Bradshaw Farm Independent School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Bradshaw Farm Independent School Longnor, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 0QY

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 32(1), 32(1)(c)  All staff are vigilant of pupils’ welfare. They know the signs to look for that may indicate a safeguarding concern. Staff know to pass any concerns, however small, on to leaders.  Staff receive regular safeguarding training. When new safeguarding risks emerge, leaders provide additional training, so that staff know what to do.  Leaders are aware of the further risks pupils may face due to their additional needs. Staff receive information on how best to manage these risks and support the pupils.  Staff meetings take place at the start and end of each school day. These provide an opportunity for staff to discuss any safeguarding issues that may have arisen before or during the school day, and to agree how best to support the pupils concerned.  High levels of staff supervision throughout the school day ensure that pupils are kept

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Main inspection findings

safe and that they behave in a way that does not pose a risk of harm to others.  Leaders regularly meet with pupils to check on their welfare and to assess any further support that may be required.  Leaders work closely with professionals external to the school so that pupils receive the right support at the right time.  Pupils say that they feel safe at the school. They say that if they are worried, they can talk to staff. They know that staff will listen to them and help them resolve their concern.  Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online and when out in the community. They learn about consent and the importance of healthy living.  The school’s safeguarding policy is available on the school’s website. Paragraph 11  At the standard inspection, inspectors found that leaders did not ensure that health and safety checks routinely took place and that detailed health and safety records were kept.

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Main inspection findings

 Leaders undertake regular health and safety checks. They record their findings.  Professionals external to the school, and to the company that operates the school, complete a check on the school each half term. These checks include a consideration of the school’s health and safety and fire safety arrangements. School leaders and the proprietor review these reports. This enables them to assure themselves of the robustness of their own checks and of actions they have taken to resolve any health and safety concerns.  The school meets the independent school standards (the standards) and the associated requirements that were checked in these parts. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  At the standard inspection, inspectors found that leaders had not ensured that the school consistently met all the standards. The school did not meet the standard related

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Main inspection findings

to the effective implementation of a health and safety policy.  Inspectors found that the quality of education was not yet good. Leaders did not check pupils’ starting points and prior knowledge well enough to inform their curriculum plans. Teachers did not ask questions sufficiently well to deepen pupils’ understanding, nor did they consistently provide resources that pupils could use unaided. Inspectors found that leaders had not acted on the recommendations of an external review of the quality of education that had recently been completed.  Leaders have acted appropriately to address the failings regarding the implementation of the school’s health and safety policy.  Leaders have acted appropriately to address the weaknesses that relate to the quality of education.  Leaders assess pupils’ knowledge to identify any gaps, including in literacy and numeracy. This enables leaders to provide pupils with the right support to catch up.

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Main inspection findings

 Staff undertake training to help inform their teaching. They work with professionals from other schools, including those that the company operates. Through this, staff gain insight into how other professionals support pupils in their learning, including through curriculum planning and designing appropriate resources.  Leaders regularly visit lessons to check on the quality of education. They also look at pupils’ work and meet with pupils to discuss their learning. Leaders provide staff with feedback from these checks to help them develop their practice.  The school meets the requirements of the standards that were checked in this part.

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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 to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.

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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; and

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school stand- ards 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

Email address dwood@caretodayparallelparents.net

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 5 and 6 July 2022

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Information about this school

 Bradshaw Farm Independent School provides education for up to six pupils aged between 11 and 16 years. There are currently three pupils on roll.  Pupils are placed at the school by a number of different local authorities.  Pupils who attend the school have social, emotional or mental health needs. Most pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school is registered to admit boys and girls. At the time of the inspection, pupils on the school’s roll were all boys.  The school is part of Care Today (Children’s Services) Ltd, of which the school’s proprietor is a director. There are seven other schools operated by the organisation.  The school does not use the services of any alternative provisions.

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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 to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The school’s previous standard inspection took place on 5 and 6 July 2022. The failed standards related to the implementation of the school’s health and safety policy and leadership and management.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection. In line with the commission, the inspection took place without notice.  The Department for Education (DfE) required the school to submit an action plan. Ofsted evaluated this plan on 21 December 2022 and deemed it to be acceptable.  The DfE accepted the school’s action plan on 26 January 2023.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other staff. He spoke by telephone with a

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Information about this inspection

representative of the proprietor.  The inspector met with pupils formally and visited a lesson.  The inspector considered documentation relating to health and safety, safeguarding and recruitment. The inspector reviewed the school’s single central record.

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Inspection team

Simon Hollingsworth, lead inspector His Majesty’s 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

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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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