WV2 Education

Inspection of WV2 Education 434b Dudley Road, Blakenhall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV2 3AQ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement 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 Requires improvement

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small school where staff know individual pupils well. Staff take time to build strong relationships with pupils in order that they feel safe and well supported. Pupils, many of whom have been out of education for a long time, begin to see the value in learning again. This is because leaders are committed to ensuring all pupils re-engage with learning so that they can be successful in later life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally behave well. In most lessons, pupils engage positively with their learning and make valid contributions to group discussions. Pupils are usually respectful of staff and polite to visitors. Leaders do not tolerate bullying. If bullying does occur, they take swift and decisive action to deal with it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum offers pupils a suitable range of subjects and the opportunity to achieve various qualifications. Some subjects are not as well planned as they could be. The curriculum does not support pupils to develop their literacy skills as well as it should.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff ensure that pupils have the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom. Pupils visited the Black Country Museum in the summer term and have also taken part in rock climbing.

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better?

In most subjects, leaders have planned the curriculum carefully and offer qualifications that meet the needs and abilities of all pupils. This includes qualifications for English and mathematics in functional skills. Leaders make sure that pupils get the right support in order that they can make progress both academically and socially. However, the progress pupils make across the curriculum is not consistent.

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better?

Teachers plan and deliver many parts of the curriculum well. In mathematics, for example, leaders have planned how pupils work towards their functional skills qualification. Topics are logically ordered so that pupils start by securing their knowledge in number before moving onto more complex calculations. Teachers use a variety of effective strategies to engage pupils in learning. Teachers help pupils to see the purpose of mathematics in everyday life. For example, pupils are taught about the cost of living and how to estimate when shopping for food. Teachers help pupils to remember more by revisiting key knowledge. They know how well pupils are getting on and use this information to help plan future lessons. Pupils enjoy mathematics and progress well.

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better?

Many pupils have missed significant amounts of time in education; therefore, they have gaps in their literacy skills. The English curriculum ensures pupils study a range of non-fiction texts. They also complete various reading comprehension activities to check their understanding. Leaders link the texts that pupils study to topical events so that pupils can see the relevance of what they are studying. This includes looking 2 to 4 November 2021 at articles related to the Olympics in the summer term and, more recently, texts that link to ‘Black History Month’. However, teachers do not provide enough support to help pupils read and write fluently. They are not addressing gaps in pupils’ literacy skills as effectively as they could do.

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better?

In most of the other subjects, leaders have designed curriculum plans that help pupils to build their knowledge gradually. However, leaders have not allocated sufficient time in a few subjects, including science, for pupils to cover the planned content.

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better?

Since the school opened, leaders have been working closely with staff to provide training to help staff manage pupils’ behaviour consistently. Staff’s training on behaviour management has helped to ensure that most lessons have a calm and orderly environment. However, teachers and teaching assistants do not always support pupils’ learning as effectively as they could do.

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better?

Leaders have a strong understanding of pupils’ learning plans and provide support in various ways so that pupils can be successful. Leaders review learning plans regularly and ensure teachers are aware of pupils’ individual needs.

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better?

Leaders have put in place a short-course qualification as part of the school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils have covered topics such as discrimination related to disability and race. Leaders have recently consulted with parents and carers regarding their relationships, sex and health education programme and intend to start delivering this in the spring term 2022. Leaders ensure that pupils can develop their understanding of PSHE topics in depth and have timetabled workshops each week with an external support worker.

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better?

Leaders ensure all pupils have access to careers information and guidance. Pupils complete work experience at various points throughout the year. Leaders plan for pupils to visit local colleges and attend an apprenticeship event.

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better?

The headteacher, who is also the school proprietor, has ensured that all the independent school standards are met. Senior leaders, teachers and teaching assistants work together closely to ensure pupils are well supported. The proprietor ensures all policies are regularly reviewed to ensure they are fit for purpose and reflect the work the school does. Leaders are in regular contact with parents and carers so that they have a full understanding of the external factors which may impact on pupils’ behaviour in school. Parents value this support and regular contact. The school is compliant with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding policy is available to parents on request. It is compliant with the latest government guidance. Leaders have ensured there are clear systems and processes in place for safeguarding pupils. All staff are appropriately trained and 2 to 4 November 2021 know how to report a concern about a pupil. Leaders work closely with local authorities so that pupils get the right help and support. Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe through workshops, such as making positive lifestyle choices. They are also taught about how to stay safe when online.

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Information for the school and proprietor

 Teachers do not help pupils to develop their literacy skills as effectively as they could. Some pupils are not given enough opportunities to practise their reading and writing skills in depth. This means that pupils struggle to write at length and lack confidence in their ability to read. Leaders should ensure that literacy is given a high priority and that all pupils learn to read and write fluently in order to be successful in later life.  Leaders have not planned the science curriculum carefully. Teachers are still at the beginning of the curriculum plan and have not taken into account, sufficiently well, the gaps in pupils’ science knowledge. This means that curriculum plans for science are too challenging and not matched to the needs of pupils. Leaders should ensure that the science curriculum is planned effectively so that pupils can make progress in their learning and remember more in the long term.

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Information for the school and proprietor

 Teachers and teaching assistants have not had sufficient training to help develop their subject knowledge and teaching. This means that teachers have not had time to deepen their understanding of the courses the school offers and so provide the most appropriate support to pupils. Additionally, teaching assistants do not always support learning in the classroom as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that all staff are given training to develop their practice and be able to carry out their roles more effectively.

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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 . 2 to 4 November 2021

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 2 to 4 November 2021

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Information about this school

 The school opened on 29 January 2021. This is the school’s first standard inspection.  Pupils joined the school in March 2021.  All pupils who attend the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, who is also the proprietor. Inspectors also met with the deputy headteacher, teachers and teaching assistants.  Inspectors focused on English, mathematics, science and PSHE during the inspection. Inspectors considered the school’s curriculum plans, visited lessons and scrutinised pupils’ work. Inspectors met with pupils to discuss their learning in these subjects. Inspectors also spoke to pupils about their wider experiences of school.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including school policies, risk assessments, attendance information and behaviour logs.  When inspecting safeguarding, inspectors looked at the school’s procedures for recruiting staff, the quality of staff’s training and the procedures that are in place to keep pupils safe. Inspectors also considered the suitability of the school building and leaders’ work to reduce the risks that had been identified.

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Inspection team

Mark Howes, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 2 to 4 November 2021 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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