Intuition Holistic Education

Inspection of Intuition Holistic Education 20, Rosslyn Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST3 4JD

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Inspection dates: 15 to 17 November 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school provides a welcoming environment. Pupils who have been exceptionally anxious in the past are able to relax and learn. Staff treat each pupil as an individual who needs to be understood. Adults take time to listen to pupils. Pupils spend purposeful time at Diamond Farm, where they work with the animals, build fires and cook outdoors. They develop resilience by going out in all weathers and embracing challenges.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers and support staff give pupils clear guidance about what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. Pupils sign a ‘student agreement’ before they start at the school. They treat these agreements seriously and work hard to fulfil them. If problems happen, staff help pupils to resolve them. Staff and pupils treat each other with mutual respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. Staff follow an effective relationships policy. As a result, bullying rarely occurs. Staff recognise when pupils need extra support and step in to provide it. This ensures that lessons are calm. Scruffy, the school therapy dog, gently supports pupils who need help. Pupils respond well to the high expectations of the staff about their academic and personal achievements.

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better?

Leaders have improved all aspects of the school since the previous inspection in 2019. They have made significant improvements in the quality of education. Curriculum leaders have identified the key information they expect pupils to learn and have set it out in a logical order. This enables pupils to build on their prior knowledge. Staff carefully check what pupils know and remember. This helps them to identify any gaps in pupils’ learning. Teachers often revisit previous learning to help pupils remember important information. All this means that pupils know and remember more over time.

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better?

Teachers set work that is well matched to pupils’ individual needs. Some pupils work at home with support from tutors. Leaders have ensured that these tutors are suitably expert. For instance, special needs advisers and speech and language practitioners provide tutors with guidance on how to support individuals. Teachers have good subject knowledge for the subjects that they teach. They plan tasks that help pupils learn well. However, sometimes pupils do not have enough opportunities to practice their spelling, grammar and punctuation. As a result, some pupils’ writing does not improve as leaders expect.

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better?

Leaders employ experienced teachers who plan in creative ways to capture pupils’ interests. For example, in science pupils learn about the digestive system by squeezing bread, coffee, and bananas through bags. This helps them visualise the knowledge they learn about the stomach and bowel. In English pupils gain a deeper understanding of texts by going to see theatre productions. Pupils are motivated to 15 to 17 November 2022 remember what they have learned by these stimulating approaches. This helps to prepare them for the next stage in their education.

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better?

Pupils read in all lessons. Leaders ensure that pupils access a variety of quality texts to stimulate their interest in reading. Pupils often read with keyworkers in calm settings, such as the school’s attractive library.

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better?

Most pupils have improved their behaviour and attendance since joining the school. There are still a few pupils who do not attend as often as leaders expect. In some cases, this is because of long-term health needs. Teachers do not always ensure that pupils who miss lessons catch up quickly. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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better?

Pupils develop a deeper knowledge of the wider world during personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education lessons. They learn about social and cultural issues through activities, such as Black History Month. They consider the British values of tolerance and harmony. For example, pupils developed their knowledge of Ramadan by working with a member of the Muslim community. Some also learned about Sikh weddings from a local member of the Sikh community. The school’s curriculum offer ensures that pupils develop respect for those who are different.

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better?

Teachers encourage pupils to debate in lessons and to vote about choices of classroom activities. This deepens their understanding of the democratic process. In addition, pupils visit local public service settings, such as the police station, the mayor’s office and Stoke-on-Trent Civic Centre. Leaders have set in place a coherent programme of careers education that prepares their pupils well for the world of work. Pupils learn relationships and sex education that prepares them well for their adult lives.

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better?

Leaders ensure that the school meets all the independent school standards. They provide appropriate training for staff to develop the expertise needed to address pupils’ needs. Staff enjoy working in the school and feel that their workload is manageable.

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better?

All parents who made their views known were positive about the school. They appreciate the difference the school makes to their children’s lives. Governors are well qualified to perform their roles. They and the proprietor are actively involved with the school and provide appropriate support and challenge for leaders.

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better?

The proprietor has ensured that the school is compliant with Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 15 to 17 November 2022 The school’s safeguarding policy is available on its website. Staff are vigilant in their care for pupils. Staff pass on any concerns they have about pupils quickly. Leaders use this information to give pupils the help and support they need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have made sure that all staff recruited are suitable to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe by studying the school’s PSHE education curriculum. They learn, for example, how to protect themselves when using the internet. Relationships and health education lessons help them to learn about concepts such as ‘consent’. They know to say ‘no’ when necessary.

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What does the school need to do to improve?

 Teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to practise their spelling, grammar and punctuation. This means that the quality of pupils’ writing does not improve as well as leaders expect. Leaders should ensure that teachers provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop these aspects of their writing.  Teachers do not always ensure that pupils catch up with work they have missed when absent. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they might. Leaders should ensure that systems are in place for pupils to routinely catch up on any work missed.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 15 to 17 November 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 145950 DfE registration number 861/6017

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School details

Inspection number 10220435 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Email address support@diamond-families.org.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 to 28 November 2019 15 to 17 November 2022

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Information about this school

 Intuition Holistic Education School was registered by the Department for Education in November 2018. It received its first standard inspection in November 2019, when its overall effectiveness was judged to be inadequate.  Since the previous inspection, the school received a progress monitoring inspection in 2021, when it was judged to meet all standards that were checked during the inspection.  The school provides education for pupils aged 11 to 16 who have experienced difficulties in other schools. Places are commissioned by local authorities. Most pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school uses two registered alternative providers. One of these, Diamond Farm, is managed by the proprietor of Intuition Holistic Education.

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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.

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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.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspectors met with all the teachers, including the headteacher.  The inspectors also met with the proprietor.  The lead spoke to the chair of governors and the safeguarding governor via video links.  The lead inspector spoke with parents on the telephone.  The lead inspector spoke to the special needs and/or disabilities monitoring and assessment manager for Stoke-on-Trent via video link.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, PSHE and science as part of this inspection. For each deep dive, inspectors met with curriculum leaders and teachers of these subjects. They talked to pupils and visited lessons accompanied by leaders. They also looked at pupils’ work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents. These included school policies, safeguarding records, curriculum plans, pupils’ attendance and behaviour records, health and safety records and the single central record as well as a variety of emails. 15 to 17 November 2022  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of different classes and at different times of the day. They talked to pupils informally about bullying, behaviour and welfare.  The team inspector visited Diamond Farm alternative provision.  The lead inspector carried out a tour of the premises to check compliance with the independent school standards.  Inspectors considered responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. These included free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Mary Maybank, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Hermitt Ofsted Inspector 15 to 17 November 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.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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