The Emscote School

Inspection of Emscote School Nelson Lane, Nelson Lane Industrial Estate, Warwick, Warwickshire CV34 5JB

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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 school where pupils are safe and very well looked after. Staff provide excellent pastoral care. They quickly build trusting and respectful relationships with pupils. Consequently, pupils like and trust staff. They know that staff will support them with any difficulties they experience. Pupils settle quickly into the school and most enjoy attending.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who spend a short time in the school are prepared well for their next steps. Many return to mainstream schools. Pupils in Year 11 move to further education. When they leave Emscote, they are far better placed to succeed in education than when they arrived.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who are permanently on the school’s roll are equally well supported. However, the curriculum does not meet their needs as successfully. In several subjects, the curriculum is not sufficiently adapted to reflect pupils’ abilities and needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are usually polite and courteous. As they spend time in the school, they learn to better manage their feelings and their behaviour improves. Most attend regularly and become increasingly effective learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has strong links with the local authority and schools that commission places. It works closely with parents. These stakeholders hold the school in high regard.

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better?

Schools and the local authority commission short-term places for pupils at Emscote who are struggling in, or have been permanently excluded from, their home school. It is highly successful in this role. Staff quickly assess pupils’ needs. They skilfully integrate pupils into the school. They provide excellent support. They provide an effective curriculum based around a core set of subjects of English, mathematics, science and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Consequently, pupils are well prepared for their destinations when their placements come to an end.

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better?

Emscote became a school in September 2021, having previously operated as an alternative provider. This means that it now also provides long-term education for some pupils. It currently has a small number of such pupils, most of whom have joined the school quite recently. All have education, health and care (EHC) plans. These pupils are doing well. Leaders have accurately assessed their abilities and needs and have put in place effective support.

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better?

Leaders have faced challenges since September 2021. They have struggled to recruit teachers. This lack of subject-specific expertise means that in subjects other than the core of English, mathematics, science and PSHE, the curriculum is not as well planned or adapted to meet pupils’ needs as it should be. Additionally, some of these subjects are taught by teaching assistants or using an online platform. They 21 to 23 June 2022 are not delivered as effectively as they could be. Pupils are not learning as well as they could in these subjects.

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better?

The school promotes reading effectively. Most pupils are proficient readers and those who find reading more difficult are supported well to catch up.

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better?

The school is well led. The principal, who is also the proprietor, and the vice principal provide a clear vision of giving pupils every chance of success in education. The staff form a committed team who share leaders’ values and believe in the school’s mission. They value the principal’s leadership and support, for example in her consideration of their well-being and workload.

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better?

Leaders are supported well by the trust board. The board contains appropriate expertise and it provides good support and challenge to leaders. Leaders and trustees have successfully managed Emscote’s transition to being an independent school. They have ensured that the school meets the independent school standards (ISS). The school fulfils all its statutory duties. For example, it meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. It has successfully implemented the statutory guidance on relationships, sex and health education (RSHE).

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better?

Most pupils attend the school because they have demonstrated challenging behaviours in previous schools. Staff manage behaviour well. Warm, respectful relationships are evident throughout the school. When incidents occur, staff react appropriately and provide excellent support. Consequently, classrooms are usually calm and orderly. Social times of the day are equally calm and pleasant. Inspectors found pupils to be courteous and polite. Several pupils told inspectors how much they value their school and the positive difference it has made to their lives.

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better?

The school’s premises meets all requirements of the ISS. The building is well maintained and the interior is attractive. Pupils treat it with respect. For example, inspectors saw no evidence of vandalism or graffiti.

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better?

Many pupils did not attend their previous schools regularly. Some have missed significant periods of education. Staff work hard with pupils and parents to encourage regular attendance. They are successful in this. Most pupils’ attendance improves as they settle into the school. Many attend very regularly.

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better?

The school’s PSHE programme is thorough. It includes appropriate units about RSHE. Staff also provide effective individual guidance to all pupils. This might include academic support, for example with spelling. However, much of this support focuses on improving pupils’ self-esteem and self-confidence or on addressing specific areas relating to their social and emotional health and well-being.

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better?

All pupils receive regular careers guidance, both within the PSHE programme and through one-to-one interviews. Each pupil has their own ‘careers plan’ that is updated regularly to reflect their interests and aspirations. Provision is personalised. For example, some older pupils undertake work placements to help prepare them for 21 to 23 June 2022 their next steps. The careers programme is effective. All pupils currently in Year 11 have secured college places for next year.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school has a strong culture of keeping pupils safe. All staff know that this is their top priority. They have been well trained and know the signs that pupils might be at risk or may need extra help. They report concerns to leaders, who deal with them appropriately. Leaders have excellent relationships with external agencies such as local children’s services. They ensure that pupils get the help they need in a timely manner.

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Safeguarding

Staff make sure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They teach pupils about risks and how to protect themselves. For example, pupils are taught how to stay safe when using social media.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding policy is detailed and clear. It is available on the school’s website. It includes clear guidance in relation to sexual harassment, online sexual abuse and sexual violence.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The curriculum in several subjects is not planned and adapted well enough in light of the abilities and needs of pupils who are on the school’s roll and are therefore likely to attend for several years. Consequently, in these subjects, pupils are not learning as effectively as they should. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is well planned and adapted in all subjects.  The school lacks subject-specific expertise in several subjects. This means that these subjects are not being delivered as effectively as they could be. Leaders should ensure that there is a strong focus on improving staff’s subject knowledge and understanding of how best to teach each subject, so that the curriculum is delivered well in all subjects.

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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. 21 to 23 June 2022 If you are the provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 21 to 23 June 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 148732 DfE registration number 937/6035

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School details

Inspection number 10238164 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Annual fees £29,250 for pupils on roll £100 per day for commissioned places Telephone number 01926 492609

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School details

Email address parneetkang@emscoteschool.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 21 to 23 June 2022

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Information about this school

 Emscote opened as a school in September 2021. Prior to that date, it had operated as an alternative provider for several years.  The school provides short-term, full-time and part-time placements for pupils who have experienced difficulties in, or have been permanently excluded from, their home school. These placements are commissioned either by the local authority or directly by the home school.  The school also has a small number of pupils on its roll. All have an EHC plan and have social, emotional and mental health difficulties. All have joined the school during this academic year.  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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal, who is also the proprietor, and with the vice principal. They met with the chair of the trust board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also scrutinised the curriculum in other subjects including art and PSHE.  Inspectors considered safeguarding by meeting with the principal and vice principal, who are both designated safeguarding leads. They scrutinised policies and records relating to child protection and examined the safeguarding checks

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Information about this inspection

made on staff before they join the school.  Inspectors scrutinised policies and documents relating to the independent school standards. The lead inspector toured the premises with the principal.  Inspectors considered the responses from staff to their online inspection questionnaire. They also met with a group of staff. 21 to 23 June 2022  Inspectors spoke informally with pupils at breaktime and lunchtime. They observed the school at these times. They spoke at greater length with several pupils.  Inspectors spoke with a small number of parents and three commissioners of short-term placements.

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Inspection team

Alun Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jane Edgerton Ofsted Inspector 21 to 23 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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