Manorway Independent School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Manorway Academy 18 New Road Avenue, Medway, Chatham, Kent ME4 6BA

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), (2)(2), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(b)  At the time of the last inspection, the curriculum policy was not fit for purpose. It gave limited information about the breadth of the curriculum and provided insufficient clarity regarding the development of literacy and numeracy skills.  There is now a written curriculum policy that meets requirements, published on the school’s website. The policy states that the school takes into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils. It provides information about the appropriate range of subjects, based on the national curriculum, available to pupils. It provides detailed information about how pupils’ reading, writing and numeracy skills are developed.  Pupils’ timetables show wider opportunities than described in the curriculum policy. For example, pupils take part in additional activities such as forest school and outdoor

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Main inspection findings

education. Pupils have opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities and trips, including sports clubs and cultural visits.  At the time of the last inspection, pupils were not provided with enough opportunities to participate in a variety of physical education activities. The curriculum now provides pupils with a range of physical activity at local gymnasiums and a local leisure centre. Pupils visit the nearby park regularly.  The standards checked in this part are fully met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 12  At the time of the last inspection, the culture to keep pupils safe was not strong enough. Training for staff had not been effective in enabling them to understand their responsibilities to keep pupils safe. Fire safety requirements were not met. Safeguarding procedures were inadequate.  The headteacher and management committee have strengthened considerably their approach to safeguarding matters. They have ensured that a safe culture permeates the school. The school’s child protection policy is published on the school website and takes into account current statutory requirements.  Shortly after the last inspection, the local authority carried out a safeguarding audit and supported the school to carry out actions to strengthen safeguarding practices. Leaders have continued to check safeguarding matters regularly and report findings to the

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Main inspection findings

management committee.  The designated safeguarding leads have undertaken training to gain up-to-date knowledge about safeguarding matters. Staff take part in safeguarding training regularly so that everyone knows how to keep pupils safe. School staff communicate well with parents and carers about pupils’ welfare.  The fire exit now meets requirements. This is because it is unlocked at all times and can be used readily in an emergency. Furthermore, an alarm has been fitted should the fire exit be opened in error. A file of checks of fire equipment is kept diligently. Emergency fire evacuations are carried out and recorded.  Pupils state that they feel safe in the school and are looked after well. Should they have a problem, pupils say they are confident that school staff would resolve it.  Because of the deliberate actions taken by school leaders, the standards checked in this part are fully met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors Paragraphs 18(2), 18(2)(b), 20(6), 20(6)(a), 20(6)(a)(ii), 21(3), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(iii)  In the past, leaders had not carried out prohibition checks on staff fully and had not recorded the outcomes on the single central register.  The headteacher, business manager and chair of the management committee have all completed safer recruitment training. Leaders carry out all statutory checks to ensure that staff employed at the school are suitable to work with children. In particular, the prohibition from teaching and section 128 checks for leaders have been carried out. Administrative records are thorough and a suitable single central register summarises the checks made.  The standards checked in this part are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 24(1), 24(1)(b), 29(1), 29(1)(b)  At the time of the last inspection, there were shortcomings in the accommodation provided for pupils. There were no washing facilities available in the medical room, nor was there enough provision for pupils to play outside.  Leaders have considered the location of the accommodation provided for the short-term support of sick or injured pupils. The medical room now has a washing facility and area for pupils to rest or lie down.  The accommodation does not have an outside play area. Consequently, leaders organise regular physical activities in local leisure centres and other venues. Pupils also visit the park regularly. The timetable shows that these activities take place. Pupils and adults say that pupils have the opportunity to play outside regularly.  The standards checked in this part are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  At the time of the last inspection, leaders were not demonstrating good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role or ensuring that the independent school standards were met consistently. Leaders and those in positions of governance had not ensured that safeguarding was effective. The management committee did not hold leaders to account well enough.  Leaders are determined to improve their school. They developed an action plan that showed the steps they would take to ensure that the unmet independent school standards identified in the previous inspection were met. The Department for Education deemed this action plan acceptable in October 2018. The majority of the plan was implemented quickly within the timescales stated.  The management committee has a clarified purpose, and terms of reference have been

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Main inspection findings

adopted. Management committee members have begun to develop a formal approach to calling school leaders to account. They meet monthly with school leaders, follow an agreed agenda and provide minutes that itemise any actions to take. The headteacher provides management committee members with a report to help them make judgements about the effectiveness of the school. The headteacher has plans to include more pupil progress information in these reports. Leaders are now putting more emphasis on monitoring and evaluation activities, including the monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning. As the headteacher said, ‘The management committee has come a long way but there are still more improvements to make.’  Of particular note is the tightening of procedures to check safeguarding in the school. The headteacher provides a safeguarding report at every management committee meeting. The management committee members have undergone safeguarding training.

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Main inspection findings

All the standards checked regarding keeping children safe have now been met.  Leaders have established effective working partnerships with the local authority. Leaders plan to strengthen links with other schools.  All the unmet standards from the previous inspection have now been met. Therefore, this standard is now met.

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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. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if-  2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub- paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and  2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work-  2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan.  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are-  2(2)(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education;  2(2)(b) that pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that-  7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and  7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  12 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 1 .

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

 18(2) The standard in this paragraph is met if-  18(2)(b) no such person carries out work, or intends to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act, or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction.  20(6) The standard in this paragraph is met in relation to an individual (‘MB’), not being

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

1 S.I. 2005/1541, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations. the chair of the school, who is a member of a body of persons corporate or unincorporate named as the proprietor of the school in the register or in an application to enter the school in the register, if-  20(6)(a) MB-  20(6)(a)(ii) does not carry out work, or intend to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction.  21(3) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is-  21(3)(a) in relation to each member of staff (‘S’) appointed on or after 1 May 2007, whether-  21(3)(a)(iii) a check was made to establish whether S is subject to any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification,

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in such a direction.

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Part 4. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 24(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable accommodation is provided in order to cater for the medical and therapy needs of pupils, including-  24(1)(b) accommodation for the short-term care of sick and injured pupils, which includes a washing facility and is near to a toilet facility.  29(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable outdoor space is provided in order to enable-  29(1)(b) pupils to play outside.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school-  34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and  34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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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

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

Annual fees (day pupils) £15,000 to £23,000

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School details

Email address office@manorwayacademy.com

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 15–17 May 2018

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Information about this school

 Manorway Academy is a registered independent day school for up to 15 boys and girls who have behavioural, social and emotional difficulties. It provides alternative full-time education for pupils who are at risk of exclusion. Pupils attend for varying amounts of time until permanent placements can be found in mainstream or specialist provision.  Currently, there are no pupils with an EHC plan.  The named proprietor is also the headteacher. Governance of the school is provided by a management committee.  The school was inspected in May 2018, when a number of independent school standards were found to be unmet.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The inspector met with the proprietor, who is also the headteacher.  Discussions were held with a member of staff and a parent.  The inspector met with a group of pupils.  A telephone conversation was held with representatives from one of the local authorities that place pupils at the school.  A number of documents were scrutinised, including improvement plans, safeguarding documents, fire-safety records, teachers’ plans and schemes of work, management committee minutes and a number of policies.  The school’s website was viewed.  At the time of the inspection, there were no members of the management committee

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Inspection team

Sue Child, 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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