Manor Green School

Manor Green School Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: David Towsey, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Address: Elizabeth Hawkes Way Maidenhead SL6 3EQ Monitoring visit: Manor Green School, 15 and 16 March 2023

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Context and focus of visit

From October 2018, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision which began to be funded from April 2017 or after by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or the apprenticeship levy. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Manor Green School is a school for pupils aged from 2 to 19 years old with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in Maidenhead, Berkshire. The school was registered as an apprenticeship provider in July 2021 and trades as Manor Green Apprenticeships for its apprenticeship provision. It took over the learning of five apprentices who were employees of the school in January 2022.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, there were fourteen apprentices on the level 3 teaching assistant apprenticeship, 5 apprentices on the level 4 assessor coach apprenticeship, and fewer than 5 apprentices on the level 3 business administrator apprenticeship and the level 4 children, young people and families practitioner apprenticeship. Most apprentices are employed by the school apart from a very small number who are employed by another local school for pupils with SEND. Fewer than five apprentices are 16 to 18 years old. Manor Green School does not subcontract any of its provision.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have chosen their curriculum carefully to meet skills and recruitment shortages for teaching assistants working with pupils with SEND, including in their own school. Leaders have designed this programme as a potential career option for pupils at the school. As a result, leaders ensure that they use their apprentices to meet their school’s skills needs effectively.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have developed a curriculum that is ambitious for all apprentices, including those with SEND. Apprentices with SEND benefit from high- quality individualised support to help them develop their communication skills and confidence. As a result, apprentices with SEND develop knowledge, skills and behaviours in line with their peers. Monitoring visit: Manor Green School, 15 and 16 March 2023 Leaders and managers assess apprentices’ existing skills, experience and qualifications accurately to ensure that their apprenticeship is appropriate for them. Nearly all apprentices have sufficient time to complete their off-the-job training. Apprentices and trainers work together well to prepare for final assessments.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices’ line managers do not understand the requirements of final assessments sufficiently. As a result, apprentices do not benefit from well-informed support from their line managers to prepare for their final assessments.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that staff working with apprentices are well qualified and suitably experienced. Trainers benefit from frequent professional development. An independent careers adviser and an on-site counsellor work with apprentices effectively.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established suitable systems for quality assurance. For example, leaders carry out observations of teaching using a framework they have adapted thoughtfully for adult learning. Highly experienced governors challenge and support leaders effectively in order to evaluate their apprenticeship provision. As a result, leaders and managers have identified appropriate strengths and areas for development and are putting actions in place to address these.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours quickly and use these well in their work roles. For example, teaching assistant apprentices reinforce their understanding of child development and use this to support pupils with emotional and social difficulties effectively. As a result, pupils at the school benefit swiftly from apprentices’ learning.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers use their assessment of apprentices’ prior experience to plan and tailor learning. For example, trainers plan so that teaching assistant apprentices who have already achieved a child development qualification spend more time developing their communication skills. As a result, nearly all apprentices progress well and make an effective contribution at work.

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Reasonable progress

Although line managers do not attend formal progress reviews with trainers and apprentices, trainers keep line managers well informed about the progress of their apprentices. Staff work together well to coordinate apprentices’ on- and off-the-job training effectively. Apprentices benefit from specialist additional learning beyond the requirements of their apprenticeship programme, such as seizure training. They apply this learning at work to support pupils with complex needs.

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Reasonable progress

Experienced trainers sequence topics carefully. Teaching assistant apprentices learn about safeguarding at the beginning of the programme to ensure that they have Monitoring visit: Manor Green School, 15 and 16 March 2023 accurate knowledge of types of harm and how to protect children. As a result, they prioritise keeping the pupils they work with safe while they develop additional knowledge and skills.

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Reasonable progress

Trainers provide useful feedback to help apprentices learn. For example, trainers support assessor coaches to better coach their students. As a result, assessor coach apprentices improve their assessment skills quickly.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that apprentices develop their skills in English and mathematics successfully. Trainers help apprentices to improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar and support them with their assignment writing skills. As a result, apprentices produce an appropriate standard of written work in preparation for their final assessments.

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Reasonable progress

The highly experienced designated safeguarding lead oversees the safeguarding of all learners in the school, including apprentices. They have implemented effectively a suitable policy and training to keep apprentices safe.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have implemented effectively a thorough and appropriate system for safer recruitment to ensure that training staff are safe to work with apprentices.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders are implementing a policy that reasonably meets the requirements of the ‘Prevent’ duty in relation to apprentices. Although leaders have an accurate knowledge of local risks, too many apprentices are unaware of what these are.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers identify, monitor and respond to well-being and safeguarding concerns about apprentices quickly and appropriately. Leaders are taking actions to ensure that these concerns and actions are recorded systematically, but it is too soon to see the impact.

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Reasonable progress

Apprentices feel safe and value their highly supportive environment. Teaching assistant apprentices learn how to work with children safely. Monitoring visit: Manor Green School, 15 and 16 March 2023 regulates and inspects 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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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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