Horton House School

Horton House School Hill Top Farm, Sutton Road, Wawne, Hull, HU7 5YY

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checked during this inspection

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)  The headteacher has ensured that the school’s safeguarding policy is available on the company website. The policy is one provided by the local authority, but has been personalised for the school’s needs. The policy has been updated in line with recent government guidance and is continuously reviewed by the headteacher.  Staff safeguarding training is updated regularly. This was illustrated by the knowledge shown by staff spoken to during the inspection. All the staff spoken to were clear about the impact of current changes in ‘Keeping children safe in education, (2020)’. Staff were also clear on what to do if a safeguarding incident occurred.  The school’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL) has regularly attended training sessions run by the local authority. Knowledge gained from training by the DSL has ensured that safeguarding records are securely stored, and information is shared on a

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need-to-know basis. Records are diligently completed. Records examined during the inspection show prompt and appropriate action is taken to support vulnerable pupils.  When scrutinised by inspectors, the single central register was incomplete in several areas. For example, prohibition from teaching checks and checks from the disclosure and barring service were incomplete. Some records did not show who had carried out the check and when. This is a requirement listed in ‘Keeping children safe in education, (2020)’.  The standards listed above in Part 3 are not met. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraph 18(2), 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(ii), 21(3)(a)(v), 21(3)(b), 21(4)  The school has in place a single central register.  All the required checks on the proprietors and supply staff are completed.  The single central register presented to inspectors at the start of the inspection was

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incomplete.  The checks on staff names being present on the barred list were incomplete. This was because the date the checks were carried out and who had carried out the checks were not present on some entries.  The required checks on teachers being prohibited from teaching were said to have been carried out. However, no date or evidence for who carried out the check was provided.  The check by the disclosure and barring service appeared to have been carried out for staff. The dates of when these checks took place were missing at the time of the inspection.  The required checks were completed by the end of the inspection.  The standards listed above in Part 4 are not met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  At the time of the inspection all three of the proprietors were suspended.  The headteacher has shown strong leadership in several aspects of the school. For

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example, staff spoken to feel supported and know where to turn if they encounter an issue. They praised the way in which the headteacher had kept the school ‘on an even keel’.  Leaders and staff have taken on board the need to provide online education for those pupils unable to attend school during the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions. Online classrooms have been set up, which some pupils are attending. Regular welfare visits are also undertaken to ensure that staff have had sight of all pupils not attending school.  The school has in place a governing body; a small number of governors are external to the company. The chair of governors described the role played by the governing body as focusing on supporting, and at times challenging, the headteacher, for example over policies and procedures. However, the governors are not currently responsible for the more strategic decisions within the organisation. For example, the

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governors are not responsible for financial management or making decisions about pupils’ needs, or what action to take should an emergency occur. Resolving these issues or making decisions in an emergency falls to the executive manager, together with the current proprietors.  The headteacher is managed by an executive manager, who is currently overseeing education and also takes a lead on other company business. A discussion was held during the inspection to ascertain her current role. Several scenarios were suggested by the lead inspector. These included what actions would be taken if a child went missing or was involved in a road traffic accident when they should have been in school. While the executive manager would carry out the initial investigation and report incidents to the relevant authorities, the proprietors would still currently take overall responsibility.  The leadership team and proprietors have not ensured that all the independent

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standards are currently met.  The standards listed above are not met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet 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, as set out in the annex of this report. 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

School status Independent special 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 0

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School details

Email address francismcdonnell@hortongroup.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 12–14 December 2018

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Information about this school

 The school’s last standard inspection took place on 12 and 14 December 2018. The school received an emergency inspection on 18 September 2019.  The school accepts pupils aged between seven and 18 years.  All pupils have an education, health and care plan which identifies their special educational needs and/or disabilities. Many pupils have identified social, emotional and mental health needs that are often accompanied by other additional needs, such as autism spectrum disorder and learning difficulties. Many pupils have experienced significant disruption to their education by spending periods of time out of school in the past. Often, periods of time away from school were linked to their challenging behaviour.  Since the previous inspection, a new governing body has been established.  Currently, the school does not use any off-site alternative provision to educate pupils.  The school is currently operating on two sites, the main site at Sutton Road, Wawne,

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Information about this school

Hull HU7 5YY and a second site at Samman Road, Beverly HU17 0BS. Both sites have been utilised to help to ensure that pupils are able to socially distance from each other.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out at the request of the Department for Education (DfE) following a complaint relating to the proprietors, who at the time of the inspection were suspended from their duties.  The DfE requested that Ofsted carry out checks on the school’s provision for safeguarding pupils and the effectiveness of leadership and management within the school, following the recent complaint.  Due to the current restrictions in relation to COVID-19, the school was given 30 minutes’ notice of this inspection.  The inspection team visited both the school sites.  The inspection team scrutinised the school’s safeguarding documentation, including the single central register, behaviour reports and pupils’ child protection records.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, a group of school staff, the school’s DSL, the headteacher, the chair of governors and the executive manager.

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Inspection team

Marian Thomas, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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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– – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

 18(2) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 18(2)(a) no such person is barred from regulated activity relating to children in accordance with section 3(2) of the 2006 Act where that person is or will be engaging in activity which is regulated activity within the meaning of Part 1 of Schedule 4 to that Act; – 18(2)(b) no such person carries out work, or intends to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act, or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction; – 18(2)(c) the proprietor carries out appropriate checks to confirm in respect of each such person– – 18(2)(d) the proprietor ensures that, where relevant to any such person, an enhanced criminal record check is made in respect of that person and an enhanced criminal

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

record certificate is obtained before or as soon as practicable after that person’s appointment;  21(3) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is– – 21(3)(a) in relation to each member of staff ("S") appointed on or after 1st May 2007, whether– – 21(3)(a)(ii) a check was made to establish whether S is barred from regulated activity relating to children in accordance with section 3(2) of the 2006 Act; – 21(3)(a)(v) an enhanced criminal record certificate was obtained in respect of S; – 21(3)(b) in relation to each member of staff ("S"), whether a check was made to establish whether S is subject to a prohibition order or an interim prohibition order, including the date on which such check was completed.  21(4) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is, in relation to each member of staff in post on 1st August 2007 who was appointed at any time before 1st May 2007, whether each check referred to in sub-paragraph (3) was made and whether an

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

enhanced criminal record certificate was obtained, together with the date on which any check was completed or certificate obtained.

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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– – 34(1)(a) demonstrate 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; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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