Selwyn Hall School

Inspection of Selwyn Hall School Royston Road, Foxton, Cambridge CB22 6SE

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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 Not previously inspected

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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?

Selwyn Hall provides a haven for pupils. Many have had substantial gaps in their education before coming here. The school prioritises building up trust between pupils and adults. Pupils develop strong connections with staff over time. Learning is tailored to pupils’ interests. As a result, pupils want to come to school and enjoy learning. They feel safe and start to take part in more activities over time. Parents and carers typically say things such as, ‘My child is thriving,’ and, ‘My child loves being part of the school community.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school challenges pupils and shares high aspirations with them when talking about the future. Pupils’ understanding in each subject is informally assessed by teachers when pupils start, and this is then used to plan classwork. Pupils are encouraged to develop independence. Adults work with them to build up their confidence for this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Selwyn Hall are developing their ability to cope when upset or angry. The school teaches them strategies to help pupils refocus and calm down. All pupils have a ‘safe space’ they have chosen. Pupils use these, but staff then support them to get back to learning in their class.

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better?

The order of what skills should be taught in each subject is clearly sequenced in the curriculum, including key concepts such as chronology. The school adapts teaching to meet individual pupils’ starting points. For example, a pupil might access elements of Year 5 skills for one topic, but start at Year 2 for another. In subjects such as mathematics and science, important knowledge is planned in a clear sequence.

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better?

All the pupils arrive with different experiences of education. Teachers take themes, for example ‘the plague’, and plan learning that builds on pupils’ interest and expands their knowledge of the wider theme. For some pupils, content is chosen because they have missed so much learning in the past, for example by covering essential elements of primary-phase geography so that they can access the rest of the curriculum.

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better?

The school has systems in place to track what pupils have learned in subjects such as English and mathematics. In other subjects, the skills that pupils develop are tracked, but not the knowledge they have learned over time, such as content covered in history lessons.

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better?

The school works with other schools in the group to share planning and resources. This supports the work of teachers in knowing what it is appropriate to teach and when. 7 to 9 February 2024 All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school takes a gradual approach to transition into the school. Staff get to know as much as possible about how to support pupils before they start. This helps pupils to engage well with learning. Many pupils rapidly increase their attendance as a result.

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better?

Pupils are encouraged to have items that might help them feel safe, such as a soft toy for reassurance. When pupils are upset, staff help calm them down gently and in a positive way. This means that pupils can behave and work hard.

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better?

Reading is taught well. The school’s chosen phonics scheme is delivered to a high standard. As a result, all pupils are making progress with their reading. Pupils have access to books that are both diverse and interesting. Pupils listen attentively to stories that are read to them.

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better?

The school creates opportunities for pupils to socialise and play together as some have not done this regularly in the past. Every day finishes with extra-curricular activities that enhance learning. Lunchtime is communal, encouraging discussion. Pupils enjoy swinging on the large swing together. The school takes pupils into the local community, for example meeting the local minister and visiting the shop. Staff make positive use of any poor behaviour shown, for example by prompting discussion about discrimination.

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better?

There is a well-planned programme of careers education that supports pupils as they begin to move through key stage 3.

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better?

The school is well led. Staff feel well supported. The school is expanding in size gradually to ensure that staff are well trained and that pupils are settled before taking more pupils onto the school’s roll.

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better?

The proprietorial body ensures that there is external challenge and checks are in place to ensure that the independent school standards (the standards) are met. For example, it ensures that the school meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. The site provides plenty of space for pupils to learn and play and meets the standards relating to this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In some foundation subjects, the skills to be taught are clearly sequenced over time, but the content taught is personalised for each pupil by their teacher. Systems have not yet been implemented to ensure that the knowledge learned by 7 to 9 February 2024 each pupil is coherently sequenced over time. The school needs to ensure that these systems are in place and used effectively.

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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. 7 to 9 February 2024

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Polaris Children’s Services Limited

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £55,000 to £80,000

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School details

Email address schooloffice@selwynhallschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 7 to 9 February 2024

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Information about this school

 The school opened in September 2023. This is the first standard inspection of the school.  All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Their places are funded by their local authorities.  The school primarily provides specialist provision for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school is registered for up to 50 pupils aged 7 to 18 years.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school has an executive headteacher who has oversight of other schools under the same proprietorial body.

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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.  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 headteacher, the executive headteacher and the chief executive officer, who is also chair of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and pupils’ work, and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  The inspectors undertook a site tour and scrutinised documents relating to health and safety to ensure compliance with the relevant independent school standards. 7 to 9 February 2024

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Inspection team

Tessa Holledge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Becky Quinn Ofsted Inspector 7 to 9 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

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