Woodeaton Manor School

Progress monitoring inspection residential special school report

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Woodeaton Manor School Woodeaton Manor School, Woodeaton, Oxford OX3 9TS

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Context of the inspection

The residential provision was judged as inadequate in all areas at the last inspection in October 2023.

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Context of the inspection

Since the last inspection, an interim executive headteacher was in post for one term. Since November 2023, a new interim governing board has been put in place, alongside new interim senior leaders in January 2024.

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Context of the inspection

The residential provision is not currently operating, and no children are staying overnight.

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

The interim governing board has been in place since November 2023. Additionally, a new consultant headteacher has been appointed to lead the school along with other new school leaders. They are being supported by local authority school improvement advisors. The interim governing board, school leaders and the local authority are focusing on the education provision of the school.

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

At the time of the inspection, the residential provision had not reopened. It has been paused since September 2023, and no children have stayed overnight or used the building since the last inspection. The interim governing board are reviewing the future of the residential provision.

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Summary of the progress made in implementing the action plan

The new leadership and governance team are currently focusing on children’s education and have not prioritised meeting the residential national minimum standards. As a result, all the breached national minimum standards have been reset at this inspection.

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special schools:

 2.1 The school’s governing body, trustees and/or proprietor monitor the effectiveness of the leadership, management and delivery of the residential and welfare provision in the school, and take appropriate action where necessary.  2.3 The school’s leadership and management, including governors, trustees and proprietors, demonstrate effective skills and knowledge appropriate to their role, and actively promote the safeguarding and welfare of children. Staff with management responsibilities undertaken appropriate training in the management and practice of residential care.  2.4 The school’s leadership and management fulfil their responsibilities consistently and effectively so that the standards are met.  2.5 There is clear leadership and management of the practice and development of residential and care provision in the school. Leaders ensure that there is a mutually supportive and reinforcing approach, between (i) the educational provision and (ii) the

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residential provision, which is centred around the child. Individuals working in each aspect of provision should be able to challenge each other where necessary. The school should have processes in place to ensure this is the case.  5.1 Every child has an accurate, permanent record of their history and progress which can be read by the child and parents/carers at any time (except where the data controller is not obliged to supply the information to the child/parent/carer), and to which personal statements or statements correcting errors can be added.  9.1 Good quality sleeping accommodation is provided for children. It is well organised and responsive to children’s needs and is managed with ongoing assessments of risk (which should be documented) and the findings acted upon to reduce risk for all children. Accommodation gives children appropriate privacy, taking into account sex, age and any individual needs. Where children share a bedroom, they are able to express a preference

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about who they share with. To minimise disruption the school should aim to avoid mixing accommodation arrangements for children on longer placements and those on short breaks.  9.4 Accommodation is well lit, heated and ventilated, cleaned and maintained, and reasonable adjustments are made to provide accessible accommodation for any children with disabilities. The accommodation contains suitable specialist facilities and equipment to support the specific needs of children with disabilities. Any specialist equipment should be well maintained and safe, and staff should have appropriate training to operate it.  9.7 Residential accommodation is reserved for the use of those children designated to use it and is protected from access by unauthorised persons. Any use of school facilities by individuals or groups does not allow members of the public (including members of organised groups using school facilities) unsupervised access to children, or to residential

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accommodation while occupied by children.  12.4 The school has effective links with health agencies, including specialist services where appropriate, such as child and adolescent mental health services and sexual health services. The availability of such services is taken into account when considering admissions. Schools secure appropriate services for children when required. Children also have access to local medical, dental, optometric and other services or provision as necessary.  12.8 All medication is safely and securely stored and accurate records are kept of its administration. Prescribed medicines are given only to the children to whom they are prescribed. Staff are suitably trained to administer a child’s medication as appropriate. Children allowed to self-medicate are assessed as sufficiently responsible to do so. Where applicable, schools have regard to statutory guidance.  13.1 The school should ensure that: arrangements are made to safeguard and promote

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the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  13.3 It is essential that children are safeguarded from potentially harmful and inappropriate online material. The school’s approach to online safety should be reflected in their child protection policy, having regard to the Department’s Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance.  14.2 The school premises, accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of children are ensured and they are provided a safe environment in which they can live and learn.  20.1 The school has, and consistently implements, a written policy to promote good behaviour amongst pupils. This policy includes: the underlying objective to create a safe environment in which all pupils can learn and reach their full potential and to reflect the

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values and ethos of the school; the role of designated staff in maintaining consistent behaviour expectations, including the responsibilities of school leaders, any resources allocated, and the involvement of governors or trustees; the behaviour expected of pupils, including treating others with dignity, kindness and respect, and the measures to promote good behaviour, including positive reinforcement and reward and consequence systems; how the needs of all pupils and staff are met so members of the school community feel safe knowing that bullying, physical threats or abuse are not tolerated, and that they belong; pupil support, including the roles and responsibilities of designated staff and the support provided to pupils with additional needs where those needs might affect behaviour; measures to prevent child-on-child abuse and the response to incidents of such abuse, including disciplinary action; how the school creates an environment in which

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children experience low stress; staff understanding children’s individual behaviours and how a child communicates, adapting their approach accordingly (for example, for some non-verbal children behavioural challenge can be a form of communication and therefore staff need to understand non-verbal cues); when restraint, including reasonable force, is to be used and other physical contact and how this will be managed. Including how the policy, as required, complies with Reducing-the-need-for-restraint-and-restrictive- intervention; arrangements for searching and screening children and their possessions and how this relates to safeguarding policies. Any search of children’s personal belongings should be carried out in accordance with section 550ZA of the Education Act 1996 and with regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  21.1 The school ensures that all forms of bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-

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based and discriminatory), at the school, are prevented in so far as reasonably practicable, by the drawing up and implementation of an effective anti-bullying strategy. The strategy should include accessible and effective systems for children to report bullying.  9.3 Sufficient toilet and washing facilities with good quality and necessary fixtures, fittings and adaptations, and access to hot water are provided for children, and are readily accessible from the sleeping accommodation. Toilet and washing facilities provide privacy for children, taking into account sex, age and any individual needs. Separate toilet facilities for boys and girls aged 8 years or over must be provided except where the toilet facility is provided in a room that can be secured from the inside and that is intended for use by one pupil at a time.

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Inspection team

Jennie Christopher Lead Social Care Inspector

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Information about this school

Woodeaton Manor School is a special day and residential school for 84 day pupils, although 89 are currently on roll. The majority of children have a diagnosis of autism. There are 30 pupils on school roll who access residential provision for one night per week, the provision was open for four nights per week during term time. The residential provision is not currently being used and children have not stayed overnight since September 2023.

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Information about this school

The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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School details

Unique reference number 123329 Social care unique reference number SC013056 DfE registration number 931/7002

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School details

This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for boarding schools.

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School details

The inspection was conducted at the request of the Registration Authority for independent schools in order to monitor the progress the school has made in implementing its action plan following the previous inspection.

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School details

Type of school Residential special school Number of boarders on roll 0 Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 7 to 18 Interim Consultant Headteacher Fenella Dowler-Luke Date of previous boarding inspection 30 October 2023 Telephone number 01865 558722 Email address head.7002@woodeaton.oxon.sch.uk 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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School details

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School details

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School details

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