TLG Bolton

Inspection of TLG Bolton Concorde House, 2 Frederick Street, Farnworth, Bolton BL4 9AL

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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 Good

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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 feel happy and safe at school. They see TLG Bolton as a secure haven. Pupils develop strong and trusting bonds with staff. They understand the harmful effects of discriminatory behaviour, including racism and homophobic bullying. They told inspectors that should bullying or discriminatory behaviour happen, it would be dealt with immediately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are skilled at helping pupils to manage their emotions and feelings. The high expectations that staff have of both pupils’ behaviour and achievement help to make the school a calm and purposeful place where pupils can learn well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers praise the school highly. Typically, they said that their children ‘flourish’ due to the nurturing support that they receive from staff. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy playing team games. They like to create structures using building blocks and complete jigsaw puzzles during ‘zone time’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to demonstrate that they are responsible citizens. Some tend carefully to plants and vegetables in the school garden. Others help staff to prepare lessons, mentor younger pupils and model good behaviour. Pupils especially value activities such as archery, rock climbing, kayaking and gorge walking at their annual residential retreat in Wales.

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better?

Leaders and the proprietor have crafted a carefully thought-out curriculum which interests and meets the needs of pupils. They want pupils to realise their potential and become productive members of society. To this end, staff focus on enhancing pupils’ academic knowledge and understanding, particularly in English and mathematics, and helping pupils to develop their personal and social skills.

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better?

In most subjects, the curriculum is logically ordered and deepens pupils’ understanding over time. However, this is not the case in a few subjects. In these subjects, the curriculum is not as well organised. As a result, pupils do not develop and deepen their knowledge as well as they should.

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better?

Most pupils have missed previous learning due to having extended periods out of education. Well-established procedures ensure that teachers check carefully on what pupils know and can do. For example, staff check pupils’ reading and mathematical knowledge when they join the school. Staff use this information skilfully to create tailored programmes of learning for each pupil.

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better?

Staff prioritise reading. They know that reading is pupils’ passport to accessing all areas of the curriculum. Pupils read every day, and they enjoy high-quality books 14 to 16 June 2022 from different authors. Staff make sure that those pupils studying for GCSE English and mathematics are well prepared for their examinations. For example, pupils understand and are excited to explain the plots and characters in the different novels that they are studying.

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better?

All pupils who attend the school are pupils with SEND. The proprietor makes sure that staff are trained well to meet pupils’ needs. The proprietor also ensures that staff have access to specialist support. This helps staff to identify pupils’ new or changing needs. Staff work well with parents, carers and other agencies to ensure that pupils get appropriate support to access the curriculum.

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better?

Pupils’ behaviour improves during their time at the school. They benefit from the different therapeutic activities on offer. For example, pupils know that they can take a ‘brain break’ from lessons if they need to. After this, staff ensure that pupils return to class calm and ready to learn. Such activities mean that disruption during lessons is rare.

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better?

Pupils learn about religious and cultural diversity. Staff effectively promote pupils’ physical health and understanding of the features of trusting relationships. Pupils know how to improve and protect their mental health and well-being. They recently made an art sculpture out of litter to raise awareness of environmental issues. However, some aspects of the personal development curriculum are not as well developed. For example, leaders provide insufficient opportunities for some pupils to develop their talents and interests, such as in music and sports.

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better?

Leaders ensure that pupils receive impartial careers information, advice and guidance. This helps pupils to make informed choices about a broad range of career options.

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better?

Staff’s morale is high. They enjoy working as part of a close-knit team. Staff have access to support for their well-being when needed. Staff told inspectors that the proprietor is mindful of their mental health and workload.

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better?

The proprietor and the management committee carry out their duties diligently. They work closely with staff to ensure that the independent school standards are consistently met. Leaders provide effective training and development which helps to improve staff’s expertise.

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better?

The proprietor has made sure that the accessibility plan complies with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. Leaders ensure that a suitable safeguarding policy is in place. This, along with other policies, is published on the school’s website.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that there are appropriate, stringent safeguarding procedures in place. Staff receive regular and effective safeguarding training. This ensures that 14 to 16 June 2022 staff can quickly identify any signs of neglect or abuse.

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Safeguarding

Staff are familiar with the most recent government guidelines on keeping pupils safe in education. They know the procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns. Leaders involve other agencies quickly and effectively when required to ensure that vulnerable pupils and families receive appropriate support.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they learn how to use the internet safely through a well-managed and effective approach.

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(Information for the proprietor)

 In a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not support staff to build on pupils’ knowledge in a logical order. As a result, some pupils do not deepen their understanding of concepts over time as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that staff are clear about what content should be delivered and when this should be taught so that pupils can build their knowledge securely over time.  Leaders do not promote some aspects of pupils’ personal development as well as they should. As a result, some pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop further their musical and sporting talents. Leaders should ensure that they afford these pupils sufficient opportunities to attend a broader range of extra-curricular activities.

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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 . 14 to 16 June 2022

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School details

DfE registration number 350/6003 Local authority Bolton

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) Ltd

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 to 26 April 2018 14 to 16 June 2022

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and chair of the management committee have been appointed.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, teacher and teaching assistant. They also held telephone conversations with the special educational needs coordinator and curriculum leader from the TLG group. The lead inspector held a meeting with three members of the proprietor body, including the chair of the management committee.  Inspectors held telephone conversations with representatives from schools placing pupils at TLG.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects. Inspectors also spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke with parents to gather their views about the school. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, as well as free-text comments from parents and carers. There were no responses to the staff or pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of policies and documents. They also scrutinised safeguarding information, including the school’s safeguarding policy. Inspectors spoke to safeguarding leaders about the reporting and recording of any 14 to 16 June 2022 safeguarding incidents. They also talked with pupils about their safety and welfare.

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Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Adam Sproston Her Majesty’s Inspector 14 to 16 June 2022 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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