Ratcliffe School

Inspection report for residential special school - Orchard Manor School 1 Orchard Manor School Orchard Manor School, John Nash Drive, Dawlish, Devon EX7 9SF Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

Orchard Manor School is a local authority provision. It provides education for 167 children aged three to 19 years. It offers weekly residential provision for up to 35 children, irrespective of gender. At the time of this inspection, 24 children were residing at the school. The accommodation comprises four residential houses. The residential provision was last inspected in November 2017.

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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: 21 November 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good Inspection report for residential special school - Orchard Manor 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

 Children thoroughly enjoy staying at the residential provision, and their parents also speak positively about their children’s experiences. In particular, children say that they love the wide range of activities that are on offer to them.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff encourage and support children effectively to develop their independence skills.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff develop good relationships with children and provide them with genuine warmth and affection. Children say that they feel listened to by staff. Although this is a residential school, children stay in an environment that is like a positive family- style setting.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and managers take effective action to safeguard children. They contact the local designated officer promptly to seek advice and to discuss concerns.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Positive behaviour is promoted well, and the use of physical intervention is rare.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and managers have developed a comprehensive and realistic action plan to further develop the residential provision.

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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 managers’ monitoring of children’s records and staff recruitment records requires improvement. Important care planning documents do not always reflect the specific needs of children.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Although students receive debrief discussions following the use of physical intervention, the format used to seek and record their views is not presented in a child-friendly format.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The debrief discussions that take place with staff following the use of physical intervention do not always include an opportunity for reflective conversations.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) is not reviewed regularly to ensure that the least intrusive approach is adopted. Inspection report for residential special school - Orchard Manor School 3

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

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 The records specified in Appendix 2 are maintained and monitored by the school and action taken as appropriate (national minimum standard 13.8).

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 The issues specified in Appendix 3 are monitored, and action taken to improve outcomes for children as appropriate (national minimum standard 13.9).

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 The school produces a written placement plan, agreed as far as is practicable with the child, the child’s parents/carers and any placing authority for the child, unless the information is held elsewhere such as in the child’s statement of special educational needs or education, health and care plan. The placement plan identifies the needs of that child that the school should meet and specifies how the school will care for the child and promote their welfare on a day-to-day basis. Where significant changes are made to the placement plan there is appropriate consultation. Where applicable the plan is consistent with the care plan of the placing authority for any child placed by a local authority. The placement plan is regularly reviewed and amended as necessary to reflect significant changes in the child’s needs or progress in his or her development. Where feasible, children in the school are aware of the content of their placement plans, and confirm that the

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school is providing care for them that is consistent with the plans (national minimum standard 21.1).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the format used to seek and record students’ views following the use of an intervention is presented in a child-friendly format and adapted for those children with complex needs.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the discussions with staff following the use of an intervention demonstrate reflective practice.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that leaders and managers continue to review the need, purpose and function of the use of CCTV. Inspection report for residential special school - Orchard Manor School 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality care and support when they stay at this residential provision. Children say that they love staying here and thoroughly enjoy their residential experience. A child said, ‘It’s really good here. I feel listened to and the staff are great.’ A strength of the provision is the wide range of activities offered that children thoroughly enjoy. For some children, they experience activities that they may not have the opportunity to do so otherwise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have the skills, experience and ability to develop positive relationships with children. They know the children very well. As a result, children receive individualised care and support from staff who prioritise their needs and provide them with genuine warmth and affection. The atmosphere observed is like that of a happy family home. A child said, ‘It’s like being in a regular home but it’s school.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers ensure that there is an effective assessment process that clearly identifies the needs of children before they come to stay at the school. This ensures that the provision can meet the children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to develop their independence skills. Children regularly shop, prepare and cook meals and learn to use public transport independently. As a result, children feel proud of their achievements and this develops their self-esteem. Parents speak highly of the care and support that their child receives and can identify the progress that their child has made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Effective arrangements for the management of medicines and healthcare provision ensure that children’s healthcare needs are met.

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

Leaders and managers take effective action and contact safeguarding agencies and other professionals promptly when concerns are raised in relation to the safety and well-being of children. All staff receive regular safeguarding training and demonstrated an understanding of how to keep children safe.

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

Children say that they feel safe in the residential provision and that staff help them effectively to stay safe. Children have a good understanding of the importance of keeping themselves safe when using the internet.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted well. Staff are consistent in setting boundaries and children consider that the rules are fair. The head of care thoroughly scrutinises records in relation to behaviour management and physical interventions. Parents recognise the improvements in their child’s behaviour and say that this has transferred to the home environment. In addition, staff do not use sanctions to manage behaviours. This demonstrates the good relationships that staff have with Inspection report for residential special school - Orchard Manor School 5 children.

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

Physical intervention is rarely used in the residential provision. If used, physical intervention is a last resort to keep children safe. Discussions take place with children and staff following an intervention. However, the format currently used to seek and record children’s views is not presented in a child-friendly format or adapted for those children with additional support needs. In addition, discussions with staff do not always include opportunities to reflect on their practice.

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

Since the last inspection, children have not gone missing from the residential provision. There are no concerns in relation to bullying and children have not made any complaints.

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good

Since the last inspection, two schools have merged to form the one school. This has included merging two residential provisions. Leaders and managers said that the primary focus was to ensure that the amalgamation of the residential provisions did not adversely affect children. Leaders and managers have managed this transition well. They have reflected effectively on what went well and the lessons they have learned. The residential provision is an important and integral part of the school.

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good

However, the new leadership team and the introduction of revised working arrangements, processes and systems need to embed into practice. This inspection has highlighted that the management’s monitoring of children’s risk assessments and personal evacuation escape plans requires further improvement. This is because not all of these documents reflect the specific needs of the children. In addition, the management’s oversight and monitoring of staff recruitment records require further improvement. However, these shortfalls do not have a direct impact on the safety and well-being of children.

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good

Since the last inspection, new care planning documents have been introduced. These documents are in the early stage of implementation and not all of them comprehensively identify and address children’s specific needs.

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good

The head of care has developed a comprehensive and realistic action plan to improve the residential provision further. In addition, the independent visitor continues to provide good scrutiny and makes recommendations to help the service to develop.

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good

Staff speak very positively about the support and guidance that they receive. They say that the senior leadership team is approachable. Staff receive regular supervision and specific training to provide them with the skills to meet the needs of the children. They speak positively of their training opportunities and how this has informed and improved their practice. Leaders and managers take effective action to address poor staff performance. Inspection report for residential special school - Orchard Manor School 6 Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have reviewed the use of CCTV in the residential provision. However, this inspection has identified that regular reviews in relation to its use and purpose need to occur to ensure that the least intrusive approach is used.

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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 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 - Orchard Manor School 7

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC003895

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential special school

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Residential special school details

Email address: mrose@orchardmanor.devon.sch.uk Inspection report for residential special school - Orchard Manor School 8

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Inspector(s)

David Kidner, social care inspector (lead) Sharron Escott, social care inspector Inspection report for residential special school - Orchard Manor 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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