Malton Montessori School

Uplands House, Castle Howard Road, Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 6NJ

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)  The proprietors have produced a detailed safeguarding policy. The policy is compliant with current statutory guidance. The headteacher ensures that all staff are familiar with this policy. Staff learn about the policy as part of their induction when they join the school and then receive updates from the headteacher at meetings.  The proprietors ensure that staff complete training in child protection and safeguarding. The headteacher is the acting designated safeguarding lead (DSL). She has completed enhanced training for this role. The headteacher knows how to work with external agencies to get help for pupils when they need it.  The headteacher has completed training in safer recruitment. She maintains a record of the pre-employment checks completed on adults before they start to work or volunteer at the school. This record showed that most checks are done thoroughly.

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Main inspection findings

However, the proprietors had not followed up a second, supporting reference on one member of staff. This was resolved by the proprietors during the course of the inspection.  The headteacher is the chair of the proprietary board and the acting DSL. The sole teacher is her son. The proprietors know that it is essential that any DSL can manage allegations against staff with impartiality. However, this was not in place at the time of the inspection.  These standards are not met. Paragraph 11, 12  The proprietors have ensured that there is an appropriate health and safety policy in place. The headteacher checks that staff understand and implement the policy. The proprietors provide staff with training to support health and safety. This training includes paediatric first aid, fire safety and food hygiene.  The proprietors have written a fire risk assessment that identifies fire hazards and how to resolve these. There is appropriate signage of evacuation routes and

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Main inspection findings

emergency lighting at key points in the building. The proprietors check fire alarms regularly. They employ specialist contractors to service the fire safety equipment.  These standards are met. Paragraph 14  The proprietors make sure that staff supervise pupils appropriately. There is one class of seven pupils with one teacher. The headteacher and an additional staff member are on hand throughout the day to provide extra support.  The pupils understand their daily routines and the structure of the day. In lessons, pupils settle to work quickly and with confidence. Staff support pupils at break- and lunchtimes. Both are calm and orderly. Pupils are respectful and considerate of their classmates.  Pupils say that they feel safe and happy at school. They know whom to speak to if they have a problem and they feel listened to. One pupil explained how he had asked the headteacher to organise the cloakroom area differently and this had happened.

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Main inspection findings

 This standard is met. Paragraph 16, 16(a), 16(b)  The proprietors have produced a risk assessment policy. It explains what is expected of school leaders and how staff contribute to risk assessments. The proprietors have risk assessments for site safety and for off-site activities, such as going to an archaeological dig.  The headteacher has set up a system to help staff and parents and carers share any concerns they have about potential risks. The school’s records show the actions taken by the headteacher in response to these worries.  These standards are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraph 25  The school is located within a large and characterful house. Classrooms are light and airy. The furniture and decor in the classrooms reflect the natural and environmentally friendly ethos of the school. The outdoor spaces are charming and set up well for creative play and exercise. The proprietors ensure that the electrical systems and fire safety equipment are routinely checked and serviced by specialist contractors.  The proprietor and her family live on the upper floors of the house. The staircases to the upstairs are closed to pupils. There is a kitchen downstairs that is for school use only.  The proprietors are aware of the importance of site security. There is a pedestrian route into the school and a separate driveway for vehicles. The vehicular access is for visitors and contractors. Parents use the pedestrian route into school when they are

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Main inspection findings

dropping off or collecting their children. The pedestrian access has a digital lock and visual intercom system. The doorway into the school from the school’s car park is locked against visitors.  These standards are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1)(c)  The proprietors have ensured that there is a detailed and up-to-date safeguarding policy. At the start of the inspection, the policy was not easy for parents to access on the school’s website. The proprietors rectified this immediately.  This standard is 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), 34(1)(c)  School leaders promote the well-being of the pupils in their care. They are passionate about upholding the education principles that underpin the school’s mission.  The headteacher ensures that staff have training in the Montessori method of education and access to high-quality teaching resources. The proprietors invest in the school building and outdoor environment.  The proprietors take their duties under the Equality Act 2010 seriously. Plans show how they review and improve access to the site and the curriculum. The headteacher shared how staff celebrate diversity and teach pupils about the rights of all individuals in society.  The headteacher works with a network of fellow headteachers who provide peer support. The proprietors recognise the benefit of expanding support and challenge for

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Main inspection findings

staff as the school grows. They have commissioned external support for human resources to increase their leadership capacity in this area.  This is a small, family-run school. The headteacher is one of the proprietors and is closely related to staff members. At the time of the inspection, the headteacher was acting as DSL. The proprietors were taking steps to appoint a replacement DSL. However, they had not ensured that there was a neutral lead for safeguarding in the school. Therefore, the standards relating to implementation of the safeguarding policy are not met.  The proprietors have not ensured that all the independent school standards continue to be met consistently and effectively.  The standards in this part 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

Website www.maltonmontessorischool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 12–14 November 2019

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Information about this school

 The school teaches to the philosophy and practice of Montessori education. Through self-directed, hands-on learning and play, adults intend to nurture children’s natural desire for knowledge, understanding and respect.  The school opened in June 2019 and was judged to be good at its first standard inspection in November 2019.  The school is registered to accept up to 25 pupils between five and 11 years of age. There are currently seven pupils on roll, none of whom has special educational needs and/or disabilities.  The school is located on the edge of a North Yorkshire market town. It has a large main building, extensive grounds and other smaller buildings. The proprietor and her family live on the upper floors of the main building.  The headteacher is one of the proprietors. Two of the proprietor’s children attend the school as pupils.  The Malton Montessori School and Nursery shares the same site and buildings as the

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Information about this school

school. Each setting has its own work, play and outdoor areas. The proprietors of the school also own the nursery.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This emergency inspection was carried out at the request of the Department for Education as the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to check that the school continued to meet those independent school standards relating to the safety and well-being of pupils.  The emergency inspection was triggered by safeguarding concerns received by the registration authority. The inspection took place with no notice being given to the school.  This was the school’s first emergency inspection since the school opened in June 2019.  During the inspection, I met with one of the proprietors, who is also the headteacher and acting DSL. I also met with staff.  I met with pupils and observed their break- and lunchtimes.  I reviewed school documents and policies.  I toured the school’s buildings and checked the rooms, social areas and outdoor spaces.  I reviewed the school’s arrangements to safeguard pupils. I checked the school’s

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding systems and the single central register of recruitment checks. I spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Patricia Head, lead inspector Her Majesty’s 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 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 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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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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