New Skill Centre

School material change inspection report

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New Skill Centre Wolsey House, 2-5 The Drift, Nacton Road, Ipswich IP3 9QR

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b)  The curriculum teaches pupils important content on how to keep themselves safe.  The school provides staff with regular safeguarding training. Staff understand how to spot the signs a pupil or student may be at risk of harm. Staff raise concerns promptly, using the school’s agreed procedures.  Designated safeguarding leads are well trained. This enables them to act swiftly when staff raise concerns. Where needed, the school engages with external agencies to support pupils and families. Paragraph 11  The school has appropriate health and safety policies in place. Staff are well trained and understand how to implement these policies effectively.  There are frequent checks on the premises. Where required, the school takes action to remedy any issues these checks identify. Paragraph 12  There are appropriate fire risk assessments in place for each building on the site. The

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Main inspection findings

school has addressed all matters arising from the risk assessment of the new building.  The school ensures they check, routinely, fire alarms, emergency lighting and fire extinguishers.  Regular fire drills are completed. There are clear systems in place for the safe evacuation of the site. Paragraph 14  Staff teach pupils and students in small class sizes. The proprietor understands the importance of keeping these small class sizes should the material change be approved. There are appropriate numbers of staff in each class to cater for the needs of pupils and students.  Staff understand the needs of pupils and students well. This helps them to provide effective support.  The proprietor understands the importance of carefully managing the increase in numbers. They do not plan to immediately grow to 90 pupils. Leaders intend to admit more students to post-16 than pupils to key stage 3 and key stage 4. The school has

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Main inspection findings

carefully planned the teaching timetable to accommodate the increase in numbers effectively. Paragraphs 16, 16(a), 16(b)  There are appropriate risk assessments in place. The site risk assessment clearly identifies possible risks and the actions that staff should take to mitigate these. Individual pupil risk assessments and safety plans comprehensively outline strategies to reduce potential incidents. Staff implement risk assessments successfully.  These independent school standards (the standards) in this part were met at the previous inspection and are likely to remain met if the material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 17, 18(1) to 18(3), 19(2) to 19(3), 20(6) to 20(6)(b)(iii), 21(1) to 21(8)  The school has clear procedures in place for the recruitment of staff.  School leaders have the required knowledge to complete the necessary pre- employment checks on new staff. Should the school require support, the central team from the proprietor body provides this.  The school accurately records information on the checks it has completed on the single central record.  The school does not currently use supply staff. Leaders understand the appropriate checks they would need to complete should they use them in the future.  These standards were met at the previous inspection and are likely to remain met if the material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 22, 23(1) to 23(2), 24(1) to 24(2), 25, 26, 27, 27(a), 27(b), 28(1) to 28(2)(b), 29(1) to 29(1)(b)  The school site is well maintained and suitable should the material change be granted.  The school has developed an existing building on the site to house specialist classrooms, including a design and technology workshop and digital media suite. This new building is fit for purpose as a learning space. The school has planned to complete the building this summer through the laying of carpet and furnishing with desks and chairs.  There is suitable access throughout the school to toilets and washing facilities.  Pupils have access to clearly labelled drinking-water throughout the day in various parts of the school.  There is a readily available medical room for pupils to use should they require it.  The school has additional medical accommodation to cater for pupils with complex

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Main inspection findings

needs should any be on the school roll.  Classrooms are well lit and conducive to learning. There is plenty of communal space for individual study and for use during social times. These spaces are also well lit and are inviting places for pupils and students to work and socialise.  There is enough outside space for pupils’ free time. The school has planned to enhance this further by removing a demountable building from the site and asphalting the area where this building has been housed.  The school uses the local community for the teaching of physical education. This includes local outside spaces and a leisure centre.  These standards were met at the previous inspection and are likely to remain met if the material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1)(c)  The school ensures that policies relating to safeguarding reflect relevant statutory guidance and are published on its website.  This requirement was met at the previous inspection and is likely to remain met if the material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1) to 34(1)(c)  The proprietor body and advisory board have the knowledge and experience to support and hold leaders to account for the quality of education on offer.  The proprietor has carefully managed the increase in size and age range over recent years. This has enabled the school to improve the curriculum on offer and to establish specialist teaching space.  The school intends to admit pupils and students gradually should the material change be approved. Leaders intend to admit more students to the sixth form than pupils to key stage 3 and key stage 4 as this is where they have most capacity and where they see the greatest need and demand.  This standard was met at the previous inspection and is likely to remain met if the material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  The proprietor ensures that the school meets schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is likely to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that are relevant to the material change.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the material change that the school has applied to make.

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Centre for Care T/A New Skill Centre

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £11,554 to £23,400

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 28 to 30 June 2022

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recommendation

Age range of pupils 11 to 19 11 to 19 11 to 19

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 42 90 90

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Mixed Mixed Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 42 90

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities 42 90

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan 42 90

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with an education, health and care plan 42 90

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff 15 24

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision 0 0

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Information about this school

 New Skill Centre is an independent special school registered to provide education for pupils with a wide range of special educational needs and/or disabilities. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school is owned by Centre for Care T/A New Skill Centre. There is an advisory board that provides support and challenge to school leaders.  All school placements are funded by Suffolk local authority.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The last standard inspection took place in June 2022. At this time, the school was judged to be good with all standards met. This inspection also considered a material change request to increase the age range and the overall number of pupils. The DfE subsequently approved the material change. The school now admits up to 60 pupils aged 11 to 19 years old.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was commissioned by the DfE in response to a request from the proprietor for a material change to be considered.  The school is currently registered for up to 60 pupils. The proprietor has requested that the DfE increase the school’s capacity to 90 pupils. This is the first time the proprietor has requested this change.  The inspector met with the chair of the proprietor body, chair of the advisory board, headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher. The inspector toured the school site with leaders, visited classrooms and spoke with some pupils as they were in lessons. A range of documents relating to safeguarding, behaviour, health and safety, checks on the new building, fire safety and school development were reviewed.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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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