Eden Park Academy

School progress monitoring inspection report

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The Eden School The Old Vicarage, High Street, Harmondsworth, West Drayton UB7 0AQ

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(d) to 2(2)(d)(ii), 3, 3(a).  At the time of the school’s previous graded inspection, in January 2023, the curriculum in most subjects was poorly designed. The school’s approach to teaching reading was not effective. The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education was poorly sequenced, and students in the sixth form were not routinely taught PSHE education.  The school’s revised post-inspection action plan outlined some clear and ambitious objectives to overhaul the curriculum from the bottom up.  This inspection found that leaders have thoroughly rethought, rewritten and implemented more suitable curriculum plans in all subjects, including PSHE education. Leaders and teachers have worked together to identify and sequence the important concepts that pupils should learn. Suitable training to support teachers to ensure that

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Main inspection findings

pupils learn important knowledge and skills securely in all subjects is ongoing. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are now better supported to learn and remember more. Students in the sixth form are now routinely taught PSHE education.  A more consistent approach to teaching reading from early years upwards is now in place. Leaders and teachers have some final training to complete, and there are more books due to arrive from the chosen phonics scheme provider. However, there is now a suitable programme and enough suitable resources in place that are ensuring that pupils, including those with SEND, are becoming confident, fluent readers.  The independent school standards (‘the standards’) checked in this part, including some additional standards as per the request from the Department for Education (DfE), are met. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Main inspection findings

Paragraphs 7 to 7(b), 9 to 9(c), 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 to 16(b)  At the previous inspection, leaders were not fulfilling their statutory safeguarding duties. Leaders were not appropriately trained. They were not keeping accurate and complete records of safeguarding referrals made within school or of those made to external agencies. Procedures for assessing and managing risk on and beyond the school’s site were not consistently implemented. The school was not providing the local authority with all the required information when a pupil was removed from the school’s roll partway through their education. Leaders were also using remote education as a consequence for pupils’ poor behaviour. This constitutes illegal use of exclusion and was putting pupils at risk.  Leaders have delivered all the actions outlined in their revised action plan.  Safeguarding arrangements are much stronger. A suitable policy, reflecting the latest

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Main inspection findings

statutory guidance, is published online. Arrangements for training leaders and staff are now suitable. Leaders now keep accurate records of safeguarding referrals made within the school and of those made to external agencies. However, leaders acknowledge the need for these to be more thorough, with chronologies from concern to conclusion completed more fully. Communication with the local authority’s designated officer lacks urgency when concerns about adults are raised. Nevertheless, the clear improvements in culture, training and approach confirm that safeguarding arrangements are now ensuring that pupils are as safe as possible.  Remote education is no longer used as a consequence for pupils’ poor behaviour. Incidents of serious misbehaviour, and any sanctions imposed as a result, are logged on the school’s online system.  The admission and attendance registers are used appropriately. The school now

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Main inspection findings

consistently informs the local authority when a pupil is removed from the school’s roll partway through their education.  This inspection also considered the school’s arrangements for supervision, health and safety, fire safety, and risk assessment at the new premises. Pupils are suitably supervised throughout the school. All the required fire-safety checks have been completed, and logs are kept up to date. The actions arising from a thorough externally commissioned risk assessment are almost complete. Arrangements for maintaining and cleaning the premises are suitable. However, leaders acknowledge that greater attention to detail is required, for example when undertaking daily site checks.  The standards checked in this part are met. Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools All paragraphs  The school’s new premises consist of a large, detached building in Harmondsworth, West Drayton. The proprietors are in the process of finalising refurbishment works. There are

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Main inspection findings

some finishing touches required, such as replacing handles on some of the new fire doors, ensuring signage on all doors is clear, and reviewing the use of portable heaters.  There is substantial outside space for play, recreation and physical education.  The early years space, including for children aged two, is currently used for a very small number of children, and it is suitable. The refurbishment of the early years outdoor learning space is almost finished.  Drinking water is available from labelled water coolers. Hot water for handwashing is safely regulated. Arrangements for lighting and acoustics are suitable.  Toilet, changing, shower and medical room facilities are suitable. The girls’ shower and changing area is almost complete.  The standards checked in this part are met. Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1), 32(1)(c)  The school’s safeguarding policy is now published on its website.

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Main inspection findings

 This standard is met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1) to 34(1)(c)  The previous inspection reported that leaders, including the proprietor and those responsible for governance, did not have enough awareness or understanding of their statutory responsibilities. They had not made sure that the requirements of the independent school standards are met.  Much has been achieved since the previous inspection. Most of the actions in leaders’ revised action plan have been completed, or are well underway. Governors are now more actively holding leaders to account for making the required improvements.  However, there is an overriding lack of attention to detail in the leadership, management and governance of this school. Leaders and governors lack a sharp understanding of the independent school standards, and do not check compliance with all the requirements robustly or regularly enough. There is more work to do, including in relation to early

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Main inspection findings

reading, safeguarding documentation, the premises, and regular checks on compliance with all the standards.  Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b) remain not met.  Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(c) is now met. Statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Independent school standard paragraph 2(2), 2(2)(f) and EYFS requirements 1.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.7, 3.60  At the previous inspection, leaders did not use a rigorous and systematic approach to teaching phonics. As a result, the learning and development statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage were not met. In addition, safeguarding and premises concerns identified in January 2023 negatively impacted children in the early years, resulting in unmet safeguarding and welfare requirements, too.  There are no current children in Reception or Years 1 and 2. This inspection found there is now a suitable phonics programme in place. Evidence from the newly implemented

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Main inspection findings

phonics scheme used with older pupils shows that they are now learning to read with sufficient fluency. The standard and requirements are now met.  The safeguarding and premises requirements, as per the findings outlined above in Parts 3 and 5, are now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 2

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £5,200 to £10,400

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 31 January to 2 February 2023

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Information about this school

 The Eden School is a Seventh Day Adventist independent school.  Many pupils join the school partway through their primary or secondary education.  The school has relocated to new premises in the London Borough of Hillingdon. Its sole, permanent premises is now at The Old Vicarage, High Street, Harmondsworth, West Drayton UB7 0AQ.  The school has provision for children in the early years, including two-year-olds. There were two children in the early years at the time of this inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school’s previous inspection was a graded inspection in January 2023.  Proprietor information is missing from the national online database of schools, ‘getting information about schools’.  The proprietors have changed the school’s name from The Eden SDA School to The Eden School.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection since its last graded inspection in January 2023. The inspection was conducted without notice.  Since the previous inspection, leaders were asked to submit an action plan. This was judged by Ofsted to be unsatisfactory and was subsequently rejected by the Department for Education (DfE). Leaders submitted an updated action plan to the DfE, which was not evaluated by Ofsted.  The focus of the inspection was to check whether the school complies with particular requirements in Parts 1, 3, 5 and 8 of the independent school standards. The inspector

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Information about this inspection

was also asked to consider the school’s change of premises, and to report against some additional requirements in Parts 3 and 5. Finally, the inspector was also asked to consider some of the themes arising from some concerns. In particular, the inspection considered additional requirements in Parts 1 and 3.  The inspector met with a number of senior leaders, including the headteacher and those responsible for safeguarding. He also met with two governors. He met with a group of pupils in Years 10 and 11, and listened to a pupil in Year 4 read. The inspector toured the new premises, considered the school’s curriculum, and reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements, including the single central register of checks on adults.

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The school’s proposed change to its main premises

The school has applied to the DfE to make a ‘material change’ to its registration. At the DfE’s request, this inspection checked whether the school meets the relevant independent school standards if the DfE decides to approve the change.  The outcome of this part of the inspection is: the school meets the independent school standards relevant to the material change. The material change has already been implemented.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain unmet at this inspection

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub- paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work- – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are- – 2(2)(f) where the school has pupils below compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their educational needs in relation to personal, social, emotional and physical development and communication and language skills;  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  15 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006.  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 23(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 23(1)(a) suitable toilet and washing facilities are provided for the sole use of pupils.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 32(1)(c) particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school- – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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Learning and development requirements

 1.6 Educational programmes must involve activities and experiences for children, as set out under each of the areas of learning.

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Literacy

 It is crucial for children to develop a life-long love of reading. Reading consists of two dimensions: language comprehension and word reading. Language comprehension (necessary for both reading and writing) starts from birth. It only develops when adults talk with children about the world around them and the books (stories and non-fiction) they read with them, and enjoy rhymes, poems and songs together. Skilled word reading, taught later, involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing).

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

 3.1 Children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their individual needs are met, and when they have positive relationships with the adults caring for them. The safeguarding and welfare requirements, specified in this section, are designed to help providers create high quality settings which are welcoming, safe and stimulating, and where children are able to enjoy learning and grow in confidence.

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

 3.2 Providers must take all necessary steps to keep children safe and well. The requirements in this section explain what early years providers must do to: safeguard children; ensure the suitability of adults who have contact with children; promote good health; manage behaviour; and maintain records, policies and procedures.

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

 3.4 Providers must be alert to any issues of concern in the child’s life at home or elsewhere. Providers must have and implement a policy, and procedures, to safeguard children. These should be in line with the guidance and procedures of the relevant local safeguarding partners. The safeguarding policy and procedures must include an explanation of the action to be taken when there are safeguarding concerns about a child and in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff, and cover the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting. To safeguard children and practitioners online, providers will find it helpful to refer to ‘Safeguarding children and protecting professionals in early years settings: online safety considerations’.

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

 3.7 Providers must have regard to the government’s statutory guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ and to the ‘Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales’. All schools are required to have regard to the government’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ statutory guidance, and other childcare providers may also find it helpful to refer to this guidance. If providers have concerns about children’s safety or welfare, they must notify agencies with statutory responsibilities without delay. This means the local children’s social care services and, in emergencies, the police.

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

 3.60 Sleeping children must be frequently checked to ensure that they are safe. Being safe includes ensuring that cots/bedding are in good condition and suited to the age of the child, and that infants are placed down to sleep safely in line with latest government safety guidance. Except in childminding settings, there should be a separate baby room for children under the age of two. However, providers must ensure that children in a baby room have contact with older children and are moved into the older age group when appropriate. 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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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

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Safeguarding and welfare requirements

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