Silverways School

Inspection of Silverways School St Andrew's Parish Centre, Silver Street, Enfield EN1 3EG

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Inspection dates: 13 to 15 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 Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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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?

Leaders of this new special school have high expectations for every pupil. They ensure that staff have the expertise to help pupils to develop their social and emotional skills. This supports pupils to make new friends. They learn to behave well and engage positively in class.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As they arrive at school, pupils receive a warm welcome from staff. Over time, pupils build strong and trusting working relationships with staff. This gives them a sense of safety and security and helps them to feel happy to come to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that staff care for their welfare and will help them overcome any difficulties and anxieties. When pupils have disagreements with their peers, or should there be any incidents of bullying, staff respond effectively. Staff, including therapists, assist all involved to reflect on their behaviours. They help individuals to understand how others might perceive their actions or words. Staff work with pupils to develop strategies which help them to manage their feelings and actions, and avoid similar incidents in the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the weekly lesson where they can choose to pursue any area of personal interest. Examples include exploring Japanese culture, playing chess or finding out information about the construction of new railway lines.

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better?

Most pupils who join this school have had poor experiences in their previous schools. Many were absent from education for extended periods. Leaders’ top priority, therefore, is to assess and address pupils’ individual needs. They work to build pupils’ confidence and encourage them to value studying. As a result, over time, pupils attend regularly. They develop an interest in learning and behave well in lessons. These positive attitudes aid pupils to gain new knowledge and achieve well.

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better?

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. It meets the requirements of the independent school standards. It also draws on the goals of the national curriculum. Leaders put much emphasis on preparing pupils for independent future living. Hence, for example, the curriculum also includes subjects like touch typing and financial management.

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better?

Subject teachers take responsibility for their curriculum design and delivery, guided by senior leaders. Leaders assess pupils’ academic knowledge gaps when they join the school. Teachers use this initial information and ongoing checks purposefully. They make suitable adaptations to meet the needs of pupils across the subjects. Typically, teachers have strong subject expertise. They consider carefully how to sequence and resource pupils’ learning, and structure activities that help pupils to build upon prior knowledge and remember more. Teachers also place much emphasis on expanding pupils’ subject-specific vocabulary. 13 to 15 September 2022 During lessons, teachers encourage and give pupils opportunities to read aloud. Although pupils who join this school can read, often they are not as fluent as they should be. A small number are at the very early stages of being able to read. These few pupils get bespoke and effective extra support that helps them to catch up.

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better?

However, most teaching staff, many of whom are new, are still developing their expertise in teaching phonics. Consequently, the guidance some pupils receive when they get stuck on reading words is not as well targeted as it could be. This reduces how well these pupils are supported to develop their reading fluency and confidence.

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better?

Pupils receive well-planned impartial careers information, education, advice and guidance. Leaders and teachers have planned bespoke curriculum pathways for pupils entering Year 10 next year. These include aspirations to ensure that pupils will achieve recognised accreditations, including GCSEs. Programmes will also continue to prepare pupils for adulthood and independent living. Leaders have started making links with local businesses and professionals. These will give pupils opportunities to undertake work experience during Year 10.

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better?

Leaders make effective provisions to support pupils’ personal development. For example, pupils are taught how to form healthy and respectful relationships. They are helped to understand how to lead physically and mentally healthy lives. Pupils have access to therapist-led social skills sessions. They visit restaurants and cinemas, for example. These opportunities help prepare them to engage positively with others, including in wider society. Leaders also plan other enrichment activities, including, for example, visits to the Globe Theatre and the Houses of Parliament.

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better?

Staff value the open, professional and considerate way that leaders interact with them. Their morale is high. Staff are fully committed to leaders’ vision and aspirations for pupils. Leaders support staff well to have a healthy work-life balance. They aim to make sure that staff are able to focus fully on their core roles of teaching and giving pupils pastoral support.

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better?

The proprietor body has robust systems in place for supporting and training staff at their various schools. They audit all aspects of the school's work on a regular basis. They ensure that the school consistently meets the independent school standards and other requirements. This includes effective implementation of the statutory guidance for relationships and sex education. The accessibility plan complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. The school’s safeguarding policy is published on its website. It complies with the latest statutory guidance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Well-trained leaders and staff are diligent in looking out for any changes in behaviours or other signs that indicate a pupil may be at risk. All staff meet regularly and share any concerns they have, however minor they may seem. Leaders have well-established working relationships with a range of external agencies and access 13 to 15 September 2022 to their own employed therapists. They make timely referrals to get the help that pupils need for their safety and welfare.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to stay safe, identify risks and how to raise their concerns. Staff also support parents and carers, helping them to take steps to ensure their children’s safety, for example when using social media.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The support for some pupils who need to improve their reading fluency and confidence is not as well targeted as it could be. This is because staff’s knowledge of how to deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme is inconsistent. Leaders must ensure that all staff gain the expertise to teach phonics effectively so that they can support all pupils to quickly become more fluent and confident readers.

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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. 13 to 15 September 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 148358 DfE registration number 308/6015

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School details

Inspection number 10226768 Type of school Special School

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School details

Website www.kedlestongroup.com/schools/silverw ays-school/home Email address m.bradshaw@kedlestongroup.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 13 to 15 September 2022

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Information about this school

 This was the first standard inspection since the school was first registered to admit pupils in April 2021.  The school is registered for up to 50 pupils aged seven to 17 years. Currently, there are 31 pupils in the age range of seven to 14 years. Over one-in-three pupils started at the school a few days before this inspection.  All pupils have an education, health and care plan. The school provides for pupils who are diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders. Some have other additional needs.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The proprietor body, Kedleston Group, runs several registered independent, special residential schools, special day schools and children’s homes across England.

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, science, humanities, and personal, social, health and economic education. Inspectors held discussions with leaders and teachers, visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and held discussions with pupils. Inspectors also considered other subjects as part of the inspection.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, and the chair and regional director of the proprietor body. They also spoke with the local authority transfer team manager.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including information related to safeguarding and the checks carried out before the appointment of staff. Inspectors looked at records of pupils’ behaviour.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents and policies, and toured the school site to check compliance with the independent school standards. 13 to 15 September 2022  Inspectors had formal meetings with staff and with pupils. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

David Radomsky, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Pocock Ofsted Inspector 13 to 15 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

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