Lancashire Alternative Provision

Inspection of Lancashire Alternative Provision Data House, Mowbray Drive, Wyre, Blackpool, Lancashire FY3 7UN

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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?

There are strong relationships between staff and pupils at this school. Pupils settle in quickly. This is because staff act swiftly to help pupils to overcome the difficulties that they experienced before they joined Lancashire Alternative Provision.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils consider the school to be a happy and safe place, where they know that they have staff who they can talk to and share any worries with. Staff deal with any incidents of bullying effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. They encourage and support pupils to behave well. Some pupils do not find this easy at times. Staff are skilled at managing incidents of misbehaviour and encouraging pupils to focus on their learning again. Pupils are also encouraged to attend school regularly and to concentrate in their lessons. Typically, pupils learn well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to take part in activities that go beyond the formal curriculum, for example by participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. These experiences help pupils to develop their confidence, resilience and self- esteem. Pupils are well prepared for life beyond school.

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better?

Leaders have designed a broad and varied curriculum. They want pupils to experience a high-quality curriculum that is relevant to their lives and prepares them well for the next stage of their education. Leaders have thought carefully about the important knowledge that pupils should learn. Most pupils achieve qualifications that support them well in making ambitious choices for their future lives.

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better?

Many pupils have considerable gaps in their learning because of their disrupted education prior to joining the school. Leaders have ensured that teachers use assessment strategies effectively in the classroom to check that pupils understand and remember important knowledge within a topic. However, leaders recognise that the assessment strategies that teachers use when pupils join the school do not accurately identify pupils’ starting points. This makes it difficult for staff to identify and remedy specific gaps in pupils’ learning as quickly as they could.

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better?

Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified and well supported by skilled staff. Staff make appropriate adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum for pupils with SEND. This helps these pupils to learn well.

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better?

Leaders are determined to improve pupils’ enjoyment of reading. For example, teachers are increasingly providing more opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their reading skills across the curriculum. Pupils enjoy listening to staff read books that have been carefully selected to capture their interests. A new library 20–22 June 2023 provides pupils with the opportunity to read in a comfortable and inspiring area. Most pupils are developing their reading fluency well. However, leaders have not embedded their processes to help those pupils who are at the earlier stages of learning to read to improve their phonics skills. This means that some pupils who find reading more difficult struggle to develop the fluency required to fully access some aspects of the curriculum.

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better?

There is a positive and supportive atmosphere around the school. The small number of pupils who do not make appropriate choices about their behaviour are supported well by staff to improve their behaviour over time. Pupils generally behave well in lessons and around the site. They treat each other and adults with respect.

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better?

Leaders have created a personal development programme, which includes teaching pupils about how to stay safe in an age-appropriate way, and about accepting the differences between people. Pupils have access to a strong careers programme. Leaders ensure that pupils receive targeted information and support, which means that they are suitably well prepared for their next steps in education, training or work.

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better?

Members of staff told inspectors that leaders are approachable and that they feel well supported. Staff were unanimous in their view that leaders are proactive in looking after their well-being and help them to manage their workload.

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better?

The proprietor knows the school well and has a secure understanding of her responsibilities. She provides effective challenge and support for school leaders. The proprietor has ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards consistently and securely and that the school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide staff with routine training and guidance about safeguarding, for example during regular staff briefings. There are robust procedures in place to ensure that pupils who may be at risk of harm are quickly identified and supported by staff. Leaders are steadfast in securing appropriate and timely support for vulnerable pupils and their families, including making referrals to the local authority when necessary.

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Safeguarding

Leaders teach pupils about how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils find out about healthy relationships and how to use the internet safely.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a detailed and up-to-date safeguarding policy in place. They publish this on the school’s website. 20–22 June 2023

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The assessment systems that leaders use when pupils join the school do not precisely establish what pupils know and can do. At times, this means that teachers do not have up-to-date and accurate information about where new pupils are up to in their learning. Leaders should ensure that assessments systems support teachers to identify and address pupils’ gaps in learning.  Leaders have not fully embedded their processes to support those pupils who find reading more difficult to improve their phonics skills. This hinders some pupils in developing confidence and fluency in reading as quickly as they should. Leaders should ensure that these pupils are supported to catch up quickly with their reading so that they can access the wider curriculum.

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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. 20–22 June 2023

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School details

Unique reference number 149017 DfE registration number 890/6129

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School details

Local authority Blackpool Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 30 Proprietor Sophie Riley

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School details

Website lancashirealternativeprovision.co.uk

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School details

Email address info@lancashirealternativeprovision.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 20–22 June 2023

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Information about this school

 The legal proprietor of the school is Lancashire Alternative Provision Ltd. The sole proprietor is Sophie Riley.  This is the first standard inspection since the school opened in June 2022.  The school is located at Data House, Mowbray Drive, Wyre, Blackpool, Lancashire FY3 7UN.  Leaders do 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

 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, who is currently also the proprietor, and a wide range of staff.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation. This included information relating to the standards, the school’s curriculum, leaders’ improvement priorities, leaders’ approach to safeguarding pupils and the checks that leaders carry out on newly appointed staff. Inspectors also spoke to staff to check how well they understand safeguarding procedures.  There were no responses to Ofsted Parent View. However, the lead inspector spoke with some parents and carers to gather their views.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. However, inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey. However, inspectors spoke with pupils about their learning and experiences at school.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime, in lessons and

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Information about this inspection

around the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, science and personal, social and health education (PSHE). They met subject leaders and teachers and visited a sample of lessons. They also considered the curriculum across some other subject areas and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector scrutinised a wide range of documents and information relating to the standards. She also made a tour of the school premises.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Sharples, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 20–22 June 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

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

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