The Sallygate School

Inspection of The Sallygate School Channels & Choices, Kearsney Manor, Alkham Road, Temple Ewell CT16 3EQ

p.1

Inspection dates: 27 to 29 September 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to belong to The Sallygate School. Staff greet them warmly every morning. Pupils feel at home and are happy to be in their safe and nurturing learning environment.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn strategies very well to overcome their social and emotional difficulties. For some it is the first time they feel truly understood by adults. Consequently, trust is built between pupils and adults alike, and pupils settle down to learn quickly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have very high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils make much progress across the curriculum and are prepared well for their next stage of education or training.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well given their special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They learn to be kind to each other and celebrate differences. Pupils say that bullying is unusual, but on the very rare occasion it might occur, it is dealt with swiftly and effectively by school staff.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make exceptional progress in their personal development. School leaders, teaching staff and therapists provide pupils with ways to overcome barriers caused by their SEND. The vast majority of parents and carers say that Sallygate School has transformed their children’s lives.

p.2

better?

Leaders have developed a broad curriculum where individual pupils’ needs are placed at its heart. They have an ambitious vision to ensure that pupils gain skills to help them with their future lives.

p.2

better?

Pupils have typically experienced disjointed education in the past. Staff get to know pupils very well when they join the school. They identify any gaps in learning, keeping a close eye on how well pupils are settling in. Pupils achieve well and a typical comment from a parent was, ‘My child is thriving in all areas’.

p.2

better?

Leaders have established a well-planned core curriculum of English, mathematics and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Leaders include a wide range of subjects in the rest of the curriculum. Pupils over recent years have achieved an increasing number of accredited outcomes.

p.2

better?

Most of the curriculum is developed well so there is a steady building of pupils’ knowledge over time. However, in a small minority of subjects, this is not the case. Leaders recognise this and have been refining the curriculum in these areas. While this work is well underway, it is not yet fully embedded. 27 to 29 September 2022 Teaching supports the aims of the curriculum well. Teachers make use of the rich and stimulating environment to inspire pupils. Teachers and learning mentors devise interesting activities that hook pupils’ attention and help them concentrate.

p.2

better?

Pupils enjoy reading. Leaders make sure that weak readers have extra help with learning phonics. Staff support pupils well to make secure steps towards becoming fluent readers. Pupils practise reading with books that match their ability so that they experience success. Staff encourage pupils to read widely. Pupils of all ages speak with enthusiasm about the books they read.

p.3

better?

A wide range of therapists work alongside staff to develop exactly the right strategies to support pupils. All staff promote and extend pupils’ personal skills at every opportunity. They build pupils’ confidence, resilience and independence extremely well. Because pupils’ needs are consistently met, they behave exceptionally well. Should a pupil become unsettled, staff help them to calm down quickly and return to learning.

p.3

better?

Pupils are encouraged to develop their public speaking skills, presenting to the class on areas of talent or expertise. Staff watch for pupils’ special interests and talents, and make sure they do everything possible to extend them. An expertly designed PSHE programme enables pupils to gain knowledge about living in modern Britain. A key feature of the programme includes well-planned and age-appropriate relationships and sex education.

p.3

better?

Leaders provide pupils with high-quality careers advice. Pupils explore their possible next steps through discussion with an independent careers adviser. Pupils are prepared well for transition to post-16 placements.

p.3

better?

Leaders at all levels make a strong and successful team. Leaders make sure that staff receive highly effective training. Staff feel valued and say that leaders provide high levels of support for their well-being. Leaders do all they can to alleviate any concerns about staff workload. Consequently, leaders have made sure that there is a highly collegiate atmosphere in the school.

p.3

better?

Members of the highly skilled management committee ensure that leaders have a clear strategic plan for improvement. They provide effective challenge and support to school leaders. The management committee checks that all independent school standards and other statutory requirements, such as equality duties, are consistently met.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

A suitable safeguarding policy is published on the school website that takes into account latest government requirements. 27 to 29 September 2022 All staff are vigilant and report any safeguarding concerns they have about pupils. Designated safeguarding leaders act quickly to investigate concerns, liaising with outside agencies in a timely manner. They keep accurate records of their actions and follow through any recommendations or actions.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that staff have up-to-date safeguarding training. They ensure that they carry out all required checks when employing staff and keep records of these checks meticulously. The management committee monitors safeguarding diligently.

p.4

(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders recognise that parts of the wider curriculum, such as science, do not yet have clearly identified small, sequential steps of knowledge. In addition, it is not clear what pupils will learn and when. This means that pupils’ long-term memory may have gaps. Leaders should embed the work already started to make sure all the curriculum builds on what has been learned before. This is so that pupils learn more and remember more over time.

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. 27 to 29 September 2022

p.4

School details

Unique reference number 137795 DfE registration number 886/6137

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10214662 Type of school Other Independent Special School

p.5

School details

Email address sallygate@channelsandchoices.co.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 5 to 7 December 2017 27 to 29 September 2022

p.5

Information about this school

 Sallygate chool is a day special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils who attend the school have an education, health and care plan.  The school’s last standard inspection took place in December 2017 when the overall effectiveness was judged to be good and all the independent school standards were found to be met.  The school had an additional inspection in 2019, when it moved premises to Kearsney Manor. This resulted in the school increasing its capacity from 45 to up to 80 pupils. There are currently 47 pupils on roll.  The current headteacher took up post in October 2021.  The school does not use alternative provisions.

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 director of service development, headteacher, other leaders, staff, therapists and pupils. The lead inspector spoke with members of the management committee.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, carried out lesson visits, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors viewed the website and looked at a number of policies and documents. They also considered views of staff by looking at their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.  The lead inspector spoke with a number of parents and considered parents’

p.6

Information about this inspection

responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector checked the single central record of recruitment checks and other safeguarding records. Inspectors also met with the designated safeguarding leader and spoke to staff and pupils. 27 to 29 September 2022

p.6

Inspection team

Sue Child, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Harry Ingham His Majesty's 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.

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