Grateley House School

Inspection of Grateley House School Pond Lane, Grateley, Andover, Hampshire SP11 8TA

p.1

Inspection dates: 27 to 29 September 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that has made rapid progress, with the pupils themselves playing their part. Those who have been here longer are particularly proud of the evident improvement since the last inspection. Classrooms are mainly calm and purposeful, though not everyone’s behaviour is perfect all the time. That said, pupils do try hard to regulate their emotions. Importantly, staff have good strategies in place when pupils’ anxieties get the better of them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Key to the transformation are new policies and routines introduced by leaders. Staff have much higher expectations of pupils’ engagement in learning than in the past. Pupils understand what is expected of them. A group collectively agreed that their school is now ‘way better’ and free from the problems of the past. Sixth-form students were keen to share their view of the school’s turnaround in fortunes, attributing much of this to the dedication of staff, both old and new.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ views of the curriculum match those of inspectors. Pupils feel it meets their needs well. It is bespoke, but has adequate breadth, and is closely aligned to their own interests where possible. Successes are celebrated and pupils are increasingly confident in their ability to succeed.

p.2

better?

This is a good and improving school. Many significant changes have been made since the last inspection. New leaders have injected purpose and have not been afraid to address weaknesses and challenge the status quo head on. Systems and procedures to protect the welfare, health and safety of pupils and staff are now fit for purpose. All the independent school standards are met.

p.2

better?

The school’s curriculum has been revised. The result is a curriculum that pupils enjoy and engage increasingly well with. This is particularly the case in the sixth form, where students follow a range of different pathways. These may include full- or part-time college placements, or a timetable that is followed mostly in school.

p.2

better?

Whatever the curriculum pathways followed, staff are very focused on preparing pupils for their next steps after leaving Grateley. This often means providing additional support relating to pupils’ social and emotional development. This includes for students in the sixth form, who often complete bespoke life skills courses linked to a meaningful qualification. A multi-discipline therapy team is also on hand to ensure that pupils get the timely support they need to help them access learning consistently and successfully.

p.2

better?

Both the headteacher and the head of education value the benefits of distributive leadership, especially where the curriculum is involved. Subject leaders are rightly challenged to ensure that their specific curriculum areas are as good as they can be. 27 to 29 September 2022 Established strengths are being built on. Pupils enjoy their time in art and science, for instance, because staff are experienced, knowledgeable, and know pupils well.

p.2

better?

Changes to some aspects of the curriculum are being implemented where needed. New priorities for improvement have been identified. These include developing literacy across the wider curriculum. Leaders see it as everyone’s responsibility to improve pupils’ reading, writing and comprehension skills, not just the staff who teach English. The school’s English lead has started to support other staff in this work, thus raising the profile of English across the school. Provision for pupils who struggle as readers is also being strengthened. New reading resources, including in the library and in classrooms, are available. Key staff have already undertaken relevant phonics training to help less confident readers. Further training to help all staff support pupils to become more confident readers is planned.

p.3

better?

The personal development of pupils is a strength of the school. A new personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) programme is in place. This is helping pupils to learn about British values and supports their understanding of equalities and diversity. Age-appropriate relationships and sex education is also taught as part of the PSHCE programme. Additionally, staff deliver bespoke pieces of work to individuals or small groups when required. This might focus on the safe use of social media or other topical issues. It may also include professionals and experts from outside the school who deliver specialised work on careers information and guidance. Despite the strengths associated with pupils’ personal development, leaders agree that further work is required to ensure a more consistent approach to teaching pupils about the wide range of faiths and different cultures that exist in modern Britain.

p.3

better?

One key strength in the culture of the school is the contribution made by the pupils themselves. Inspectors’ discussions with pupils revealed a strong sense of mature and reflective thinking about ‘their’ school. Most feel that staff are patient and supportive. This includes in the residential element of the school, where social care inspectors found similar improvements in the quality of provision during their aligned inspection.

p.3

better?

Parents are also mostly very positive about the school. Their views included the notion of staff going ‘above and beyond’ to make sure that pupils get the best possible educational experience.

p.3

better?

Those in positions of governance who work on behalf of the proprietor have also played their role. The crucial balance between effective support and robust challenge for local leaders is in place and paying obvious dividends. External professionals also see the school in a better light than before. One local authority officer was keen to share what she sees as an ‘extraordinary’ turnaround in the quality of education and care the school provides.

p.3

better?

Leaders at all levels are mindful of not undermining the solid progress identified at this inspection. They understand the importance of not overstretching the capacity of teaching and support staff in their work to continue to improve the school. They 27 to 29 September 2022 know that this needs to be protected if the school is to continue on its present upward trajectory.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Safeguarding

Staff understand what to do if they have concerns. The capacity of leaders to deal with all aspects of safeguarding has been strengthened by the appointment of a specialist, designated safeguarding lead. Communication is stronger than in the past. This includes between leaders and staff who work in the school’s education and residential provision.

p.4

Safeguarding

Systems to monitor attendance and the engagement of pupils in learning have been overhauled. Record-keeping is fit for purpose. The correct pre-employment checks are being made on staff. All aspects of the welfare, health and safety requirements of the independent school standards are met.

p.4

(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Sometimes, pupils’ wider literacy skills are not being supported as well as they could be across the whole curriculum. Leaders are aware of this and have started to strengthen this aspect of provision. Some staff training has taken place. More is planned. Leaders need to extend this work further so that pupils’ reading, writing and speaking and listening skills are developed in all subject areas. This will ensure that pupils are encouraged to hone their literacy skills further, as well as helping them make stronger progress through the school’s curriculum.  Some pupils struggle with reading. Often, this is due to poor provision prior to joining the school. While key staff are providing interventions and additional support, leaders have identified that more could be done across the whole school. Closely aligned to developing pupils’ wider literacy skills, leaders should ensure that all staff are suitably equipped to encourage and support pupils to develop

p.4

(Information for the school and proprietor)

their reading skills. This will help develop pupils’ love of reading, as well as ensuring that all that is possible is being done to support pupils to read well, with fluency, and to access the school’s curriculum offer fully.  A new PSHCE programme has been introduced. However, not all aspects of the programme are being covered as strongly as leaders intend. For instance, pupils’ knowledge of other faiths and cultures is not yet as well developed as it might be. This is partly because the new PSHCE programme needs more time to embed. However, more needs to be done to ensure that pupils encounter the full range of opportunities the programme offers to support their understanding of life in modern Britain. 27 to 29 September 2022

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.5

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.5

School details

Unique reference number 116588 DfE registration number 850/6058

p.6

School details

Inspection number 10243450 Type of school Other independent special school

p.6

School details

School category Independent residential special school

p.6

School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

p.6

form

Website www.cambiangroup.com/specialist- education/our-schools/asperger- schools/grateley-house-school/ Email address kelly.harwood@cambiangroup.com

p.6

form

Dates of previous inspection 10 to 12 March 2020 27 to 29 September 2022

p.6

Information about this school

 Grateley House is an independent residential special school. It provides education for pupils diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and other associated difficulties. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school’s last standard inspection took place in March 2020, when it was judged to be inadequate, with unmet independent school standards.  The school was served a notice to provide a statutory action plan by the Department for Education (DfE) in November 2020. The action plan was approved by the DfE in December 2020.  The school also works with two post-16 providers in order to enhance and extend the offer for sixth-form students. The current links are Andover College, Charlton Road, Andover SP10 1EJ, and Wiltshire College Salisbury, Southampton Road, Salisbury SP1 2LW.  The school’s headteacher, head of education and the designated safeguarding lead have all joined the school since the last standard inspection.

p.7

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.7

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.7

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school’s education provision received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  This was a standard education inspection, but it was aligned with a social care inspection of the residential provision, which took place at the same time.  Inspectors held a wide range of meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, curriculum leaders and teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the proprietor. He also talked on the telephone to a representative of a local authority which places pupils at the school.  Inspectors talked formally to different groups and individual pupils, as well as students in the sixth form, to gain their views about the school. 27 to 29 September 2022  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, art and science.

p.7

Information about this inspection

Deep dives included visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, and talking to leaders, teachers and pupils about how teaching in these subjects builds on pupils’ knowledge over time.  Inspectors toured the school’s premises and accommodation. They checked a range of policies and documents, including the school’s single central record. They also reviewed the school’s website and other records regarding the welfare, health and safety of pupils and staff linked to the independent school standards.  Inspectors gathered evidence to explore the impact of pupils’ behaviour, the school’s wider curriculum offer and how leaders support staff with their workload.  The lead inspector considered the views of parents submitted through Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s survey for parents. Ofsted’s surveys for staff and for pupils were also considered.

p.8

Inspection team

Clive Close, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.8

Inspection team

Felix Rayner Ofsted Inspector 27 to 29 September 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.8

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.9

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.9

Inspection team

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

p.9

Inspection team

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

p.9