Hall Cliffe Primary School

Hall Cliffe Primary School 7 Wrenthorpe Lane, Wrenthorpe, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF2 0QB

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b)  School leaders take their responsibility for the welfare and safety of pupils very seriously. Staff have a thorough understanding of pupils’ complex needs. This means that they can pick up quickly on emerging concerns.  The school’s safeguarding policy is available to parents on the website. The policy meets current government guidance.  Safeguarding leaders are vigilant in their care of the pupils. They work effectively with other agencies. They take action to ensure that pupils get the support that they need.  The designated safeguarding leader is experienced and knowledgeable. Staff are well trained to look for signs of harm and to report any concerns quickly. ‘Seven-minute briefing’ updates ensure that staff have the most up-to-date information to keep pupils safe. For example, staff have a clear understanding of the government’s

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Main inspection findings

statutory safeguarding guidance.  Parents spoken to were overwhelmingly positive about the school. They all said that their child was safe at this school.  Leaders have ensured that this standard remains met. Paragraph 9  Leaders have introduced a positive and supportive approach to managing pupils’ behaviour. Pupils have detailed plans which get to the heart of their difficulties. These plans are shared with parents. Staff provide a consistent approach to keeping pupils on track. They are skilled at defusing difficult situations.  Pupils talked with the inspector about what they do when they feel anxious. This could be going for a walk or going to a quiet area until they feel calm. Pupils said that choosing these activities ‘helps you a lot’.  Staff are trained to restrain pupils as a last resort. The pastoral team provide training and updates to staff. This makes sure that they follow best practice.

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Main inspection findings

 All incidents of behaviour are carefully documented. Staff record incidents on the school’s electronic system. The pastoral leader and headteacher look at all records to reflect on what could have been done differently. The pastoral team support staff and pupils well. Pupils are helped to think about how they can put things right. Parents are quickly informed of any incidents involving their child.  Comprehensive analysis and reporting of behaviour incidents are done every month. This gives leaders information about each pupil so that they can refine pupils’ behaviour plans. The proprietor is kept well informed about pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Parents spoken with said that the school deals well with managing pupils’ behaviour. School contacts them on a daily basis to keep them involved with any incidents that have taken place. One parent said that ‘this is the best school in England’.  In lessons visited during the inspection pupils were generally well behaved. Staff have

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Main inspection findings

high expectations. They challenge any behaviour that is not acceptable. Adults provide effective support when pupils find it difficult to contain their emotions.  There are strong, trusting relationships between pupils and staff. This fosters pupils’ confidence and helps them to regulate their behaviour.  Leaders and staff have worked hard to reduce the numbers of incidents of difficult behaviour. Records and reports show that behaviour is improving. This is because pupils are beginning to understand how to regulate their emotions. As a result, the numbers of physical restraints are reducing.  Leaders have ensured that this standard remains met. Paragraph 10  Parents spoken with said that there were some occasions when bullying happened. They said that the school did not tolerate bullying and they sorted it out quickly.  Pupils said that there had been some bullying, but teachers ‘tried not to let it happen’.

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Main inspection findings

 The school’s anti-bullying policy is on the website. It provides guidance for staff on what bullying is and how to prevent it. Pupils can earn points for observing the school rules, for example, by being kind.  In anti-bullying week different scenarios were explored with the pupils. Any incidents of bullying are dealt with promptly. Pupils have extra sessions with their key worker to address these incidents. The police visited the school to talk to the pupils about hate crime and how this makes people feel. Some children are ‘heroes’. They are ambassadors for helping other pupils and involving them in the life of the school.  Leaders have ensured that this standard remains met. Paragraph 14  The inspector visited lessons with the headteacher. Staffing levels were appropriate for the numbers of pupils in classrooms. The pastoral team provide extra support for pupils welfare, when required.  Staff were deployed well at playtime and lunchtime. Supervision levels meant that

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Main inspection findings

pupils were safe.  Leaders have ensured that this standard remains met. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraph 17, 18, 18(1), 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(c)(i), 18(2)(c)(ii), 18(2)(c)(iii), 18(2)(c)(iv), 18(2)(d), 18(2)(e), 18(2)(f), 18(3), 20(6), 20(6)(a), 20(6)(a)(i), 20(6)(a)(ii), 20(6)(b), 20(6)(b)(i), 20(6)(b)(ii), 20(6)(b)(iii), 20(6)(c), 21(1), 21(2), 21(3), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(i), 21(3)(a)(ii), 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(a)(iv), 21(3)(a)(v), 21(3)(a)(vi), 21(3)(vii), 21(3)(viii), 21(3)(b), 21(4), 21(5), 21(5)(a), 21(5)(a)(i), 21(5)(a)(ii), 21(5)(b), 21(5)(c), 21(6), 21(7), 21(7)(a), 21(7)(b)  Checks carried out on new staff are thorough. Leaders take care to make sure that adults working in the school are suitable. Records are detailed and well organised. All required checks are recorded accurately on the school’s single central record. These records are checked regularly by the proprietor.

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Main inspection findings

 Staff who interview candidates for employment have undertaken safer recruitment training.  Leaders have ensured that this standard remains met. Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1)(c)  The safeguarding policy is available on the school website for parents. The policy meets the current guidelines and has recently been updated.  Leaders have ensured that this standard remains met. Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled. Paragraph 33, 33(a), 33(b), 33(c), 33(d), 33(e), 33(f), 33(g), 33(h), 33(i), 33(i)(i), 33(j), 33(j)(i), 33(j)(ii) and 33(k)  The complaints policy is available on the school’s website. The policy sets out clearly the informal and formal stages of handling a complaint. Timescales are set out within which responses should be made. Arrangements for a hearing before a panel and written recommendations are included in the process.  Leaders have a clear process for addressing any complaints that arise.

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Main inspection findings

 There have been two complaints over the last two years.  Parents spoken with during the inspection said that staff and leaders were very approachable. One parent said that any issues were quickly addressed.  Leaders have ensured that this standard remains met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34  The proprietor and leaders work closely together. The proprietor has put systems in place to monitor and support the work of leaders. This means that leaders have a very clear understanding of what the school does well and what they could do better.  Safeguarding pupils is central to the work of the school. Staff are well trained to spot any emerging concerns about pupils in their care. The work of the team around the child and the pastoral support team is instrumental in keeping pupils safe and helping them to regulate their emotions.  Relationships between pupils and staff are a strength. Staff know pupils well because

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Main inspection findings

of the detailed behaviour support plans that are in place.  Staffing levels are appropriate to meet the complex needs of the pupils. Staff are deployed effectively at breaktime and lunchtime so that pupils are well supervised.  Parents spoken with are positive about the school and how well it supports their children.  There is a clear process in place for addressing complaints.  Leaders have ensured that the independent standards continue to be met.  Leaders have ensured that this standard remains 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. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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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

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Not applicable

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 0

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £55,793 to £84,863

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School details

Website www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/hallcliffe- primary Email address hall-cliffe-primary@witherslackgroup.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 26–28 March 2019

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Information about this school

 Hall Cliffe Primary School is an independent special school providing day education for boys and girls for up to 34 pupils. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. All 34 pupils currently on roll are aged between five and 11 years.  All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Pupils have a range of learning difficulties including speech, language and communication difficulties, attention deficit disorder, social and emotional difficulties, and autism spectrum disorder.  The school offers therapeutic approaches to educating pupils as an integral part of the personal curriculum.  Pupils attend the school from a number of local authorities.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school’s previous standard inspection was in March 2019.

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Information about this inspection

 This emergency inspection was requested by the Department for Education as a result of a complaint.  The particular focus of inspection was the school’s compliance with the regulatory requirements as set out in the ‘main inspection findings’ of this report.  This inspection was carried out with no notice to the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the regional director of the proprietor body, the school’s pastoral leader, a group of staff, a group of pupils and the senior administrative officer.  The inspector met with two parents and telephoned two other parents.  The inspector visited classrooms with the headteacher, observing pupils’ behaviour and staffing numbers.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour and staffing numbers at playtime and lunchtime.  The inspector looked at a wide range of documents: the single central record, pupils’ positive behaviour support plans, attendance data, behaviour and bullying records,

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Information about this inspection

records of restraint, the safeguarding policy and the complaints policy.

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Inspection team

Suzette Garland-Grimes, 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

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Inspection team

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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 children looked after, 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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