Hopwood Hall School

Inspection of Hopwood Hall School 15 Highfield Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3DU

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in this small, peaceful setting. Before starting at Hopwood Hall school, pupils have often had extended periods out of education. Leaders have designed the learning spaces to help pupils feel more positive about being in school. Pupils feel at ease in the environment that leaders have created.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils settle quickly when they join the school. Staff make sure they get to know pupils’ individual emotional needs before they start. Leaders introduce pupils to the school and staff gradually to help them feel confident and ready for when they start full time. There are excellent relationships between pupils and staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There have been no issues with bullying so far. The strong relationships between staff and pupils mean that if any issues did arise, they are likely to be identified and tackled quickly. Pupils’ behaviour is very positive. Staff support pupils to manage their emotions. There is a calm atmosphere around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have not paid enough attention to supporting pupils’ academic needs. The curriculum is poorly designed. Specialist teachers for some subjects, such as science and art, are yet to start teaching in the school. Pupils make little progress in the subjects they study.

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better?

Leaders have gone to great lengths to ensure that pupils’ emotional needs are met. Staff work closely with families to ensure that they understand pupils’ backgrounds and particular needs. This work has been very successful. Pupils trust and respect the staff and are happy to attend school.

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better?

Pupils make poor progress in all subjects. Leaders have not designed a curriculum that meets pupils’ academic needs. They have schemes of work but have not adapted or developed these schemes into coherent curriculum plans. There is nothing in place to show how teachers will deepen and develop pupils’ knowledge and skills in any subject, including literacy and numeracy. There is no logical order to what is taught. Most learning is delivered as a set of activities or projects which do not link together. Leaders have not considered how teaching should build on previous learning carefully enough. For example, in science pupils are set work from an examination book. This does not take into consideration what pupils may have learned previously and what scientific skills they already have. There is currently no science teacher in school, so any work in science is supervised by non-specialists. Leaders have also not thought about how well the curriculum will prepare pupils for

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better?

their next steps when leaving the school.

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better?

Assessment systems do not enable teachers to have a detailed understanding of what pupils can already do, to help them plan for their future learning. This does not help teachers to provide pupils with work that is suitably challenging. It also means that the school cannot provide parents and carers with a clear 22–24 October 2019

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assessment of the performance of their child. Leaders have ideas to develop how pupils are assessed, but have not planned how this will happen yet.

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Leaders’ vision is to design a curriculum around pupils’ interests. Because of this, they have allowed pupils to choose whether they want to study particular subjects or not. This means that pupils do not have full experiences of linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social and creative and aesthetic learning. For some pupils, the curriculum is very limited and includes only English, mathematics, science and history. Physical education (PE) is currently limited to a weekly swimming session and table tennis. No other learning takes place in PE.

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Some teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve academically are too low. When pupils find work challenging they let them give up too easily. This means that pupils do not try as hard as they should in their lessons. They make very limited progress in their learning because of this.

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Leaders have not considered how to support pupils’ personal development well enough. They are not preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils have very limited personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. There is little in place to encourage pupils to respect other people, including in relation to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development is also poorly supported. Leaders have a ‘vision and plans’ for what needs to be taught but have nothing in place at this time. Leaders have yet to introduce careers education, information and guidance. There are no extra-curricular clubs or activities in place currently. While pupils’ personal development is poorly supported, leaders ensure that there is no discrimination in the school. They do not undermine fundamental British values.

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Leaders and trustees understand the requirements of the independent school standards. However, they have not ensured that all of the standards are met. Leaders have focused on developing the school’s building and the spaces where learning should take place. The classrooms in use provide a calm learning environment. However, this work is not complete. For example, the art room is not fully resourced or used. The library and information and communication technology areas are also unfinished. Leaders have not ensured that the school is ready to deliver a suitable academic education. The curriculum is poorly designed and incomplete. This means that the vast majority of standards in Parts 1 and 2 are unmet.

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Leaders have not ensured that standards relating to the welfare, health and safety and premises are met fully. While there is a clear behaviour policy in place, it cannot be implemented fully. This is because no member of staff has undertaken appropriate physical intervention training. The health and safety policy is not fully implemented. For example, electrical testing was carried out during the inspection. No fire alarm testing has taken place since the school opened and no fire evacuation drills have taken place since the school opened. At the time of the inspection, there were no staff qualified as first aiders. Leaders do not ensure that all relevant risk assessments, such as fire risk 22–24 October 2019

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assessments, are followed. This means that leaders cannot ensure that the premises are maintained properly to ensure that pupils are safe as far as reasonably could be expected.

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The chair of the trustees has plans to check how well the school is meeting the standards. Regular monitoring of leaders’ work to hold them to account is planned but had not started at the time of the inspection.

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Leaders and trustees have ensured that the school meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a poor culture of safeguarding. Leaders updated the safeguarding policy during the inspection. But it still does not meet the specific needs of the school. It does not take into account current government guidance. The policy is made available to parents on request. Staff completed safeguarding training during the inspection. Staff did not show that they have a strong understanding of safeguarding procedures. There are no robust procedures in place to report any concerns about pupils in the absence of the designated safeguarding lead.

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Safeguarding

There are no internet filtering systems in place. While staff supervise pupils’ use of school computers, pupils could access the internet from their personal devices. The PSHE curriculum is poor. Leaders have not considered how they will teach pupils how to keep themselves safe well enough.

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Safeguarding

Leaders follow safer recruitment procedures when appointing new staff. They carry out all the required safeguarding checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 There is a poor culture of safeguarding. This means that pupils’ safety is compromised. To help keep pupils as safe as possible leaders and the trustees should ensure that: – all safeguarding policies and procedures are updated and reflect current statutory guidance and the specific circumstances of the school – all staff understand and apply what is in the updated policy – all staff and trustees regularly update their safeguarding training and check that staff understand the training – there are clear arrangements for reporting concerns about pupils, including clarity about who staff should report any concerns to in the absence of the 22–24 October 2019

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designated safeguarding lead – filtering systems are in place so pupils are kept safe when using the internet – the curriculum is developed so pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe when in and out of school.  Pupils make weak progress because the curriculum is poorly planned. The school’s curriculum is too narrow. Pupils do not have enough experiences to develop their linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social and creative and aesthetic learning. Leaders should ensure that there are detailed curriculum plans and schemes of work in place for every subject. These plans should show how pupils’ knowledge and skills are developed progressively over time to help them deepen their learning and make strong progress academically. Leaders should check that the plans are adapted to meet individual pupils’ learning needs and that the work they set challenges pupils. All staff must help

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pupils to become more resilient in their learning and not to give up. Leaders should make arrangements to enable pupils to have access to a broad and rich curriculum. They also need to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to deliver the curriculum well.  There is no effective assessment system in place. This means that work is not planned well enough to meet pupils’ needs. Leaders need to develop an assessment system that identifies carefully where pupils are in their learning. Staff should then use this information to plan for pupils’ next steps in learning.  Pupils have very limited access to PSHE. Leaders have not paid sufficient attention to this aspect of pupils’ education. To prepare pupils for life in modern Britain, leaders need to develop the PSHE curriculum. The curriculum should include how pupils’ SMSC development will be supported. The curriculum also needs to include how impartial careers advice and guidance will be delivered.

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Leaders need to develop a range of extra-curricular activities to provide for pupils’ broader development.  Some independent school standards relating to welfare, health and safety and premises are not met. Leaders must ensure that they take the required actions to remedy the unmet standards quickly to ensure that pupils’ safety while they are in the school is not compromised. They need to check that the required training for first aid and physical intervention are completed and maintained, risk assessments are undertaken and actions are followed through. They also need to make sure that fire drills and fire alarm tests are regularly carried out and all parts of the health and safety policy are adhered to.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. 22–24 October 2019

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 22–24 October 2019

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School details

Unique reference number 146780 DfE registration number 330/6045

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School details

Inspection number 10119167 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Email address info@hadleyeducational.co.uk

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Information about this school

 The school was registered by the Department for Education in June 2019. This is the school’s first standard inspection.  The school does not use any alternative providers. 22–24 October 2019

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection 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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Information about this inspection

The school has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the manager of special educational needs and a trustee. The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with the chair of the trustees.  Inspectors focused on English, mathematics, history and PSHE as part of this inspection. They also looked at science and PE during the inspection. Inspectors discussed the curriculum design with the headteacher, reviewed pupils’ work in these subjects, spoke to teachers about pupils’ learning and visited a number of lessons.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation provided by the school. They looked at school policies, curriculum documents and documents relating to health and safety.  Inspectors reviewed a range of safeguarding information including the checks that leaders make on staff prior to employment. They checked the school’s safeguarding policy and spoke to staff about the school’s safeguarding procedures. Inspectors checked staff’s safeguarding training. They also checked

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Information about this inspection

the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe when in school, including when using computers.  The lead inspector met with a parent. There were no responses to Parent View and no free-text responses.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s staff or pupil questionnaires.  Inspectors met with staff to discuss their views about the school.

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Inspection team

Ann Pritchard, Her Majesty’s Inspector Lead inspector

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Inspection team

Melanie Callaghan-Lewis Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Bev Petch Ofsted Inspector 22–24 October 2019

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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 EHC plan; and  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; – 2(2)(d) personal, social, health and economic education which-

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(d)(i) reflects the school’s aim and ethos; and – 2(2)(d)(ii) encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act; – 2(2)(e) for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to- date careers guidance that- – 2(2)(e)(i) is presented in an impartial manner; – 2(2)(e)(ii) enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options; and – 2(2)(e)(iii) helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential; – 2(2)(h) that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress; and – 2(2)(i) effective preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society.  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

develop their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(b) fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves; 22–24 October 2019

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– 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught;

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– 3(f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress.  4 The standard in this paragraph is met where the proprietor ensures that a framework for pupil performance to be evaluated, by reference to the school’s own aims as provided to parents or national norms, or to both, is in place.

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

 5 The standard about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school is met if the proprietor- – 5(a) actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; – 5(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which- – 5(b)(i) enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self- confidence; – 5(b)(ii) enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England; – 5(b)(iii) encourage pupils to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated and to society more widely; – 5(b)(iv) enable pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England;

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

– 5(b)(v) further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures; – 5(b)(vi) encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act; and – 5(b)(vii) encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England; 22–24 October 2019

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– 5(c) precludes the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in the school; and – 5(d) takes such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that where political issues are brought to the attention of pupils- – 5(d)(i) while they are in attendance at the school, – 5(d)(ii) while they are taking part in extra-curricular activities which are provided or organised by or on behalf of the school, or – 5(d)(iii) in the promotion at the school, including through the distribution of promotional material, of extra-curricular activities taking place at the school or elsewhere.

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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.  9 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that- – 9(b) the policy is implemented effectively.  11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.  12 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.  13 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that first aid is administered in a timely and competent manner by the drawing up and effective

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

implementation of a written first aid policy.  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured. 22–24 October 2019

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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; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. 22–24 October 2019

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