Huckleberry Therapeutic School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Manor Road, Wantage, Oxfordshire OX12 8NE

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7–7(b), 32(1) and 32(1)(c)  At the previous monitoring inspection, it was found that previously unmet standards relating to safeguarding were now met. Pupils’ safety and well-being were described as being leaders’ number one priority. Evidence from this monitoring inspection confirms that this remains the case.  Leaders and staff are well trained. They are knowledgeable about their safeguarding responsibilities and know precisely how and when to raise a concern. The school’s systems for recording and responding to safeguarding concerns are effective. Leaders work efficiently with a range of external agencies to make sure that, where required, pupils and their families receive timely help and support.  Staff and pupils are supported by a full set of policies, including a suitable health and safety policy and a risk assessment policy. The safeguarding policy complies with present

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Main inspection findings

guidelines and is also published on the provider’s website in accordance with part 6 of the independent school standards (the standards).  Leaders have ensured that relevant parts of this standard and the associated requirements in part 6 continue to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1)–34(1)(b)  At the time of the previous monitoring inspection, all of the standards except those in part 8 were judged to be met. It was found that leaders had addressed previous weaknesses and the unmet standards with rigour and determination. They demonstrated capacity to ensure that the school continues to strengthen in all areas. However, the inspection found that at the time, many improvements were new, and some were particularly recent. As a result, it was too soon to judge that the requirements of the standards were ‘consistently’ met.  The steps outlined in the school’s revised post-inspection improvement plan have been implemented in full. The school now has a clear timeline for actions and costings for each area. Leaders have ensured that the systems to monitor the quality of education are embedded fully. This enables them to have an accurate view of the impact of their

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Main inspection findings

work.  The proprietor knows precisely what needs to improve next in the quality of education. They have made provision for ongoing external, independent advice to ensure that the qualitative aspects identified as weaknesses at the previous standard inspection improve.  The education committee is now well established. Together with the proprietor, the committee provides leaders with appropriate dialogue and challenge. This includes understanding the need to evaluate the school’s performance against the standards constantly.  The previously unmet standards in this part are now met.

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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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 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

Proprietor Calcot Services for Children Ltd

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School details

Chair Harvinder Singh and Sukhbir Singh (Co- chairs) Headteacher Louisa Skinner

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £56,306 to £79,367

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School details

Website www.huckleberrytherapeuticschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 7 to 9 June 2022

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Information about this school

 Huckleberry Therapeutic School is an independent school for pupils aged five to 11 years. Pupils are referred to the school by their local authority, which funds their place. All pupils have social, emotional and mental health needs. Some have a medical diagnosis, for example of autism. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The proprietor is Calcot Services for Children Ltd. Huckleberry Therapeutic School is one of three schools belonging to the proprietor.  The school was registered by the Department for Education (DfE) in June 2021 and accepted pupils from September 2021.  The school is registered for 35 pupils. The school’s most recent standard inspection was in June 2022.  The school does not currently 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 and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous monitoring inspection.  Following the first monitoring inspection in January 2023, the DfE required the school to prepare a statutory action plan. This was evaluated by Ofsted and was not accepted by the DfE in June 2023. The inspector considered the revised action plan as part of this inspection.  This was the second progress monitoring inspection since the standard inspection in June 2022. This inspection was carried out without notice.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the director of education. She spoke online with the proprietors. The inspector also met with the family

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Information about this inspection

liaison officer and two specialist staff and spoke on the telephone with the curriculum lead.  The single central record and records of safeguarding concerns and actions were reviewed. A meeting was held with leaders in their capacity as designated safeguarding lead and deputy designated safeguarding lead.  The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documentation before and during the inspection. In particular, policies and documents relating to the curriculum and safeguarding were considered. The inspector also considered the school’s strategic development plan, leaders’ self-evaluation and notes of visit from external consultants.  The inspector visited all classes and looked at pupils’ workbooks. She spoke to pupils during the tour of the school and during breaktime.

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Inspection team

Shazia Akram, lead inspector His Majesty’s 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

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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