Eden Park Academy

Inspection of The Eden SDA School Beacon Centre, 9 Scott Crescent, Harrow HA2 0TY and Tithe Farm Social Club, 151 Rayners Lane, Harrow HA2 0XH

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Inspection dates: 31 January to 2 February 2023

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, are not fulfilling their statutory responsibilities in relation to safeguarding pupils. Pupils are not kept safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum in most subjects is poorly designed and lacks ambition. Leaders have not given sufficient thought to the key concepts that pupils need to learn and remember. As a result, pupils are not well prepared for the next stage of their education, employment or training.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy their time here. Pupils’ behaviour is typically good and learning in class is not interrupted. Should any disruptive behaviour or bullying occur, teachers deal with these effectively. Pupils are confident to share any concerns they may have with staff because they know they will be resolved swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have opportunities to develop leadership skills. For example, pupils help to choose the educational visits that leaders organise to extend their learning. Pupils take part in a range of activities, including choir, football and basketball. Leaders have designed the curriculum to help pupils to understand important issues about faith, culture and heritage. For example, all members of the school’s community performed in the school’s annual theatre production of ‘Motherland’, a celebration of African heritage.

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better?

Pupils study a broad range of subjects. The curriculum has been focused on preparing older pupils and students for the examination specifications. Subject curriculums are not well designed or sequenced. In almost all subjects, leaders have given little thought to how pupils build their understanding. As a result, the curriculum does not help pupils to develop a rich body of knowledge that enables them to learn and remember more.

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better?

Leaders have started to develop a well-ordered curriculum in mathematics. Pupils in the primary phase learn to multiply and divide accurately. Older pupils use this knowledge when they tackle more complex topics, such as expanding brackets in algebra.

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better?

However, clear curriculum thinking is not evident in most other subjects. Leaders have not routinely identified the important knowledge pupils need to learn. This means that the work pupils complete does not help them to build up cumulative knowledge securely. Teachers do not check that pupils have understood important concepts. This results in gaps in pupils’ knowledge that are neither identified nor addressed and which therefore persist over time.

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better?

Although children learn to read from the start of their Reception Year, leaders do not ensure that teaching follows a rigorous and systematic approach. This means that children do not learn the phonics sounds that they need to know in order to read 31 January to 2 February 2023 with accuracy and fluency. Support for older pupils who struggle with reading is variable. As a result, pupils who need additional help with reading do not develop reading confidence and fluency swiftly enough. Other areas of learning are planned coherently to help children build their knowledge in early years.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. Leaders put appropriate plans in place to meet their needs. Leaders make sure that teachers understand the needs of pupils with SEND and how to adapt teaching to enable pupils with SEND to access the curriculum. However, weaknesses in curriculum design overall mean that pupils with SEND are not routinely helped to learn and remember important knowledge in different subjects.

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better?

Pupils typically behave sensibly, including in early years and sixth form. Leaders address any incidents swiftly so that pupils quickly refocus on their learning. Pupils attend school regularly and on time. While appropriate use is made of consequences, including suspensions, leaders have used remote learning inappropriately as a means to discipline pupils by educating them off site. This constitutes the unlawful use of exclusions by leaders.

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better?

The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is designed to help pupils to learn important concepts, including healthy relationships and sex education (RSE). Although key themes have been identified, the order in which these are taught is not carefully sequenced. This means that pupils do not build up a thoroughly detailed understanding of important issues over time through the RSE curriculum. Although students in the sixth form discuss themes and issues, there is no structured curriculum or approach for this. As a result, students do not get the opportunity to deepen their knowledge further in this area. Pupils receive appropriate careers education and guidance. This includes individual interviews and opportunities to undertake work experience. Pupils volunteer and contribute to the local community. For example, they create and distribute food baskets, help in a local care home and contribute to the food bank.

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better?

Leaders, including the proprietor and those responsible for governance, do not have an accurate view of the school’s effectiveness. This means they have not identified the right priorities to address. Leaders have not acted with sufficient urgency to ensure that pupils learn an ambitious curriculum. Safeguarding is not effective. Leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards are met or that they are fulfilling their statutory responsibilities. They do not demonstrate capacity for improvement. Staff are appreciative, however, of the consideration leaders give to their workload and well-being.

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better?

As part of the inspection, inspectors considered a material change to the school’s premises. As part of this material change, inspectors considered Part 5 of the non- association independent school standards (ISS) and ISS standards 11, 12 and 16. Leaders have ensured that there is an appropriate health and safety policy, which is complied with. They have also ensured that relevant fire safety procedures are in place. Several of the required standards are not likely to be met following the school implementing the material change. In the Beacon Centre premises, pupils do not 31 January to 2 February 2023 have access to toilets which are for pupils’ sole use. This means that this independent school standard is not likely to be met should the Department for Education decide to approve the material change. Although leaders have identified appropriate risks to be managed in both premises, the actions that staff are required

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better?

to take to mitigate these are not effectively and thoroughly implemented. This means that Part 5 and standard 16 of the independent school standards are not likely to be met. Leaders are not demonstrating consistently the skills and knowledge needed for their role.

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better?

The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have not ensured that statutory safeguarding requirements are met. Pupils are not kept as safe as they should be. The safeguarding policy being used by the school is out of date and does not refer to current requirements. Leaders had not made sure that an up-to-date policy was available on the school’s website. Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding have not had up-to-date training.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have not followed statutory guidance in relation to sharing all relevant information with the local authority when a pupil of compulsory school age is removed from the admission register. This increases the risk of these pupils going missing from education.

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Safeguarding

Leaders do not keep accurate records of safeguarding incidents or the referrals they make to external agencies. This means there is a lack of clarity around when actions have been followed up and completed. The admissions register is not maintained accurately. Leaders have an incomplete picture of pupils’ previous education and any safeguarding concerns there may have been.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make appropriate pre-employment checks on staff before they begin working at the school.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum has been designed to help pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes learning about important issues, such as consent and staying safe when online.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders, including the proprietor and those responsible for governance, are not fulfilling their statutory duties relating to safeguarding, including in the early years. Pupils are not kept safe. Leaders must ensure that those with responsibility for safeguarding are appropriately trained. Leaders must ensure that they keep 31 January to 2 February 2023 accurate and complete records of any safeguarding referrals made within school or to external agencies. Leaders must also ensure that procedures for assessing and managing risk on and beyond the site are consistently implemented. Leaders must ensure that they follow all statutory safeguarding guidance. This includes providing the local authority with all the required information when any pupil is removed from the school’s roll partway through their education at the school.  Teachers do not use an approach to teaching phonics that is rigorous, systematic,

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

and used with fidelity. As a result, the learning and development statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage are not met and pupils do not learn to read with sufficient fluency. Leaders must ensure that they implement a consistent approach to teaching early reading from early years upwards so that all pupils, including those with SEND, develop into accurate and confident readers.  The curriculum in Year 1 upwards in most subjects is poorly designed. As a result, pupils do not develop a rich body of knowledge in different subjects. Leaders must ensure that they identify the important concepts that pupils should learn. These should be sequenced so that pupils revisit, apply and deepen their understanding. This will support teachers to check that pupils have secured important knowledge so that any misconceptions can be identified and corrected. As a result, all pupils, including those with SEND, will be better supported to learn

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

and remember more.  The curriculum for PSHE is poorly sequenced, and students in the sixth form are not routinely taught PSHE as part of their curriculum. As a result, students in the sixth form do not revisit and deepen their understanding of important ideas. Leaders must ensure that the PSHE curriculum is sequenced cumulatively so that pupils and students in the sixth form build their knowledge securely.  Leaders, including the proprietor and those responsible for governance, have used remote education as a consequence for pupils’ poor behaviour. This constitutes illegal use of exclusions and puts pupils at risk. Leaders must ensure that consequences are appropriately used and are recorded and reported accurately.  Leaders, including the proprietor and those responsible for governance, do not have enough awareness or understanding of their statutory responsibilities. They have not made sure that the requirements of the independent school standards

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

are met. Leaders must also ensure that they are familiar with and fully implement statutory requirements. The proprietor and those responsible for governance must identify priorities for improvement accurately and hold leaders to account in making those improvements.

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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. 31 January to 2 February 2023 The Department for Education (DfE) has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 31 January to 2 February 2023

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School details

Unique reference number 101964 DfE registration number 307/6013

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School details

Inspection number 10262546 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £5,100 to £7,500

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 to 21 November 2019 31 January to 2 February 2023

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Information about this school

 The Eden School is a Seventh Day Adventist independent school.  Many pupils join the school partway through their primary or secondary education.  The school has changed premises. The school is operating beyond its registration agreement with the DfE as recorded on the DfE’s register of educational establishments, Get Information about Schools. It was previously based at 92– 100 Warwick Road, Ealing W5 5PT. In September 2022, the school moved to two separate premises. Many of the school’s resources are still being kept at the former Warwick Road site.  The current school premises comprises two buildings on two separate sites. Secondary-age pupils are based mainly at Beacon Centre, 9 Scott Crescent, Harrow HA2 0TY. Primary-age pupils, including children in early years and children aged two years, are based at the Tithe Farm Social Club, 151 Rayners Lane, Harrow HA2 0XH.  The school has provision for two-year olds.

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision  The school’s previous inspection was a material change inspection. It took place in August 2020. The school was judged likely to meet the independent school standards if the material change was implemented. The school’s previous standard inspection was carried out in November 2019, when its overall effectiveness was judged as good.  The school manages its own after-school club.

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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 has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of 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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  As part of the inspection, inspectors considered a material change to the school’s premises.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and other members of staff.  Discussions were held with a group of governors and one trustee. 31 January to 2 February 2023  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history, mathematics, and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including leaders’ self-evaluation

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Information about this inspection

and priorities for improvement.  Inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with leaders, staff and pupils. A discussion was also held with the local authority designated officer for the London Borough of Ealing.  No judgement was made during this inspection on the quality of early years or sixth-form provision due to the small size of the cohorts currently on roll.  The views of parents and carers were gathered through Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. No responses were received via the online surveys for staff or pupils. Discussions were held with staff and pupils to gauge their views.

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The school’s proposed change to its premises

The school has applied to the DfE to make a ‘material change’ to its registration. At the DfE’s request, we checked whether the school meets the relevant independent school standards if the DfE decides to approve the change. This part of the inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002.

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The school’s proposed change to its premises

 The outcome of this part of the inspection is: the school does not meet the

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independent school standards relevant to the material change. The

material change has already been implemented.

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Information about the material change inspection

 Inspectors visited with leaders both sites that the school now uses: Beacon Centre, 9 Scott Crescent, Harrow HA2 0TY, and Tithe Farm Social Club, 151 Rayners Lane, Harrow HA2 0XH.

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Inspection team

Sophie Healey-Welch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Moore Ofsted Inspector 31 January to 2 February 2023

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work–  2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan;  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are- - 2(2)(f) where the school has pupils below compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their educational needs in relation to personal, social, emotional and physical development and communication and language needs.  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school– – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught.

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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.  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].  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 23(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 23(1)(a) suitable toilet and washing facilities are provided for the sole use of pupils. 31 January to 2 February 2023

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 32(1)(c) particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request.

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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; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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Early years foundation stage

 Learning and development requirements.

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Early years foundation stage

- 1.6 Educational programmes must involve activities and experiences for children, as set out under each of the areas of learning.

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Literacy

- It is crucial for children to develop a life-long love of reading. Reading consists of two dimensions: language comprehension and word reading. Language comprehension (necessary for both reading and writing) starts from birth. It only develops when adults talk with children about the world around them and the books (stories and non-fiction) they read with them, and enjoy rhymes, poems and songs together. Skilled word reading, taught later, involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing).

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Literacy

 Safeguarding and welfare requirements.

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Literacy

- 3.1 Children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their individual needs are met, and when they have positive relationships with the adults caring for them. The safeguarding and welfare requirements, specified in this section, are designed to help providers create high quality settings 31 January to 2 February 2023 which are welcoming, safe and stimulating, and where children are able to enjoy learning and grow in confidence.3.2 Providers must take all necessary steps to keep children safe and well. The requirements in this section explain what early years providers must do to safeguard children, ensure rhe suitability of adults who have contact with children, promote good health manage behaviour, and maintain records, policies and procedures. - 3.2 Providers must take all necessary steps to keep children safe and well. The requirements in this section explain what early years providers must do

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Literacy

to: safeguard children; ensure the suitability of adults who have contact with children; promote good health; manage behaviour; and maintain records, policies and procedures. - 3.4 Providers must be alert to any issues of concern in the child’s life at home or elsewhere. Providers must have and implement a policy, and procedures, to safeguard children. These should be in line with the guidance and procedures of the relevant local safeguarding partners (LSP). The safeguarding policy and procedures must include an explanation of the action to be taken when there are safeguarding concerns about a child and in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff, and cover the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting. To safeguard children and practitioners online, providers will find it helpful to refer to 'Safeguarding children and protecting professionals in early years settings: online safety

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Literacy

considerations’. - 3.7 Providers must have regard to the government's statutory guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’17 and to the ‘Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales’. All schools are required to have regard19 to the government’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’20 statutory guidance, and other childcare providers may also find it helpful to refer to this guidance. If providers have concerns about children's safety or welfare, they must notify agencies with statutory responsibilities without delay. This means the local children's social care services and, in emergencies, the police. - 3.60 Sleeping children must be frequently checked to ensure that they are safe. Being safe includes ensuring that cots/bedding are in good condition and suited to the age of the child, and that infants are placed down to sleep safely in line with latest government safety guidance61. Except in childminding settings, there should be a separate baby room for children

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Literacy

under the age of two. However, providers must ensure that children in a baby room have contact with older children and are moved into the older age group when appropriate. 31 January to 2 February 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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Literacy

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Literacy

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