Independent Educational Services - Central

Inspection of Independent Educational Services – Central Unit 4, Honor Built Works, 96 Central Avenue, Nuneaton CV11 5BB

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small, welcoming school. Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school because they get along well with their teachers. They like learning in small groups. Often, pupils have missed long periods of education before they join the school. They attend well and arrive on time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and pupils say that there is no bullying. However, pupils do not always speak kindly about one another. They are not taught enough about respect and tolerance of others’ differences. Pupils say that they feel safe. Leaders, however, have not made sure that pupils’ additional needs are met. This has a negative impact on pupils’ well-being. Inappropriate comments from pupils are not consistently challenged.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders know the local area well and they are aware of the risks to their pupils. They have not, however, made sure that the curriculum teaches them about these risks and therefore how to keep safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive an inadequate quality of education. Too much teaching is poorly planned and does not provide pupils with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed later on in life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have not made sure that all of the independent school standards are met.

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better?

Leaders have not demonstrated the necessary skills and expertise to make sure the independent school standards are consistently met. Checks on the quality of education lack rigour and accuracy. Leaders have an inaccurate view of the quality of education. They have not focused on the correct areas to secure improvement.

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better?

The curriculum does not meet the needs and aptitudes of all pupils. Consequently, the independent schools standards relating to the curriculum are unmet. While there is a wide range of subjects available, pupils do not get sufficient experience in scientific, physical and creative learning. Leaders have invested in a standardised scheme. The generic plans are sequenced in a logical order. The plans, however, are not consistently adapted to meet the needs of the pupils or followed well. This results in learning in some subjects that is disconnected and poorly planned. Learning is not built on what pupils already know and can do. Careers education is weak. Although pupils receive impartial advice and have completed some work experience, they are unable to recall what they have learned or how to apply it. They are not well prepared for their next steps in education or employment and training.

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better?

The curriculum for physical education is weak. The school has no outdoor space. Although there are nearby parks, there are no firm plans in place to use these. Pupils currently access a local gym. The plans do not extend to team sports and 11–13 February 2020

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playing of games as teachers say that pupils are not ready to access this learning due to being unable to accept losing. The curriculum therefore does not promote important aspects of teamwork and sportsmanship.

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In mathematics, teachers do not follow their own plans. This means that learning is not delivered in a logical sequence. For example, pupils learn about consecutive numbers, followed by how to calculate the cost of a meal for four people, currency conversion and calculating the depreciation of cars. The links in the learning are missing. Learning does not build on pupils’ prior knowledge and understanding. In many cases, work is not completed before teachers move on to different topics. This means that pupils are not secure in their understanding before new learning is introduced.

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Reading is not taught well. Although pupils are learning letter sounds, they are not carefully taught how to segment and blend words to become fluent readers. The school has invested in a reading scheme, but the sounds taught were not repeated in the chosen book. At the time of inspection, there were no books available in school for older pupils. This means that pupils are not accessing a range of genres appropriate to their needs. Pupils are missing out on reading opportunities.

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Teachers are expected to deliver learning across all areas of the curriculum. They do not always have secure subject knowledge. Where they are delivering learning in their areas of specialism, pupils’ experiences are better. In English, attention has been paid to what pupils need to learn and the order in which they need to learn it. Pupils learn about grammatical features of text and figurative speech. They apply this learning well in their written work using a range of descriptive vocabulary. In history, pupils learn about the British Empire. Teachers have made sure that key concepts are covered well and revisited often. Pupils were able to explain what the Empire was, how it grew and what this meant for Britain. Pupils are enthused by their work in history.

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All of the pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They all have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) produces detailed plans outlining pupils’ needs and recommended strategies. Staff do not follow these recommendations. Consequently, the additional needs of pupils are not being met. Important environmental adaptations to meet therapeutic and sensory needs of pupils have not been considered well enough. This has a detrimental impact on pupils’ well-being, as well as their engagement in learning.

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The curriculum for post-16 students is poor. While the school provides personalised learning routes for these students, there are weaknesses in the curriculum and its delivery. Learning is not matched to the needs and abilities of students. Students are not well prepared for what they might want to do next in education or employment.

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The curriculum does not provide opportunities for pupils’ positive personal development. Pupils do not engage in appropriately planned experiences to develop them spiritually, morally, socially and culturally. This means they lack understanding 11–13 February 2020

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and respect for different groups of people. The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education for secondary-aged pupils does not reflect the vulnerabilities and potential risks that leaders have accurately identified for their pupils. This means that pupils do not fully understand risks.

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The behaviour policy outlines high expectations of pupils. Each pupil has a detailed profile outlining strategies to support positive behaviour. These strategies, however, are not consistently applied, resulting in off-task behaviour and inappropriate comments that are not always challenged. Leaders are not doing enough to encourage respect for other people. The school does not comply with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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The proprietor has appropriate plans in place to address weaknesses. She has identified relevant actions to secure improvement. The proprietor needs to make sure that appropriately experienced staff are in place to make sure the actions are carried out.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding policy reflects current guidance issued by the Secretary of State. The policy is published on the website and available in paper format. While the policy is clear, it is not well implemented. Staff are appropriately trained and know how to report concerns. Leaders are aware of the safeguarding risks within the locality, which include gun and knife crime, exploitation and gang culture. The curriculum, however, does not consider these issues, and therefore, pupils do not learn how to keep themselves safe. In some cases, pupils refer to stabbing and violence. Pupils who have specific sensory and environmental needs are not fully supported. This has a detrimental impact on their well-being.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders have not applied their knowledge of localised risks to the curriculum. Pupils who speak about gun and knife crime are not consistently challenged. This means that safeguarding is not effective. The curriculum needs to include appropriate content to teach pupils about contextual risks and how to keep safe.  Leaders do not fully understand the requirements of the independent school standards. They have not made routine checks on regulatory compliance. As a result, a number of independent school standards are not met. This has a negative impact on pupils’ welfare and the quality of education they receive. Leaders need to make appropriate arrangements to check that they are fully compliant and consistently and continually meet all of the independent school standards. 11–13 February 2020

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 The curriculum does not meet the requirements of the independent school standards. Pupils lack experiences in science and creative education. The curriculum for physical education is weak. The plans do not include opportunities to participate in team sports or to play outside. This means that pupils do not benefit from the required curriculum and access to a full range of sports or recreational activities. Leaders need to make sure that they understand the curriculum requirements and ensure that these are met.  The learning in mathematics is not well sequenced. This means that learning is not based on pupils’ prior knowledge and understanding. Pupils do not progressively learn and remember more. Leaders need to make sure that learning helps pupils to develop their skills, understanding and knowledge over time in a logical sequence so that they become secure in their learning.  Reading is not taught well enough. This means that pupils do not benefit from

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being taught how to decode, blend and read fluently. Leaders need to make sure that they adopt a rigorous approach to the teaching of reading so that pupils are able to become confident and fluent readers. Pupils need access to appropriate books matched to their reading ability. They need to experience a broad range of genres.  Teachers do not have secure subject knowledge across all of the subjects they are expected to teach. This means that pupils are not appropriately challenged as teachers’ knowledge is limited. Pupils are therefore not accessing the full breadth of the curriculum to an acceptable level. Leaders need to make sure that staff are appropriately trained and confident in the subjects that they are expected to teach.  The needs of pupils with SEND are not consistently met. Leaders have not followed recommendations and made appropriate adaptations to support pupils’ sensory and therapeutic needs. This results in poor engagement and also has a

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negative impact on pupils’ well-being. Leaders need to make sure that the provision considers pupils’ needs. They need to ensure that necessary adjustments to the curriculum and the environment are considered.  Careers education is poor. Therefore, pupils are not being well prepared for their future. Leaders need to make sure that pupils access the right support to help them to make informed choices on appropriate education and career paths.  Leaders have not made sure that the curriculum develops pupils spiritually, morally, socially and culturally. This means that pupils are lacking in wider experiences that enhance their understanding of the world. Leaders need to carefully consider the needs of their pupils and make sure the curriculum is enriched to ensure that pupils access a broad range of experiences, giving them a broader understanding of the world around them.  Leaders have not carried out routine checks on the quality of education.

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Processes to check on the quality of education are not rigorous enough. This is because those responsible for carrying out the checks have not received sufficient training. This means that wrong aspects are focused on and weaknesses are missed. Leaders need to make sure that staff have the necessary skills and expertise to monitor the subject for which they are responsible. They should then 11–13 February 2020

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identify priority issues and implement appropriate actions that will address the weaknesses and improve the quality of education.

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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 are the provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 11–13 February 2020

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School details

Unique reference number 147186 DfE registration number 937/6023

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School details

Inspection number 10130153 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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sixth form

Proprietor Independent Educational Services Ltd

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sixth form

Website www.independenteducationalservices.com

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sixth form

Email address info@independenteducationalservices.co.uk

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Independent Educational Services – Central is an independent school for pupils who have social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The school offers up to six places for pupils aged 11 to 17. All of the pupils have SEND. They all have an EHC plan. 11–13 February 2020

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 At the time of the inspection, the school was not operating within its registered age range. The proprietor took appropriate action to address this.  The school offers places to post-16 students. At the time of inspection, the number of post-16 students was extremely low.  The school is housed in a former church building that has been modified to include classrooms and suitable learning areas.  Pupils are referred to the school from a number of local authorities, including Solihull and Coventry.  The school is part of Independent Educational Services (IES) Ltd. IES has two other schools in the local area.  The school opened in September 2019, although it did not admit pupils until January 2020. This is the first full inspection.  Although pupils were not admitted until January 2020, a high proportion of the pupils were previously attending other schools within the IES group.  The school does not make use of alternative provision. Pupils do, however, use

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facilities at a local fitness centre. Pupils have opportunities to take part in work experience at a local farm provision. Leaders have made all necessary checks and staff accompany pupils to the 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 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

 The inspection was carried out with notice of one day.  Inspectors held meetings with several staff, including the proprietors, school leaders, teaching staff and the SENCo. Inspectors spoke with several pupils and parents. Inspectors also made telephone contact with a small number of parents.  Inspectors considered the quality of education. They looked in more detail at English, mathematics, humanities (history and religious studies) and PSHE education. This involved discussing curriculum areas with school leaders and subject teachers, reviewing work in pupils’ books, speaking with pupils and visiting lessons.  The lead inspector met with those responsible for safeguarding. The safeguarding policy and key documents were scrutinised. The school’s single central record was checked. 11–13 February 2020

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 Several policies and documents were examined, including policies relating to the curriculum, behaviour, attendance and complaints.  Inspectors accessed key documents, including bullying and behaviour records, complaints records and attendance registers.  A number of responses to Ofsted’s questionnaires for staff and pupils were considered.

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Inspection team

Melanie Callaghan-Lewis, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Bev Petch Ofsted Inspector 11–13 February 2020

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if–

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 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

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work–

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are–

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 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;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 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

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(e) for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that–

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(e)(ii) enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options; and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(e)(iii) helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(h) that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress; and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2(2)(i) effective preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school–

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; 11–13 February 2020

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– 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;

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– 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time;

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– 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;

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– 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught;

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– 3(h) utilises effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging pupils to act responsibly;

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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–

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

– 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;

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

– 5(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which–

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

– 5(b)(i) enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self- confidence;

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

– 5(b)(ii) enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England;

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

– 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;

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

– 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;

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

– 5(b)(vi) encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act; and 11–13 February 2020

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– 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;

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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–

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 9 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that–

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 9(b) the policy is implemented effectively

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 29(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable outdoor space is provided in order to enable–

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

– 29(1)(a) physical education to be provided to pupils in accordance with the school curriculum; and

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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–

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently;

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. 11–13 February 2020

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