Herington House School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Herington House School Mount Avenue, Hutton Mount, Brentwood, Essex CM13 2NS

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)  At the standard inspection in June 2019, this standard was met.  The school’s safeguarding procedures remain effective.  Staff know pupils well and understand the need to pass on any concerns without delay. Staff receive regular, up-to-date training about the most recent legal guidance.  Pupils say they feel safe at school and that they are kind to each other. They told me they all have an adult they can talk to if they have any concerns. They state that bullying is very rare and, if it does occur, is always sorted out quickly by staff.  The curriculum provides pupils with information about how to keep safe, for example when using the internet.  This independent school standard continues to be met. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraph 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(c)(i)–(iv), 18(2)(d), 18(2)(e), 18(3)

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 20(6), 20(6)(a), 20(6)(a)(i)–(ii), 20(6)(b), 20(6)(b)(i)–(iii), 20(6)(c) Paragraph 21(1), 21(2), 21(3), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(i)–(viii), 21(3)(b), 21(4), 21(6), 21(7), 21(7)(a), 21(7)(b)  At the standard inspection in June 2019, these standards were met.  The school’s single central record of pre-employment checks is accurate and well maintained, and it shows that all required checks have been carried out.  These independent school standards continue to be met. Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 31(1), 32(1)(c)  At the standard inspection in June 2019, this standard was met.  The school’s child protection policy reflects the latest guidance published by the Department for Education (DfE). It is available on the school’s website.  This independent school standard continues to be met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  At the time of the previous inspection, June 2019, this standard was not met because

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Main inspection findings

senior leaders had not ensured that the independent school standards were met consistently. At the start of the inspection, some standards were not met, and leaders had not focused improvement planning sufficiently on monitoring and evaluation.  After the inspection, leaders drew up an action plan to ensure that the independent school standards are consistently met. This plan was accepted by the DfE.  In the school’s action plan the proprietor undertook to: – delegate specific roles and responsibilities for monitoring the independent school standards to senior leaders – complete a half-termly compliance review of the independent school standards and an associated action plan to ensure continuous maintenance of them – compile a register to record building maintenance – ensure that two senior leaders update their safeguarding training – ensure that two senior leaders undertake single central record refresher training

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Main inspection findings

– provide refresher staff recruitment training to a senior leader – send a delegate to a conference to widen leaders’ expertise – employ an independent external review of the school’s maintenance of the independent school standards – increase the capacity of a school advisory board to oversee the impact of this work.  Leaders have focused intently on the actions listed in their plan. The responsibility for monitoring the independent school standards has been clearly allocated between members of the senior team. A record is kept in a central file of the monitoring activities leaders have carried out. This file is reviewed half-termly by the proprietor. Compliance with the standards is also a standing item in weekly senior team meetings so that any potential issues can be reported and resolved efficiently.  A register to record building maintenance has been compiled. This has helped leaders establish a timeline of actions required to ensure that the associated standards are met.

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Main inspection findings

 Senior leaders have benefited from updating their safeguarding training in line with guidance published by the DfE. The school’s work to keep pupils safe remains effective.  Leaders are committed to making sure the school continues to improve provision for the pupils. The school is now more outward looking than before. Contact has been established with other schools, and leaders have attended a conference that has helped the proprietor to review aspects of the school’s self-evaluation. Leaders now have a more realistic view of what the school does well and an action plan for what could be better.  The proprietor has commissioned an external, independent review to ensure that compliance with the independent school standards is maintained. A consultant has already helped the school to establish protocols that support this work.  Capacity within the school’s advisory board is now much improved. Four new members

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Main inspection findings

with a range of appropriate expertise offer challenge, for example about curriculum provision, to the leadership team at termly meetings. Two of the new members are parents, which has opened new channels of communication to further support school improvement work.  The proprietor had taken all necessary actions within the specified time to ensure that the independent school standards remain consistently met.  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 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 the persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – 34(1)(a) demonstrates 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.

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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

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form None

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £10,599–£12,297

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School details

Email address principal@heringtonhouseschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 11–13 June 2019

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Information about this school

 Herington House School is an independent day school for boys and girls aged three to 11 years. The school is registered to admit 136 pupils.  The proprietor is a family-owned, limited company. The school principal is the company’s major shareholder. The school has been owned and run by the same family since 1972. It was founded in 1936.  The school does not have a governing body.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school does not use supply staff.  Inspection history: – In February 2007, Ofsted conducted a standard inspection. The quality of education was judged good. One of the independent school standards, relating to pupils’ welfare, health and safety, was not met. – In January 2010, Ofsted conducted a light touch inspection. The quality of education was judged good. One of the independent school standards, relating to the premises and accommodation, was not met. – In June 2016, Ofsted conducted a standard inspection. The school was judged good

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Information about this school

and all independent school standards were met. – In June 2019, Ofsted conducted a standard inspection. The school was judged as requires improvement. One of the independent school standards, relating to the leadership and management of the school, was not met.

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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.  At the standard inspection in June 2019, the school was judged as requires improvement because one of the independent school standards was not met.  This is the school’s first progress monitoring inspection since the standard inspection in June 2019. The DfE commissioned Ofsted to conduct this progress monitoring inspection at no notice.  The DfE accepted the school’s action plan in September 2019.  I met with the proprietor, other senior leaders and staff.  I spoke over the telephone to an independent consultant commissioned by the school, and to two members of the advisory board, including a parent.

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Information about this inspection

 I spoke formally to pupils about their experiences at the school.  I looked at a range of school documents, including self-evaluation and monitoring information, the school’s single central record of pre-employments checks on staff, and child protection records.

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Inspection team

Kay Leach, 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

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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Inspection team

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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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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