Appletree School

Inspection of Appletree School Natland, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 7QS

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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?

Pupils are very happy at Appletree School. They thrive in this welcoming and friendly environment. They have strong relationships with staff, and feel cared for and safe. Pupils know that staff will help them if they are upset or anxious. This helps to reassure them and eases their worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They treat each other and adults with high levels of respect. Pupils warmly support the well-being of one another. They treat each other with great empathy and kindness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. This is reflected in pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and high aspirations. Pupils, most of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and an education, health and care (EHC) plan, achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a positive contribution to the life of the school and to the wider community. For example, the school council has been proactive in developing the outdoor area with a multi-use games area and playground markings. Pupils are immersed in the community. For example, they participate in the village lantern festival and county shows. They have close links to the village church, schools and with the local Member of Parliament. Pupils enjoy visiting nearby farms, zoos and nature reserves.

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better?

The school has designed a broad and rich curriculum. It has identified the important knowledge for pupils to learn. Its curriculum plans and schemes of work order pupils’ learning logically over time.

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better?

Staff have a deep understanding of the challenges that pupils have previously encountered. The additional needs of pupils with SEND are identified early. Staff are skilled at adapting their delivery of the curriculum to meet the individual needs of pupils. This means that pupils get the help and support that they need to learn the curriculum well.

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better?

Teachers have the expertise that they need to help pupils to build knowledge securely over time. They check what pupils know and can remember and use this information to shape future learning.

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better?

However, in a small number of subjects, the school has not provided sufficient subject-specific support for staff to help them to implement the curriculum as intended. This means that, in a very few subjects, some pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge they need to be fully prepared for new learning.

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better?

The school has fostered a love of reading among pupils. It has ensured that books are of a high quality and match pupils’ interests. Pupils read a wide range of books 10 to 12 July 2024 and poems with great enthusiasm, both in and out of school. The school has established an effective phonics programme. However, the programme is not taught as intended. This means that some pupils do not gain the phonics knowledge and skills they need quickly enough to become confident, fluent readers.

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better?

Pupils benefit greatly from the highly effective support that staff provide. This helps pupils to learn how to manage their emotions and behaviour successfully over time. Pupils take great pride in their achievements and are committed to their learning.

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better?

Pupils have high attendance. The school has a clear understanding of the causes of some pupils’ previously high levels of absence. Actions to improve the attendance of pupils have brought about significant and sustained improvement in how well pupils attend.

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better?

The school has designed an exceptional personal development programme. It includes a comprehensive personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and relationships curriculum. It fully reflects the school’s ethos and values and pays particular regard to the protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010. Pupils demonstrate high levels of respect for people who have beliefs and views that are different to their own. For example, they especially enjoyed a visit to a Buddhist temple. They have also developed close links with a school in Zambia.

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better?

Pupils benefit significantly from a wide and plentiful set of experiences beyond the academic curriculum. For example, they participate in a range of physical activities including long-distance running events, wheelchair basketball, horse-riding and outdoor activities at the outdoor classroom. Additionally, pupils enjoy cooking, learning how to play a musical instrument, singing and completing an arts award. These rich experiences help pupils to develop much confidence and resilience.

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better?

The proprietor and the school have ensured that the education which the school provides has a positive impact on pupils, including those with SEND. The school has a good understanding and knowledge of the independent school standards (‘the standards’) and has ensured that these are consistently met. The school has also ensured compliance with schedule 10 of the Equality Act.

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better?

Governors provide effective support and challenge. They hold the school to account for the quality of education that it provides. The school has taken effective steps to reduce staff’s workload. For example, staff are given time to focus on their teaching. The school engages positively with parents and carers to further support pupils’ education.

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better?

The school meets the health and safety and premises requirements. The building is maintained to a high standard and classrooms and other spaces are bright, clean and well resourced. There is an extensive, safe and well-equipped outdoor area that pupils can spend time in at breaktimes and where they can participate in physical education and activities. 10 to 12 July 2024 Policies, including an effective safeguarding policy that meets the current government requirements, are made available to parents on request.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a small number of subjects, including reading, the school has not ensured that the curriculum is taught as intended. This means that some pupils do not learn all that they should to be sufficiently prepared for their next stage of education. The school should ensure that staff have the subject-specific knowledge and support that they need to implement the intended curriculum consistently well.

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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. 10 to 12 July 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 130367 DfE registration number 943/6048

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School details

Inspection number 10322491 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Appletree Treatment Centre Ltd

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School details

Chair Amanda Turnbull (known as Amanda Irwin) Principal Rowan Knapton

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School details

Website www.appletreetreatmentcentre.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 to 5 December 2019 10 to 12 July 2024

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Information about this school

 The school is located at Natland, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 7QS.  The proprietor is Appletree Treatment Centre Ltd. The school is registered to admit up to 18 pupils.  All pupils who attend the school reside in two of the children’s homes that are managed by the same proprietor.  The school caters for pupils who have emotional, social, behavioural and mental health needs. Most of those on roll have an EHC plan.  The previous standard inspection took place from 3 to 5 December 2019.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 education 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.  The lead inspector spoke with the proprietor and a governor. Inspectors also spoke with the principal, assistant headteacher and other school leaders and staff.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including those relating to the standards and the curriculum.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: 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 puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-

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Information about this inspection

text comments. They also considered the responses from the Ofsted surveys for staff and for pupils.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtime, in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and PSHE education. They met leaders and teachers and visited a sample of lessons. 10 to 12 July 2024 Inspectors spoke with pupils about their learning in these subjects. They also considered the curriculum across some other subject areas and looked at examples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector made a tour of the school premises to check the suitability of the premises and accommodation against the relevant standards.

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Inspection team

Sally Timmons, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cleo Cunningham Ofsted Inspector 10 to 12 July 2024 regulates and inspects 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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