St Albans Independent College

Inspection of St Albans Independent College 69 London Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 1LN

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy to attend this school. Many describe the hugely beneficial impact the school has for their achievement and well-being. Pupils really enjoy the excellent relationships they have with their teachers and their peers. They like the fact that the very small class sizes allow them to receive a high level of individual support.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can study different combinations of subjects over different time periods. For example, if appropriate, they can complete an A-Level qualification in one year. Pupils like that there are lots of subjects that they can choose to study. This bespoke approach benefits the pupils. Pupils’ education is very tailored to their needs.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The culture of the school is one of kindness and understanding. Pupils consistently behave well. They listen respectfully to each other’s views. They engage with alternative viewpoints and are interested in what others have to say. Pupils benefit from the fact that their teachers give them the knowledge and skills to engage in interesting and relevant discussions. This helps to ensure that they are well prepared for their next stage of education or training.

p.2

better?

The curriculum is coherent and ambitious. Since the previous inspection, the school has made improvements to their curriculum planning. In the main, plans are clear and well structured. Although there is inconsistency in the level of detail in some subject plans, teachers have a good understanding of what to teach and when.

p.2

better?

Teachers consistently demonstrate high levels of subject knowledge. They have a good understanding of the requirements of the examination boards. They know how to plan lessons with appropriate resources to best support pupils to achieve well. This includes the high number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In the main, teachers use appropriate strategies to support pupils with SEND to do well. They check how well pupils are doing via formal tests, live marking and skilful questioning. Teachers effectively adapt their teaching if there are gaps in pupils’ understanding, or to further deepen pupils’ knowledge. This supports the majority of pupils to do well.

p.2

better?

The school has recently introduced subject leaders to support senior leaders in developing consistency in the teaching of the curriculum. In many areas this is effective. However, the school has not given staff sufficient training to fulfil their new role effectively. This means that some of the best practice is not shared across the school.

p.2

better?

Pupils are attentive in lessons. They appreciate the calmness and friendliness of the school. They get along well and support each other to achieve. Pupils want to learn. There is no disruption to lessons. Teachers skilfully help pupils when they struggle to maintain good levels of attention. They adapt their lesson activities to help pupils 5 to 7 March 2024 regain their concentration. This means that pupils maintain good levels of focus on their learning.

p.2

better?

Many pupils attend school regularly. However, the school has not fully acted on recommendations from the previous inspection regarding improving pupils’ attendance. Although they are accurately logging if pupils are absent, the school’s systems are not sufficiently robust in order to support some of the more vulnerable pupils to attend well. Subsequently, some pupils do not attend school as frequently as they should.

p.3

better?

The school ensures that there is a range of opportunities for pupils to explore their wider interests. They take part in clubs, such as crochet. Pupils engage in raising money for local and national charities. They receive appropriate, independent careers advice. Pupils speak confidently about different opportunities open to them, such as gap years, university and apprenticeships. They also learn important information about taxes and how to budget. Pupils learn about different beliefs and values. They demonstrate a high level of respect for each other’s views.

p.3

better?

The headteacher is also the proprietor. Since the previous inspection, leaders have a clearer understanding of what the independent school standards are and how to meet them. The school is compliant with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Leaders engage with external support. This brings important opportunities for scrutiny and challenge to their work.

p.3

better?

Parents and pupils are highly complimentary about the school. Many pupils have struggled in other educational settings and now achieve well. They value the nurturing environment and how inclusive the school is. Many pupils report how well staff respond to them as individuals. One parent echoed the words of many when they described the school as ‘turning their child’s life around’.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school’s systems for monitoring and improving pupils’ attendance need to be further refined. Leaders must raise their expectations of what all pupils’ attendance should be, particularly vulnerable pupils. If pupils’ attendance falls below these high expectations, the school must ensure that they act swiftly to support all pupils to attend well.  In some areas, leaders are not sufficiently knowledgeable in order to identify where improvements are needed. Some leaders have not been supported well enough to know how to monitor their areas and intervene if standards are not high enough. Although this has not impacted the quality of education that pupils 5 to 7 March 2024 receive, the school needs to establish a robust system for staff training to allow all leaders to fulfil their role well.

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 5 to 7 March 2024

p.4

School details

Unique reference number 134087 DfE registration number 919/6243

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10286406 Type of school Other independent school

p.5

School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

p.5

form

Annual fees (day pupils) From £19,500 to £41,475

p.5

form

Email address office@stalbanscollege.co.uk

p.5

form

Dates of previous inspection 15 to 17 March 2022 5 to 7 March 2024

p.5

Information about this school

 The college has two sites, at 69 London Road, St Albans AL1 1LN, and at 19 Victoria Street, St Albans AL1 3JJ.  The college provides GCSE and A-level courses.  In key stage 5, A-Level courses are provided as two-year, one-year, AS, A2 and retake courses.  In key stage 4, most pupils study GCSE courses full time over two years.  Pupils learn in small classes of between one and seven pupils.  More than half of the pupils in the college are pupils with SEND and approximately 25% have an education, health and care plan. Pupils’ needs mainly relate to autism and social and emotional development.  The governance of the college rests with the proprietor, who is one of the two principals of the college.  The college does not use alternative provision.  The last standard inspection took place in March 2022. At this time, the school was judged as inadequate. There were unmet standards, and the school was

p.6

Information about this school

served with a notice by the Department for Education (DFE), which required an action plan to be drawn up. The action plan was assessed in October 2022 and was found to be unacceptable. A further action plan was assessed in May 2023 and was found to be acceptable with modifications. A progress monitoring inspection took place in January 2023, when the school did not meet all the independent school standards that were checked at that time. A further progress monitoring inspection took place in September 2023, when the school met the independent school standards that were checked at that time.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

Information about this inspection

 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, classics and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, the inspectors held 5 to 7 March 2024 discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 lead inspector scrutinised documentation relating to school improvement and

p.6

Information about this inspection

quality assurance.  Inspectors reviewed attendance and behaviour records and observed pupils’ behaviour around the school site.  An inspector scrutinised documentation and met with leaders to discuss the school’s approach to pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator and reviewed documentation relating to pupils with SEND.  Inspectors toured the premises to review the suitability of accommodation. They also scrutinised healthy and safety documentation, including maintenance checks.  The lead inspector considered responses to the online parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. She also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

p.7

Inspection team

Bessie Owen, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Sue Pryor Ofsted Inspector 5 to 7 March 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.

p.7

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8