Wood Edge Independent School

Inspection of Wood Edge Independent School 69 Ruff Lane, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4UL

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 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 Requires improvement

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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 enjoy coming to school, where they are happy and safe. Staff have a well - developed understanding of how to educate pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils respond well to the high expectations that staff have of their achievement. This helps to ensure that pupils fully engage in learning and develop their knowledge and skills well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a strong appreciation of British values, including the rule of law. They celebrate cultural and religious diversity and understand the importance of treating others with dignity and respect. Pupils are aware of the harm that discriminatory behaviour such as racism and homophobic bullying can cause. On the very rare occasions that bullying occurs, it is reported and dealt with effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to behave well and show respect towards each other and adults. As a result, Wood Edge Independent School is calm and purposeful. Pupils learn how to maintain their physical, spiritual and mental health.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy visits to museums, art galleries and local shops. At the time of the inspection, they expressed their excitement about attending the Rugby World Cup in Manchester. Pupils enjoy outdoor activities, going to the gym and practising yoga.

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better?

Pupils achieve well. In most subjects, leaders, have created a well-ordered curriculum. Staff have well-developed specialist knowledge and have accessed suitable training. They also have strong and trusting relationships with pupils. All of this helps to enhance pupils’ confidence and enjoyment in learning. Pupils achieve well. Leaders have developed an effective procedure for checking how well pupils are learning in a range of subjects. The results of leaders’ checks help teachers to develop individual programmes of learning for each pupil. However, in a few subjects, checks on pupils’ learning are not as precise as they could be. For example, in some of these subjects, pupils make repeated mistakes, which are not addressed. In addition, in a few subjects, leaders have not identified precisely what they want pupils to learn, or by when. In these subjects, pupils do not develop their learning or deepen their understanding sufficiently well.

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better?

Teachers prioritise reading, which they place at the centre of the curriculum. They also provide many opportunities for pupils to develop their reading skills. For example, pupils use their well-developed word-processing skills to carry out research projects. These activities help pupils to improve their reading fluency and comprehension. 15 and 16 November 2022 Leaders ensure that books by different authors are available to pupils. Due to this, pupils are extending their reading repertoire and developing a love of books. Pupils who need help to improve their reading are supported efficiently by skilled staff. Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND. Some pupils have significant gaps in their learning having missed long periods of education. However, staff identify pupils’ educational needs early. They work with different external partners to ensure that pupils get the support that they need promptly. As a result, pupils with SEND

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better?

can access all areas of the curriculum. Leaders offer pupils a carefully constructed personal development curriculum. Pupils can follow their interest in different sports, including football and swimming. They also develop their talents in dancing, art and cooking. Pupils enjoy games which require strategic thinking, including chess. They also learn about the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol and drug misuse. Visitors to the school alert pupils to the potential dangers associated with gang affiliation, including knife crime. Staff implement the school’s behaviour policy consistently well. They have a good insight into pupils’ vulnerabilities and triggers. With the support of the school’s therapists, staff help pupils to manage their emotions and feelings. Consequently, lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils benefit from effective in-house and independent careers advice and guidance.

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better?

Leaders have close links with a local university which offers work experience opportunities to pupils in a local cafe and a newsagent. Leaders also work with providers who offer opportunities for pupils to learn about employment in services such as plumbing and mechanics. Consequently, pupils are prepared well for their next steps.

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better?

Leaders make sure that pupils’ learning is accredited. This includes accreditation for small units of learning, as well as GCSEs. Pupils are prepared well for their learning and training after they leave the school. In recent years, all pupils have moved on to further education courses.

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better?

Staff enjoy working at the school. They told inspectors that leaders are mindful of their workload and mental health. Staff also said that should they need support, for whatever reason, that leaders are never more than ‘a telephone call away’. Governors and the proprietor body know how well pupils are performing and which areas of the curriculum are the strongest. Together leaders, governors and the proprietor body have ensured that the independent school standards are met. They have also made sure that the statutory guidance on relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) has been implemented. All leaders, including the proprietor body, execute their leadership roles diligently. For example, they enable pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England. Leaders and the proprietor body also ensure that the school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, governors and the proprietor body leave nothing to chance when it comes to maintaining pupils’ safety and welfare. Safeguarding leaders are trained to a high standard. They ensure that staff are familiar with the government’s latest guidelines on keeping pupils safe in education. Staff know how to identify potential signs of neglect and abuse. They follow the school’s procedures and report any concerns immediately. Leaders work with different external agencies to ensure that pupils who require help get the support that they need straight away. Pupils learn about healthy relationships through the RSHE curriculum. They know how to use the internet safely. The school’s safeguarding policy takes account of current statutory guidance. This policy is available on the school’s website.

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(Information for the proprietor)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified precisely what they want pupils to know and understand, or by when. Leaders should rectify this by identifying the key knowledge that they want pupils to gain in these areas of the curriculum and when it should be taught. This will help to ensure that teachers know what to teach and by when. It will also help to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding in these subjects.  In a small number of subjects, some teachers do not address pupils’ mistakes and/or misconceptions. Consequently, some pupils repeat errors. As a result, pupils’ learning is hindered in these subjects as they are not developing their knowledge and skills as well as they should. Leaders should make sure that staff address pupils' misconceptions before they move on to new learning. This will help pupils to avoid repeating errors.

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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 and 16 November 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 143936 DfE registration number 888/6069

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School details

Inspection number 10243494 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Website www.my3ltd.co.uk/wood-edge- independent-school Email address antony.maynard@my3ltd.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 to 13 March 2020 15 and 16 November 2022

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Information about this school

 This school’s previous standard inspection was from 11 to 13 March 2020.  Leaders make use of one alternative provision.  This school caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils have education, health and care plans.

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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 that 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 held meetings with the headteacher and the headteacher’s line manager. Inspectors discussed provision for pupils with SEND, safeguarding, attendance and pupils’ welfare and personal development with senior leaders. The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with the chair of the governing body, who is also the joint chief executive officer of the proprietor body.  Inspectors met with the school’s operations manager and the therapeutic services manager. The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of one of the local authorities responsible for placing pupils at the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: reading, mathematics,

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Information about this inspection

business studies, and computer science and information technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects. Inspectors also spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  The lead inspector spoke with different stakeholders to gather their views about the school. There were no responses to Ofsted Parent View, or free-text comments from parents, to consider. There were no responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys to consider.  Inspectors examined a range of policies and documents. They spoke to safeguarding leaders about the reporting and recording of any safeguarding incidents. Inspectors talked with pupils about their safety and welfare. They scrutinised safeguarding information, including the school’s safeguarding policy.

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Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Rebecca Sharples His Majesty's Inspector 15 and 16 November 2022 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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