The Write Time

Inspection of The Write Time Warrington Road, Opposite Ludford Close, Croydon, London CR0 4BH

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Inspection dates: 12 to 14 September 2023

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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?

The school promotes high expectations for all and support for one another in a safe environment. Pupils feel valued and accepted. Staff encourage pupils to determine long- and short-term goals that help to shape their future. They empower pupils to take on new challenges. Pupils appreciate the regular mentoring they receive to help them to achieve their aspirations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard towards achieving a range of qualifications, including GCSEs, functional skills, vocational awards and certificates, including the Prince’s Trust Awards. They are well-prepared for the next stages of education, employment and training. The majority of pupils go on to take up courses at colleges and apprenticeships.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is good because pupils are taught to distinguish between right and wrong. They make positive choices about behaviour and learning. Pupils develop personal and social skills that relate closely to their individual education, health and care plan targets. This includes effective communication, critical thinking, and teamwork. Interactions and relationships between pupils and staff are positive and respectful. They often share common moments of humour and laughter. Staff enable pupils to discuss their experiences, views and personal concerns confidently. Staff deal with any matters of concern quickly.

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better?

Leaders have a clear rationale for the curriculum offered. They check carefully pupils’ entry and end points. The content in each subject builds progressively over time. For example, in English, pupils learn to use grammatical knowledge to proofread and correct various texts. Staff apply a range of assessments to establish what pupils know and understand. They identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. They ensure that pupils practise recalling key knowledge they have learned in previous lessons. Pupils take pride in their work. In lessons, pupils share their thoughts keenly with their peers. Sometimes teaching lacks the expertise to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Leaders are aware of this and have a well-coordinated programme of staff professional development to address this.

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better?

Staff develop pupils’ language and communication skills well. They work closely with external specialists to provide pupils with bespoke support. Staff place great emphasis on pupils learning the meaning of key vocabulary, including through the use of resources. The school endeavours to promote reading for pleasure within the English curriculum. A few pupils are reluctant to engage in reading and lack appropriate segmenting and blending skills when faced with unfamiliar words. Staff are currently being trained to deliver the school’s reading and intervention programmes to help those pupils read with greater fluency and accuracy. 12 to 14 September 2023 Pupils enjoy lessons because teachers make them interactive. The school is calm and pupils move with purpose around the school. There is a shared understanding of how pupils are expected to behave and how staff are required to support them. Adults manage behaviour consistently. They deal with pupils sensitively and with

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better?

matters quickly. This prevents any incidents and concerns from escalating. Leaders are diligent in tracking pupils’ attendance and taking swift action in addressing issues.

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better?

Staff encourage pupils to show respect for others. The school supports pupils in developing strategies for managing their emotions. Pupils are taught to safeguard their own mental health, including learning stress management strategies. This helps pupils to understand how best to deal with different situations. Adults know and understand the needs of pupils. They use information well to tailor bespoke support to help develop pupils’ academic, social and emotional growth. Pupils learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships, including the right of consent and respecting the different protected characteristics.

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better?

Older students greatly appreciate the guidance and increasing opportunities to pursue their interests and career choices. Staff guide pupils in launching their own businesses, such as t-shirt printing, car valeting services, a smoothie bar and tuck shop. These help pupils to learn the importance of enterprise and financial management and how this can impact their future lives. Community visit days encourage pupils to apply personal skills in a social setting. Staff enable pupils to show initiative and contribute positively to society.

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better?

The school is an extremely thoughtful and understanding community, where leaders consider the well-being of all, including staff and their workload. Staff work positively with parents and carers. They go above and beyond in helping pupils and families in need. The proprietor and those responsible for governance are an integral part of the life of the school. They ensure that statutory requirements and the independent school standards are met. The school is compliant with schedule 10 of the equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school has not secured teachers’ subject-specific pedagogical knowledge in a few subjects, particularly where teachers are new to their roles. As a result, teaching does not routinely enable some pupils to extend or deepen what they know or understand. The school must continue to develop staff expertise to ensure that the intended curriculum is consistently implemented in all subjects. 12 to 14 September 2023  A few pupils continue to be reluctant to engage in reading. Some lack suitable skills in segmenting and blending sounds when faced with unfamiliar words. The school should continue to train staff and develop their expertise so that all pupils develop the skills to read with greater fluency and accuracy.

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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

Unique reference number 142621 DfE registration number 306/6016

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School details

Inspection number 10286446 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £33,262 to £70,285

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School details

Email address amirahkhaldi@thewritetime.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 to 19 June 2019 12 to 14 September 2023

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Information about this school

 The Write Time School is an independent school located in the London Borough of Croydon.  The school building, situated at Warrington Road, Croydon, London CR0 4BH, provides education for secondary aged boys and girls with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It also accommodates a small number of pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school is registered for up to 60 pupils.  The school makes use of two alternative providers.  The last standard inspection took place in June 2019, where the standards checked during the inspection were met or likely to be met.  Recently, there have been a substantial number of new staff appointments.

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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 has met 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

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

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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 met with the headteacher, the proprietor and chair of governors, members of the proprietor body, local authority representatives, the designated safeguarding lead, teachers, staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, including reading, mathematics, computing and personal, social and health education. Inspectors met with leaders and teachers responsible for all subjects. Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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. Inspectors considered 12 to 14 September 2023

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Information about this inspection

the views of parents, pupils and staff in responses to Ofsted’s online surveys and in discussions.

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Inspection team

Lascelles Haughton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Franklin 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

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

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