Moor House School & College

Inspection report for residential special school - Moor House School & College 1 Moor House School & College Moor House School & College, Mill Lane, Oxted, Surrey RH8 9AQ Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

Moor House School & College is a co-educational, non-maintained residential and day special school and a registered charity. It provides specialised schooling and therapy for children and young people with speech and language difficulties. The school and college are leaders and specialists in developmental language disorder (DLD). At the time of inspection, there were 203 children on roll, including 53 residential children. There are 63 residential places that provide weekly boarding.

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Information about this residential special school

The headteacher has been in post since 2015.

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Information about this residential special school

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The residential special school provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the school contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

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outstanding

Date of previous inspection: 15 November 2021

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding Inspection report for residential special school - Moor House School & College 2

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outstanding

The school’s excellent integration of the residential care provision with the school ensures that children are able to achieve beyond all expectations.

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outstanding

A state-of-the-art therapy building has recently been opened at the school, providing children with access to therapeutic services. This additional facility has played a key role in improving children’s progress physically, socially and emotionally. For some children, their progress because of this additional provision can only be described as remarkable.

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outstanding

A bespoke ‘Wheel of Independence’ programme helps to ensure that every child can develop their life skills, which add value to their lives away from school.

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outstanding

Children who attend the residential provision all have enhanced school-life experiences. Close working with the therapy team has supported children to build their confidence and skills in accessing community resources, and the results have been life changing. One child has recently learned to drive, thanks to the support of the residential and therapy staff. The child’s parent said, ‘This has opened so many doors.’

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outstanding

Children make lifelong friendships as a result of attending the residential provision. As children have built their confidence and ability to socialise, they feel better able to join in activities and trips and to meet up with people who have had similar experiences. These friendships extend outside of the school, and children often keep in contact with one another and are eager to return to school on Mondays to see their friends.

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outstanding

Activities and trips are tailored to the interests of children and give them new and stimulating experiences. For example, a group of children have recently participated in a trip to Belgium. All children have access to the school swimming pool, sports hall and vast outdoor grounds, where they can have fun and learn new skills.

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outstanding

Children are supported to learn academically and achieve their personal goals. Positive morning routines enable the staff to assess the emotional well-being of each child and to share essential information with the teaching staff.

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outstanding

Staff truly care about the children and talk fondly and lovingly about them. Staff are quick to attend to any requests children make, and children are keen to seek staff for support or affection when needed.

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outstanding

All children feel valued irrespective of their needs, gender or culture, and staff have created a loving environment where all children feel cared for. Inspection report for residential special school - Moor House School & College 3 Due to the limited space in the school, not all children are able to access the residential provision. To bridge this gap in provision, leaders in the school have responded by providing ‘extended days’ twice a week that give all children the opportunity to benefit from the facilities offered as part of the residential services. This has enabled children to end their school day by being able to join in organised activities with their friends.

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outstanding

The whole school has a clear understanding of the importance of safeguarding and the need for vigilance by all members of staff.

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outstanding

Children feel safe emotionally and physically during their time at school. While among their friends, children can have fun and build their confidence.

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outstanding

Children are supported to learn how to use public transport and to build up their skills to be confident to spend time with friends outside of school.

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outstanding

Meticulous attention is given to the importance of communication between the staff and the children. This helps to ensure that children’s whereabouts are always known and that they feel trusted to socialise.

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outstanding

Staff are extremely well trained and can recognise when a child is becoming unsettled. Staff can respond verbally to enable the child to calm. This has led to no physical interventions being required.

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outstanding

On the very rare occasion when a concern is raised about staff practice, this is escalated swiftly. Records of referrals and concerns are kept rigorously, and all actions are followed up and evaluated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders are highly inspirational about the residential provision. Information-sharing is prompt and centred around the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a strong culture in the school of understanding a sense of duty to raise awareness of DLD in the world outside. Events such as celebrating ‘Growing with DLD Day’ and shining the associated colours in a light display outside of the school, or planting flowers, bring a sense of community and pride between children, staff, leaders and parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All staff feel valued and supported. Staff value the training they receive and the quality of their reflective supervisions. Inspection report for residential special school - Moor House School & College 4 Leaders care greatly about the staff and ensure that their well-being is considered at every opportunity. Counsellors and the school’s psychotherapist are always on hand to support staff with any challenges they face.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Internal monitoring is highly effective. The residential development plan is ambitious with regards to driving improvements, with the children’s experiences always at the heart of key decisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders are supported by a variety of external monitoring systems. The governing body replicates the integration of the school and is part of the one team around the child. There is robust governor oversight of the school. Regular meetings of safeguarding committees, followed by themed onsite audits, ensure that governors are clear on any issues that occur within the school and actively help to resolve them. Inspection report for residential special school - Moor House School & College 5

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential special school - Moor House School & College 6

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC013926

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Helen Middleton

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential special school

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Residential special school details

Email address: info@moorhouseschool.co.uk

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Inspectors

Matt Nicholls, Social Care Inspector (lead) Mark Newington, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential special school - Moor House School & College 7 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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