South England International School

Inspection of South England International School Lorna Dock Hub, Wilbury Villas, Hove BN3 6AH

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students from different countries eagerly come to South England International to study and immerse themselves in British culture. Leaders provide support for every student. Their excellent induction work ensures each student feels safe and settled in new surroundings. Leaders carefully match students to host families and plan a bespoke curriculum for each young person.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Educationally, leaders are aspirational and offer students subjects which can meet academic requirements from their home countries. Impartial careers advice is provided to students, including about international higher education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Extra-curricular activities really develop students personally. They can access a range of sports and the arts to develop talents. This offer includes elite football and rugby, golf, archery, kayaking, drama and dance. Exploring a big city and being able to travel around the UK are real highlights for students. They are relishing their time at a British school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students show respect to one another and celebrate different backgrounds and viewpoints. They behave very well and know the importance of working hard to achieve success. Any form of bullying is not tolerated, and students are encouraged to see the good in each other. Where needed, staff can signpost students to well- being professional services.

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better?

Leaders and staff have made a strong start to the school’s recent opening. Strategically, leaders have taken sensible steps and not rushed into implementing too many things at once. The principal is mindful of how early on it is in the development of this brand-new school. She has wisely started with a small cohort of students first. This has enabled leaders to test out their plans for real. In the first few weeks, staff monitored daily how the school was functioning, and leaders supported teachers in implementing the curriculum. The impact so far is positive, and the principal has a firm grasp of progress. Underpinning leaders’ work is a determined focus on the education and welfare of all students.

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better?

The school’s administrative offices have relocated to new premises. Students do not access these, and this workspace is for the sole use of school staff. As it is a shared building, leaders have ensured that they are meeting all the relevant health and safety requirements. Students’ education is happening as planned at a nearby sixth- form college. School leaders work very closely with the college’s senior staff. Students have access to classrooms and laboratories to learn the taught curriculum. At breaktimes, students eat happily in the college’s canteen and enjoy the spacious grounds to play sports and other recreational activities. Leaders know their responsibilities of checking the college’s facilities to assure themselves that the school is continuing to meet the independent school standards (the standards) for premises. However, the principal recognises the need to build in more frequent 7 to 9 March 2023

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better?

checks of the college’s premises and report any maintenance issues straight away to the college’s leaders.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is suitably ambitious. Every student is undertaking an A-level qualification in environmental science. Here, the curriculum content outlines the core knowledge to learn, and this is well sequenced. Furthermore, this curriculum area successfully covers students’ mathematical, scientific and human and social understanding. Teachers are subject experts in these fields and impart great knowledge to students.

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better?

Linguistically, students learn an English curriculum which develops their proficiency in speaking the English language. The curriculum covers the core skills that students need to work and live in English-speaking countries. Again, teachers are knowledgeable in presenting this content in a way students understand. Attention to detail in students’ English pronunciation and grammar is prioritised. Leaders offer regular opportunities for students to read aloud to build a high level of fluency. Across all subjects, vocabulary is taught explicitly so students learn as many English words as possible. Nevertheless, leaders are trying to widen students’ reading habits further.

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better?

Teachers keep a close eye on how securely students are learning the curriculum. They are responsive to students’ subject understanding. Teachers build in opportunities to strengthen the recall of knowledge. Because students come from countries with different educational approaches, leaders are mindful of unidentified special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff are in regular conversations about students, and leaders inform parents where they feel further support might be needed. In lessons, teachers’ approaches cater well for students’ needs.

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better?

Students’ attitudes and conduct in lessons are good. Leaders educate students clearly about the school’s rules and these are mostly realised in practice. Students work hard and enjoy debating in class discussions. They move sensibly around the school building.

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better?

Leaders place great importance on meeting the expectations of the Equality Act 2010. Students have a clear understanding of the protected characteristics and the importance of respect and tolerance to people of all nationalities and cultures. Leaders have planned a personal development programme that prepares students well at sixth form. It is rich and varied. However, within some aspects of the programme, not all the required knowledge is identified and well sequenced.

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better?

Up-to-date policies, which are available on the school’s website, reflect the proprietor and school leaders’ understanding of the expectations of an independent school. Moving forward, the proprietor recognises that the school needs to appoint a governing body. They understand this is to seek assurances that the school continues to meet the standards and to support the workload of the principal who is also the proprietor. Importantly, there are not yet rigorous mechanisms in place to hold leaders to account for the quality of education. 7 to 9 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are experienced and well informed about keeping overseas students safe. Their vetting processes of adults are thorough. They train staff about particular risks that international students could face when staying in the UK. For example, leaders prioritise training about child exploitation and gang crime. The curriculum informs students about living independently, personal safety, sexual health and alcohol use. Leaders closely monitor students’ attendance.

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Safeguarding

Staff know what signs to look out for that might indicate a student needs help. Leaders understand what to do when raising concerns to the local authority’s children’s services. They are clear about the information that is recorded in writing.

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Safeguarding

The school’s safeguarding policy complies with the latest government guidance and is available on the school’s website.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Within the personal development programme, some knowledge is not clearly defined. This means students are not making solid connections in their learning. Leaders need to ensure that all the ambitious strands of the personal development programme are coherently planned and sequenced.  Leaders have recognised there needs to be a governance structure in the school. Currently, the proprietor is the sole person assuring themselves that the school is continuing to meet the standards and is providing an ambitious curriculum. Leaders need to move forward with their plans to establish a governance model. This will help provide the right checks and balances to rigorously hold leaders to account for students’ education.

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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. 7 to 9 March 2023

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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form

Website www.southenglandinternational.com

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form

Email address info@southenglandexchange.org 7 to 9 March 2023

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Information about this school

 South England International School opened on 9 January 2023. Its name and administrative headquarters have both changed since its second pre-registration inspection in December 2021. The proprietor has informed the Department for Education of these changes. This is the school’s first standard inspection.  As outlined at the last pre-registration inspection, the school leases classrooms and other facilities from Newman College, part of Cardinal Newman Catholic School and Sixth Form College, The Upper Drive, Hove, BN3 6ND. It is a short walk from the central administrative offices to the college where students access their education.  The school caters for international students accessing sixth-form provision for one academic year only. Students then return overseas. At the time of this inspection, one student aged 19 was attending. This was above the school’s registered age range.  The school is registered to admit up to 24 students.

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Information about this school

 Students live with host families. South England Exchange Ltd facilitates these arrangements, informs the relevant authorities and monitors the welfare of students.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the principal and proprietor, staff and students. The lead inspector also met with senior leaders at Cardinal Newman Catholic School and Sixth Form College.  The inspection team carried out deep dives into these subjects: English, mathematics, environmental science and personal, social and health education. To do this, they met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, had discussions with staff and students, visited lessons and looked at students’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors spoke with staff and students. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to 7 to 9 March 2023 examine records and actions. This included sampling a range of safeguarding documentation. He reviewed checks on the safer recruitment of adults.  Inspectors talked to every student about their learning and experiences at school.  The views of staff, students and parents were gathered through discussions and

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors visited the school’s administrative headquarters and Newman College. This was to check all the premises used and the statutory requirements of the standards. In addition, inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentary evidence.

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Inspection team

James Broadbridge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sue Bzikot Ofsted Inspector 7 to 9 March 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.

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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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