The Acres Independent School

Inspection of South Park Enterprise College (11–19) Newdown Court, Newdown Road, South Park Industrial Estate, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire DN17 2TX

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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 Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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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?

South Park is a school full of hope. Relationships between staff and pupils are the cornerstone of all the school does. Pupils are willing to share their views. The staff listen to pupils and involve them in school decisions, such as the revised uniform pupil wear. In school, the pupils have a support network of trusted adults they can turn to for help and advice.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school supports local initiatives within the community. The introduction of litter bins to tidy up the streets around the school is something the pupils supported and successfully campaigned for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school routines help the pupils to feel comfortable in their learning. When pupils struggle to control their emotions and behaviour, staff are on hand to help them calm down. The staff know the individual needs and challenges pupils face.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school celebrates positive pupil behaviours. Weekly assemblies take place. In these assemblies, staff share certificates and reward coins with pupils to recognise their efforts in and out of class. Staff also share the positive messages from the week.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum is aspirational. Pupils get to experience academic and vocational subjects. The wider curriculum is also broad. Pupils take part in a range of off-site activities ranging from local visits to places of interest to go-karting.

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better?

The school meets the emotional and academic needs of pupils. The range of subjects taught broadens their horizons and raises the aspirations of the pupils. In the subjects taught, different qualifications are available. This supports the pupils in their next steps of learning or employment. The school helps the pupils to learn practical subjects that form the basis for life skills. For example, during food lessons, staff support pupils to become independent and self-sufficient. Planning and making meals gives the pupils the knowledge and skills to feed themselves and others.

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better?

The small teaching groups allow staff to support and provide time to the pupils. Older pupils are very clear on what they plan to do in the future. They praise the support and help staff have given them. In English lessons, the pupils study a variety of texts. Support sessions to help pupils who are at the early stages of reading are effective. The school has been selective in the resources it uses to support pupils. Pupils are engaged and stimulated to read.

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better?

Staff have a strong subject knowledge. Professional development and support to enhance teacher expertise is part of the regular support sessions leaders run with staff. Staff check pupils’ understanding of the lesson content. However, at times the adaptations and support given to pupils is not as strong as it could be. 30 January to 1 February 2024 Leaders share important information about each pupil with staff. This provides a whole picture of the pupil for staff. The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to fully access the school’s offer. The level of social and emotional care enables these pupils to feel comfortable and valued. While the school considers the academic needs of pupils with SEND there is a lack of clarity at times concerning pupils’ academic targets.

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better?

The school works hard and is dedicated to remove barriers that prevent pupils from attending. This has led to improvements in attendance figures over time. The school is quick to respond and adapt as the cohort of pupils changes.

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better?

Personal development provides the bedrock for success in South Park. Staff see it as their privilege to support the pupils in becoming valued members of society. The curriculum carefully considers the needs of the pupils now and what they will need as they grow older. Pupils get the opportunity to go out of school and spend a weekly budget on enrichment activities. The pupils manage how to spend this themselves. Some pupils budget and save over several weeks so they can access higher priced activities. This supports the pupils in undertaking financial planning.

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better?

The school has several links with employers and colleges. This supports the pupils in a smooth transition into the next phase of education and/or employment. Careers help and guidance is part of lessons and the personal development curriculum from Year 7 through to Year 11.

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better?

Extra-curricular clubs are part of the school day. The choice and offers range from sports to craft clubs. Pupils enjoy these enrichment activities.

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better?

The school has the support of the governors, the wider trust board, and the chief executive officer. There is a collective vision that is clear through the national, regional, and local support offered by the proprietor. Staff feel valued and cared for.

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better?

School leaders and the proprietor board have ensured that all the independent school standards are met. The school is compliant with 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)

 Assessment is not consistently being used effectively in order to check understanding. This means some gaps in knowledge are not addressed swiftly enough. The school should continue the work started to ensure that assessment in the classroom is used to inform pupil activities and the immediate actions of staff. 30 January to 1 February 2024  In some instances, the academic targets for individual pupils with SEND lack detail. This means that interventions are not sufficiently focused on academic needs. The school should ensure that the individualised support that it offers fully meets the range of needs of pupils.

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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

Unique reference number 135065 DfE registration number 813/6003

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School details

Inspection number 10321497 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £42,000 to £62,000

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School details

Email address mark.panting@keys-group.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 to 12 May 2022 30 January to 1 February 2024

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Information about this school

 The school’s last standard inspection took place in May 2022.  The school is registered to take pupils up to the age of 19. Currently, there are no students registered in the sixth form.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers of education.

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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 meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements of 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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors completed deep dives in English, mathematics, food and PSHE. Inspectors reviewed curriculum plans, talked to pupils about their work, visited lessons and spoke to staff.  Inspectors met with leaders, including the headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator.  The lead inspector had a tour of the school site to check compliance with the independent school standards for premises.  The lead inspector met with the proprietor.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 the views of members of staff, pupils and parents who

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Information about this inspection

responded to Ofsted’s inspection surveys.

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Inspection team

Richard Jones, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

John Linkins His Majesty’s 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 looked after children, 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

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