This Is My Education - TIME

School progress monitoring inspection report

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This Is My Education - TIME Logic House, Central Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1UD

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2), 2(2)(g), 2(2)(h)  At the previous progress monitoring inspection in November 2023, leaders had begun to make improvements to the curriculum in English and mathematics. These improvements were supporting pupils to make progress in these subjects and to access qualifications in key stage 4. However, the school’s work to develop plans and schemes of work in other subjects was found to be at a much earlier stage. Inspectors found that students in the sixth form received a curriculum that was narrow. Moreover, this sixth-form curriculum did not include appropriate routes to the qualifications that would enable students to fulfil their aims.  In its subsequent action plan, the school proposed a range of actions to address the unmet standard. For instance, it proposed to review the curriculum for those subjects that were not sufficiently planned and sequenced. The school also proposed to provide

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Main inspection findings

staff with training to improve their understanding of its approach to reading. The standard was likely to be met if the proposed actions were implemented.  At this progress monitoring inspection, the school has made some progress. It has thought out the design of the curriculums in some other subjects. However, the school’s plans and schemes of work for human and social education remain under-developed. There continues to be a lack of clarity about the knowledge that pupils should learn in these subjects, including for students in the sixth form. Also, there is no curriculum or scheme of work in place for physical education for pupils in any key stage.  The school has made some progress in broadening the curriculum for sixth-form students. For example, students are now able to pursue courses in travel and tourism and in animal care. However, these developments are at too early a stage of implementation to evaluate their impact for students.

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Main inspection findings

 The previously unmet requirements in this independent school standard (‘the standards’) remain unmet. Paragraph 3, 3(a)-(g)  At the progress monitoring inspection in November 2023, leaders had begun work to improve staff’s pedagogical understanding and their use of assessment practices. However, this was at a very early stage.  In its action plan, evaluated in February 2024, the school proposed actions to provide training and resources to support staff to deliver the curriculum effectively. It was also intended that a range of quality assurance activities would take place to check the impact of the school’s proposed actions. The standard was likely to be met if the proposed actions were implemented.  At this progress monitoring inspection, the school has made limited progress with the implementation of some of its proposed actions. For example, staff have received training to help them to improve their teaching in some subjects. In these subjects, this

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Main inspection findings

is helping staff to provide lessons that better support pupils’ learning. However, in other subjects, very little training has been provided. Furthermore, the curriculum provides too little information for staff about the knowledge that pupils need to learn in these subjects and by when. This hampers staff’s ability to design lessons that build pupils’ knowledge incrementally in these subjects, or to assess the progress that pupils are making over time.  The previously unmet requirements in this standard remain unmet.  The school does not meet all the previously unmet requirements and standards in this part. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 32(1), 32(1)(c)  The school’s arrangements to keep pupils safe and to promote their welfare follow current statutory guidance.  The proprietor has ensured that there is suitable safeguarding policy. This policy is

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Main inspection findings

published on the school’s website.  The proprietor carries out appropriate checks on the suitability of any staff newly appointed to the school.  All staff receive an appropriate induction programme, regular safeguarding training and frequent updates on areas, such as radicalisation and extremism. Those staff with responsibilities for leading safeguarding have been trained to the required level.  The school has put appropriate measures in place to ensure that pupils are safe when they work online.  The requirements and standard checked in these parts continue to be met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  At the progress monitoring inspection in November 2023, leaders had implemented some of their planned actions in relation to pupils’ welfare, health and safety. However, weaknesses in the school’s curriculum and teaching remained. For example, plans and

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Main inspection findings

schemes of work in some subjects were under-developed. Staff lacked the knowledge that they needed to assess pupils’ progress effectively. Moreover, leaders’ plans to develop systems to monitor the school’s compliance with the standards were under- developed.  In its action plan, evaluated in February 2024, the school proposed a range of actions that were likely to result in the standards being met if implemented. These included the provision of training to help leaders to check the school’s compliance with the standards. The school also proposed to implement an appraisal system to hold staff to account for their work.  The school’s actions have continued to lack the urgency and thoroughness needed to resolve the weaknesses in the quality of education identified at the standard inspection. In addition, the intended training to improve leaders’ work to check the school’s compliance with the standards has not begun.

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Main inspection findings

 The previously unmet requirements in this standard remain unmet.  The school does not meet all the previously unmet requirements and the standard in this part.

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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

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Email address jillianfairclough@thisismyeducation.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 28 February to 2 March 2023

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Information about this school

 The previous standard inspection took place on 28 February to 2 March 2023. The school received a progress monitoring inspection in November 2023.  The school operates from premises at Logic House, 138 Central Street, St Helens WA10 1UD.  Leaders use one unregistered alternative provider. The proprietor of this school is one of two directors for this alternative provider.  The school caters for up to 40 pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Most pupils who attend the school have an education, health and care plan. The majority of these pupils have social, emotional and/or mental health needs.  There were very few students in the sixth form at the time of the inspection.

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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. The Department for Education (DfE) also requested that the inspector consider the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding arrangements.  Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This inspection was conducted without notice. It was the school’s second progress monitoring inspection since the standard inspection on 28 February to 2 March 2023, when it was judged not to have met the standards. The school’s first progress monitoring inspection took place in November 2023.  The DfE required the school to prepare a statutory action plan. Ofsted evaluated this

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Information about this inspection

plan on 16 February 2024. The DfE accepted the action plan on 15 April 2024. This was the second action plan that the school was asked to prepare.  This inspection was carried out without notice.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, the proprietor, senior leaders and staff. The inspector spoke on the telephone to a member of the school’s governing body.  The inspector reviewed schemes of work and pupils’ work. She also visited some lessons.  The inspector spoke with a number of pupils about their learning and their wider experiences of school.  The inspector examined documents, including the safeguarding policy, curriculum documents and documents relating to leadership and management.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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

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Inspection team

Mavis Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s 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 un-met at this inspection

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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)(g) where the school has pupils above compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their needs; – 2(2)(h) that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress.  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; – 3(b) fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves; – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; – 3(f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress.

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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; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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