Willow Tree Park

Inspection of Bright Futures Willow Tree Park, Beech House, Booths Lane, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0GH

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Inspection dates: 23 to 25 November 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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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, including students in the sixth form, rarely miss a day of school. They told inspectors that they enjoy learning and that they like being with their friends. Pupils form exceptionally strong bonds with staff. Pupils talked confidently to inspectors about always feeling safe, happy and cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are adamant that any rare incidents of bullying are dealt with immediately. They understand and accept each other’s differences. Pupils know that they can go to any member of staff if they are concerned about anything, secure in the knowledge that staff are always there to help.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Despite the challenges that pupils face because of their special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), they are determined to succeed. Pupils’ exemplary behaviour, coupled with their positive attitudes to learning, help to ensure that the school is a calm, purposeful and harmonious place. Pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are responsible and active citizens. They enjoy having their say as members of the school council, raising money for good causes and volunteering their services at the local food bank. Pupils develop essential skills, such as cooking and horticulture, which prepare them well for adult life. They participate eagerly in team sports, such as football, cycling and swimming.

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better?

The executive headteacher, senior leaders and the proprietor have high aspirations for all pupils. Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum which covers a broad range of subjects. They are determined for pupils to gain the knowledge and skills that they need to live happy and rewarding lives. Pupils can gain GCSE qualifications, or other qualifications which help them to develop their communication and independent living skills.

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better?

Leaders have created a well-ordered curriculum that engages pupils and helps them to know and remember more of their learning. When pupils find it hard to remember what they have learned, staff use different strategies to help them.

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better?

All pupils have SEND. Leaders and teachers are very effective in adapting the curriculum so that pupils can learn. For example, teachers use signs and symbols, as well as textured and ‘noisy’ books, to help pupils to learn to read. In addition, the electronic forms of communication provided by the school enable pupils to make themselves understood in class. Leaders have developed effective procedures for assessing pupils’ knowledge and skills. This enables teachers to create tailored programmes of learning for each pupil. Teachers use assessment information well to quickly identify and address any misconceptions that pupils may have. 23 to 25 November 2021 In key stages 1 and 2, teachers focus on developing pupils’ phonics knowledge. Most teachers are helping pupils to recognise the sounds that different letters make. Students in the sixth form are developing their fluency in reading, as well as their

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better?

appreciation of the work of different authors. However, some staff do not have enough understanding of older pupils’ missing reading knowledge. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some staff have not had phonics training. This means that they are not always well equipped to help older pupils to improve their reading.

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better?

The work that leaders and staff do to promote pupils’ personal development and understanding of British values is outstanding. Pupils carry out their leadership responsibilities diligently. Their successful negotiations led to the acquisition of artificial turf and a trampoline for the outdoor recreational area. Pupils manage the school allotment, where they cultivate vegetables and flowers. Pupils relish outdoor activities. Many pupils participate in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Leaders also ensure that pupils understand different religions and cultures. Pupils understand the harm that can be caused by discriminatory behaviour such as racism and sexism.

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better?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. The school’s therapists help pupils to develop different strategies to deal with their emotions. When pupils find being in a classroom environment difficult, they know that they can use the sensory room and soft play areas or go for a walk with an adult. When pupils are distressed, or in crisis, staff intervene effectively.

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better?

Pupils in key stages 3 and 4, and students in the sixth form, have access to a comprehensive careers programme. Staff help pupils and students prepare personal statements for college and employment. Pupils also benefit from an extensive range of work placements in areas such as dog walking and grooming, beach and woodland conservation and office administration. These opportunities prepare pupils well for their next stage of education or training after leaving the school. The proprietor’s safeguarding policy and relationships and sex education policy are published on the school’s website. The policies take account of the most recent statutory guidelines.

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better?

Parents and carers are happy with the regular reports that they receive on their children’s progress.

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better?

Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being. They are committed to the school’s values. The specialist training available to teachers and teaching assistants supports their teaching well.

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better?

The proprietor knows the school well. He supports and challenges leaders to ensure that the school continually improves. Since the previous inspection, the proprietor has invested in a food technology room and added extra facilities to the outdoor recreational area. These arrangements help to ensure that the school meets all the independent school standards. 23 to 25 November 2021 A written risk assessment policy is in place. This clearly outlines the responsibilities of staff and leaders. It provides a suitable framework for protecting pupils from risk.

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better?

The curriculum meets the requirements of the independent school standards. The school accessibility plan complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant when it comes to ensuring that pupils are safe. Safeguarding leaders are well trained and fully up to date with all relevant guidance. All staff are familiar with the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures.

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Safeguarding

Staff are alert to the dangers that pupils may face. They are highly skilled at identifying pupils who may be at risk of potential abuse and neglect. They know exactly what to do if they are concerned about the welfare of a pupil. All staff report concerns in a timely manner. Leaders have successfully incorporated safeguarding into the curriculum. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders have not ensured that all staff can accurately identify the deficits in older pupils’ reading knowledge. Some older pupils do not read as fluently as they should, because they have missing phonics knowledge. Added to this, some staff do not know how to help pupils to improve their phonics knowledge or reading skills. Leaders should ensure that all staff are appropriately trained to help pupils improve their reading fluency and comprehension skills.

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How can I feed back my views?

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 . 23 to 25 November 2021

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School details

Unique reference number 134186 DfE registration number 877/6001

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School details

Inspection number 10203799 Type of school Independent school

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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form

Email address school@brightfuturescare.co.uk

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form

Dates of previous inspection 10 to 12 October 2017 23 to 25 November 2021

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the headteacher has become the executive headteacher. A new headteacher has recently been appointed.  The school does not use 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, the sixth-form leader and other senior leaders. The lead inspector held discussions with the proprietor and the school therapist. The lead inspector also held discussions with representatives of the local authorities responsible for placing pupils at the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into English, personal, social, health and citizenship education, science and food technology. For each deep dive, inspectors looked at curriculum planning and spoke to leaders about their subjects. They conducted lesson visits, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at a range of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke with class teachers and teaching

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Information about this inspection

assistants from the classes that they visited.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. Inspectors also spoke with parents in order to gather their views about the school, and considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff. The lead inspector spoke with a representative from local authorities who place pupils in the school.  Inspectors considered responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils.  Inspectors examined a range of curriculum plans and policies. They also scrutinised safeguarding information, including the school’s safeguarding policy. The lead inspector spoke to the safeguarding lead and the executive headteacher about the school’s systems for reporting and recording safeguarding incidents. Inspectors also talked with pupils about their safety and welfare.

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Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector David Hampson Ofsted Inspector 23 to 25 November 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format

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Inspection team

or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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