Calder Lodge School

Inspection of Calder Lodge School Oakenclough, Preston, Lancashire PR3 1UL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Calder Lodge, pupils thrive in the calm and nurturing environment. Pupils say that they feel valued and cared for in school. They learn to build very positive relationships because of the help that they receive from highly skilled staff. Pupils learn how to manage their own behaviour and emotions. They understand how their actions can make others feel. This helps them to behave well. Pupils show tolerance and respect for each other. Any bullying is very rare and dealt with swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to do well. Parents and carers greatly value the work of the staff. Parents say how much they appreciate the highly positive impact staff have on their children’s learning and behaviour. Pupils feel safe and happy. Their self-esteem grows with every academic success. Pupils enjoy the extensive opportunities to visit, for example, sports venues, safari parks and local places of interest. These, together with other activities, help pupils to build confidence, resilience and teamwork. Pupils take their responsibilities very seriously. This includes as members of the school council, looking after the chickens or keeping local beaches free from litter. Pupils embody the school motto of: ‘building confidence, self-worth, resilience and aspiration’ in all pupils.

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better?

Pupils join the school at different points throughout the year. On arrival, they have little trust of others, and little belief in themselves. Pupils arrive with gaps in their knowledge and understanding in most subjects. Leaders quickly establish very positive relationships with pupils and parents. This helps pupils to settle well.

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better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that helps pupils to overcome their many barriers to learning. In most subjects, leaders have identified the precise knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Most curriculum plans are detailed and carefully sequenced. This helps pupils to build on what they know, and to apply their knowledge successfully to new learning. A small number of curriculum plans are not as detailed. The precise knowledge leaders want pupils to learn and remember is not clear. This hinders pupils’ learning.

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better?

Teachers create a detailed education plan for each pupil. Each plan weaves together carefully what pupils need to know academically, socially and emotionally. This enables teachers to plan effectively for each individual pupil. Teachers use assessment techniques accurately to identify what pupils can do. This helps teachers to plan what each pupil will learn next. Pupils practise what they have been taught. This helps them to build their confidence, remember their learning, and know how to persevere when learning something new.

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better?

Pupils work hard. They are very polite and well mannered. Any disruptions to learning are infrequent and dealt with swiftly and sensitively by highly skilled staff. This support helps pupils to quickly re-engage with their learning. Pupils take great pride in their work and achieve well. 8–10 June 2021

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Many pupils do not know the sounds that letters represent when they start school. Teachers ensure that pupils learn these quickly. Pupils read with an adult several times throughout the day. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they are learning in class. Over time, pupils become fluent and accurate readers.

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Teachers develop pupils’ vocabulary knowledge through a wide range of carefully selected texts. Pupils enjoy listening to stories. Older pupils enjoy discussing the illustrations and the vocabulary that authors use. They enjoy reading across a wide range of subjects when learning new information, for example in science.

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Leaders foster pupils’ empathy for other people’s different faiths, cultures and disabilities. Pupils understand what British values mean to them. They vote for members of the school council and follow the school rules. Pupils help to make decisions. They know how important it is to be fit and to eat healthily. They are prepared very well for the future. Older pupils are aspirational for their future. Many are interested in careers in science or veterinary work.

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Members of the proprietor body use their knowledge and experience well to ensure that leaders have the resources, including staff, that they need to manage the school effectively. Staff feel very well supported. The proprietor body holds leaders to account effectively for the quality of education that pupils receive.

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The proprietor body ensures that all of the independent school standards are met, including obligations under Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. The accommodation and premises of the site are maintained to a high standard.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff receive the appropriate training needed to be able to support pupils’ needs well. Skilled staff use a range of highly effective strategies to ensure that pupils are safe, behave in a safe way towards others, and know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils know that there is a trusted adult whom they can talk with if they have any worries or concerns.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand what to do if they have any concerns about pupils’ safety or well- being. Leaders enhance this work further through close links with other agencies and charities. Leaders work closely with families to ensure that they also have the practical and emotional help that they need. This has been increasingly important during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In most subjects, including English and mathematics, curriculum plans are carefully sequenced and identify what needs to be taught and when. This is 8–10 June 2021

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reflected in pupils’ detailed individual education plans. However, in some subjects, the plans do not identify the precise knowledge that pupils need to know at key points in time. This hinders pupils’ ability to build on what they already know and can do. Leaders need to ensure that curriculum plans are sufficiently detailed so that pupils’ knowledge builds effectively over time.

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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 . 8–10 June 2021

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 8–10 June 2021

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Information about this school

 All pupils who attend this school have an education, health and care plan related to their social, emotional, behavioural and mental health needs.  The referral route for placing pupils at the school is through local authorities from across the north west region.  This was the school’s first standard inspection since the school opened in 2019.

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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 meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and staff and has taken that into account in the evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the chair of the proprietor body and two members of the board. She also spoke with the headteacher, members of the leadership team and staff. The inspector scrutinised documentation relating to safeguarding. The inspector had a telephone conversation with a representative from one of the local authorities that places pupils at the school.  The inspector considered the nine responses and free-text comments to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. She also spoke with parents at the start of the school day. The inspector considered the 10 responses to the staff survey and the seven responses to the pupil survey.  During the inspection, the inspector considered the following subjects: reading

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Information about this inspection

and phonics, mathematics, personal, social, health and economic development, geography, art and science. She met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and spoke to pupils about their learning and the life of the school. The inspector also looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.  The inspector checked the school’s premises and reviewed a range of documentation related to the independent school standards and the work of the school.

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Inspection team

Amanda Stringer, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 8–10 June 2021

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to 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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