Barbara Speake Schools for Performing Arts

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Barbara Speake Schools for Performing Arts East Acton Lane, East Acton, London W3 7EG

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b)  At the previous inspection, there was a lack of communication between senior leaders and an insecure understanding of the action to take when dealing with safeguarding and child protection issues. The headteacher and the proprietor had not paid full regard to the latest statutory guidance and requirements on safeguarding. For example, there was no fully trained designated safeguarding leader.  This inspection found there to have been some improvements to the school’s culture of safeguarding. The new leaders now communicate effectively. Staff have completed an appropriate level of training in line with the school’s suitable child protection policy, which pays regard to the latest statutory guidance and is available on the school’s website.  However, the designated safeguarding leader has not recently completed an appropriately enhanced level of training to enable him to fulfil his statutory

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Main inspection findings

responsibilities. In addition, the school’s approach to safe recruitment of staff lacks rigour. In particular, the application, interview and reference processes are weak.  The standard remains not met. Paragraph 15  During a routine check on the current number of pupils on roll, the inspection found the admission register to be non-compliant. The total number of pupils identified on the register does not match the number on roll. Information, such as the full names and addresses of some pupils’ previous schools, is missing.  This standard is not met.  The independent school standards checked in this part are not met. Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled Paragraph 33, 33(j), 33(j)(i) and 33(j)(ii)  Though there have been no formal complaints raised since the previous inspection, routine checks found the school’s complaints policy to be out of date. For example, it refers to making a complaint directly to an assistant headteacher, when the role no

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Main inspection findings

longer exists. In addition, the school’s complaints log does not identify each complaint’s stage of resolution, and any action taken as a result.  This standard is not met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)  The school’s new proprietor is committed to transforming the school. The preliminary work towards such a significant task has been positive, including the appointment of a new substantive headteacher. Pupils spoken to during the inspection were overwhelmingly positive about the recent changes made to improve their school.  However, leaders acknowledge they have much work to do to overhaul the school’s policies, systems and processes to ensure consistent compliance with all the independent school standards. As a result, the standard in this part remains unmet.  The proprietorship of the school remains incorrect on the Department for Education’s

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Main inspection findings

‘Get information about schools’ database. This is because the new proprietor’s Disclosure and Barring Service check countersigned by the Secretary of State is still being processed. Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  At the previous inspection, the school’s accessibility plan was out of date.  This inspection found this to still be the case: the three-year 2015–2018 plan has not been reviewed and updated.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet 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, as set out in the annex of this report. 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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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 All-through school for performing arts

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £9,000 to £10,500

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 30 April–2 May 2019

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Information about this school

 Barbara Speake Schools for Performing Arts (formerly Barbara Speake Stage School) is an independent day school for boys and girls. It specialises in the teaching of the performing arts.  The school has a new proprietor, but this information is not reflected on ‘Get information about schools’ because the required vetting checks are still being processed.  A new substantive headteacher took up his position in September 2019.  The school is registered for 140 pupils aged four to 16 years. There are no children aged four on roll at the school.  The school was last inspected in May 2019, when it was judged to be inadequate.

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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.  Following the school’s full standard inspection in May 2019, leaders were asked to submit an action plan. Ofsted judged the school’s action plan to be not acceptable. It was subsequently rejected by the Department for Education (DfE).  The DfE requested that this first progress monitoring inspection consider whether particular independent school standards contained within Parts 3 and 8, and some additional associated requirements, are now met.  The inspection was conducted without notice.  The inspector met the proprietor and the new headteacher. He toured the premises with the headteacher and reviewed key documents and policies in relation to the independent

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Information about this inspection

school standards that were checked. He also met with all pupils in Years 10 and 11, and some pupils in Years 8 and 9. The inspector also spoke with a senior social care colleague in the local authority.  There were no recent responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents (Ofsted Parent View) to consider.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain not met at this inspection

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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–

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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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–

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently;

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Standards that were met at the previous inspection, but are now judged to not be met at this inspection

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 15 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006.

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

 33 The standard about the manner in which complaints are handled is met if the proprietor ensures that a complaints procedure is drawn up and effectively implemented which deals with the handling of complaints from parents of pupils and which–

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

– 33(j) provides for a written record to be kept of all complaints that are made in accordance with sub-paragraph (e) and – 33(j)(i) whether they are resolved following a formal procedure, or proceed to a panel hearing; and

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

– 33(j)(ii) action taken by the school as a result of those complaints (regardless of whether they are upheld). 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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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

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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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

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/ofsted .

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

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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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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