Westfield House School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Westfield House School Westfield House, 191 Sutton Road, Terrington St Clement, Norfolk PE34 4EX

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2(1), 2(2)(b) Paragraph 3, 3(a),  At the time of the standard inspection in February 2022, these standards were not met. There were weaknesses in the promotion of reading and the correct usage of spelling, punctuation, and grammar. There was no clear, systematic approach to teaching younger pupils how to read fluently or develop a love of reading.  Leaders and the proprietor body have revised curriculum plans and recently trained staff in their chosen approach to the teaching of phonics. However, while this is the case, staff do not make sure that pupils read texts that enable them to practise the phonic knowledge that they need to improve their reading.  Leaders have not ensured that pupils develop sufficiently secure literacy skills. Pupils could, however, identify genres and topics from the curriculum and their personal experiences they enjoy reading about. Pupils do not have access to books at school that

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Main inspection findings

interest them.  Leaders’ work to design a curriculum for the teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar is not complete. Leaders intend to assess what pupils know and can do and use information from this assessment to inform and design this area of the curriculum. These assessments have not yet been undertaken.  These independent school standards remain unmet. Paragraph 3(b), 3(c), 3(h)  In other subjects, leaders have implemented plans for the curriculum that are suitable broad and interesting. In these subjects, staff know when to teach the specified content and how best to deliver this learning.  Leaders have reviewed the school’s behaviour policy. They have trained staff in behaviour management strategies. Pupils understand the behaviour policy and say that it helps them reflect upon and improve their behaviour. Teachers also provide effective learning activities. As a result, pupils usually show self-motivation and work purposefully

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Main inspection findings

and with interest.  These independent school standards are now met. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 6, 7, 7(a), 7(b), 9, 9(b)  In February 2022, this standard was not met. Staff were not effectively implementing leaders’ policy to promote good pupil behaviour.  Leaders have firmly established an ethos founded on caring for others. Staff know their pupils well and have positive relationships with them. Staff are clear about how they expect pupils to treat others and themselves. Pupils usually live up to staff’s expectations. Staff follow leaders’ behaviour policy when pupils fall short of the standards of behaviour expected of them. Pupils say that staff use rewards and sanctions fairly.  The proprietor body’s safeguarding policy is up to date and covers the most recent guidance from the Department for Education (DfE). The policy is available on the school’s website.  Leaders and the proprietor body ensure that staff are well trained and know the signs of

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Main inspection findings

potential harm. Staff act swiftly and in accordance with the school’s safeguarding procedures when concerns about a pupil’s well-being arise.  Pupils say that they feel safe and trust staff to support them when required.  These independent school standards are now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  At the standard inspection in February 2022, leaders and the proprietor body had not ensured that all the independent school standards were met.  After the previous standard inspection, leaders submitted an action plan to the DfE in June 2022. In August 2022, overall, the action plan was deemed as not adequately addressing the weaknesses reported in the standard inspection. Leaders were not sufficiently clear about the training or the dates of the work taking place that would lead to improvements in reading, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Leaders’ plans to

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Main inspection findings

improve the approach to managing behaviour, however, were more precise and judged as more likely to lead to the desired improvements.  Leaders’ updated plan contains some of the same weaknesses identified when previously evaluated. At points in the plan, leaders do not provide enough specificity to enable staff to carry out the plans effectively. For example, leaders have created a general list of the resources they will secure to make improvements in phonics, such as books to expand the school’s collection of books. They have not, however, been clear on the criteria used to choose these resources such as pupils’ phonics needs and interests. Leaders also have not created a timeline for the improvement of spelling, punctuation and grammar that will ensure the rapid improvements needed across the key stages. This includes for older pupils who show poorly developed knowledge of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

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Main inspection findings

 The proprietor body and headteacher have increased leaders’ capacity to monitor the quality of behaviour. Leaders now ensure consistency in staff’s management of pupils’ behaviour. Leaders know when inconsistencies occur. They correct practices not in line with their policy.  This independent school standard remains unmet.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet 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, as set out in the annex of this report. 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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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

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School status Independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 0

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £38,950 to £44,304

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School details

Email address admin.westfieldhouse@keys-group.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 22–24 February 2022

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Information about this school

 Westfield House School was acquired by the Keys Group in February 2020.  The school is registered with the DfE to admit 42 pupils.  The school specialises in providing education for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Many pupils have been suspended from their previous schools or have missed school for long periods of time.  Local authorities, including Norfolk, place pupils at the school. Currently, 13 pupils are looked after by local authorities.  The school sends some pupils one day a week to the Open Road alternative provision in King’s Lynn, where pupils learn motor maintenance and construction skills.  School inspection history: − When the school was first inspected in July 2016, it was judged to require improvement. Two of the independent school standards were not met. − Following the standard inspection, the DfE issued the school with a warning notice

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Information about this school

and required an action plan to be submitted. The action plan submitted by the proprietor in 2017 was deemed not acceptable. − At the progress monitoring inspection in October 2017, the school did not meet three of the independent school standards. − The school submitted an action plan to the DfE to address the areas for improvement identified in the inspection. This was evaluated by Ofsted in 2018 and deemed acceptable with modifications. − The DfE commissioned Ofsted to consider, as part of the standard inspection in April 2018, the school’s progress in meeting the independent school standards that were unmet at the previous inspection in July 2016. At this standard inspection, the school was judged to have met all the independent school standards. − An emergency inspection was carried out at no notice in June 2021 due to concerns raised by the DfE about the effectiveness of the oversight of the school by the

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Information about this school

proprietor body. The school did not meet all of the independent school standards checked at this inspection. − Following the emergency inspection, the DfE issued the school with a warning notice and required an action plan to be submitted. The action plan submitted by the proprietor in October 2021 was deemed not acceptable. − In February 2022, inspectors carried out an inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. Inspectors judged the school as requiring improvement and failing to meet the independent school standards. − In May 2022, the DfE issued the school with a warning notice and required an action plan to be submitted. The action plan submitted by the proprietor in August 2022 was deemed not acceptable.

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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.  The inspector met with the headteacher, senior and subject leaders, teachers, a group of pupils, a member of the proprietor body and the chair of the governing body.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including policies and procedures regarding the curriculum, behaviour management and safeguarding.  The inspector visited lessons, listened to a selection of pupils read and scrutinised pupils’ workbooks and reading diaries.

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Inspection team

Al Mistrano, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain un-met at this inspection

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(2)(b) pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills.  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school– – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught.

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Part 1. Quality of leadership and management in 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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standards

 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school – 3(b) fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time – 3(h) utilises effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging pupils to act responsibly.  9 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that–  9(b) the policy is implemented effectively. 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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standards

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standards

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standards

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standards

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standards

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standards

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