The Grange Therapeutic School

Inspection of The Grange Therapeutic School 15–17 Somerby Road, Knossington, Oakham, Leicestershire LE15 8LY

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding 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?

The school lives its motto ‘Discover potential, enjoy success, prepare for life’. Relationships between staff and pupils are supportive and purposeful. Pupils are proud of the school. They feel safe and are cared for exceptionally well. Typically, one pupil commented, ‘We are looked after, listened to, understood and trusted.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is generally calm and focused. There is an ethos of mutual respect. Staff help rebuild friendships when there is unkindness between pupils. Pupils learn to manage their feelings and emotions. They successfully learn to regulate their behaviours over time. Many pupils’ behaviour, conduct and attendance improve significantly during their time at the school. Pupils are nurtured as individuals. They develop positive attitudes to school and to their learning. Staff develop pupils’ talents and interests, through a range of activities, including, for example, through sport, cooking, fishing, building, music and horse riding.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school establishes meaningful relationships with the vast majority of parents and carers. Most parents value the school’s work. Some recognise the ways the school has positively transformed their children’s lives. One parent, echoing the views of many, stated, ‘The school and staff are amazing. Staff are committed, dedicated and very knowledgeable around my child’s needs.’

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better?

The school has developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. The curriculum balances academic, vocational, personal and therapeutic-based learning. Leaders make sure that subject curriculums are suitably ambitious. These curriculums are planned to be appropriately flexible. The school builds pupils’ key knowledge and skills and addresses historic gaps in pupils’ learning. For example, the science curriculum enables pupils to gain knowledge and to learn to think and work scientifically. Whether learning about evolution, sound or the periodic table, the pupils build their learning very well. Subject curriculums enable pupils to revisit and consolidate their learning over time. Pupils can gain from a range of qualifications that build self-confidence and open doors to meaningful next steps.

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better?

Leaders have developed a strong culture of reading. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning to read are taught the school’s chosen phonics programme. Staff rightly adapt the programme to meet pupils’ gaps in phonics knowledge. Pupils learn to read fluently and with understanding. The school’s English curriculum builds reading comprehension skills. Staff introduce pupils to a range of writers, such as Edgar Allan Poe and Shakespeare. Pupils speak about their favourite books and authors. They develop a love of reading.

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better?

The school knows and understands pupils’ additional needs very well. Focused assessments help staff identify pupils’ precise needs. Staff support pupils’ social, emotional and learning needs particularly well. The school successfully integrates the specialist therapeutic provision with pupils’ personal development and academic 23 to 25 January 2024 learning. Staff skilfully adapt their teaching to meet pupils’ individual needs. For example, they break tasks down and use questions to deepen pupils’ understanding of complex concepts. Adults are adept in checking pupils’ learning. Staff are flexible in quickly adapting teaching to ensure that pupils remain engaged and focused on learning. The work is suitably challenging. The school’s holistic approach enables pupils to succeed in many different ways. The smallest steps in pupils’ learning and personal development are celebrated.

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better?

The school provides pupils with exceptional opportunities for their personal development. Pupils are nurtured to become self-aware, confident, resilient and independent. Leaders ensure that the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education prepares pupils well for life in Britain. Pupils develop a mature understanding of equality, diversity and respect. They learn about different cultures and faiths. The school ensures that pupils gain awareness of potential risks and how to make safe choices, for example when online or in the community. Pupils deepen their understanding of right and wrong. They learn to understand the importance of mental and physical health and well-being. The school’s therapeutic provision is invaluable in supporting pupils’ personal development. Pupils are very well supported to make choices about their futures. Careers advice and guidance is pupil focused and builds on their interests. Pupils are prepared exceptionally well for their next

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better?

Overwhelmingly, staff are very positive about the school and its supportive team ethos. Staff morale is very strong. Staff are proud to be part of the school. They share a common purpose and put pupils first.

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better?

Leaders, including the proprietor, know the school well. They share a common vision and mission. They have strategically improved the school’s provision since the previous inspection. They lead with a strong moral purpose. The school is aspirational for all pupils. Leaders’ vision for the school is aligned with that of the residential care home. The school ensures effective joined-up provision between the school and residential provision.

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better?

Leaders have a strong understanding of the independent school standards (the standards). They ensure that the school consistently meets all the standards. Risk assessments reflect the school’s policy. The premises are well maintained. Health and safety checks are undertaken regularly. Leaders comply with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Policies and key information are readily available on the school’s website, including the school’s safeguarding policy. The school’s complaints procedure is implemented effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 23 to 25 January 2024

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school has improved the provision since the last inspection, particularly in relation to the quality of education and pupils’ personal development. However, not all aspects of the provision demonstrate the exceptionality that is evidenced in the promotion of pupils’ personal development. Pupils’ achievement in relation to the quality of education and their behaviour is yet to be of the very highest level. Leaders should ensure that their promotion of pupils’ learning across the curriculum and of pupils’ behaviour matches that which they have demonstrated in their promotion of pupils’ personal development to ensure that all aspects of the school’s provision are of the very best quality, matching leaders’ high aspirations and the staff’s common purpose.

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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. 23 to 25 January 2024

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School category Independent residential special school

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School details

Proprietor Acorn Care and Education Limited

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £63,500 to £82,120

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School details

Website www.thegrangetherapeuticschool.co.uk

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School details

Email address Office@knossington.rutland.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 to 23 June 2022 23 to 25 January 2024

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Information about this school

 The Grange Therapeutic School is an independent residential special school. The school is registered to admit 97 pupils, aged between eight and 18. There are currently 85 pupils on roll.  The school has two sites. The main site is used by upper-school pupils. The second site is a short walking distance away from the main site and is attended by pupils in the lower school.  The school is located at 15 to 17 Somerby Road, Knossington, Oakham, Leicestershire LE15 8LY.  The school provides education for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Many pupils have autism. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The principal took up post in April 2023. The senior leadership team has been restructured since then.  The school uses the services of two unregistered alternative provisions.  The previous inspection of the residential provision was in June 2022.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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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.  This inspection was carried out at the same time as an inspection of the residential provision.  Inspectors met with the principal and other senior leaders. They met with a range of staff.  The lead inspector spoke with the chair of the company remotely. He met with a company officer who is also the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, science and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited sample lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They listened to pupils read. 23 to 25 January 2024 Inspectors also explored the bespoke, therapeutic-based learning that is designed to meet pupils’ additional needs.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons in other subjects, including construction and motor vehicle maintenance. They reviewed subject curriculums in physical education and art.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors met with leaders; reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; reviewed safeguarding records; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about various aspects of school life.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation. They looked at the school’s website and published information about the school’s provision, including policies related to health and safety, curriculum, teaching and complaints. They reviewed the school’s self-evaluation and development plan.  The lead inspector toured the premises to review the suitability of the

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Information about this inspection

accommodation.  Inspectors considered the views of parents who completed Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments and correspondence received during the inspection. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of school staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Chris Davies, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Aileen King Ofsted Inspector 23 to 25 January 2024 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

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