Grateley House School

Inspection report for residential special school - Grateley House School 1 Grateley House School Grateley House School, Pond Lane, Grateley, Andover, Hampshire SP11 8TA Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

Grateley House School is an independent residential special school for students who have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Many students have other associated difficulties. Each student has an education, health and care plan, and is usually placed at the school by their local authority. At the time of the inspection, there were 36 students on roll and four residential students. Residential students are accommodated in two houses on the school site.

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Information about this residential special school

The education provision was not inspected at this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The residential special school provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of previous inspection: 11 July 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for residential special school - Grateley House School 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection in July 2023, two students have moved on from the school in a planned way and one student has moved in. Before this student moved in, the head of care completed an assessment of the student’s needs to clearly identify their strengths and areas that require staff support. Staff spoke to the other students living in the home to gain their views, which were considered in conjunction with the assessment. The head of care formulated staff strategies to help students to form positive relationships. He assessed staff skills and experience. However, one specific identified need for the student was missed as a training need for staff. The head of care was receptive to this and acknowledged that staff training should be refreshed as part of their continued professional development and in ensuring that they are fully equipped in meeting all students’ identified needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support students well to move on from this school. They listen to students and advocate their views and wishes in important meetings. Staff sensitively prepare and support students to visit colleges and explore academic courses, pathways, and vocations. Students say that they value this support. One student has stayed in touch with staff since leaving the school and two students said they would stay at the school if they could. This is testimony to the relationships that staff build with students, which they value.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Students’ opinions are captured and acted on well, which is a real strength to the school.. They actively take part in regular discussions with staff and value the advice and support they receive. Staff encourage students to pursue their likes, interests, and hobbies. For example, they attend youth clubs, cadets and football clubs, and go swimming, shopping, and to the gym. One child is being supported by the head of care to complete the Welsh three peaks challenge. These enriching opportunities help students to broaden their experiences and develop their social and emotional resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The school promotes effective multi-disciplinary working with students and their families, all staff, and wider connected networks. This means that students receive collaborative and personalised support. This, combined with the support of staff who actively encourage students to self-advocate, means that they are in charge of their daily lives and future plans. One student who is wanting to stay on at the school said, ‘I have a list of reasons why.’ This is significant progress for the student who, up until recently, has preferred not to personally share their views with external professionals in meetings about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection, the head of care has improved and streamlined how the students’ social and educational targets are monitored. This is helping them to review the quality of care provided to residential students and is identifying clear progress, outcomes and, where needed, targeted individual support for students. For one student, this approach has helped them to achieve greatly in science by combining Inspection report for residential special school - Grateley House School 3 their flower and vegetable garden project in the residential home, which supports them with their learning in school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Students understand their goals, targets and the steps needed to help them achieve these. The strong and improved multi-agency approach across the school means that these objectives for students are tracked, monitored and, at times, adjusted to suit the pace and needs of students. One student has successfully gained skills in preparing and cooking their breakfast independently each morning. This is helping students to gain independence skills and achieve their personal aspirations.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are quick at identifying potential safeguarding concerns for students. Students share their concerns with staff and trust them to keep them safe. Staff knowledge of the child protection policy and practice is good, and they appropriately share concerns with the school’s designated safeguarding lead. This promotes a good culture of safeguarding practice.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Students say that they feel safe, and fondly speak of their relationships with key workers and other familiar staff. Students can confidently explain how to respond in the event of a fire and how to raise concerns and complaints with staff. This means that students are familiar with structures and systems within the school that promote their safety and welfare.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Key workers regularly review and update students’ risk assessments to highlight presenting and emerging risks. There are clear staff strategies in place to promote students’ positive behaviours and the measures needed to help students to stay safe and feel supported by staff. Where needed, a multi-disciplinary approach is taken to implement additional risk management plans and request external support and services for students. This collaborative approach helps to ensure that students’ needs are appropriately reviewed and assessed by the school and the students’ wider professional network.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff encourage and promote students’ independence, such as being able to safely manage their own medicines where possible. One student proudly spoke of the steps they had taken to understand and learn safe medication practices. Their key worker has devised a risk assessment to support this practice and process; however, not all associated risks have been considered. This is a missed opportunity to demonstrate how risks are safely assessed and overseen by senior leadership.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The school’s single central register includes all the pre-employment checks, including details of Disclosure and Barring Service checks for employed staff. This is meticulously kept up to date and there are integrated systems and practices in place that demonstrate effective monitoring and leadership oversight of this. However, the students’ independent visitor and advocate are not included on this register. Although the school hold some information on these visitors, they cannot fully assure themselves that all necessary checks by the external agency are correct. School Inspection report for residential special school - Grateley House School 4 leaders were quick to act on this during the inspection and took decisive action in contacting the relevant agency and individuals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The head of care is passionate about the students in the school and knows them individually very well. He actively spends time with students, and they value and recognise his commitment to them. His ambitious development plan clearly sets out his high expectations and standards for students and staff. This is having good and positive outcomes for students. For example, they have wider connections and activities in the local community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a clear thread of monitoring across the school that demonstrates effective oversight of the residential provision. The independent visitor spends quality time with students and understands the needs of the service extremely well. Her reports are reflective and utilised well by school leaders in helping to inform change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The long-standing staff in the school are experienced, and most are qualified in residential childcare. The application of key workers regularly reviewing the students’ progress in accordance with their care plans is good. This means that all areas of the students’ lives are captured and reported on, which contributes to there being a well- informed staff team and professional network.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The school’s assistant psychologist has recently completed cognitive assessments for two residential students. This is helping staff to build a broader picture of the students’ individual abilities over a range of skills. The creation of a one-page profile, underpinned by these assessments, means that staff receive quick and effective tools, resources, and strategies to help students to improve on certain skills, such as the working memory. The plan is for all residential students to have these assessments and one-page profiles by September 2024.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive reflective and targeted supervisions. Staff’s set goals filter into regular discussions with line managers and staff can contribute to their professional and personal targets. This means that staff feel invested in and can achieve ambitious and person-centred goals while contributing to the development of the school.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The school’s safeguarding policy is detailed and includes all the necessary legislation, guidance, and relevant signposting for staff. However, the school’s policy on the monitoring and filtering of the students’ electronic devices does not focus on or reflect the uniqueness of residential boarding for students. This is a missed opportunity to effectively demonstrate how students’ internet-enabled devices are managed and monitored by staff outside of the students’ school day.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All recommendations from the last inspection have been met. Inspection report for residential special school - Grateley House School 5

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Recommendations

 School leaders should ensure that the school’s monitoring and filtering policy includes the uniqueness of residential boarding for students.  School leaders should ensure that staff receive training to meet students’ specific and identified needs.  School leaders should ensure that the students’ independent visitor and advocate are added to the school’s single centre register.  School leaders should ensure that all risks are considered for students who are assessed by staff as competent to self-administer medicines.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential special school - Grateley House School 6

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC012450

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Eva Pereira

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential Special School

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Residential special school details

Email address: eva.pereira@cambiangroup.com

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Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential special school - Grateley House School 7 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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