanding the connection between their actions and the resultant sanction. The school has a sanctions book but currently no entries have been made since 2012.  Leaders’ continued actions have ensured that the standards described in this paragraph remain met.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 11  The school has a comprehensive health and safety policy in place. The policy covers a wide range of different aspects of health and safety, including pupils’ and staff’s personal safety, hazards within the building and pupils’ personal care.  Discussions with a range of staff responsible for ensuring the quality of health and safety processes and procedures demonstrated their commitment to ensuring that the systems currently in place remain effective.  For example, pupils’ personal care is undertaken diligently by well-trained members of staff who have a clear understanding of the importance of retaining pupils’ dignity and protecting themselves. The system in place for cleaning up bodily fluids is effective, and staff are routinely offered biohazard suits, protective gloves and goggles. Disposal of waste is carried out using the required level of hygiene precautions.  Staff also report that should they request further or different health and safety

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Main inspection findings

resources they are always supplied.  Staff also report that only trained staff are permitted to carry out some elements of health and safety practice. For example, carrying out personal care for pupils.  Leaders’ continued actions have ensured that the standards described in this paragraph remain met. Paragraph 14  Class lists produced by school leaders show that the staff to pupil ratio in all classrooms is linked very closely to the requirements of staffing ratios identified in individual pupils’ education, health and care plans.  Discussions with individual staff confirm that this is the rationale for the staffing ratio in each classroom. The teacher is supernumerary to this formula in order to provide sufficient cover if a member of staff is absent.  Observations made in a random selection of classrooms in school showed staffing levels which matched those described by senior leaders. Visits to classrooms also

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Main inspection findings

showed effective supervision for pupils.  Leaders’ continued actions have ensured that the standards described in this paragraph remain met. Paragraph 16  Leaders have put in place an effective system for rationalising and identifying risk in a wide variety of different areas of the school.  Comprehensive risk assessments are in place to cover, for example, disposal of hazardous waste and trips away from school.  Risk assessments follow a clear format, which identifies the level of the perceived risk, and describes clearly and succinctly the risk management strategies to be used to reduce the hazard. Risk assessments written for clearly recognised recurring risks are regularly reviewed by leaders.  Leaders’ continued actions have ensured that the standards described in this paragraph remain met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32  School leaders have ensured that the safeguarding policy is displayed on the school website. School leaders have also ensured that parents are aware that paper copies of the safeguarding policy are available from the school office.  Leaders’ continued actions have ensured that the standards described in this paragraph remain met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34  Senior leaders are diligent about ensuring that the independent school standards remain met. Policies and procedures are reviewed and adjusted on a regular basis. Pupils’ individual needs and behaviour is closely monitored.  Leaders ensure that safeguarding pupils is a key priority for staff within the school. Training is regularly updated. For example, staff have all received training on the impact of recent changes to legislation.  Senior leaders ensure that health and safety is given a high priority within school. Staff review and adapt and make appropriate changes in line with the changing requirements of the school population. Staffing levels are high, in line with the needs of the highly vulnerable pupils who attend school.

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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 residential 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 27

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School details

Proprietor The National Autistic Society

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 13–15 March 2018

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Information about this school

 The school is a residential special school and is all on one site. The school offers both 38 week placements and flexi boarding facilities for up to 10 children at a time aged between eight and 19.  Most pupils who attend the school come from the locality. Others come from local authorities within the north of England.  The school does not use other off-site educational provision.  The educational element of the school was last inspected on 13 March 2018.

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Information about this inspection

 An emergency inspection was requested by the Department for Education as a result of two complaints.  The inspection was carried out without notice to the school.  The inspector held discussions with senior leaders, the lead for behaviour, the health and safety manager, staff, and the school’s newly appointed director of education.  The inspector analysed a range of school documentation including, the health and safety policy, risk assessments, the behaviour policy and the schools’ records of all behavioural incidents.  The inspector also carried out a tour of the school with the headteacher, observing pupils’ behaviour and staff numbers. The inspector also carried out an audit of the school’s hygiene facilities and equipment.

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Inspection team

Marian Thomas, 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

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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

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