Seva Education

Inspection of Seva Special School 205–207 Uxbridge Road, Ealing W13 9AA

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good 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?

Pupils are happy here. They know that as they arrive each day, a caring member of staff will be there to greet and welcome them with a smile. Pupils feel safe and secure. Staff support them in overcoming any worries and anxieties.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils. They want all pupils to achieve well academically and prepare for successful adulthood and citizenship. Staff make detailed assessments of pupils’ personal development and academic needs. They create bespoke programmes of learning and support for pupils. As a result, pupils attend school regularly, their confidence grows, and they become successful learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well around the school and in lessons. They try hard and enjoy celebrating their successes. Occasionally, pupils struggle with their emotions and they readily use strategies to help themselves to refocus and calm down. These episodes do not disrupt the learning of others. Staff are unfailingly kind, calm and patient when supporting pupils at all times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff pay much attention to building pupils’ social skills. Pupils are taught to tolerate differences and value diversity. As a result, if any bullying were to occur, pupils know that staff would deal with it at once.

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better?

Typically, pupils join the school with large gaps in their learning across subjects. Staff assess pupils’ starting points and tailor the curriculum to meet their needs. They have prioritised reading, literacy, mathematics and promoting pupils’ personal development. Leaders have focused on pupils’ attendance and their engagement with learning. At the time of the inspection, almost all pupils had not missed a day of schooling since they enrolled.

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better?

Reading is taught well. Staff have a strong knowledge of phonics. All pupils read one-to-one to member of staff every day. Pupils read for pleasure and access books in the school’s book corners, for example at lunchtime. Throughout the day, staff encourage pupils to read of a range of different texts. Pupils build fluency in reading and extend their vocabulary. Leaders have arranged for extra training for staff in the teaching of phonics. They recently purchased more books that match the sounds pupils are learning and are using these to good effect.

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better?

Pupils’ learning in subjects like physical education (PE) and mathematics is well planned. Staff have the necessary subject expertise and know how to encourage the best from their pupils. Staff adapt their teaching in PE to take account of pupils’ needs and education, health and care (EHC) plan targets. Older pupils study a variety of vocational courses successfully, such as in hospitality. 12 to 14 October 2021 The school has subject curriculum plans across a range of subjects that meet the requirements of the independent school standards. Leaders are at the early stages of developing these plans and choosing what, when and in what order pupils will learn subject content. Some staff do not have enough subject knowledge beyond their areas of expertise to feel confident to teach all areas of the curriculum.

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better?

Staff are highly skilled in supporting pupils with complex needs to regulate their own behaviour and behave well. Consequently, pupils work hard in lessons, try their best and enjoy the success of their endeavours, and teaching typically proceeds uninterrupted.

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better?

The school has a well-planned programme for pupils’ personal development. Pupils are encouraged to build confidence and prepare for adulthood. They are taught to respect people with protected characteristics. Staff teach pupils about fundamental British values, such as democracy. Staff work hard to support pupils’ mental and physical health, and safety. They emphasise to pupils the dangers of social media and grooming, for example.

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better?

Pupils enjoy the enrichment activities that the school organises. For example, recently, as an introduction to canoeing, pupils participated in a course on how to be alert to danger, and they learned survival skills. They are now ready to start canoeing and swimming lessons. Pupils also spend time outdoors tending the school’s allotment. Leaders have plans to expand further the number of enrichment activities on offer.

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better?

Pupils have access to various work experience opportunities. These include experience with charity organisations, the local park cafe and business offices.

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better?

Staff value the professional way that leaders interact with them. Leaders support staff to have a healthy work–life balance.

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better?

Leaders make sure that the school meets the independent school standards. They maintain premises to a high standard. Their accessibility plan complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. The school’s safeguarding policy, which is published on its website, complies with the latest statutory guidance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders identify and discuss with external agencies any safeguarding concerns or welfare issues before pupils join the school. Well-trained staff notice and act on any emerging concerns, which leaders refer promptly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that pupils and their families have access to a range of external agencies and local services to support their safety and well-being. 12 to 14 October 2021 The curriculum helps pupils understand and be alert to possible risks to their safety and well-being, for example online sexual harassment and abuse.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have robust recruitment processes for vetting candidates’ suitability to work with children.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders’ planning of what pupils need to learn and in what order in some subjects is at the early stages of development. In some instances, teachers have not yet gained enough expert knowledge in those subjects. This means that pupils are not gaining sufficient deep knowledge across a broad range of subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken in their ongoing planning of the curriculum and staff training in how to deliver a broad curriculum that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transition arrangements have been applied in this case. Leaders, in planning pupils’ learning pathways across the subjects, should make clear exactly what detailed blocks of knowledge they want pupils to learn, and in what order. They should make sure that teachers gain subject expertise in those areas of the curriculum in which they are less confident.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 . 12 to 14 October 2021

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School details

Unique reference number 148415 DfE registration number 307/6012

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School details

Inspection number 10204305 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £36,000 to £79,000

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School details

Email address education@sevacaregroup.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 12 to 14 October 2021

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Information about this school

 This was the first standard inspection since the school was initially registered to admit pupils in December 2020.  The school was originally registered for up to 10 pupils in the age range 14 to 16 years. In May 2021, the school had a material change inspection to extend the age range to seven to 25 years and to include the use of two additional sites to accommodate a total of 96 pupils.  Other than the headteacher, all staff and pupils are new to the school.  The school provides for pupils with behavioural, emotional and social needs. All pupils have an EHC plan. Most have been out of full-time education for extended periods of time.  Pupils are placed at the school by local authorities.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.  The school is run by Seva Care Group. It provides a range of specialist services, including supporting pupils with learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder

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Information about this school

and behavioural, emotional and social needs.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors 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 the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and PE. This involved discussions with leaders and teachers, visits to lessons, looking at examples of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils. Inspectors also considered other subjects as part of the inspection.  Inspectors spoke with the proprietor, the headteacher and two heads of school.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including that relating to safeguarding and the checks carried out before the appointment of staff. Inspectors also looked at records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors took account of five written responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. There were no responses to the survey for staff or to the pupils’ surveys. 12 to 14 October 2021

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Inspection team

David Radomsky, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Matthews Ofsted Inspector 12 to 14 October 2021 regulates and inspects 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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