The Haven School Wolston

Inspection of The Haven School Wolston The Stables at the Hall, Priory Hill, Wolston, Rugby CV8 3HP

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small school where everything is very calm. Pupils enjoy the peace and quiet. They know that all the staff care for them and want them to succeed. Pupils say: ‘We are listened to here. People really understand us.’ Pupils at this school have not been able to work well in other settings and have missed a lot of their education. At this school they can finally settle down to studying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour does not disrupt lessons because they know what is expected of them and are well supported to meet these expectations. Bullying is extremely rare and pupils say that staff would not tolerate it. During breaktimes, pupils enjoy chatting with staff or each other. They often play football or table tennis. Pupils are kept safe and they feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers give pupils plenty of opportunities to discuss things and to say what they think. The school council has already made changes the pupils wanted. They are now able to earn vouchers for good behaviour. Their teachers encourage them to vote so that they make decisions democratically.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that the best thing about the school is the staff: ‘If we tell any of them about our concerns, they will help us.’

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better?

Pupils at this school all have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most of them have had high levels of absence from previous schools. Since joining The Haven, they have all improved their attendance greatly, and some now have full attendance. Pupils’ good attendance and ability to concentrate mean they can now make secure progress towards the next stage of their education.

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better?

Leaders have made sure that learning is organised carefully in each subject. Key stage 3 pupils study a wide range of subjects. They follow well-sequenced schemes of work, which are tailored to individual needs. Key stage 4 pupils choose their own pathways, but all continue to take a variety of short courses in subjects such as hairdressing, personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and land management. They take GCSEs or functional skills exams in English, mathematics, science and other subjects of their choice, for example history.

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better?

When pupils arrive at the school, teachers assess what pupils can already do. They continue to challenge pupils and find out how they can improve. However, sometimes teachers do not use assessments well enough. As a result, occasionally teachers give pupils work that is too hard for them.

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better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge and design exciting and engaging lessons, for example an inspiring practical lesson in science. However, they do not always make sure that subject vocabulary is explicitly taught. This means that pupils’ vocabulary does not improve as well as it should. 7 to 9 March 2023 Pupils read every day when they come into school. Assessments at the start of their time in the school ensure that they have the right books to read. Teachers assess pupils regularly so that they have more difficult texts to read as they improve. They enjoy the support they receive from staff who help them. Some of them choose to read or work on their own. All pupils spoken to said that they enjoy reading and that their reading has improved since coming to this school.

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better?

Pupils have an in-depth understanding of mental health because of their enjoyable PSHE lessons. They also know about healthy eating and know about different food groups. They have good opportunities to enjoy a variety of sports and know that they need to keep physically healthy. A well-structured programme of relationships and sex education ensures that they are well prepared for adult life

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better?

Pupils learn about the wide range of cultures and religions in this country. They know that all people should be treated equally well. Pupils have enjoyed a number of visits, for example to Stratford to learn about Shakespeare, to an art gallery and to Coombe Abbey. Pupils volunteer to raise money for charities and they have good opportunities to gain work experience. In this way, they widen their horizons and develop a better understanding of different lives. A strong programme of careers development enables them to prepare for their adult lives.

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better?

The independent school standards are met. In a very short time leaders have set in place a bright, new, well-equipped building, systems and schemes of work. They have brought together an effective team of professionals who have high aspirations for the school.

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better?

All staff say they love working at this school and that leaders care about their well- being and work-life balance. They say that they work as a strong team of equals: ‘Everyone belongs, and everyone has a voice.’ Staff welcome the training that leaders offer them. They say that leaders welcome requests for further training.

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better?

Leaders work effectively with other agencies who support the school, for example social workers, health professionals and careers officers. Parents and carers who spoke to inspectors or wrote testimonials appreciate the progress their children are making at the school.

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better?

Governors and the chair of the proprietorial body are highly challenging and supportive. They make regular audits of provision in the school. They know their statutory duties. The school meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding policy is displayed on the school’s website and meets the requirements of the independent school standards. Leaders ensure that staff have all the required training they need to safeguard the pupils in their care. Staff are 7 to 9 March 2023 confident in how to deal with any concern about a pupil’s welfare. They are vigilant in identifying any issues and ensure that pupils are safe. Leaders check staff’s suitability to work with children before they start at the school. Leaders work well with other agencies to protect the pupils in their care.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Teachers assess pupils’ skills and abilities in a variety of ways. However, they do not always use the information they gather successfully enough to ensure that pupils are working at the right level. As a result, pupils are sometimes faced with work that is too hard for them because it does not build well enough on what they already know and can do. Leaders need to ensure that teachers improve their use of assessment to ensure that pupils can build consistently on their prior learning.  Teachers do not place enough emphasis on the development of vocabulary in all lessons. This means that pupils’ vocabulary does not improve fast enough, which can hinder their understanding of the subjects they are studying. Leaders should make sure that teachers include a strong focus on vocabulary development in all subjects in order to support pupils’ progress across the curriculum.

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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

Unique reference number 148828 DfE registration number 937/6036

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School details

Inspection number 10254706 Type of school Other Independent Special School

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Number in sixth form

Proprietor The Haven School Wolston Limited

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Number in sixth form

Email address Anna.Besley@thehavenwolston.co.uk 7 to 9 March 2023

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Information about this school

 The Haven School Wolston is located in a building that was previously a stable block on a wider estate. The school sits within extensive grounds.  The school was registered by the Department for Education (DfE) on 18 February 2022. This is the school’s first standard inspection.  The school caters for both boys and girls, aged 11 to 18.  Due to the small number of pupils in the sixth form, it is not possible to write about the sixth form separately from the main school without identifying individual pupils.  The school caters for pupils with SEND. All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Pupils typically have autism spectrum disorder and/or social, emotional and mental health difficulties.  Pupils can be placed in the school by a range of local authorities (LAs). At present, Warwickshire and Oxfordshire LAs have placed pupils in the school.  Leaders use two unregistered alternative provision placements for part-time

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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

 The inspectors met with all the teachers, including the headteacher.  The inspectors also met with the chair of the proprietorial body, the chair of governors, the safeguarding governor and the governor responsible for the curriculum.  The lead inspector spoke to all the teaching assistants.  The lead inspector spoke to the plan coordinator for pupils with EHC plans in Warwickshire.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, PSHE and science as part of this inspection. For each deep dive, inspectors met with 7 to 9 March 2023 teachers of these subjects. They talked to pupils and visited lessons. They also looked at pupils’ work.  The lead inspector reviewed curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents. These included school policies, safeguarding records, curriculum plans, pupils’ attendance and behaviour records,

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Information about this inspection

health and safety records and the accident book, as well as the single central record.  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 lead inspector carried out a tour of the premises to check compliance with the independent school standards.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. These included free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey and spoke to a number of parents on the telephone.

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Inspection team

Mary Maybank, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Ashley 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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