Wize Up

Inspection of Wize Up 579 Westhorne Avenue, Eltham, London, SE9 6DN

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Inspection dates: 30 April to 2 May 2024

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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 Good

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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?

Pupils describe the school as being like a family. Staff build positive working relationships with pupils quickly when they join the school. They know each pupil very well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils all study a broad curriculum and receive a wide variety of personal development opportunities. These including therapy and mentoring sessions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally behave well. Staff address any disruptions swiftly and in a positive manner. This ensures that pupils continue with their learning in lessons smoothly. Pupils are very positive about the support they receive. Staff treat each pupil as an individual and as a result pupils are safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

During their time at the school, many pupils need additional support with their social and communication skills. Staff enable pupils to grow in confidence and learn important life skills. Some pupils return to mainstream education. The school supports other pupils to take a range of well-matched qualifications. Pupils in Year 11 are supported with an extremely comprehensive transition programme. This helps pupils to gain a place on an appropriate post-16 course.

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better?

Leaders offer every pupil an ambitious curriculum. All subjects have a curriculum that is designed to build knowledge progressively over time. Because many pupils enter the school at different points during the academic year, each pupil also has their own individual learning plan.

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better?

Pupils are assessed on their entry to the school and have specific targets assigned to them for each subject. In some subjects these targets are very specific and help to ensure that pupils successfully access the curriculum. However, in some areas these targets are more generic and not specific to pupils’ needs. This means that pupils do not develop deeper knowledge and skills in these subjects.

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better?

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and present information clearly. In some subjects, the work given to pupils helps them to gain a deep understanding of the curriculum. However, this is not routinely secure in all subjects. The school does not provide all staff with comprehensive subject-specific professional development. This limits the expertise of staff in some subjects to deliver the curricular aims effectively. For instance, on occasions systems to identify and address gaps in pupils’ understanding are not precise. This means that pupils do not have a firm understanding of subject content before moving on to new learning.

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better?

Leaders place a high priority on reading. They identify all pupils’ reading ability on their entry to the school. Support is then put in place if required to help with pupils’ 30 April to 2 May 2024 reading fluency and comprehension. The school provides additional booster classes for pupils if necessary. Leaders have also developed a number of strategies to help develop pupils’ interest and passion for reading.

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better?

Pupils generally have positive attitudes to their learning. Systems to manage behaviour are extremely effective. All staff fully understand and follow the behaviour policy. Pupils appreciate the consistency of how staff promote positive behaviour. Pupils’ attendance generally improves while at the school. Staff communicate effectively with parents and carers to support pupils to attend school regularly.

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better?

Pupils study a broad personal development programme. This includes learning about healthy relationships and staying safe online. Leaders have considered the needs of pupils carefully when designing this offer. Pupils benefit from a range of personalised interventions which support their development. These include individual counselling sessions and art and music therapy.

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better?

All pupils have access to a careers programme. This includes sessions on future options and preparation for interviews. Pupils in Year 11 all access independent careers advice. They benefit from outings and talks from external speakers about different post-16 opportunities.

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better?

Staff are well supported by leaders and have access to a helpful range of professional development opportunities around pastoral and behaviour management themes. They are also kept well informed about the needs of new pupils who join the school. Leaders have strong communication with parents. These relationships are crucial in ensuring that pupils attend school regularly and have a positive experience. Leaders have recruited a new management committee who are starting imminently. They aim to use this to provide support and extra accountability for leaders.

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better?

The proprietor ensures that the independent school standards are met in full. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Sometimes, the systems to identify and clarify pupils’ misunderstandings are not precise. This means that on occasion pupils are not ready to learn new content and concepts with confidence. The school should develop the expertise of all teachers so that they routinely identify and address any gaps in pupils’ understanding.  Systems and expectations of target setting for all pupils to aid planning and teaching are not consistent across all subjects. This means that in some subjects, 30 April to 2 May 2024 pupils do not deepen their knowledge and understanding. Leaders should provide all staff with comprehensive subject-specific professional development and training so that the curriculum is implemented consistently well.

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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. 30 April to 2 May 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 136092 DfE registration number 203/6040

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School details

Inspection number 10299212 Type of school Other Independent Special School

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14–16 January 2020 30 April to 2 May 2024

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Information about this school

 Wize Up is a small independent school. It provides alternative provision for pupils, including those who have been excluded from or are at risk of exclusion from mainstream schools. Placements at the school can be both short and long-term. Some pupils have been out of education for a long time before starting at the school. Some pupils are dual registered if they come from mainstream schools.  All pupils have social, emotional and mental health difficulties. A small number have education, health and care plans.  The school received a material change inspection in April 2021. Following this a second school site called ‘Ruby Site’ has now been opened.  The address for ‘Ruby Site’ is 124 – 126 Broad Walk, London, SE3 8ND.  The proprietor also takes on the responsibility for headteacher at the school.

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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

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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school 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 proprietor, members of the senior leadership team and a range of staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: personal, social, health and economic education, religious education, French and science. For each deep dive, inspectors spoke to subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, discussed with pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was also considered.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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Information about this inspection

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through responses to Ofsted’s online surveys. 30 April to 2 May 2024

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Inspection team

Simon Conway, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou His Majesty's Inspector 30 April to 2 May 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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