PhoenixPlace

School progress monitoring inspection report

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PhoenixPlace Redcar Street, Camberwell, London SE5 0NA

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2A(1), 2A(1)(b), 2A(1)(d), 2A(1)(e), 2A(1)(f), 2A(1)(g) and 2A(2)  At the time of the standard inspection, leaders had not ensured that they followed the statutory guidance in planning and delivering relationships and sex education (RSE). They had not met the requirements of the independent school standards in relation to RSE, for example in consulting parents and carers and finalising the school’s policy.  Leaders now follow the statutory guidance. There is a policy and curriculum programme in place. Leaders consulted with parents, and also with pupils, on the school’s RSE policy. Leaders met parents in their homes to explain the policy and curriculum programme. Leaders listened to parents’ views. Parents can withdraw their child from these lessons if they wish but none have done so to date.  Leaders have identified the key knowledge in this area that pupils need to be taught.

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Main inspection findings

They have set this out in a logical order so that pupils can understand and remember the important information they need. Leaders use recommended resources and supplement these with information from external organisations, which are always vetted beforehand. Pupils have been taught about healthy relationships and the meaning of ‘consent’. They explained how the RSE programme has had a positive impact on their well-being. Staff make sure that any pupils who miss sessions or who join the school part way through the year are helped to catch up with important information.  The school now meets all previously unmet standards in this part. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b) and 32(1)(c)  Leaders have ensured that the safeguarding policy meets requirements and is published on the school’s website for parents. The policy is comprehensive and detailed. Leaders put this into practice and identify any pupils in need and help pupils effectively. Pupils

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Main inspection findings

feel safe in school.  The school continues to meet the requirements for this part. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors All paragraphs  Leaders are knowledgeable about safer recruitment. All the pre-employment checks on staff, agency staff, members of the advisory panel and the proprietor, are completed and recorded according to the statutory guidance.  The school continues to meet the requirements for this part. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b)  At the time of the standard inspection, leaders had not ensured that all the independent school standards were met.  Leaders have responded promptly to address the unmet standards, which are now met.  The school now meets all previously unmet standards in this part.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

Part 1.  2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor– – 2A(1)(b) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with secondary education at the school is provided with relationships and sex education, except in so far as the pupil is excused as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), – 2A(1)(d) in making arrangements for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b) or (c), has regard to any guidance under section 80A of the Education Act 2002 that applies in relation to the provision of education by maintained schools, – 2A(1)(e) makes and keeps up to date a separate written statement of its policy with regard to the provision of education as required by each of paragraphs (a) and (b), – 2A(1)(f) consults parents of registered pupils at the school before making or revising a statement under sub-paragraph (e), and – 2A(1)(g) publishes a copy of the statement on a website and provides a copy of the

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

statement free of charge to anyone who asks for one.  2A(2) Arrangements made by the proprietor for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(b) must ensure that where a pupil’s parent requests that the pupil is wholly or partly excused from sex education provided as part of relationships and sex education, the pupil is so excused until the request is withdrawn, unless or to the extent that the headteacher considers that the pupil should not be so excused.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

Part 8.  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.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School status Independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £42,900 to £79,000

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 22 to 24 November 2022

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Information about this school

 PhoenixPlace is an independent special secondary day school for girls.  The school’s last inspection was in November 2022, when it was judged to require improvement. Not all the independent school standards were met.  The school had a material change inspection in June 2023.  The school does not currently meet the requirements of its registration agreement. It has a maximum capacity of 24 pupils but has 25 on roll.  Pupils join the school at different times during the year. Some pupils stay at the school for short-term placements before returning to their mainstream school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards that the school was found to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The school’s last standard inspection took place in November 2022, when the school was judged to require improvement. Some independent school standards in Parts 1 and 8 were not met. The arrangements for safeguarding were effective.  Following the standard inspection, the Department for Education (DfE) required the school to prepare an action plan to address the unmet standards. The action plan was statutory. The action plan was evaluated as not acceptable by Ofsted on 21 April 2023 and was rejected by DfE.  This was the first progress monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was conducted without notice.  The inspector met with the proprietor, who is also the headteacher, and other leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding.  The inspector looked at the policy and curriculum plan for RSE, looked at pupils’ books, spoke to pupils and visited a class.  The inspector reviewed a range of school documentation, including the record of pre- employment checks and the safeguarding policy.

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Inspection team

Janet Hallett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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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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