The Green Room School

School material change inspection report

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The Green Room School 4A Albert Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 5BU

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7–7(b), 32(1) and 32(1)(c)  Leaders have ensured that the arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils are strong. Procedures to recruit new staff include all appropriate pre- employment checks. The safeguarding policy, which is published on the school’s website, is compliant with current guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  Staff understand what to do if they have concerns. Their training is up to date and ongoing. This includes appropriate training for the school’s designated safeguarding leads.  The school’s system to record and manage safeguarding concerns is used effectively. It contains detailed records of concerns and what staff and leaders are doing in response.  Trustees maintain appropriate oversight of safeguarding. They understand the additional risks pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) face.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraphs 11, 12, 14 and 16–16(b)  Trustees and school leaders give the health and safety of pupils and staff the highest priority. They employ independent experts to audit and give advice about many aspects of health and safety at the school. This includes aspects such as fire safety, including fire risk assessments on both sites of the school.  Leaders who have direct responsibility for health and safety understand their role. Regular meetings which cover all aspects of health and safety are the norm. These might focus on upcoming checks or addressing minor issues that arise on a day-to- day basis. Appropriate training has been given to key staff. This includes roles such as first aiders or fire wardens.  A detailed risk assessment policy is available. A wide range of risk assessments are in place. These cover individual activities, aspects of the premises and events such as off-site educational trips. It is clear that leaders have worked to identify and reduce

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Main inspection findings

additional risks as part of their application to increase the numbers of pupils, particularly on the school’s second site.  Leaders have considered the wider implications of the increase in pupil numbers carefully. These include the additional challenges posed by pupils with a wide range of SEND. The requirement to maintain appropriate staff-to-pupil ratios has been thought through well and appears to be appropriate on both sites of the school.  Leaders have ensured that all of these independent school standards (the standards) are likely to continue to be met if the material change is approved. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 18(2)–18(2)(e), 18(3), 19(2)–19(2)(d)(ii), 19(3), 20(6)–20(6)(c), 21(1)– 21(3)(b), 21(5)–21(6), 21(7)(a) and 21(7)(b)  Leaders understand the checks that need to be made to ensure that staff, trustees and other adults in the school are suitable to work with pupils. Key leaders have

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Main inspection findings

undertaken safer recruitment training.  The single central record of checks on adults is compliant with current guidance and maintained by leaders who understand what checks do and do not need to be made. This includes checks on new staff and adults coming into contact with pupils at both sites of the school. The single central record is checked by a representative of the board of trustees at regular intervals.  School leaders have ensured that all relevant standards in part 4 are likely to continue to be met if the material change is approved. Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 22–24(1)(b), 24(2), 25–29(1)(b)  The school’s premises are well maintained and provide pupils and students in the sixth form with appropriate accommodation to study the school’s curriculum. This is also the case on the school’s second site where most of the additional pupil and/or student numbers requested in this material change will be accommodated.

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Main inspection findings

 The school does not have on-site sports facilities, but appropriate changing and shower facilities are available when pupils attend local sports or leisure facilities. Both sites have small but appropriate spaces for pupils to take their breaks.  Aspects such as toilet facilities, medical rooms and communal spaces on both sites of the school comply with the requirements of part 5. Drinking water is available.  Both sites of the school are situated in residential areas of Windsor. Leaders and trustees are aware of the additional planning that is required to ensure that accommodation is both safe and fit for purpose at all times of the school day. They understand the links between key aspects of the welfare, health and safety of pupils and the requirements of part 5, including the need for effective risk assessments.  School leaders have ensured that all relevant standards in part 5 are likely to continue

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Main inspection findings

to be met if the material change is approved. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1)–34(2)  Leaders’ rationale for applying for this material change is sound. They have identified a clear need within the local community and have come up with a solution that is both sensible and yet ambitious at the same time. The needs of the school’s present pupil group have been considered at every stage.  Developments in how the school’s second site will be used have been carefully thought through. This includes at a strategic level and how the day-to-day running of the school will be led and managed. This comes with certain challenges, not least the location, yet leaders have sought solutions and as a result, arrangements to expand the school have been planned well.  Trustees have appropriate experience and a good track record in oversight of schools, especially in running specialised provision for pupils with SEND. Much of their vision

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Main inspection findings

for this school is replicated at the trust’s other school in Hampshire. Both schools were judged to be outstanding at their last standard inspection and a high degree of partnership working is evident between both schools. However, despite the similarities in arrangements for governance, both of the trust’s schools are treated as unique entities, which clearly benefits pupils and the communities which each school serves.  The school is likely to continue to meet the requirements in this part of the standards if the material change is agreed.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is likely to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that are relevant to the material change.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the material change that the school has applied to make.

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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

Proprietor The Green Room Foundation Ltd

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School details

Headteacher Richard Allen (Head of school)

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £30,000 to £37,500

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School details

Email address jane@thegreenroomschool.com

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 9 to 11 October 2018

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recommendation

Age range of pupils 11 to 25 Not applicable Not applicable

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 43 65 65

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Mixed Mixed Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 43 65

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities 43 65

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan 43 65

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with an education, health and care plan 43 65

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff 20 23

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of part-time teaching staff 11 11

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Information about this school

 The Green Room School is an independent special school. All pupils have a diagnosed special educational need, mainly autism spectrum disorder and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Some have social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  Pupils are referred to the school by their local authority. Typically, this is because pupils are unable to access mainstream education successfully. Some pupils attend the school on a part-time basis.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school is owned and run by The Green Room Foundation Ltd, which has another school and sixth form in Hampshire catering for pupils with similar needs. The Green Room Foundation Ltd was previously known as Everyday Arts Limited.  The school operates over two sites which are a short distance from each other, with the main site being at Albert Street. The second site (The Swan Community Interest

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Information about this school

Company at 9 Mill Lane, Clewer, Windsor SL4 9JG) was originally accessed by sixth- form pupils only. The proprietor has applied to increase the number of registered pupils from up to 35 to up to 65. The application also asks to register the second site as part of the school.  The school is currently operating outside of its registration for up to 35 pupils, with 43 pupils currently on roll across both sites.  The school’s last standard inspection took place in October 2018 when it was judged to be outstanding with all independent school standards met.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education in response to the school’s request to increase the number of pupils on roll from 35 to 65 pupils. This was the first material change inspection in respect of this proposed material change.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the head of school, other leaders, the business director and the chair of trustees. The inspector also reviewed the school’s website, toured both sites of the school and considered a wide range of policies and documents related to the request for a material change. This included checking the school’s single central record.

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Inspection team

Clive Close, lead inspector His Majesty’s 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

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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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Inspection team

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