Setting

Education and residential inspection summary for Broomhill Bank School Broomhill Road, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 0TB

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Outcome

The education overall effectiveness judgement is: Good

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Outcome

The judgement for the experiences and progress of students in the residential provision is: Outstanding

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What is it like to attend this school?

◼ Pupils are openly proud of their school. They are forthright when explaining why they think it is a great place to be. Their disappointment at the delayed completion of new ‘awesome’ sports facilities (on both sites of the school) is intense. The palpable excitement generated by new dates for the project’s completion is powerful testament to what this impressive and improving school means to them. ◼ Pupils on each site of the school are equally positive about Broomhill. Despite the physical divide, this is very much one community with one vision. Ambitions are high. Students in the sixth form are looking to the future and motivated to be the best they can be. Expectations of what they can achieve continue to rise. Staff want the best outcomes for all, no matter what the barriers for individual pupils are. ◼ The school’s pastoral care is strong. Pupils behave well because expectations are clear. Pupils themselves contribute positively when defining and promoting the

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What is it like to attend this school?

school’s values. This is impressive when the context of the school is considered. They feel safe and ‘understood’ by staff. Importantly, pupils think that the school is getting better all the time. Inspectors agree. Education and residential inspection summary: Broomhill Bank School 10 to 12 October 2023 The inspectors made one recommendation to help the school improve, linked to consistency in delivering the school’s curriculum so that all opportunities for pupils to make the excellent progress they are capable of, are fully exploited.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school meets all of the independent school standards .

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What is it like to stay at this school?

◼ Staff work tirelessly to create a safe space where children are nurtured and can develop and thrive. Staff demonstrate huge passion for their work. Their care and love for the children is clearly apparent in every interaction. Staff place the children at the heart of everything they do and have a highly developed understanding of their individual needs. They tailor their support, expertly ensuring that children make excellent progress in all areas of their lives. Children speak highly of the staff team and the school. They share warm, affectionate relationships, full of humour. ◼ Staff speak passionately and eloquently about the impact of the boarding provision, and the school, on children’s emotional, social, personal and academic development. They use well-developed systems to identify how best to support children and to capture their progress. One child spoke powerfully about the school being the first place where they had ever been able to openly express

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What is it like to stay at this school?

their feelings. They explained that this is due to the trust they have in their friends and the staff. ◼ Children’s views are valued, and they take an active role in their own care planning, engaging positively in strong key-working relationships with staff. Children say that they feel heard. They have many opportunities to contribute ideas and their voices are front and centre of day-to-day decision-making. ◼ Staff have created an environment that is homely, clean, very well furnished and provides the children with a home where they feel comfortable and settled. ◼ Staff have good medication systems in place and ensure that children receive medication as prescribed and medications errors are rare and quickly rectified. However, in one instance, there was no consent is obtained from a parent for non-prescribed medication. In another example, the label on a medication was not legible, this runs the risk that a medication error could arise, however in

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What is it like to stay at this school?

practice staff administered this medication as prescribed. ◼ The staff ensure that children’s health needs are well met. They promptly access specialist health support when this is needed. Staff work closely with families to ensure that the children’s physical and emotional health needs are fully understood and addressed. This has helped children build confidence and play a full role in the group. One child who struggled to engage with others is now happy, outgoing and making friends. Another child who did not have the confidence to use verbal communication is now using her voice confidently to build relationships and influence the world around her. ◼ Children attending the residential provision engage well in education. Staff also promote additional activities that enrich children’s experiences, broadening their Education and residential inspection summary: Broomhill Bank School 10 to 12 October 2023

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What is it like to stay at this school?

opportunities, building confidence and developing new skills. The children go on trips and enjoy activities that are tailored to their interests and needs. One parent praised the variety of activities on offer and also the opportunity for children to have much-needed time to relax. Children and parents say that the experience of boarding has been ‘life changing’. One parent described how her child had been disengaged from education but is now enjoying school and achieving success. ◼ The children help to plan and cook their own meals and participate in the daily upkeep of the residential accommodation. They receive accredited certificates to show that they are making progress. This supports them with their independence and transition towards adulthood. Children are also supported to gain work experience in the local community, and this gives them the confidence and skills that they need to make informed choices about their future careers.

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What is it like to stay at this school?

The school meets all the national minimum standards. The inspectors made two recomendations to help the school improve, relating to the stotage, recording and administration of medication and children’s written plans in relation to their independence skills.

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What is it like to stay at this school?

◼ View the full inspection report for the education provision: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/25/119026

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What is it like to stay at this school?

◼ View the full inspection report for the residential provision: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/10/SC041787 Education and residential inspection summary: Broomhill Bank School 10 to 12 October 2023 regulates and inspects 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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What is it like to stay at this school?

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What is it like to stay at this school?

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What is it like to stay at this school?

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

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