The Damara School

School material change inspection report

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The Damara School 30 Bridge Street, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 3AG

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7  The school has appropriate policies and practice around safeguarding. Staff receive regular training and updates. The trustees regularly review the quality of safeguarding practice. There is a culture of safeguarding with daily briefings including relevant safeguarding discussions. Paragraph 11  The health and safety policy is detailed. Staff have comprehensively risk assessed the new site and made adaptations where needed. The new site has appropriate signage and storage of hazardous materials. Paragraph 12  The fire safety policy is appropriate. Emergency escapes from the new building are well signed. Paragraph 14  The school has carefully considered how it will grow pupil numbers to reach the proposed 32 pupils. This will be done gradually over time, ensuring that new staff are well trained before new pupils start. Paragraph 16  Detailed risk assessments are in place, both for the new site and for individual pupils.

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Main inspection findings

 The standards in this part are likely to be met. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 17 to 21(8)  All appropriate pre-employment checks are made on staff and members of the proprietorial body.  Leaders are appropriately trained in recruitment of new members of staff.  The standards in this part are likely to be met. Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 22 to 29(1)(b) and 31  The proposed site is a converted warehouse, previously used as a training centre and offices. The school has successfully gained planning permission to make some internal alterations; work on this starts imminently and will be completed before the pupils are on site. The building work will improve facilities; however, the site is already fit enough for use.  There is a large, airy atrium that will be used as a space for meals, communal gatherings and working with individual pupils. There is a large hall for physical

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Main inspection findings

education and play.  There are currently five classrooms. One is very large and is to be sub-divided into two classrooms as part of the internal changes. This will provide four classrooms with room for six pupils in each, one further large classroom with greater capacity, and one smaller classroom for up to three pupils. This comfortably provides enough space for the proposed 32 pupils. One classroom currently has less natural light than others. A large window is being installed to improve this.  There are also rooms for food technology and computing. There are office spaces for administration, school leadership and therapy sessions. Additional spaces for administration and site management are being added as part of the internal alterations.  The medical room includes a bed, access to running water, and is next to a toilet.  Toilet and washing facilities are appropriate.  Suitable drinking water facilities are provided.

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Main inspection findings

 The external space includes both grassed and hard surface areas for pupils to play on. This is currently fenced with a temporary fence; this will be replaced as part of the building works before the pupils move in. The school will continue to use other local specialist facilities for outside physical education lessons.  The standards in this part are likely to be met. Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1)(c)  The school’s safeguarding policies are readily available on the school website.  The standard in this part is likely to be met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1) to 34(2)  Leaders and trustees know the independent school standards well and have ensured that the proposed site is of high enough quality.  The school has made detailed plans about how it will grow pupil numbers over time. These are not rushed and will ensure that staff are well trained before admitting new

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Main inspection findings

pupils. The appropriate curriculums for pupils throughout the registered age range are already in place.  The standards in this part are likely to be met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is likely to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that are relevant to the material change.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the material change that the school has applied to make.

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School status Independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £51,000 to £60,000

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 22 to 24 November 2022

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recommendation

Age range of pupils 7 to 12 5 to 16 5 to 16

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 14 32 32

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Mixed Mixed Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 14 32

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities 14 32

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan 14 32

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with an education, health and care plan 14 32

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff 9 17

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision 3 6

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Information about this school

 The school is already registered to take up to 14 pupils from age 7 to 16. It is proposing to expand to take up to 32 pupils.  To enable this expansion, the school is proposing to move to a new site at The Maltings, Raymond St, Thetford IP24 2EA.  The school provides specialist provision for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils are funded by their local authorities.  The Lotus Academy Trust is the school’s proprietorial body.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspection was commissioned by the Department of Education to consider whether the independent school standards were likely to continue to be met if the proposed increase in pupil numbers and change of site were accepted.  The inspector spoke to the chief executive officer (who is also the headteacher), trustees and administrative staff.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including the single central register.  The inspector toured the proposed site and scrutinised a range of documents related to it.

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Inspection team

Tessa Holledge, 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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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