ALP Nuneaton

Inspection of ALP Nuneaton Holman Way, Nuneaton CV11 4PN

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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?

Leaders provide high-quality care for pupils at ALP Nuneaton. Many pupils have complex needs. Staff understand these needs very well. Adults place pupils’ well- being at the heart of everything they do. Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. There is a collective belief that all pupils can achieve and be successful. Leaders are determined to ensure that pupils have positive experiences. They take into account each pupil’s individual needs. As a result, pupils flourish and thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders think carefully about the school’s curriculum offer to make sure that it is broad and balanced. They provide pupils with a rich variety of lessons and activities to enable them to become well-rounded learners. Teachers carefully select these activities to meet the needs and interests of each child.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All staff are passionate about making a difference to pupils’ lives. The school is a warm and welcoming place with a personalised approach to each child’s education. There is a spirit of positivity from the moment pupils arrive on site. They are personally welcomed into the building. Pupils feel safe in school. They know that staff will listen to their concerns and deal quickly with bullying if it should ever occur.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that is well suited to pupils’ needs. All pupils study mathematics and English along with a range of other subjects, such as physical education, science and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Many pupils also learn life skills to help them prepare for the future. Leaders have adopted curriculum plans that set out the key information that pupils are expected to know and remember in each subject. These plans ensure that pupils build their knowledge logically, step by step. As a result, pupils know and remember more over time.

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better?

Each pupil has an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Leaders carefully review these plans before pupils join the school. As part of this review, leaders consider a range of information about pupils’ past experiences. They also work with pupils to find out what they already know and can do. This work provides staff with detailed information about pupils’ abilities. They use this information well to decide individual start points in the curriculum. This means that pupils learn a curriculum that is well suited to their needs.

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better?

Staff are expert in helping pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They skilfully use a range of strategies to support pupils in lessons. They understand how to adapt the curriculum and they break tasks down into small activities. Many lessons are delivered individually, one to one. These strategies help pupils to access and learn the curriculum well. However, some staff do not have a deep understanding of all the subjects that they teach. This means that there is a 7 to 9 December 2021 variation in the way that some subjects are taught. Sometimes, staff do not choose learning activities that make the best use of time in lessons.

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better?

Pupils who are learning to read benefit from daily phonics lessons. Staff provide targeted support for pupils who are at different stages of learning to read. Pupils enjoy reading to adults and are eager to talk about stories and characters. Although reading is still a challenge for many, the school’s approach is helping pupils to become better readers.

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better?

Leaders place great emphasis on pupils’ personal development. Pupils have PSHE lessons twice each week. These lessons cover many subjects and prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. They understand healthy relationships and the importance of respect for people who are different to them. Pupils look forward to these lessons and enjoy sharing their opinions. Leaders have also introduced activities to broaden pupils’ experiences and interests. For example, secondary-age pupils go fishing each week. This has made a difference in some pupils’ lives. They talk about fishing with great enthusiasm. They are knowledgeable about the equipment, skills and tactics involved in fishing.

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better?

All pupils receive impartial information to help them reflect on their future careers. Secondary-age pupils take part in enterprise projects that show them how to work like entrepreneurs. Some have visited local businesses to learn more about commercial enterprise. The school’s career adviser helps pupils make plans for moving to colleges, apprenticeships or employment.

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better?

Sometimes, pupils display challenging behaviours that disrupt their learning. Adults know how to manage these situations well. Staff are patient and consistent in their approach to helping pupils adjust their choices and actions. This approach is proving successful. The more time that pupils spend at the school, the better they become at behaving positively.

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better?

Proprietors and governors work well with school leaders. They have ensured that the independent school standards are met. They fulfil their statutory duties. For example, they have checked that the school’s curriculum teaches pupils appropriately about relationships, sex and health education. In addition, the proprietors actively work with school leaders to promote staff well-being. This work has helped to create a happy and vibrant school where staff morale is high.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that the school 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

Pupils’ welfare and safety are of the utmost importance to everybody. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. This training provides them with a thorough understanding of their role in keeping pupils safe. They are alert to any signs that a 7 to 9 December 2021 pupil needs help and act quickly to provide support when necessary. Leaders are strong advocates for pupils. They have good partnerships with families and outside support agencies. In addition, adults teach pupils how to keep themselves safe both in school and outside.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make careful checks on the suitability of adults who work or volunteer at the school. They have ensured that the school’s safeguarding policy takes into account the latest government requirements. The policy is published on the school’s website.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 There is some variation in staff subject knowledge. This means that some staff do not choose activities that help pupils learn as well as they might. Leaders should ensure that all staff receive development opportunities so that they become more expert in the subjects that they teach.

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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 . 7 to 9 December 2021

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School details

Unique reference number 148051 DfE registration number 937/6031

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School details

Inspection number 10192413 Type of school Independent special school

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sixth form

Annual fees (day pupils) £46,659 to £61,132

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sixth form

Email address bradley.rowley@alpschools.org 7 to 9 December 2021

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher started in September 2021.  This is the school’s first standard inspection. The school opened on 14 January 2021.  Four different local authorities place pupils at the school.  The school provides education for pupils with social and emotional difficulties. Pupils who attend the school usually have EHC plans.  There are currently no sixth-form students on roll at the school.  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 head of schools, headteacher, teachers and teaching assistants.  The lead inspector met the managing director, who represented the proprietorial board.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, English and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding policy along with a range of safeguarding information. This work included scrutiny of the school’s single central record of checks made on adults. Inspectors checked staff’s safeguarding training and spoke to staff about safeguarding procedures.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including policies, curriculum plans, health and safety records, school action plans and the school’s self-evaluation.  Inspectors reviewed responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

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Information about this inspection

 The lead inspector toured the school premises to check that it meets the requirements of the independent school standards. 7 to 9 December 2021

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Inspection team

Jonathan Leonard, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Emma Gater Her Majesty’s Inspector 7 to 9 December 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

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

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