Delta Independent School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Delta Independent School Parliament Street, Consett, County Durham DH8 5DH

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 1, 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b)  At the time of the previous inspection, school leaders did not have a curriculum in place that met the needs of pupils.  The school’s action plan shows that leaders have worked hard on reviewing and developing the curriculum, introducing a robust baseline assessment for all pupils and providing additional training for staff.  The developments to the curriculum offer are reflected in the curriculum policy and in the schemes of work. Schemes of work cover all levels of qualification from entry levels through to GCSE. Since the previous monitoring visit, leaders have introduced entry level functional skills qualifications in literacy and numeracy to ensure that all pupils can access basic skills.  Leaders have ensured that all pupils have an accurate baseline assessment on entry to the school. This has enabled leaders to place pupils in classes which cater to their level

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Main inspection findings

of prior knowledge and attainment. Teachers also now know and understand the gaps in pupils’ knowledge, so they plan more effectively to meet pupils’ needs.  Reading has been developed within the revised curriculum. A reading scheme has been brought in which has enabled pupils to read books which are matched to their assessed reading level. Leaders have guaranteed that reading has a distinct time slot, allowing pupils to have 20 minutes of focused reading per day. This was seen as an embedded routine during the visit, where pupils read independently and could talk about the books they have chosen to read.  Training and professional development offered to teachers has expanded their ability to plan lessons which ensure that all pupils learn more and remember more. Pupils say they are working harder on topics that meets their needs. As a result, work in pupils’ books show they are building on prior learning and using this to increase their knowledge and

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Main inspection findings

understanding.  The standards in this paragraph are now met. Paragraph 3, 3(a), 3(c), 3(d)  At the time of the previous inspection, the quality of teaching was not enabling pupils to make effective progress.  During this inspection, lesson visits were undertaken with a member of the senior leadership team and a scrutiny of pupils’ work was conducted.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have implemented a baseline assessment system which enables pupils to be streamed into one of three classes to suit their year group and prior knowledge. Pupils are now being taught work that is closely matched to the gaps in their learning and provides the necessary challenge to enable them to close the gap to their mainstream peers.  Since the previous inspection, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) has ensured that all identified pupils have a SEN plan. This gives teachers the necessary background information and support to develop appropriate

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Main inspection findings

strategies for learning.  Lesson visits confirmed that teachers were planning and teaching highly personalised programmes of study for pupils within the set topic. This enables those pupils who have understood a concept, such as fractions, to be moved swiftly on to more complex problems, such as adding and subtracting fractions, while other pupils are supported to develop and consolidate skills in simplifying fractions.  Discussions with pupils confirmed that they had seen significant changes in their taught lessons this academic year, especially in English and mathematics. Pupils said they were now working harder, producing more work and learning more. They were clear about the levels that they were working at and confident that the teachers will do all they can to help them improve.  The standards in this paragraph are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)  At the school’s standard inspection in November 2018, these standards were met.  The schools safeguarding procedures remain effective. The safeguarding policy is available to parents and carers on the school’s website and refers to statutory guidance.  Staff spoken to during the inspection were aware of the school’s safeguarding policy and procedures. They receive ongoing, relevant training and were clear of what to do in the event of a concern about a child or adult working in the school.  The designated safeguarding lead is experienced and passionate about her role. She has built strong, multi-agency partnerships to support the pupils within the school.  Pupils say they feel safe in school.  These standards continue to be met. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 18–21  At the school’s standard inspection in November 2018, these standards were met.

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Main inspection findings

 During the inspection, the lead inspector checked the single central record and made sure that all required checked had been carried out to ensure that adults working with children are safely recruited.  The standards in this part remain met.

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Main inspection findings

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, leaders had failed to ensure that the curriculum met the needs of pupils and the quality of teaching and learning was not good enough. As a result, the standards in this part were unmet.  Leaders have used their action plan to monitor their success towards addressing the unmet standards. They have completed all actions at the time of the monitoring visit. They acknowledge that progress has been rapid. However, although all elements are now in place within the school, they are not all yet fully embedded.  Since the last standard inspection and the previous monitoring visit, the leadership team have taken effective action in meeting the independent school standards. They have made significant progress in ensuring that they fully understand the academic needs of the pupils referred to Delta Independent School. They have reviewed and developed the

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Main inspection findings

qualifications and schemes of work, particularly in the areas of English and mathematics, so they meet pupils’ needs more effectively. Staff now plan pupils’ learning better so that any gaps in understanding can be addressed quickly.  Additional training has been undertaken for all staff to support them in planning and delivering education and monitoring and evaluating teaching. Teachers now meet pupils’ needs. Pupils are making better progress.  The proprietor shares the drive and determination of leaders for the school to be the best that it can be. He fully supports all priorities for development. His ethos of having the pupils at the heart of the school is shared by all.  The standards in this paragraph are 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 the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 Part 1 – 1, 2, 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 3, 3(a), 3(c), 3(d)  Part 8 – 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)

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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

Website https://deltaindependentschool.com/

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School details

Email address helen.delta.school@gmail.com

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 27–29 November 2018

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Information about this school

 Delta Independent School is part of Delta North Consett Ltd. It opened in October 2015 and is registered with the Department for Education as an independent school. The capacity of the school is 80 pupils aged between 13 and 16 years. The proprietor is Mr William Robson.  The last standard inspection of the school took place in November 2018. A monitoring visit was carried out in July 2019.  The school offers part-time or full-time provision to local maintained schools, pupil referral units and the local authority for pupils who are at risk of permanent exclusion. All pupils currently attend full time and are dual registered with their mainstream school.  A small number of pupils have been identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities. At the time of the monitoring visit, one pupil had an education, health and care plan.  The school does not use any off-site alternative education provision.

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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.  The inspection was carried out without notice.  The lead inspector analysed a range of documents, including the school’s action plan, curriculum plans, schemes of work, the safeguarding policy, and the register of employment checks carried out to ensure that the proprietor is safely recruiting adults to work in the school.  The lead inspector spoke to the proprietor, the principal, the senior leadership team and a group of pupils and also visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Tricia Stevens, 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

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