Olsen House School

Inspection of Olsen House School 85-87 Liverpool Road, Crosby, Liverpool, Merseyside L23 5TD

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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 Outstanding Personal development Outstanding 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?

Olsen House provides a calm and nurturing, yet stimulating and ambitious environment for its pupils. They receive a warm welcome from staff when they arrive every day. Staff are skilled at creating effective relationships with them. Staff spend time getting to know them well and that they understand their specific needs. Pupils behave exceptionally well. Despite at times finding controlling their emotions a challenge, pupils are supported expertly to manage these very effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement and personal development. Many pupils have joined the school after being out of education for prolonged periods of time. The school prioritises ensuring that pupils not only catch up on lost learning, but also on preparing pupils for the next stage in their education, training or employment. In many aspects, the school are successful in achieving these aims.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a wealth of opportunities which incrementally build up their confidence and self-belief. This allows pupils to tackle experiences which they previously thought were beyond them. For example, pupils thrived on the recent Duke of Edinburgh experience, developing many important life skills.

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better?

The school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) programme is powerful. It has a phenomenal impact on pupils’ personal development. Pupils benefit from a pioneering curriculum which advances their strength of character, empathy and respect. The school uses the expertise of pastoral and mentoring teams to successfully orchestrate this learning. Daily enrichment opportunities broaden pupils’ experiences and develop their interests and talents in unique and special ways. Pupils value these experiences immensely.

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better?

The school places importance on ensuring that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in many different situations. They also ensure that pupils understand and can recognise positive relationships. For example, local police come into school to teach pupils about how to avoid becoming involved in gangs. Pupils’ understanding of everyday dangers is considerable.

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better?

All pupils receive age-appropriate careers education. Older pupils receive effective, impartial advice from a careers advisor. This aids them to form a viewpoint about their next steps when they leave the school. Staff support pupils in finding the correct college or employment placement for them.

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better?

The school is highly determined for its pupils. The curriculum is aspirational. All subjects lead to a recognised qualification, including GCSEs or vocational qualifications. Subject curriculums are well thought out and organised. They are well ordered from Year 4 to the end of Year 11. Pupils take pride in their work. Typically, pupils can recall what they have learned in different subjects. Pupils’ achievement is strong from their starting points. 30 April to 2 May 2024 The school gathers a wealth of information when pupils join the school, using their carefully crafted assessment strategies. This gives staff a firm understanding of what pupils know and understand. It also highlights where pupils have gaps in their understanding. Teachers use this information well when they implement the intended curriculum.

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better?

The school prioritises reading. All pupils understand the importance of reading. The school is successful in changing pupils’ previously negative views around reading. Every day, pupils receive a focussed reading activity. Where some pupils are still at the earliest stages of reading, they access a carefully planned phonics programme. Staff are adept at delivering the reading curriculum. Overall, staff model sounds to pupils correctly. Pupils read with increasingly fluency. Their understanding of texts also improves over time.

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better?

The school is beginning to turn more attention to pupils’ written communication. Typically, pupils write accurately with correct grammar and letter formation. From time to time, pupils who are at the earliest stages of writing do not have enough opportunities to review and edit their work. This results in, on occasion, them falling into a pattern where their letter formation is not as accurate as it should be. Some grammatical errors persist. This sometimes affects the quality of pupils’ writing.

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better?

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They are respectful when speaking about their experiences in school. Pupils value their education. They understand the importance of coming to school. For most pupils, their attendance is high. Where this is not the case, the school takes effective action to improve this over time.

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better?

The proprietor body ensures that the independent school standards are met consistently. The school’s policies are fit for purpose. For example, there is secure oversight of different aspects, including health and safety, premises and ensuring that only staff who are suitable work at the school.

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better?

The proprietor body’s decision making is guided by pupils’ views, while being mindful of staff’s workload and well-being. Staff feel supported by the school. Recent changes to the way that the after-school meeting is conducted have had a positive impact on their workload. They receive important, relevant information about pupils which informs their teaching while not spending too long in additional meetings. The school has ensured that it complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

The school works effectively with parents and carers. Parents are supportive of the school. Regular communication between home and school is a successful part of this productive relationship. Parents are kept well informed of their child’s progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 30 April to 2 May 2024

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school does not give pupils who are at the earliest stages of writing enough opportunities to review their written work. This means that they develop weaker writing habits than other pupils. Their letter formation and use of grammar is not as consistent as it should be. The school should ensure that these pupils have enough opportunities to review their written work to improve their overall written communication.

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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 136088 DfE registration number 343/6134

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School details

Inspection number 10322496 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Email address olsenhouse@kedlestongroup.com

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 to 5 March 2020 30 April to 2 May 2024

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Information about this school

 The school is located at 85-87 Liverpool Road, Crosby, Liverpool L23 5TD.  A new headteacher, deputy headteacher and several staff have been appointed since the previous inspection.  All pupils who attend the school have an education, health and care plan. The school caters for pupils who have social, emotional and mental health needs. Some pupils have a diagnosis of autism.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school is registered to admit up to 55 pupils.

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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 provision.  This was the first 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the director of education and the chair of the proprietor body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English (including early reading), mathematics and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to a few pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at lunchtimes and as pupils moved around the school building. They scrutinised leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at the school. They spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of the school, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and honest culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 30 April to 2 May 2024  Inspectors examined school policies and other documents to check the school’s compliance with the standards and other requirements. These included: minutes from the management body; information on pupils’ progress; the school’s evaluation of its own performance and its development plan. Behaviour and attendance records were also scrutinised.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There

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Information about this inspection

were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  As part of their checks on the standards, inspectors toured the school premises, accompanied by the headteacher

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Inspection team

Stuart Perkins, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted 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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