Jigsaw CABAS School

Inspection of Jigsaw CABAS School 20 Dunsfold Park, Stovolds Hill, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8TB

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Inspection dates: 12 to 14 September 2023

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an extremely nurturing and safe place where happy pupils flourish. Staff know the needs of each pupil exceptionally well. When pupils first arrive, staff find out as much as possible about them. They use this information to create a highly personalised curriculum. As a result, pupils make excellent progress academically, socially and emotionally and are exceptionally well prepared for the future. One parent echoed the views of many, ‘This school is a dream come true for our children.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The way this school helps pupils overcome any challenges is impressive. There is an inherent culture of high expectations. Pupils develop very strong friendships and are kind, responsible young citizens. Any behaviour issues are dealt with sensitively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have an infectious positivity. They greet pupils as they arrive each morning, making sure that pupils get off to an upbeat start for the day. Pupils benefit from well-established routines that help to keep things calm and predictable. They appreciate being able to organise their daily activities. This gives pupils much- needed time to develop vital social and communication skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to learn about the world beyond school. For example, they visit the theatre, Arundel Castle and the Sea Life Centre.

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better?

Pupils’ lives are transformed at Jigsaw CABAS School because there are unrelenting and uncompromising aspirations for every pupil. Communication and language sit at the heart of a well-considered and inspirational curriculum. Through a highly bespoke multi-sensory programme, where appropriate, pupils learn to read using phonics. The school ensures that all staff are expertly trained in teaching phonics sounds. Stories form the bedrock of everyday life. Pupils are enthused about reading and listening to the diverse and interesting texts that adults read and share. They demonstrate their love of reading through vocalisations and by clapping and smiling. Pupils learn to read and to communicate their needs and understanding of the world extraordinarily well.

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better?

Pupils access a highly personalised and engaging curriculum in all subjects. They study different subjects such as mathematics, English, science, food technology, physical education, art and design and computing. In the sixth form, students benefit from a highly effective vocational curriculum which prepares them exceptionally well for supported routes into employment and adulthood.

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better?

Staff receive first-class training. The school continually considers the latest research in learning and behaviour in relation to pupils’ education, health and care plan (EHC plan) targets and starting points. Throughout the school day, pupils are immersed in learning. In all lessons, pupils’ sensory, communication and emotional needs are prioritised, as are their literacy and numeracy skills. Staff seamlessly adapt resources 12 to 14 September 2023 and activities to support each pupil highly effectively. They continually check that pupils receive the right equipment to help them optimise their experience of school life. Important ideas and vocabulary are revisited steadily so that pupils do not feel overwhelmed or overstimulated. Work is delivered in well-considered, bite-size pieces. Consequently, essential skills and knowledge are embedded firmly and securely. Pupils achieve highly from their individual starting points.

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better?

The school has very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils settle into lessons quickly and without any fuss. A harmonious atmosphere pervades all areas of the school. Pupils are encouraged to be active at breaktimes, with exciting equipment available to stimulate their imaginative and creative play. Pupils’ individual communication systems give them the tools to make choices, express how they are feeling and communicate their ideas. This supports pupils to make sense of what is going on around them. Specialist staff and therapists provide expertly crafted individual support and guidance in lessons which enhances pupils’ experiences significantly.

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better?

Leaders ensure that pupils are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about their rights and responsibilities as citizens. For instance, they organise events and collect donations for charities they support. Pupils volunteer at the local food bank and make poppies to mark Remembrance Day in the village. They tend to their award-winning garden which they showcase at Guildford in Bloom. Pupils learn about other religions through visiting places of worship such as temples and synagogues. They understand the importance of mutual respect and individual liberty. One sixth-form student explained, ‘We should treat everyone nicely because kindness is powerful.’

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better?

Careers education is central to this school’s enduring success. An impressive variety of well-considered work and enterprise opportunities are threaded through the curriculum at every opportunity. This includes access to independent advice and guidance. This notable curriculum extends into the sixth form, where students are enabled to become increasingly independent as they start to prepare for adult life. For example, students prepare for managing their first home by working at the school’s Life Skills Centre. Older pupils help to run the Jigsaw Café at Dunsfold Park, where they learn to interact with customers and manage money.

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better?

Trustees and governors are highly effective. They share the same compelling vision of enabling pupils to receive the best possible outcomes. The proprietor and trustees have developed meticulous systems that help them monitor leaders’ work. They challenge and support leaders in equal measure to ensure that the school’s statutory duties are carried out fully. This includes compliance with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 12 to 14 September 2023

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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. 12 to 14 September 2023

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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form

Annual fees (day pupils) £59,500 to £62,994

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form

Date of previous inspection 12 to 14 June 2019 12 to 14 September 2023

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Information about this school

 Jigsaw CABAS School caters for pupils with autism. A high proportion of pupils have social and communication difficulties and are non-verbal. All pupils have an EHC plan.  The school was established as an independent day school in 1999 by a group of parents of children with autism. It is run by a registered charity, The Jigsaw Trust. The trust also runs provision for adults with autism (JigsawPlus). The school follows the methodology of the Comprehensive Application of Behaviour Analysis to Schooling (CABAS).  Many of the pupils who attend here have either been previously excluded or are unable to attend mainstream schools. Pupils are referred to the school by their local authority.  The main school site is in Dunsfold and the school also uses a Life Skills Centre for older pupils. This premises is 10 miles away from the main site and located close to Guildford.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this school

 The previous standard inspection took place in June 2019.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held a wide range of meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, and teaching and support staff in the school. The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer, the chair of trustees, the chair of governors and one other governor.  An inspector spoke on the telephone with a headteacher of a virtual school and officers from two of the local authorities who place pupils at the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, 12 to 14 September 2023 inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors visited the sixth-form provision and held discussions about each of the students in the sixth form. Inspectors also looked at a sample of students’ work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during visits to classrooms, during breaktimes and as pupils moved around the school.  Inspectors considered the views of parents expressed in Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents. Inspectors also considered the views of staff during meetings with them and through the staff survey.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Shazia Akram, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jason Philipsz Ofsted Inspector 12 to 14 September 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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