CEWE School

Inspection of CEWE School St Catherine’s Vicarage, Catherine Terrace, Wigan, Greater Manchester WN1 3JW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like attending CEWE School. They enjoy positive relationships with staff. Staff know pupils well. They ensure that pupils’ emotional and social needs are met. Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe, secure and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), experience a rich curriculum that is appropriate to their needs. Staff are effective in identifying and addressing the barriers that pupils may have to learning. They also support them in learning how to recognise and manage their feelings and emotions. Pupils try their best to regulate their own behaviour, to make good choices and to follow school routines. Typically, this helps them to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a ‘cultural capital’ curriculum that provides pupils with a wide range of visits and experiences outside of their lessons. Pupils value opportunities to visit places of interest, such as museums, parks, nature reserves, zoos, farms and aquariums. These deliberately chosen activities successfully enhance the teaching of the curriculum. They give pupils the opportunity to discover more about their local area. They also help pupils to develop a better understanding of how to behave and interact with others, and to understand and practise social norms. These opportunities help to build pupils’ self-esteem and confidence.

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better?

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They have thought carefully about the essential knowledge for pupils to learn and when they should learn it. The curriculum allows for the frequent revisiting of important knowledge. This helps pupils to build knowledge successfully over time. Leaders and teachers ensure that each aspect of the education, health and care (EHC) plans are woven into the curriculum for every pupil. They build into the curriculum sufficient time for pupils to develop language, vocabulary and debating skills. These opportunities help pupils to express themselves in an appropriate manner. They also assist pupils to listen to, and to consider, views that are different to their own.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that staff adapt the teaching of the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils. Staff use effective strategies to engage pupils in learning activities. They use a range of appropriate resources to interest pupils and to encourage independence.

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better?

Teachers regularly check what pupils know and can remember. They use this information to shape future teaching. They successfully address gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge before moving on to new learning. In the main, this helps pupils to achieve well from their varying starting points. 10 to 12 May 2023 Despite these overall strengths, in some subjects, the curriculum has only more recently been introduced. In these subjects, leaders have not ensured that all staff have the knowledge and expertise that they require to deliver these curriculums as well as they could. On occasions, this hinders how well some pupils engage in their learning.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised reading. There are library areas in each classroom. Leaders have carefully chosen the books to ensure that they meet the interests of pupils. Pupils independently access these areas and choose books to read for pleasure in lesson and social times. Pupils can take responsibility for being a school librarian, which they enjoy.

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better?

Teachers read to pupils daily. Pupils enjoy this story time and the choice of books that their teachers read to them. Leaders have successfully introduced a phonics curriculum for struggling readers and for those who are still in the early stages of reading. Pupils are taught this curriculum individually. This bespoke support is effective in helping pupils who are behind to catch up quickly. Pupils make rapid progress through the reading curriculum. This helps them to become confident and fluent readers.

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better?

Pupils’ social and emotional needs can impact on their behaviour in school. Leaders closely track any triggers that pupils may have that can contribute to disruptive behaviour. They take appropriate action to minimise situations that may cause pupils to become distressed or unsettled. For example, staff play soothing music in classrooms and create a calm and quiet environment for pupils.

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better?

On occasions, pupils’ learning can be interrupted by negative behaviour. However, leaders are aware of this. They build in additional support for those pupils who may engage in disruption to reduce any further incidents. They also address any missed learning that may happen because of this behaviour. Staff are skilled at identifying pupils’ additional needs and they work around any barriers to learning that pupils may have. Incidents of disruptive behaviour reduce as pupils begin to feel more secure in school. Pupils’ attendance is also significantly improving and most pupils attend well.

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better?

Leaders have developed an extensive curriculum that supports pupils’ personal development. They have also ensured that pupils learn about relationships in an age-appropriate manner and in a way that meets their individual needs. Leaders have ensured that pupils learn how to lead healthy lifestyles and how to make healthy eating choices. Pupils participate in physical education twice weekly and older pupils also enjoy going swimming.

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better?

Some pupils are members of the school council and are ‘eco’ leaders. Leaders have established positive links with a local primary school and a church. Pupils attend church services and coffee mornings with members of the community. They also learn about other faiths, cultures, and beliefs. These experiences help to prepare pupils for the next stage of their education. They also help pupils to learn how to be responsible and respectful citizens in society. 10 to 12 May 2023 The proprietor body knows the school well and has a clear vision to develop the school further. Its ambition for pupils resonates throughout the school. The proprietor body has ensured that there is a secure system in place to support and challenge leaders. Members have recently established a governing body. The chair of the governing body is also the chair of the proprietor body and executive headteacher. Governors have expertise in areas such as safeguarding, health and

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better?

safety, and recruitment. However, some governors are new to the role. They have not had sufficient support and training to understand how to hold school leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive.

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better?

The proprietor body has ensured that all of the independent school standards (‘the standards’) are met. Leaders have ensured that they follow health and safety requirements, including fire regulations and risk assessments. Classrooms and other spaces such as the sensory room, are bright, clean and well resourced. Policies are available to parents and carers on the website and upon request. Leaders have ensured that the school is compliant with schedule 10 of the Equality Act.

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better?

Leaders prioritise the well-being of staff. Staff feel valued and enjoy working in the school. The staff team is very small in number and leaders are mindful of their workload. They take effective steps to reduce the workload of staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that there is an effective safeguarding policy that includes current government requirements. The policy is published on the website and is available on request.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They have ensured that staff have the training that they need to identify the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff know pupils well and are alert to any changes in behaviour that may indicate that a pupil is suffering from harm.

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Safeguarding

Leaders hold daily debriefings to ensure that staff can share any concerns about pupils that they may have from the day. They have introduced a clear system for staff to report and record any concerns. Leaders act on these referrals in a timely way. The mentor in school provides effective support to pupils. Leaders also secure additional help from other agencies when required.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when online. For example, leaders have worked with the police to deliver workshops on anti-social behaviour and to help pupils to understand how they can keep themselves safe in the community. 10 to 12 May 2023

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Some governors are new to their role. This means that they are in the early stages of understanding how to hold leaders to account for the quality of education in the school. The proprietor body should ensure that governors have all the training and support that they need to provide effective challenge to leaders for the quality of education that pupils receive.  In some subjects, leaders have not ensured that staff have sufficient subject knowledge to deliver the curriculum as effectively as they could. This hinders some pupils from engaging with their learning in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that staff receive further training and support to deliver the curriculum consistently well.

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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. 10 to 12 May 2023

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School details

Unique reference number 149150 DfE registration number 359/6006

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School details

Inspection number 10267733 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £30,000 to £45,000

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 10 to 12 May 2023

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Information about this school

 This is the first standard inspection since the school opened on 8 August 2022. The pre-registration inspection was on 21 June 2022.  The school is located at St Catherine’s Vicarage, Catherine Terrace, Wigan, Greater Manchester WN1 3JW.  The school caters for pupils with a range of special educational needs, including social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils at the school have EHC plans.  At the time of the inspection, there were no children in the early years foundation stage at the school.  Leaders do not make use of 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 that 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 spoke with the headteacher, executive headteacher, business manager and they also spoke with staff.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors and two other governors. The chair of governors is also the chair of the proprietor body.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including that relating to the independent school standards, the curriculum, school improvement, safeguarding and the checks undertaken on newly appointed staff. Inspectors also spoke to staff to check how well they understood safeguarding procedures.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. They also considered the responses from the Ofsted survey for

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Information about this inspection

staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey. However, inspectors spoke with pupils about their learning and experiences in school.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtime, in lessons and around the school. 10 to 12 May 2023  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and music. They met subject leaders and teachers and visited a sample of lessons. They also considered the curriculum across other subject areas and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector had a tour of the school’s premises.

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Inspection team

Sally Timmons, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Niamh Howlett His Majesty’s Inspector 10 to 12 May 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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