Mayfield House School

Inspection of Mayfield House School 1 Mayfield Road, Chorley, Lancashire PR6 0DG

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Inspection dates: 27 to 29 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe, happy and well cared for at this school. Warm and friendly relationships exist between pupils and staff. Pupils enjoy learning in the nurturing environment that leaders provide.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of how well pupils can achieve and behave. Pupils do their best to live up to these aspirations. They achieve well. They develop independence and resilience that prepares them well for the next stage in their lives. At times, pupils’ behaviour can be challenging. That said, staff manage this very effectively. They meet pupils’ individual needs well. Pupils’ attitudes to learning improve over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have placed high importance on the personal development of pupils. The atmosphere around the school is calm and focused. There is no unkind behaviour. Should bullying happen, pupils know that leaders would deal with it effectively. Leaders plan opportunities for pupils to be responsible. This includes learning important life skills. Pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders make sure that pupils are well informed about their next steps in education.

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better?

Prior to starting at Mayfield House, pupils have experienced a disrupted education. Leaders have high ambitions for pupils to achieve well. Staff provide a high-quality education for pupils and help them to catch up.

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better?

Leaders have devised a broad curriculum that meets the specific special educational needs and/or disabilities of the pupils at the school. Teachers check pupils’ knowledge when they join the school. The information from these checks enables leaders and teachers to identify how best to support pupils. Teachers keep a close eye on what pupils learn each day. This enables teachers to carefully build on pupils’ existing knowledge. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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better?

In the primary phase, the curriculum is particularly well structured. Learning is organised in a logical way to ensure that pupils develop secure knowledge and skills. The key stage 3 curriculum is ambitious. However, in a minority of subjects, teachers do not have the subject knowledge that they need to help pupils learn all that they should.

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better?

Leaders give the teaching of reading high importance. A new, structured phonics programme is in place to teach phonics and support those pupils at the early stages of reading. Staff introduce pupils to a range of books and authors and encourage them to take an interest in reading. Teachers make sure that reading books match each pupil’s needs. Staff provide extra support for any pupils who need more help to catch up. This helps pupils to develop their confidence and fluency in reading. 27 to 29 September 2022 Leaders have put in place a structured personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum. Pupils study a range of different topics. They learn about important issues such as keeping themselves healthy and developing respectful relationships with others. Pupils access a suitable range of information relating to careers. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to visit local colleges and undertake

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better?

work experience. Pupils’ personal development is enhanced further with visits from external speakers.

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better?

Staff respond to pupils’ talents and interests. For example, leaders have organised canoeing trips and walks in the local green spaces for pupils. Leaders encourage pupils to have time in the sensory room to relax and reflect. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well so that it does not disrupt learning. Pupils’ behaviour improves over time.

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better?

The proprietor body has a clear understanding of its role. This body has set out a clear and ambitious vision for the school. Leaders monitor and evaluate all aspects of the school’s work. This allows them to identify any areas for development to help the school improve further.

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better?

The proprietor body ensures that the school meets all the independent school standards. The school’s website includes all the required information. The relationships and sex education curriculum meets statutory requirements. Leaders have ensured that they are compliant with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

Staff enjoy working at the school. They say that leaders are mindful of their well- being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding policy is available via the school’s website or on request. The policy is compliant with the latest government guidance. Staff have an in-depth understanding of individual pupils. They are alert to any signs that may suggest a pupil is at risk or needs support. Staff are clear about what they should do if they have a concern and how this should be recorded.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils get the help and support that they need. There are opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe through the PSHE curriculum. For example, pupils learn about staying safe online and knife crime.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Teachers lack some expertise in a small number of the key stage 3 subjects taught at the school. This means that, in these subjects, staff cannot deliver the curriculum to the depth and quality that leaders intend. Leaders should ensure 27 to 29 September 2022 that relevant support and training are put in place to further develop teachers’ subject knowledge in these 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. 27 to 29 September 2022

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Email address admin@mayfieldhouseschool.co.uk 27 to 29 September 2022

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Information about this school

 Mayfield House School is an independent school for boys and girls aged six to 14 years who have social, emotional and mental health needs and associated anxiety.  Ofsted carried out a pre-registration inspection in January 2021. The school opened in February 2021. This is the school’s first full inspection since opening.  Leaders do 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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the chair of the proprietor body, the headteacher and the human resources manager.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and PSHE education. In these subjects, inspectors looked at the curriculum, visited lessons and met with staff to discuss learning. Inspectors reviewed curriculum information in other subjects and discussed this with leaders.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. They also considered the free-text responses to Ofsted Parent View and spoke to parents.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of safeguarding information. This included the school’s safeguarding policy. They spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding and looked at how pupils learn to keep themselves safe. The inspectors spoke to staff about the recording and reporting of any safeguarding incidents.  The lead inspector checked the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Simon Hunter, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Young Ofsted Inspector 27 to 29 September 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

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

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