Charlton Park Academy

Inspection report for residential special school - Charlton Park Academy 1 Charlton Park Academy Charlton Park Road, London SE7 8HX Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

This residential special school, commissioned by the Royal Borough of Greenwich, provides 207 places to students aged 11 to 19. During weekdays and term-time only, the school provides up to 11 residential places in four shared bedrooms and one single bedroom in the residential unit, Rainbow House. Currently, a total of nine students use this service for short breaks.

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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 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: 29 January 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for residential special school - Charlton Park Academy 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and make progress in the residential setting. Children who experience short breaks are making positive progress and have access to a range of new experiences. Consistent boundaries, alongside the excellent care provided, enable the children to thrive and grow together despite displaying often challenging behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care is characterised by consistent routines and boundaries in line with care plans. A dedicated staff team delivers care that is respectful and communicated in a language that the children understand. The school’s integrated approach across care, communication and education ensures that the children receive a level of care that effectively meets all their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have an active lifestyle during their short breaks. They enjoy a range of activities both in the residential provision and in the local community, for example wheelchair ice skating, cinema outings and beauty makeovers. Some children attend weekly scout group meetings. Parents said that they appreciate the range of activities and spoke highly of the opportunities afforded to their children to go out on trips and engage with the wider community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to communicate using their individual communication methods. They each have access to iPads with a personal ‘wiki diary’. This is a device used by the whole school, designed to enable children to let people know what matters to them. This virtual diary enables the children to share their experiences, activities and successes through words, pictures, sound and video. Staff and parents can contribute to their diary, and this ensures that children’s views and needs are clearly communicated to the people involved in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The service has widened its remit to provide residential stays for children with autistic spectrum disorder. Joint working between school staff and families, together with effective training, helps staff to understand the specific needs of children with this disorder. Staff have a good understanding of triggers to behaviours. Behaviour support plans provide strategies to support the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Where children have additional health needs, staff respond to these appropriately in line with advice and support from experienced medical professionals who are integrated into children’s support systems. The residential provision safely stores and records medication.

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

Arrangements for ensuring the protection and safety of children are of an extremely high standard, and practice is supported by robust policies and procedures. Senior Inspection report for residential special school - Charlton Park Academy 3 staff who lead on safeguarding are highly effective and have excellent external links with a range of professionals. As a result, children receive an exceptionally high quality of care and protection.

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

The school and the residential setting use the ‘positive behaviour support’ model. This model focuses on promoting and supporting children in safe and caring behaviours towards each other and the staff team. There have been no incidents requiring the use of restraint since the last inspection.

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

Individual support plans are developed for each child. Identified triggers and types of behaviour are recorded and analysed in order to minimise any potential challenging behaviours. As a result, children are helped to develop self-control through staff guidance and positive reinforcement.

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

The senior management team and residential staff receive regular training. This includes training on radicalisation, child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation and differing cultural practices. All staff demonstrate excellent safeguarding thinking and practice.

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

Children live in a safe environment. All necessary health and safety checks are in place. Trained staff address maintenance issues promptly. Staff involved with recruitment follow safer recruitment practices. Only adults deemed suitable to work with children are employed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced and well-qualified interim head of care is leading the running of Rainbow House until a permanent appointment is made. Staff respect his leadership. Many of the staff team have worked at the residential unit for several years, showing commitment and dedication to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A dynamic and effective senior management team knows the school’s strengths and is continually looking for areas for development. Governors and leaders undertake regular monitoring checks of the residential provision. They spend time with the children who understand that their views, wishes and feelings are integral to decision-making. Leaders and managers act as role models who promote an ambitious vision and have high expectations of what the children can achieve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff receive regular good-quality and structured supervision, which supports their work with children. Records provide good evidence of residential staff experiences and the investment in their individual development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Care staff work exceptionally well alongside school staff and other professionals, such as speech and occupational therapists, to ensure that children make continuous progress against their plans and targets. They share information so that each child receives excellent care, and there is consistency across the disciplines. When children Inspection report for residential special school - Charlton Park Academy 4 are looked after by their local authority, the staff are strong advocates for children when writing concise progress reports for statutory reviews.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff communicate exceptionally well with parents and have developed trusting relationships with them. Parents feel free to discuss anything in their child’s life that may affect their care or education. A parent commented, ‘I trust the staff implicitly. They deal with everything, and I can call any time I want.’ Another parent commented, ‘The whole staff team [goes] over and beyond in their care of my son. Everything is done at his pace. They show him love and genuine affection.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The care manager has developed a comprehensive self-evaluation document for the residential setting. This document sets out the strengths and areas for improvement. This self-evaluation document reflects the aspirations and the aims for children, to prepare them for the next phases of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Equality and diversity are interwoven seamlessly into everything that the school does. Children’s cultural, ethnic and religious needs continue to be exceptionally well met and supported in the school and the residential setting. Inspection report for residential special school - Charlton Park Academy 5

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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 - Charlton Park Academy 6

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC044128

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Headteacher/teacher in charge: Mark Dale-Emberton

Type of school: Residential special school

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Headteacher/teacher in charge: Mark Dale-Emberton

Email address: MDALE-EMBERTON@charltonparkacademy.co.uk

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Inspector

Juanita Mayers, social care inspector Inspection report for residential special school - Charlton Park Academy 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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