Endeavour House School

Inspection of Endeavour House School Old Hall, Moor End, Halifax HX2 0TX

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Endeavour House School is a caring, nurturing school. Leaders and staff are determined to do their best for pupils. Standards and expectations are high.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where leaders and staff are patient, calm and resilient. They have elected to work in the school because they believe in its work to support the pupils who attend. This requires high levels of creativity, adaptability and ambition for what the pupils can achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ curriculum is built around them so that they are able to re-engage with education. They can do so in a school building and surroundings which have been refurbished to a high standard, such is the proprietor body’s commitment to the pupils and meeting their needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

While there are times when pupils’ behaviour can be challenging, the school climate is generally an ordered and positive one. When pupils find it difficult to manage their feelings, staff are on hand to help them. Pupils do not believe that bullying is an issue at school. They told inspectors that they have confidence in staff to keep them safe.

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better?

Leaders have thought very carefully about the curriculum so that it meets the needs of pupils well. There is a balanced priority of providing an ‘academic’ curriculum and a ‘therapeutic’ curriculum. In practice, the ‘academic’ curriculum means that pupils follow courses of study in English, mathematics, science and a range of other subjects, such as music, animal care and business studies. Leaders have ensured that each of their subject courses leads to nationally recognised qualifications, including GCSEs, so that this supports pupils well when they move to their next school or provision.

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better?

Leaders’ curriculum plans in these subjects are detailed and go well beyond the awarding bodies’ subject specifications. Subject content is planned to match the breadth and ambition of the national curriculum so that pupils’ understanding builds up over time. In places, the curriculum would benefit from a tighter match to the national curriculum, which is leaders’ reference point. For instance, pupils are able to get started with literature texts earlier in the English curriculum. Furthermore, staff need to be more explicit in the teaching of science techniques and skills.

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better?

Leaders make effective use of assessment, particularly when pupils first arrive at the school. Typically, pupils have missed large parts of their education and, as a result, have substantial gaps in their learning. Leaders assess pupils to check what they know and can do. Teachers keep a close eye on how pupils are progressing through the curriculum and pick up any misunderstandings quickly. 21 and 22 March 2023 Assessment is carefully matched to pupils’ reading ability. This enables leaders to support pupils in their reading quickly. Leaders have made reading a priority, and pupils have a rich source of books to choose from. The proprietor body has introduced a phonics scheme across its schools. Currently, no pupils at Endeavour House require phonics teaching. Leaders know that staff require further training in phonics so that should it be necessary, their staff are fully prepared to teach it.

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better?

Leaders have introduced a ‘therapeutic’ curriculum to support pupils’ wider development. This ensures that pupils’ complex needs are carefully considered and met. To achieve this, leaders enable pupils to meet with clinicians, such as educational psychologists. As a result, pupils’ special educational needs and or/disabilities (SEND) are well provided for. There is a close, coherent working relationship between the school’s leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and other professionals who are involved with the pupils.

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better?

Leaders’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour are high. Pupils’ complexities and vulnerabilities mean that, at times, they present behaviour which is challenging. However, staff are skilled at supporting pupils when this happens. Leaders are creative and flexible in finding strategies to try with pupils who are finding it difficult to engage in their education. Pupils’ attendance since starting at the school has improved markedly.

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better?

Leaders’ curriculum for pupils’ personal development is of a high quality. It is well connected to the wider curriculum, and leaders ensure that there are opportunities for pupils to socialise with each other. The curriculum is augmented by ‘drop down’ days to learn about aspects of personal, social, health and economic education, ‘thought for the week’ and careers lessons so that there is an extensive package to support pupils’ wider development. This is also underpinned by planning in the ‘academic’ curriculum, where coverage of other cultures and faiths is woven through subject curriculums.

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better?

The proprietor body has ensured that there is a highly professional leadership group responsible for the performance of the school. The chief executive officer of the proprietor body challenges and supports regional and school leaders so that there is a deep and detailed understanding of how the school is doing. The school and its leaders are under the microscope. This means that the proprietor body knows what needs to be done and when to do it. Their analysis of the school’s strengths and areas for development is an accurate one.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a strong understanding of safeguarding requirements. The proprietor body’s policy and systems are in place and are well understood by staff. Leaders work closely with the various professionals who are involved with the pupils to ensure that their safeguarding needs are met. Records of meetings and agreed actions are well maintained so that leaders are able to carry out such actions 21 and 22 March 2023 effectively. The single central record of checks carried out on staff who work at the school is compliant with requirements.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In places, such as in English and science, the curriculum is not as fully implemented as in other subjects. In English, leaders’ planned curriculum for literature is not introduced into pupils’ learning as soon as it could be. In science, the teaching of science techniques and skills could be more explicit at times. Leaders should fully implement both elements of these aspects of their curriculum.  The behaviour of pupils can, at times, be very challenging as a result of their SEND and their life experiences. While these challenges are well managed, on occasions this behaviour can manifest itself in disrespectful conduct towards staff. Leaders should continue to work with pupils to inculcate the positive expectations of how pupils should conduct themselves.

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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. 21 and 22 March 2023

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School details

Type of school Other Independent special school

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School details

Email address tayyaba.ahmed@educ8.org.uk 21 and 22 March 2023

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Information about this school

 This is the first standard inspection of the school since it was registered as a school with the Department for Education on 1 February 2022.  The school is part of the ‘Your Chapter’ proprietor-body group of schools. At the time of the school’s pre-registration inspection in December 2021, the proprietor body was Care 4 Children Ltd. There has been no change to the individual members of the proprietor body since the pre-registration inspection.  The proprietor body operates its schools on a regional structure basis. The headteacher is also the regional headteacher of six other schools. A ‘lead teacher’, who will take day-to-day leadership of the school, is due to take up post at the school in the week following the inspection.  All pupils have SEND. Most have an education, health and care plan. In the main, this is for social, emotional and mental health needs.  Although the school is registered to educate pupils up to the age of 18, currently

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Information about this school

all pupils are aged 11 to 16.  The school does not 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and with senior leaders from the proprietor body. An inspector spoke with the chief executive officer of the proprietor body.  Inspectors spoke with professionals from some of the agencies which are working with pupils. An inspector spoke with a parent of one of the pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, reading, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 21 and 22 March 2023  Inspectors also visited ‘outdoor activities’ and looked at pupils’ work from science,

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Information about this inspection

business studies, media studies and animal care.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the school’s records of checks carried out on staff who work at the school, met with the leader with particular responsibility for safeguarding and reviewed sample case files. Inspectors spoke with staff about their understanding of safeguarding matters and talked with pupils. An inspector spoke on the telephone with the local authority designated officer for Calderdale.  To inspect the school’s compliance with the independent school standards, inspectors had a tour of the school with leaders. Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents, including information relating to the curriculum, pupils’ welfare, risk assessments and the safety of buildings.

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Inspection team

Steve Shaw, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Vellensworth His Majesty’s Inspector 21 and 22 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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