Napton School

Inspection of Arc School Napton Vicarage Road, Napton-On-The-Hill, Nr Southam, Warwickshire CV47 8NA

p.1

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

All staff at Arc School Napton work successfully to re-engage pupils back into education. They understand pupils’ needs well. Staff skilfully develop pupils’ confidence and self- esteem. Pupils become motivated to learn because of this. Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve academically.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning both within school and outdoors. They have exceptional opportunities to flourish in forest school. This helps pupils to develop courage, resilience, teamwork and collaborative learning. They enjoy many opportunities to talk to a wide variety of people and join in with village life.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school specialises in support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils’ behaviour is well managed because staff respond sensitively when pupils struggle to concentrate. Staff do not tolerate bullying and sort it out quickly if it happens. Pupils say they are happy in this school. This is reflected in their high attendance. Most pupils say they are safe because the teachers look after them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers encourage pupils to say what they think. They have good discussions about what is the news and what they are learning in class. Pupils enjoy talking about what is right and what is wrong.

p.2

better?

On arrival in Arc Napton, pupils often have negative attitudes to learning. All the staff recognise this, but because they care for the pupils and maintain high expectations, pupils settle well into an effective routine of learning. Leaders ensure that pupils study a curriculum that prepares them well for their next steps.

p.2

better?

Pupils learn a broad range of subjects in depth. Leaders plan these subjects logically so that they build pupils’ knowledge step by step. Leaders have introduced a new phonics scheme as well as a new mathematics scheme, and these are fully embedded into practice. However, the personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) scheme and the religious education scheme are very recently introduced. As a result, some aspects of these subjects have not been taught in enough depth.

p.2

better?

Teachers assess pupils when they arrive in the school. Regular assessment ensures that teachers continually update their knowledge of what pupils know and can do. Teachers assess both the academic and social progress of the pupils. This means that they know what to plan for pupils to do next.

p.2

better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is good. A strong emphasis on learning new words supports pupils’ language development. Pupils enjoy learning and are proud of the work in their books. However, too often, staff write for pupils even when they are capable of writing independently. This means that pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise writing. 10 to 12 January 2023 Pupils’ reading is improving greatly. Teachers’ knowledge of how to teach pupils their letter sounds is strong. Phonics is taught twice every day for pupils at the early stages of learning to read. Teachers read to their classes every day and each pupil reads to an adult every day. This is helping to ensure that pupils are ready for the next stage in learning. Most pupils say that they really enjoy reading.

p.2

better?

There is usually a calm atmosphere in the school. Pupils generally move around sensibly and show respect to adults and their peers. Most pupils attend well. They say that they are happy in this school. Adults skilfully support pupils who have high levels of anxiety and a variety of special needs, to manage their emotions.

p.3

better?

Pupils have opportunities to visit places related to their curriculum studies. For example, a visit to Warwick Castle helped them to learn about the past. Pupils who visited a falconry centre were courageous enough to hold the falcons on their wrists. A variety of adults, for example fire service personnel, the police, a farmer and an ice-cream man, have visited the school to talk to pupils about their lives, to help broaden pupils’ experiences.

p.3

better?

Pupils vote for representatives on the school council during elections. They know about healthy eating and have opportunities to learn first aid. Pupils know that everyone should be treated equally, and they are clear that discrimination is unkind and not tolerated.

p.3

better?

The new leadership team, in a very short time, has set in place effective new systems. For example, ‘How we do’ documents have been introduced, which set out how different subjects should be taught. Leaders and staff have strong shared values. Leaders place a strong emphasis on professional development for their staff. Teachers welcome the professional development that is put in place for them.

p.3

better?

Leaders work well with other agencies, such as speech therapists and occupational therapists. They also employ an educational psychologist to support the pupils and staff.

p.3

better?

Staff say they love working at the school and that leaders care about their well- being and work-life balance. They say that they work as a strong team of equals and that leaders’ doors are always open.

p.3

better?

Parents who wrote testimonials very much appreciate the progress that their children are making. They are glad that leaders and staff are so supportive. Leaders inform all new parents about the relationships education policy.

p.3

better?

Leaders from Kedleston Group are highly challenging and supportive. They know their statutory duties well. Regular audits of all aspects of provision ensure that the trajectory of improvement continues to be strong.

p.3

better?

The school meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. 10 to 12 January 2023

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Safeguarding

All staff are vigilant about identifying pupils at risk from harm and keeping children safe. The safeguarding policy is displayed on the school website. It meets the latest government guidance. Leaders have ensured there are clear systems and processes in place for safeguarding pupils. All staff are appropriately trained and know how to report a concern about a pupil. Leaders work closely with local authorities so that pupils get the right help and support. Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe, including how to stay safe online. Leaders ensure that all the staff they employ are safe to work with pupils.

p.4

What does the school need to do to improve?

 Too often, staff write for pupils instead of expecting them to write for themselves. This means that pupils do not make enough progress in writing. Leaders should ensure that pupils who are capable of writing independently have more opportunities to do so.  New schemes of work are in place for PHSE, including relationships education, and for religious education. These are not fully embedded into practice. This means that pupils have not learned aspects of these subjects in sufficient depth. Leaders must ensure that these new curriculums are fully implemented.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 10 to 12 January 2023

p.4

School details

Unique reference number 141007 DfE registration number 937/6011

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10254671 Type of school Other Independent Special School

p.5

School details

Email address s.robinson@kedlestongroup.com

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 14 to 16 September 2021 10 to 12 January 2023

p.5

Information about this school

 Arc School Napton is a small independent special school for pupils between the ages of five and 11. Although the school is registered to teach pupils from five years old, during this inspection, all pupils were in key stage 2.  All pupils have an educational, health and care plan. Most pupils have behavioural and/or social and emotional mental health needs. Nearly all pupils have histories of disrupted education.  The headteacher took up post in February 2022.  Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes.  The school does not make any use of any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Kedleston Group Limited.  The school’s last full standard inspection was in September 2021.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors met with all the teachers, including the headteacher.  The inspectors also met with the chief executive officer and the regional director of The Kedleston Group.  The inspectors met with the operations manager and the office manager, as well as the site manager.  The lead inspector spoke to all the teaching assistants.  The lead inspector spoke to the assistant educational psychologist employed by the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and PSHE, including relationships education, 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.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents. These included school policies, safeguarding records, curriculum plans for a wide range of subjects, pupils’

p.6

Information about this inspection

attendance and behaviour records, health and safety records and the single central records as well as a variety of emails. 10 to 12 January 2023  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 the forest school.  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 survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Mary Maybank, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Kate Brunt Ofsted Inspector 10 to 12 January 2023 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.

p.7

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8