Gloucester House, The Tavistock Children's Day Unit

Inspection of Gloucester House, The Tavistock Children’s Day Unit 33 Daleham Gardens, London NW3 5BU

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Inspection dates: 29 November to 1 December 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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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?

Pupils come to this school having been through significant challenges in their lives, including trauma. This means that pupils have a range of complex social, emotional and mental health needs. This school makes sure that each pupil is heard, understood and supported to get better. Nurses, teachers, therapists and clinicians all work together to meet pupils’ individual needs. They focus on getting pupils to a place where they can engage with learning again. Staff’s high expectations help pupils to achieve well. They are highly skilled at enabling pupils to successfully reintegrate back into mainstream or specialist settings.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff help pupils to understand how to manage their emotions and feelings. Throughout their time here, pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and behaviour strengthen exceptionally well. Working relationships between staff and pupils contribute significantly to pupils’ well-being and excellent behaviour. Because staff know pupils very well, they sort out any problems quickly and appropriately, including the rare cases of bullying. Pupils are safe and well cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that they like all sorts of things about this school. For example, they enjoy earning virtual money to spend at the school shop. They also like spending time in the nurture garden, where they grow fruit and vegetables to be eaten for lunch.

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better?

Leaders ensure that staff have the right expertise to meet pupils’ different needs. The team includes a range of knowledgeable professionals. Right from the start, these teams work with parents and carers and external specialists to identify pupils’ needs. This leads to a clear and shared understanding of what support each pupil needs and when.

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better?

Leaders make sure that the academic curriculum meets each pupil’s stage of development. Pupils receive targeted support by teachers and support staff. Staff structure lessons in a way that allows pupils to manage and succeed. Staff use different activities skilfully to build up pupils’ knowledge and understanding. For example, they use strategies such as memory games to aid recall of knowledge.

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better?

Pupils study a range of subjects. Leaders have introduced some new approaches for the teaching of mathematics and science. Staff are still getting used to these. Not all staff have had the training they need to deliver these subjects consistently, which sometimes affects pupils’ learning.

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better?

Leaders ensure that most subjects are planned well so that pupils learn in a sensible order. Pupils build on their previous knowledge. Recently, leaders have introduced new subjects and content to the curriculum. In these subjects, leaders do not identify precisely what content pupils need to learn and when. 29 November to 1 December 2022 Staff check pupils’ reading abilities regularly. They use the school’s phonics programme to address gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge. Staff use resources effectively in order to support pupils of different ages who struggle with reading. In addition to phonics, pupils enjoy regular reading sessions. Staff are well trained in knowing how to get the best out of each pupil. They use a range of strategies that allow pupils to show off their reading talents. Pupils really like the new library. Leaders ensure that pupils read a variety of high-quality books. Pupils’ reading

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better?

Staff structure the day to manage pupils’ behaviours in lessons and social times. Staff know how to support individual pupils, including when they need help to calm down. Pupils said that they felt secure in school because staff know which strategies work best. Pupils’ improvements to their behaviours are exceptional.

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better?

Staff skilfully increase pupils’ ability to manage situations, including social interactions with others. For example, in circle time, pupils of different ages shared their views, either verbally or through words and pictures. Older pupils showed empathy for others in their discussions about the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Statutory guidance for relationships and sex education is followed.

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better?

Pupils enjoy their ‘Friday well-being sessions’, where they get to choose from a range of enrichment activities. These include music, yoga, computer coding and cooking. They take on responsibilities and have a say in what happens in school. For example, every pupil is part of one of the school’s various committees. Staff help pupils to learn about the world of work and be prepared for their adult lives. For example, pupils apply for jobs in school, such as a shopkeeper, and take part in careers workshops.

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better?

The proprietor body ensures that the school meets the independent school standards and complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. They have created an inclusive and happy school where staff feel valued and supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff suitability checks are completed appropriately. They ensure that staff are well trained in identifying and reporting concerns about pupils’ safety and well-being. Staff use a range of meetings, including daily ‘de-briefs’, to discuss pupils’ ongoing circumstances. They follow up any issues appropriately and work with other professionals where necessary, including in children’s health and social care.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught about behaving safely and sensibly, both in and out of school and when online. Staff adapt sessions to address any relevant local and contextual issues that affect pupils’ safety and welfare. 29 November to 1 December 2022 The safeguarding policy incorporates the most up-to-date statutory guidance and is made available to parents.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders have made changes to the curriculum in a range of subjects, including reading, mathematics and science. They have introduced some new programmes and approaches to deliver these subjects. These need to be fully embedded. Leaders should ensure that staff have the support and training they need to deliver the new programmes consistently well.  Recently, leaders have expanded the academic curriculum to include some new subjects and units of work. However, in some instances, leaders have not made clear the sequence of learning. They have not identified precisely the specific knowledge pupils need to learn and when. This affects pupils’ learning over time. Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the specific knowledge that pupils need to learn in these new units of work.

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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. 29 November to 1 December 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 135167 DfE registration number 202/6401

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School details

Inspection number 10204281 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust Chair James Lawlor

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School details

Headteacher Kirsty Brant (Head of service)

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School details

Email address Gloucesterhouseadmin@tavi-port.nhs.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 to 16 November 2017 29 November to 1 December 2022

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, there have been some changes to leadership roles. The previous headteacher has moved to another role within the organisation. She oversees the school’s work. A new headteacher has been appointed and will take up their post in January 2023. The school is currently led by the school’s head of service and the deputy headteacher. Both roles will continue alongside the new headteacher next term.  The school’s previous inspection took place in November 2017.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  The school caters for pupils aged five to 14. At the time of this inspection, pupils on roll were aged between seven and 14. All pupils have education, health and care plans. The school specialises in supporting pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.  Pupils join the school having had disruptions to their schooling in previous settings. Often pupils have been suspended or permanently excluded in the past.

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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

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the head of service and the deputy headteacher. Inspectors also met with the school’s previous headteacher, who oversees the school’s work. The lead inspector met with those responsible for governance. He held telephone conversations with representatives of one of the local authorities which commissions places at this school. He spoke with the local authority school improvement partner.  Inspectors met with teachers, education support staff, nurses, therapists and case coordinators.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and personal, social, health and economics education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to

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Information about this inspection

teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and considered samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum for other subjects.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors spoke with pupils, staff and leaders. Inspectors reviewed documentation relating to child protection and looked at the single central record of staff suitability checks. 29 November to 1 December 2022  Inspectors toured the premises, held meetings with leaders and looked at a range of documentation to check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Gary Rawlings, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou His Majesty’s Inspector 29 November to 1 December 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

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