Moorlands View School

Inspection of Moorlands View School Manchester Road, Dunnockshaw, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 5PQ

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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 Good

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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?

Moorlands View School is a nurturing and welcoming learning environment where pupils thrive. Pupils reported feeling safe and happy in this school. They appreciate the care that staff show to them, for example by celebrating special occasions together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils trust the adults who work with them. They are confident that staff will help them if they are worried or anxious about anything. Leaders tackle incidents of bullying immediately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and their parents and carers, explained the positive difference that attending the school has made to them. Staff successfully help pupils to learn to manage their emotions and behaviour. This contributes to the positive atmosphere in classrooms and during social times. Pupils are conscientious. They focus on their learning well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ achievement. Pupils experience a highly relevant curriculum that is appropriate to their needs. They achieve well. Pupils are well prepared for the next steps in their education and adult life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils spend time reflecting on their interpersonal skills and how to contribute positively to their community. They enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as being a prefect. Pupils benefit from a range of activities to promote their wider personal development. For example, they take part in adventurous outdoor activities and charity events.

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better?

Leaders have carefully designed a curriculum that is appropriate for pupils at the school. The curriculum meets the range of needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Leaders have devised an ambitious and well-organised curriculum from key stage 2 through to key stage 4, which identifies the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. This supports pupils to learn well.

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better?

Teachers are adept at delivering the curriculum. In many subjects, they use assessment strategies skilfully to identify gaps in pupils’ learning. Teachers use this information appropriately to inform the choices that they make when designing subsequent learning. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders’ approaches to assessment are not as well thought out. This sometimes hinders teachers from having an accurate oversight of how well pupils are learning in these subjects.

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better?

Leaders have clear systems in place to ensure that they identify any additional needs that pupils may have. They tailor the support that they provide to meet pupils’ individual learning needs.

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better?

Pupils have mastered the skills of early reading. Nonetheless, staff are appropriately trained to deliver phonics. Staff use this expertise to intervene, when necessary, to 13 and14 July 2023 ensure that pupils keep up with their reading.

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better?

Leaders have fostered a love of reading throughout the school. For example, there are regular opportunities where teachers read to, or with, pupils. Pupils are also encouraged to read a diverse range of high-quality texts.

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better?

Pupils’ rates of attendance are high. Leaders have worked successfully with pupils to encourage them to want to attend school. Pupils value the education that they receive. Leaders have effective systems in place to remove any barriers to pupils’ attendance.

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better?

Leaders have set out clear systems so that pupils understand how to improve their behaviour over time. Teachers use a range of appropriate methods to support those pupils who find it more difficult to regulate their behaviour. During their time at this school, pupils’ behaviour improves significantly.

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better?

Leaders have provided a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their personal skills, including learning about what constitutes a healthy relationship. For example, there is a well-developed programme of personal, social and health education (PSHE) that meets the needs of each individual pupil. Leaders have designed this programme so that pupils learn about issues that are relevant to them. Leaders ensure that pupils contribute to their local community, for example by creating decorative planters for the local bus stop.

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better?

Pupils in key stages 3 and 4 are supported to make decisions about their future careers and the different options available to them. For example, leaders take pupils to visit a range of careers fairs and post-16 provisions. Pupils also meet visitors who have followed apprenticeship routes into their chosen careers.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised the workload and well-being of staff. Leaders recognise that the staff team is small, and as such, they work with their wider partnership schools to support staff in building their expertise.

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better?

The proprietor body and the governing board are committed to providing pupils with a high-quality education. They challenge and support leaders well. The proprietor body ensures that the school meets all the independent school standards (the standards) and the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

The school building is well maintained, clean and appropriately resourced. For example, pupils have a suitable outdoor space to play in at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Leaders have ensured that they adhere to statutory health and safety requirements, including fire regulations and risk assessments.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that there is a safeguarding policy that complies with up-to- 13 and14 July 2023 date statutory guidelines. This is published on the school’s website and is available for parents on request.

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Safeguarding

All staff are well trained in appropriate safeguarding procedures. They know how to spot the potential signs of abuse. Leaders have established effective systems for reporting and recording any concerns that staff may have about a pupil’s welfare.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are aware of the additional safeguarding vulnerabilities of pupils because of their SEND. They ensure that pupils are taught to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. For example, leaders have worked closely with external agencies, including the police community support team, to develop pupils’ understanding of risk.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a few subjects, leaders’ approaches to assessment are not as well developed as they could be. This means that sometimes teachers do not have a clear overview of how well pupils are learning and remembering knowledge in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that in these subjects, teachers are suitably equipped to check how well pupils are learning the curriculum over time.

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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. 13 and14 July 2023

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £36,504 to £42,797

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School details

Website https://education.keyschildren.co.uk/scho ol/moorlands-view-school/ Email address Admin.moorlandviewschool@keys- group.co.uk Date of previous inspection 5 to 7 March 2019 13 and14 July 2023

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Information about this school

 The previous standard inspection took place between 5 and 7 March 2019.  A new headteacher was appointed in March 2023.  The school is located at Manchester Road, Dunnockshaw, Burnley, Lancashire, BB11 5PQ.  The school caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. Some pupils have autism. All pupils in the school have an education, health and care plan.  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 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and also spoke with other staff.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing board, including the chair of governors, and the chair of the proprietor body.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including that relating to the standards, the curriculum, school improvement, safeguarding and the checks carried out 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 Ofsted’s survey for 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 breaktimes and lunchtimes, in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, including early reading, mathematics

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Information about this inspection

and PSHE. They met subject leaders and teachers and visited a sample of lessons. They also considered the curriculum across some other subject areas, spoke to pupils and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. 13 and14 July 2023  The lead inspector carried out a tour of the school’s premises.

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Inspection team

Elaine Mawson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 13 and14 July 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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