Lexden Springs

Inspection report for residential special school - Lexden Springs 1 Lexden Springs Winstree Road, Colchester, Essex CO3 0PZ Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

Lexden Springs is a community special school. It is a day and residential special school that caters for pupils with special educational needs, severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties and autism.

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Information about this residential special school

There are 278 pupils on roll. The number of residential pupils is currently 17. Residential pupils can board between Monday and Friday, for up to four nights. The residential provision can accommodate up to 30 children in six purpose-built houses situated in the school grounds.

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Information about this residential special school

The residential provision opened in October 2020. The head of care was appointed in September 2019 and has the relevant qualifications and experience to run the provision.

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Information about this residential special school

The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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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: 21 November 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate Inspection report for residential special school - Lexden Springs 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, six children were staying at the residential setting, over two nights. The inspector spent time with all six children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed positive relationships with staff. There is warmth in the exchanges between the staff and children. This gives children a sense of stability, which supports their emotional development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and professionals are extremely positive about the head of care and the residential staff. Communication between the school staff and children’s families is excellent. Parents said that their children have made progress with their communication and independence skills because of their time spent at the residential setting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s overnight stays provide opportunities for friendships and shared interests to grow. Children act as positive role models for each other. This helps children to develop their sense of self-esteem and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children experience well-organised introductions to the residential provision at a pace that is right for each child. Parents and other family members are encouraged to visit the provision. The children come to meet the staff, familiarise themselves with the houses and stay for tea. Consequently, children have settled well in their new surroundings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a wealth of age-appropriate play and sensory equipment. Books and toys encourage the children to play, interact with each other and use their imaginations. Children enjoy going to a weekly community youth club. The number of community-based activities on offer has increased. However, considering the numbers of staff available, the children’s opportunity to experience activities in the local community remains limited.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s guide is presented in an accessible format. However, this is not child- friendly and contains words and information that are overwhelming for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The houses are well maintained, and communal areas are suitably furnished. The bedrooms are institutional in their appearance and are not spaces that reflect children's interests and stages of development.

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

Safeguarding practice is strong. Changes in senior leadership and the designated safeguarding team have led to improvements in safeguarding practice. Collaborative Inspection report for residential special school - Lexden Springs 3 working with the interim executive board and members of the Essex Education Safeguarding and Wellbeing Directorate has provided further support and guidance for the interim headteacher and designated safeguarding lead. In addition, comprehensive safeguarding training has ensured that safeguarding practices are embedded throughout the school. Staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and follow procedures for responding to concerns about the safety of children. Concerns are reported effectively and followed up with appropriate agencies to ensure that children are protected from harm.

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

The children are supported by staff who know them well and use the strength of their relationships to gently help the children to reduce negative coping strategies. Incidents are managed and recorded well. Staff ensure that they provide calm and consistent responses to children, offering support and reassurance when children are distressed. This approach minimises harm to children and the others around them.

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

Staff provide high levels of supervision to ensure that children are safe and their needs are met. Staff guide and respond effectively to behaviours that challenge. Staff are skilled at de-escalation and use the strength of their relationships with the children to encourage preferred behaviours. Consequently, restrictive physical intervention is rarely used.

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

In addition to the children’s residential plans, good-quality risk assessments support the staff to work consistently with the children. They refer to appropriate control measures to reduce risk.

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

Monitoring and routine checks ensure that the physical environment is looked after to an acceptable standard. However, internal fire-resistant doors were wedged open to allow for the free flow of air and easy access to rooms. This reduces the effectiveness of the fire-prevention equipment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership and management of staff practice and the development of residential and care provision have improved. Significant changes to the senior leadership group have provided support for the head of care and the residential team. Communication has improved between senior leaders and the head of care, as well as between the residential provision and the wider school.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders know the strengths and areas for development of the school and the residential provision. A regularly reviewed statement of action identifies the response to the previous inadequate judgement and the areas for improvement. The head of care has made and sustained improvements to the quality of care. The previously unmet national minimum standard has been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring by the board is effective. The residential setting is a regular agenda item at the board meetings. In addition, members from the board regularly visit the Inspection report for residential special school - Lexden Springs 4 residential provision, sometimes unannounced. This ensures that the children’s experiences and the quality of provision are systematically kept under review.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is consistent, experienced and resilient. The staff provide stability and good-quality care to the children. Training and induction activities are good. Rigorous recruitment processes minimise the potential for unsuitable adults to be working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive termly supervision sessions which provide them with the support and advice required for their role. Annual performance management reviews are also completed. Performance reviews do not consistently review staff’s performance against their roles or provide the staff with development points.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular staff meetings to discuss children, practice issues and safeguarding. The meetings are recorded; however, the records are brief and fail to fully capture the details and outcomes. Therefore, staff who have not been able to attend the meeting are not kept fully informed or up to date with changes to approaches for children. Inspection report for residential special school - Lexden Springs 5

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special schools

The school does not meet the following national minimum standards for residential special schools:

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special schools

 The school premises, accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of children are ensured and they are provided a safe environment in which they can live and learn. (Residential special schools: national minimum standards 14.2)  All staff have access to relevant support and advice for their role. They also have at least termly supervision and a formal annual appraisal of their performance. (Residential special schools: national minimum standards 26.6)

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Points for improvement

 School leaders should ensure that children have regular access to community- based activities.  School leaders should ensure that soft furnishings and decor of the residential provision reflect children’s interests and are appropriate to the children’s age and stage of development.  School leaders should ensure that team meeting records provide an accurate record of the discussions and action points discussed in the meeting.  School leaders should ensure that the children’s guide is provided in a child- friendly format for each child.

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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 - Lexden Springs 6

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: 2582228

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Jen Grotier

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential special school

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Residential special school details

Email address: Jgrotier@lexdensprings.essex.sch.uk

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Inspectors

Rachel Watkinson, Social Care Inspector Mandy Start, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential special school - Lexden Springs 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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