Lake Haven School

Inspection of Lake Haven School Lake Haven, Bazzard Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 6QJ

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Inspection dates: 30 January to 1 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘A special place to learn’ is the school’s driving force, and leaders have ensured that it has become a reality. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Almost all have previously been out of education. Leaders aim to make their school the best it can be for all pupils. The school has high expectations of all pupils and staff. All want pupils to achieve their very best, and they consistently do. Pupils love their school, and they attend regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School is a calm, positive and orderly environment. Lessons are free from disruption. The purposeful, supportive and positive relationships between staff and pupils are joyous. Pupils trust their adults to help them and sort out any issues, should these ever arise. Pupils repay this with impeccable behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The values and motto of nurture, love and belonging permeate every aspect of the school. Leaders’ main focus is pupils’ well-being after previous traumatic school- based experiences. The curriculum to promote pupils’ personal development is highly effective. As a result, pupils are re-engaged in their education and learn about and appreciate differences in the world and its people. Pupils are learning valuable life skills and are very well prepared for life after school.

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better?

The school has high expectations of, and aspirations for, every pupil. There is an ambitious and carefully constructed curriculum to help achieve these aims. The curriculum is designed with pupils’ many varying and significant challenges in mind. Pupils have large gaps in their knowledge due to previous absenteeism. All pupils benefit from bespoke learning plans that clearly describe how they best learn and what they should be learning over time in each subject.

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better?

Learning is well structured to ensure that pupils can close knowledge gaps over time. Most of the learning across all subjects is carefully linked with the school’s outdoor farm provision. For example, pupils make up animal feed themselves, weighing it out and selling it as part of their mathematics lessons. Pupils study geography and art while tending to the school’s vegetable beds, where they grow their own produce to consume or sell.

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better?

The reading curriculum is effective. The teaching of phonics ensures that pupils close their learning gaps and increase their reading fluency. Pupils enjoy reading and have daily story time.

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better?

Staff have good subject knowledge. The school has ensured that all staff have been expertly trained to recognise, support and manage pupils’ specific SEND. Pupils are extremely well supported. They receive targeted support at every level throughout the day. 30 January to 1 February 2024 The use of assessment is efficient in checking what pupils can and cannot do. However, staff do not always adapt their teaching swiftly enough when pupils are ready to learn new things. This means that pupils’ learning can sometimes slow.

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better?

Pupils’ impeccable behaviour is underpinned by excellent pastoral support and very positive relationships, which are commonplace. The school has high expectations of pupils’ conduct, while at the same time having a very clear understanding of why some pupils behave the way they do. The school provides a calm and purposeful learning environment. Everyone understands the expectations and the need to meet these. Staff spot immediately if a pupil shows signs of distress and act swiftly to mitigate this. As a result, issues very rarely arise because staff act swiftly.

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better?

The school’s work to promote pupils’ mental health and well-being is exceptional. This work includes a plethora of outdoor activities in which pupils keenly take part. Pupils learn about empathy, taking care of other people and animals, and tending to the school site. The daily whole-school breakfast fosters a sense of belonging. The range of activities to promote pupils’ personal development ensures that pupils learn about fundamental British values and possible future careers in an age- and ability- appropriate way. Pupils, for instance, can talk about values such as kindness and equality. The school has ensured that the statutory guidance on relationships and sex education and health education is met.

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better?

Leaders and proprietors have the understanding and expertise to carry out their roles highly effectively. They set clear strategies, hold themselves and staff to account and meet their statutory obligations. They accurately identify the school’s strengths and what needs to improve. Leaders work hard to improve their provision continuously.

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better?

The school has ensured that all staff receive bespoke training on how to support pupils. Staff speak highly of the training and support they receive, including in relation to their well-being and workload. All staff are proud to work at this school. Parents and carers are unanimous in their praise for the school. Almost all reported how the school has changed their child’s life for the better.

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better?

The proprietors have ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards in a systematic and consistent way. They have ensured that the school meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. They work together with all staff to find the most effective ways of meeting pupils’ individual challenges. This work is excellent.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 30 January to 1 February 2024

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Some pupils’ learning is not moved on quickly enough when pupils are ready to learn new things. This means that sometimes, pupils’ learning slows because they are waiting for others to finish. The school should ensure that pupils move on to new content when they have secured previous knowledge.

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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. 30 January to 1 February 2024

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Tailored Education Services Limited

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School details

Chair Alexandra Marshall and Lindsay Taylor (Co-Chairs) Headteacher Lindsay Taylor

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £63,000 to £88,330

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School details

Email address hello@lakehavenschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 30 January to 1 February 2024

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Information about this school

 Lake Haven School is an independent day school.  The school is situated in a rural setting and is adjacent to a fishery. The school has an outside area and farm, which are used by pupils to help them learn. This includes an outdoor classroom. Pupils learn how to care for a variety of animals, including goats, hens and domestic rats.  The school caters for boys and girls from Year 3 to Year 9, all of whom have SEND and an EHC plan. The main need catered for is autism.  The school does not have a religious denomination.  The school does not use any alternative provision for its pupils.

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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

 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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.  Inspectors met with the proprietors, one of whom is also the headteacher. Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead and curriculum leaders. Inspectors also met with class teachers and support staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, communication and language, mathematics and geography. Inspectors also considered the school’s outdoor and farm provision as part of the school’s curriculum offer. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, conducted lesson visits and looked at a range of pupils’ work. The inspectors also reviewed work across the wider curriculum, including enrichment activities and work around fundamental

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Information about this inspection

British values.  Inspectors observed pupils in lessons and throughout the school day. An inspector spoke to some of them about their experience at the school.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of safeguarding information, including the school’s safeguarding policy, spoke to staff about safeguarding and looked at how pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. The inspector spoke to the safeguarding leaders about the reporting and recording of any safeguarding incidents.

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Inspection team

Bianka Zemke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Susan Hughes Ofsted Inspector 30 January to 1 February 2024 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.

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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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