Education-My Life Matters

School progress monitoring inspection report

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5 Rosenthal Road, Catford, London SE6 2BX

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 3, 3(c), 3(d), 3(e) and 3(g)  At the school’s previous standard inspection in February 2020, the quality of education was judged to require improvement. This was because the curriculum was not well thought out. Apart from in English and mathematics, pupils learned subjects on an ad- hoc basis and planning was not carefully sequenced to build up pupils’ knowledge. Pupils had limited experience of some subjects. In particular, pupils on long-term placements did not receive a good quality of education. As a result, some independent school standards in this part were judged to be not met.  This inspection found that leaders have not taken sufficient action to provide a well- structured and consistently broad curriculum. Staff have not had training to help them to deliver high-quality lessons and assess pupils in a range of subjects. Lessons in most

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Main inspection findings

subjects continue to be planned on an ad-hoc basis. There are no curriculum plans for subjects other than English and mathematics. Pupils, especially those very few pupils placed at this school on a full-time and permanent basis, are not provided with a curriculum that includes all the required areas of learning.  The previously unmet standards therefore continue to be not met. Some additional standards are also not met. These are listed in the annex to this report.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b)  The school’s culture of safeguarding, including the management of concerns, disclosures and allegations, remains secure.  However, the school’s safeguarding policy has not been updated in the light of the latest statutory guidance. It continues to pay regard to the September 2020 guidance. Staff have not been trained in the light of the changes to ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2021), including the guidance on sexual violence and harassment.  Safeguarding information on the school’s website is out of date. Guidance and factual information within policy documents are inaccurate and contradictory.  Some of the independent school standards in this part are not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(2), 32(2)(a), 32(2)(b)(i) and 32(2)(c)  Routine checks of the school’s website found much of its content to be out of date. There is also information missing, including the names and contact details for the headteacher, proprietor and chair of the governing body. Paragraph 32(1) and 32(1)(c)  This requirement continues to be met because a safeguarding policy is available on the school’s website.  Some of the independent school standards in this part are not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)  The previous inspection found that the proprietor and governors did not hold school leaders sufficiently to account. There was a lack of urgency in developing the school further. There were unmet independent school standards.  This inspection found that progress has been limited for a number of reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing changes. A new headteacher was appointed in September 2021, and a new executive headteacher takes up her post next month. The proprietor is in the process of appointing a new chair of governors.  Nevertheless, the proprietor, governors and leaders have not taken the required action to improve the school in the light of the previous inspection’s findings. They are not fulfilling their roles and responsibilities effectively. There are more unmet requirements

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Main inspection findings

now than at the previous inspection.  The previously unmet standards in this part therefore continue to be not met. An additional standard in this part is also not met because of the unmet standards related to safeguarding.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Type of school Alternative provision and special school

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 25 to 27 February 2020

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Information about this school

 Education-My Life Matters, known as EMLM, is an independent school providing temporary and permanent placements for pupils excluded from mainstream schools in Lewisham, London.  The school makes use of one alternative provider: Young Lewisham Project, Forest Hill, London SE23 2SR.  The school’s previous inspection was a standard inspection in February 2020, when its overall effectiveness was judged to require improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection since its previous full standard inspection in February 2020. It was conducted without notice.  Following the previous inspection, the school submitted an action plan. It was judged to be not acceptable by Ofsted in November 2020 and was rejected by the Department for Education.  This inspection focused on the school’s compliance with particular requirements in parts 1, 3, 6 and 8 of the independent school standards.  The inspector toured the premises, observed pupils during an enrichment activity, and met with a range of staff, including the headteacher and the proprietor. He checked

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Information about this inspection

policies and curriculum plans and looked at pupils’ work.  There were no recent responses to Ofsted Parent View to consider.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain unmet at this inspection

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school– – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Standards that were met at the previous inspection, but are now judged to not be met at this inspection

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively.  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are– – 2(2)(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that–  32(2) The information specified in this sub-paragraph is– – 32(2)(a) the school’s address and telephone number and the name of the headteacher; – 32(2)(b)(i) where the proprietor is an individual, the proprietor’s full name, address for correspondence during both term-time and holidays and a telephone number or numbers on which the proprietor may be contacted – 32(2)(c) where there is a governing body, the name and address for correspondence of its Chair.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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