Moon Hall School, Reigate

School material change inspection report

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Flanchford Road, Leigh, Reigate, Surrey RH2 8RE

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7  Leaders ensure that safeguarding is a high priority in this school. Leaders start every meeting with a discussion about pupils’ safety and well-being. Leaders have made sure that the current safeguarding systems will be able to support the proposed additional 35 pupils.  Records show that staff log any concerns about pupils’ well-being diligently and the designated safeguarding leaders follow up any issues promptly. Staff are trained in the latest government guidelines about how to keep pupils safe.  Governors ensure that the compliant and up-to-date safeguarding policy is published on the school’s website. Paragraph 11  Leaders have developed reliable health and safety policies and established clear procedures. Staff carry out and record frequent checks to make sure that the school site is kept safe. Paragraph 12  The school fully complies with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The

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Main inspection findings

site has clear fire signage for fire procedures, locations of fire exits and assembly points. Detailed records show that fire equipment is checked regularly and that fire evacuation drills take place as required. Paragraph 14  The governors of the school state that the optimum ratio of teachers to pupils for Moon Hall School is one to 12. The school has already employed staff so that there are far more staff than are needed to meet the school’s stated staffing requirements. When the additional 35 pupils join, there is unlikely to be a need for further staff appointments.  The governors have ensured that pupils will be properly supervised when the additional 35 pupils are enrolled at the school. Paragraph 16  The suitable risk assessment policy clearly explains to staff how to consider the hazards that pupils may encounter. Risk assessment documents show that staff take precautions to mitigate possible hazards.

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Main inspection findings

 Staff carefully plan how the pupils move around the school to minimise risk. For example, during the lunchbreak, there are two sittings so that the narrow corridors near the dining area do not get congested. Leaders are already considering changes to their risk assessments should the school roll increase.  All the requirements that were checked are likely to continue to be met if the Department for Education (DfE) decides to approve implementation of the material change.

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Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21  The headteacher makes sure that all the required pre-employment checks are carried out on new staff. These include the statutory checks made to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.  The school employs supply staff on an occasional basis. Leaders make sure that these staff also have statutory pre-employment checks.  The electronic records of all the staff recruitment checks are kept meticulously. Governors check this record on a regular basis.  All the requirements that were checked are likely to continue to be met if the DfE decides to approve implementation of the material change.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31  Moon Hall School, Reigate is situated in a historical building set in extensive grounds. The accommodation extends to three floors and has a number of outbuildings. The 12-acre site includes ample grounds for physical and outdoor education.  The building is kept in good repair. Classrooms are of an ample size for 12 pupils and have adequate light. Rooms are sound proofed well. Specialist rooms are available for science, technology and ICT teaching.  Toilet facilities have hot and cold running water. The hot water is of a suitable temperature and does not pose a scalding risk. Toilets are kept clean. There are enough toilets available for the increase in pupil numbers.  The medical room for the short-term care of ill or injured pupils has been upgraded recently and is well equipped. It provides a hygienic space with a bed and running hot

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Main inspection findings

and cold water, and is near toilet facilities.  Drinking water is available for the pupils in labelled drinking fountains. There is also bottled water available for pupils.  Governors are planning to build additional accommodation in the school grounds for junior pupils. They have submitted plans to the local authority for approval. They hope to build this new building in the near future.  Current accommodation has the capacity for the proposed additional 35 pupils.  All the requirements that were checked are likely to continue to be met if the DfE decides to approve implementation of the material change.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34  The governors, who are also trustees, have strengthened considerably since the last inspection. A new proficient chair and other suitable skilled and experienced governors have been appointed. A skills audit has taken place and governors undertake regular training to keep up to date with the latest guidance.  Governance has been restructured and there is an additional committee structure to monitor leaders’ work in the school. Minutes of meetings show that governors challenge and support the headteacher and her leadership team appropriately. The independent school standards checked at this inspection are met consistently.  The headteacher has made sure that pupils’ well-being is at the core of the school’s work. Governors receive regular reports from the headteacher so they can make sure that pupils are kept safe in the school. They also visit to see the work of the school for

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Main inspection findings

themselves.  Leaders plan that the expansion in pupil numbers will be a gradual process over a period of time. There is plenty of capacity in terms of space and staffing to accommodate a school roll of 165 pupils. The increase in pupil numbers is not dependent on the proposed new school building being in place.  All the requirements that were checked are likely to be met if the DfE decides to approve implementation of the material change.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is likely to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that are relevant to the material change.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the material change that the school has applied to make.

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Moon Hall Schools Educational Trust

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £18,480 to £22,020

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School details

Email address schooloffice@moonhallcollege.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 3 March 2009

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 128 165 165

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Mixed Mixed Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 128 165

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities 128 165

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan 62 83

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with an education, health and care plan 62 83

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff 26 26

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of part-time teaching staff 16 16

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision 3 3

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Information about this school

 Moon Hall School, Reigate is a co-educational school registered for pupils aged five to 16. Currently, there are no five- or six-year-olds attending the school.  All pupils require support for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), particularly associated with dyslexia. Around half of pupils have education, health and care (EHC) plans.  The school had an additional inspection in September 2019, when it was found that the school did not meet all the standards that were checked at that time.  The last standard inspection completed by Ofsted was in 2009. This is the first material change inspection of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 This material change inspection was carried out at the request of the DfE as the school had applied to increase the number of pupils on roll from up to 130 to up to 165.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, bursar and operations manager. Further discussions were held with a member of the governing body.  The inspector toured the premises.  The inspector looked at a range of policies and documents connected with health and safety, safeguarding pupils and governance.  The school’s website was viewed.

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Inspection team

Sue Child, 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

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 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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