Pulse and Water College

Inspection of Pulse and Water College 3rd Floor Block 0, 18-36 Wellington Street, Woolwich, Greenwich SE18 6PF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are ambitious for all pupils. Most pupils live up to these high expectations. Pupils feel safe and appreciate the support that they receive from staff. They said that staff are friendly and approachable. Relationships between staff and pupils are typically positive and respectful. Pupils who join the school at different times are made to feel welcome. They settle quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils generally behave well in lessons and around the school. They respect each other. If bullying does occur, teachers deal with it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ personal development is a priority. Staff support pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs well. This means pupils have a better chance of doing well when they return to mainstream school or move on to their next stage of education. Pupils enjoy a range of activities in addition to their academic subjects, including drama, art, sport and cooking.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want all pupils to be successful and well prepared for the future. They enter them for a range of qualifications. Pupils recognise the value of attending the school and want to come.

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better?

Pupils study a broad and ambitious curriculum. In English, mathematics and science, pupils’ knowledge is assessed when they start at the school. Staff then consider the content of the subjects and plan what to teach in what order to meet the individual needs of each pupil. This helps individual pupils build on what they know and can do.

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better?

Leaders work well with families and carers to ensure a good understanding of the difficulties that some pupils face in coming to school. This helps staff to tailor the help they provide. Pupils attend regularly. They are ready to enter classrooms and learn because of the strong support they receive from staff.

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better?

Subject plans are well structured, and teachers have good subject knowledge. Pupils recall previously learned work and relate it to new learning. For example, in science, Year 10 pupils were able to recall work completed on plant and animal cells and relate it to work on growth in plants. Pupils enjoy mathematics because the work is carefully planned to build on their individual knowledge. Strong modelling of calculations by staff increases pupils’ confidence in their ability to complete work. On occasion, particularly when staff are teaching outside their subject specialism, teachers do not plan the next steps in individual pupils’ learning so precisely. As a result, in these lessons pupils are not able to build their knowledge with as much success.

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better?

In English, staff focus on improving pupils’ writing and spelling skills. The 12–14 November 2019

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programme of study is well planned, and pupils study challenging texts such as ‘Oliver Twist’, ‘Emma’ and ‘Sherlock Holmes’. Teachers introduce pupils to new words and give them the opportunity to practise their understanding of what they are reading. However, the school’s approach to improving reading across the school is not as thorough or well organised as it could be, including for weaker readers. The most able readers do not have enough support in developing their love of reading beyond the classroom. This limits the progress pupils can make when learning other subjects and does not help to prepare them as well as it should for future success in life.

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Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve by the time they leave the school. Pupils study a range of academic and vocational subjects. They are expected to take GCSEs and other useful qualifications. More broadly, pupils are helped to understand the world they live in, for example by discussing the news and local issues. They are encouraged to think about what they want to do in the future. Leaders ensure that pupils receive helpful advice about their next steps.

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Pupils’ behaviour is good. They respond well to staff. Pupils develop strategies to deal with emotions that previously had caused them difficulties. Teachers quickly spot pupils who are beginning to find things hard. They usually understand the cause of these difficulties and provide good support. As a result, the atmosphere in lessons and around the school is calm.

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The proprietor has ensured that all the independent school standards are met. The school complies with schedule 10 of The Equality Act 2010. Staff feel well supported by leaders. They appreciate the training they receive, which helps them to understand how to manage pupils’ different needs.

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Leaders act with integrity and are well placed to further improve the school. They have the same high expectations of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They ensure that these pupils have the same opportunities as everyone else. The actions that they take are always in pupils’ best interests.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are sharply aware of pupils’ individual needs and put plans in place which help to prevent pupils coming to harm. Pupils have access to counselling, and other external support agencies.

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Safeguarding

In the school, the proper recruitment checks are made, and all staff receive regular training and updates in safeguarding. Concerns are reported and acted on promptly. Safeguarding policies are up to date and records well kept. Pupils are taught to understand how to keep themselves safe, including in their communities and when online. 12–14 November 2019

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Much work is done to improve pupils’ literacy skills. Nevertheless, there needs to be an even sharper focus on reading. This includes developing pupils’ reading skills and their love of reading. This will help pupils to be better prepared for future life and learning.  Leaders should ensure that teachers in all subjects are helped to develop their knowledge and expertise, so that everyone can contribute effectively to curriculum design and delivery. This is particularly the case where teachers are working outside of their subject specialism.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

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

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 12–14 November 2019

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School details

Unique reference number 141315 DfE registration number 203/6004

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School details

Inspection number 10092526 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Email address admin@pulseandwatercollege.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3–5 October 2017 12–14 November 2019

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Information about this school

 Pulse and Water College is an independent school in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The school caters for pupils who have been excluded from other schools or are at risk of being excluded.  During the inspection, the school had one pupil who exceeded the school’s registration age.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the proprietor, head of education and head of inclusion.  We looked closely at how mathematics, science and English are taught. As part of this process, we met with subject leaders, visited lessons, talked with teachers and pupils, and looked at pupils’ work.  We reviewed safeguarding procedures in place at the school, including the single central record and child protection and safeguarding policies. An inspector met with the designated leader of safeguarding and a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Carolyn Dickinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kanwaljit Singh Ofsted Inspector 12–14 November 2019

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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