Tennis Avenue School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Manor Park, Malden Road, New Malden, Surrey KT3 6AU

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1)(a) and 2(2)(a)  The previous inspection found that the curriculum was limited in two areas of learning. The school’s aesthetic and creative education offer did not provide sufficient coverage to enable pupils to reach an appropriate level of understanding. In addition, pupils’ experiences of human and social education were too limited.  This inspection found leaders to have taken suitable action to improve the non-specialist curriculum. Pupils’ weekly timetables now include geography and art for 70 minutes each. The subjects have been planned thoroughly and sequenced coherently. They are taught by teachers with the required subject knowledge. As a result, alongside specialist tennis education, pupils now study a suitably broad range of subjects.  The independent school standards checked in this part are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7–7(b)  Inspectors’ routine checks on safeguarding during this inspection found that leaders continue to maintain a caring culture. Pupils said that they felt safe here.  Leaders have ensured that the school’s policy and procedures reflect the latest statutory requirements.  Staff have been trained in the light of the latest guidance in ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2022).  Leaders understand the specific risks their pupils face. Leaders are well prepared to make effective use of the school’s systems for following up and recording any safeguarding concerns should these arise, any referrals made, and any actions that need to be taken.  This independent school standard continues to be met. Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1)(c)  The school’s safeguarding policy is available online.  This requirement continues to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b)  The previous inspection found that leaders were ambitious for what pupils can achieve both on the tennis court and academically. However, leaders had not ensured that the range of subjects offered was broad enough.  This inspection found that leaders have taken effective action to broaden the non- specialist curriculum. As a result, the very few independent school standards judged to be not met are now judged to be met, including the standard in this part.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively.  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are– – 2(2)(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £9,600 to £12,600

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School details

Email address ilge.alpay@tennisavenue.school

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 1 to 3 February 2022

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Information about this school

 Tennis Avenue School is an independent day school. It provides full-time education for aspiring professional tennis players. Leaders select pupils to attend the school based on their tennis ability.  The previous inspection in February 2022 was the school’s first standard inspection.  The school makes no use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the school’s first unannounced progress monitoring inspection since its last full inspection in February 2022. Following the full inspection, leaders were asked to submit an action plan. This was evaluated by Ofsted as not acceptable in August 2022, and was subsequently rejected by the Department for Education.  The focus of the inspection was to check whether the school complied with particular requirements within parts 1, 3, 6 and 8 of the independent school standards.  The inspection took account of a range of evidence to consider leaders’ work to improve the curriculum. The inspector also considered information relating to safeguarding.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met with the headteacher regularly throughout the inspection. He also met with the chair of the proprietor body and the school’s leader with responsibility for safeguarding. The inspector held discussions with the school’s pupils.  There were no recent responses to consider on Ofsted’s online survey for parents and carers, Parent View.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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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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