Maple House School

Inspection of Maple House School 546–548 Manchester Road, Haslingden, Rossendale, Lancashire BB4 6LN

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have often experienced trauma and disruption in their lives before they start their education at Maple House School. They benefit from the nurturing and stable environment that leaders provide. Pupils develop strong and trusting relationships with adults in school. Staff use a consistent and calm approach that pupils respond to. Gradually, pupils develop their confidence and self-belief. They enjoy learning again. Pupils feel happy, settled and safe in school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to work well together. They discover how to respect and listen to different views. Staff support pupils to manage their emotions and behaviour. When pupils fall out, staff help them to resolve their problems, forgive and reflect on their actions. Pupils are confident that leaders would take appropriate action to deal with any incidents of bullying.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Until recently, the curriculum was not ambitious enough to enable pupils to reach their potential. New leaders have set high expectations. They have taken steps to improve the curriculum to ensure that all pupils can achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

A range of therapeutic support is available for pupils to allow them to heal and move on in their lives. Pupils enjoy a range of interesting and fun activities, including trampolining, team games and cooking.

p.2

better?

Leaders have put in place a new curriculum which identifies the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. Leaders have considered the steps in learning that pupils should make to ensure that their learning is secure. However, the changes that leaders have made are recent and not embedded. The previous curriculum did not enable pupils to achieve well. They have gaps in their learning in a number of subjects.

p.2

better?

When pupils start at the school, teachers make detailed checks on their academic, social, emotional and personal needs. However, teachers sometimes do not use this detailed information to ensure that pupils receive effective support from staff. Teachers do not use these checks well enough to ensure that new pupils’ learning builds securely on what they already know.

p.2

better?

Leaders have ensured that there is a strong culture of reading in the school. Pupils visit the local library and appreciate taking home their chosen books. Pupils enjoy spending quiet time in the school library, with bean bags and comfy corners to relax in and read. Pupils develop a love of stories, poems and songs. They enjoy reading in the school garden.

p.2

better?

Pupils develop positive attitudes to learning. The strong relationships that pupils develop with staff give them a firm foundation to manage their emotions and 12 to 14 July 2022 behaviour. Staff are quick to notice when a pupil may need support. They intervene swiftly to ensure that there is little disruption caused by any misbehaviour. This means that pupils can get on with their learning. Staff are also adept at identifying pupils who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They put appropriate support in place for pupils with SEND.

p.2

better?

Leaders ensure that pupils access an effective personal development curriculum. Leaders work with a range of professionals to ensure that the personal development curriculum meets pupils’ social and emotional needs. Leaders set an expectation for most pupils to develop the confidence and resilience to move on to mainstream or specialist school within one to two years. This ambition is achieved.

p.3

better?

Pupils learn tolerance and respect for others through the opportunities that teachers provide for discussion and debate. Pupils learn about different cultures and religions. Staff deepen this understanding through visits to different places of worship. Pupils learn about celebrations of cultural and religious festivals.

p.3

better?

Teachers are skilled in supporting pupils’ mental health. Pupils know that they have a safe space to open up to their peers and to discuss sensitive subjects such as positive relationships, loneliness and anxiety. Leaders have ensured that the school meets its statutory obligations to implement relationships, health and sex education.

p.3

better?

Pupils learn about a wide range of career opportunities. They benefit from impartial careers guidance from a specialist adviser. Staff encourage pupils to believe in themselves and to aim high to achieve their ambitions.

p.3

better?

Leaders work with local authorities to ensure that all pupils with an education, health and care plan have an annual review. Leaders ensure that regular review meetings with professionals, parents and carers take place. This means that all stakeholders have an informed picture of pupils’ progress.

p.3

better?

The proprietor body has put robust systems in place to ensure that the school meets all the independent school standards. They know the school well and have taken appropriate action to improve leadership at the school. The proprietor body has ensured that actions to improve the curriculum have been implemented. New leaders have the knowledge and skills necessary to bring about the required improvements to pupils’ learning.

p.3

better?

The proprietor body has ensured that the school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Leaders have put an appropriate accessibility plan in place, which is available to parents.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders follow all national guidance around safeguarding, including training, policies and procedures. The school’s safeguarding policy is available on the website. 12 to 14 July 2022 All staff are highly vigilant and know all pupils extremely well. Any behaviour or other sign that may indicate a safeguarding or welfare concern is identified quickly. Leaders work closely with other professionals, including the local authority, to ensure that the right support is available for every pupil.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. Pupils have trusted adults that they can go to if they have any worries or concerns.

p.4

(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Until recently, the curriculum did not set out with clarity what pupils should learn and when they should learn it. This means that pupils have not achieved as well as they should and have gaps in their learning. Leaders should ensure that the recent improvements made to the curriculum are embedded to ensure that pupils achieve as well as they should.  Leaders do not ensure that the detailed checks made when pupils start at the school are used well. This means that teachers sometimes do not use this information to provide learning which builds logically on pupils’ previous learning. Leaders should ensure that all staff understand how to use this information effectively in order to make sure that pupils’ learning builds on what they already know.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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 . 12 to 14 July 2022

p.4

School details

Unique reference number 144375 DfE registration number 888/6070

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10225747 Type of school Other independent special school

p.5

School details

Email address mike.hooper@halliwellhomes.co.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 to 15 June 2018 12 to 14 July 2022

p.5

Information about this school

 Maple House School is a small independent school which meets the needs of up to 10 male and female pupils. Most pupils have social, emotional and mental health difficulties.  A new executive headteacher and lead teacher have been appointed since the previous inspection.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

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 substantive executive headteacher, newly appointed executive headteacher, a director from the proprietor body, the lead teacher and other staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English including reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke with leaders about some other subjects.  During the inspection, inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including that in relation to safeguarding and information relating to the independent school standards. They also looked at records of pupils’ behaviour and

p.6

Information about this inspection

attendance.  There were no responses to Ofsted Parent View. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires for staff or pupils. Inspectors had telephone conversations with other professionals who work with the school, including a social worker and the headteacher of the virtual school. 12 to 14 July 2022

p.6

Inspection team

Julie Bather, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Ian Hardman Her Majesty’s Inspector 12 to 14 July 2022 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.

p.7

Inspection team

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 .

p.8

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format 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 .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8