The Orchard Independent Special School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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The Orchard Independent Special School Unit 1, Sargon Way, Great Grimsby Business Park, Grimsby DN37 9PH

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2(2), 2(2)(a)  During the last inspection it was found that more than a quarter of pupils in school attended on a part-time basis. This reduced pupils’ capacity to learn and increased the likelihood of pupils’ involvement in safeguarding incidents outside school.  The proprietor has taken swift and effective action to remedy this situation. Changes to the senior leadership team, including the appointment of a new executive principal and a new pastoral lead, have changed the culture in school. This, coupled with a strong focus on decreasing opportunities for pupils to attend part time, has reduced the number of pupils on part-time timetables to just one at the time of this inspection.  Some pupils still need to transition into school more slowly than others. Nonetheless, this process is very closely monitored and time-limited.  The unmet independent school standards (the standards) in this paragraph are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b),  At the time of the last inspection, the inspection team found that after a serious safeguarding incident, leaders and the proprietors did not follow the required guidance in ‘Keeping children safe in education, 2022 (KCSIE)’ when reporting an incident.  This error occurred due to a lack of understanding of some of the requirements of KCSIE by the proprietor board and a lack of training for staff on what action to take when concerned about the behaviour of an adult.  Discussions with staff, leaders and members of the proprietor board showed that there is a much-heightened awareness and understanding of safeguarding processes and procedures. Staff and leaders are now clear about what to do should a safeguarding issue occur. Pupils’ safeguarding files analysed during the inspection evidenced this well.  Planned external training for staff, leaders and the proprietor board has taken place as

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Main inspection findings

described in the school’s improvement plan. Ongoing regular safeguarding training is now an established part of the school’s training calendar for all staff and the proprietor board.  The unmet standards in this paragraph are now met. Paragraph 15  The proprietor board has put in place a clear procedure for recording changes made to the admissions register. Staff completing the register now record the dates of any changes made and the initials of the staff member making the changes.  Leaders now make regular checks on attendance registers ensuring that the correct codes are used to record pupils’ absences. A range of staff were spoken to during the inspection, all of whom completed attendance registers and all of whom identified the correct codes to be used for pupils’ absences.  The unmet standards in this paragraph are now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)

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Main inspection findings

 Since the previous inspection, the proprietor board has taken swift and effective action to bring about improvement. For example, there have been significant changes to the leadership team. These include the appointments of an experienced executive principal and a pastoral lead. Both of these colleagues have worked closely with the proprietor board to improve safeguarding policies and procedures and change the culture and expectations at school.  Staff training has ensured that safeguarding incidents are now recorded effectively on an online system.  Proprietors are now supported externally by a committee of educational professionals. This has increased their capacity to lead and offer effective support and challenge to senior leaders.  Leaders have removed the culture of managing pupils’ behaviour by reducing the number of hours that pupils spent in school, for example using part-time timetables. This

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Main inspection findings

has increased pupils’ attendance and improved pupils’ outcomes.  All standards in this part are now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged not to comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are- – 2(2)(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education; – 2(2)(b) that pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 15 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006[13].

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Type of school Other Independent special school

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School details

School status Independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £15,500 to £36,000

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School details

Email address chodgesbrooks@orchardhumber.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 4 to 6 May 2022

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Information about this school

 The school is based on three sites: Sargon Way (DN37 9PH) is the main site with smaller sites at Laceby Road (DN34 5LT) and Roberts Street (DN32 8HF).  All pupils who attend the school have an education, health and care plan. Most have social, emotional and mental health needs. Some have further additional needs, such as autism spectrum disorder.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school is operating within its operating agreement with the Department for Education

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged not to comply with at its previous inspection.  The inspection was carried out with no notice.  The school was found to have met the independent school standards which were unmet at the previous inspection.  The inspector met with a group of pupils, a group of staff, the executive principal, the assistant principal, the pastoral and behaviour lead and a member of the proprietor board.  A range of documents were checked, including safeguarding documentation, admission and attendance registers. The record kept by school of the training carried out by staff and leaders was also scrutinised.  The school’s single central record was checked for compliance.

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Information about this inspection

 Checks were carried out on staff’s knowledge of registration codes and safeguarding processes and procedures in school.

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Inspection team

Marian Thomas, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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