Orange Tree School

School material change inspection report

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Ellern Mede School Limited Holcombe Hill, Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 4HX

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 16, 16(a) and 16(b)  The school is seeking to extend the age range of pupils to include those who are 19 years old. The submitted risk assessment for this extension does not make reference to the independent school standards in this part.  The risk assessment includes details relevant to this part, for example providing details of staff first-aid training, the storage of medication and care plans in place for children with medical conditions. The risk assessment also includes information about procedures for fire safety. These aspects of this part are unlikely to require review if 19-year-olds were to be admitted to the school.  The risk assessment provides details to indicate that staff have been trained in safeguarding and that there are leaders with responsibility for safeguarding. Relevant aspects of the work of the school are described, such as having software in place to

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Main inspection findings

prevent access to inappropriate websites and site security. The school has provision and routines in place to support and protect vulnerable pupils, including access to counselling and one-to-one support. However, the risk assessment does not make specific reference to any additional safeguarding considerations relevant to the admission of 19-year-olds to the school. For example, there is no detail provided about guidance the school will provide, through the curriculum and pastoral support, to ensure that 19-year-olds admitted to the school are fully aware of the school’s expectations regarding safeguarding. There is no reference to the school’s identification and mitigation of risks, for example regarding professional boundaries between 19-year-old students and younger pupils or staff. There is also no detail provided regarding staff training and guidance on the additional risks that the admission of 19-year-olds presents.

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Main inspection findings

 As relevant to the context of the school, there is reference in the risk assessment to all students having an individual risk assessment and strategies shared with staff. However, there is no indication of ways in which the risk assessments and strategies will be suitably drawn up, adapted and reviewed if 19-year-olds were admitted to the school.  The risk assessment states that all parents and students will, on admission, agree to follow the school’s code of conduct and behaviour expectations. The risk assessment notes that there is a high staff ratio in the school so that ‘awareness and support (is) in place at all times’, with staff on duty throughout the school, breaktimes and lunchtimes and in all lessons. The school requires any students over 18 years old to wear a lanyard to support staff in supervising any interaction with younger pupils. However, the risk assessment does not provide sufficient detail on additional

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Main inspection findings

considerations and expectations associated with the admission of 19-year-olds, including any appropriate revisions of the school’s risk assessment policy and behaviour policy and procedures.  These independent school standards are unlikely to be met if the proposed material change is implemented.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is unlikely 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, as set out in the annex of this report.

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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

Annual fees (day pupils) Ridgway Barnet £187 per day Orange Tree £36,000 to £69,000 Telephone number 0208 959 7774

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School details

Email address zoe.ramshaw@ellernmede.org

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 6 to 8 February 2024

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recommendation

Age range of pupils 8 to 18 8 to 19 8 to 18

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 51 unknown no change

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Mixed Not applicable Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 51 Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities 21 Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan 30 Not applicable

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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 Not applicable Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff Not applicable Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of part-time teaching staff Not applicable Not applicable

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision Not applicable Not applicable

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Information about this school

 Ellern Mede School Limited provides education for pupils admitted to the Ellern Mede Ridgeway Hospital for specialist treatment. This school is based at Ellern Mede Ridgeway Hospital, Holcombe Hill, London, NW7 4HX. On this site, the school provides education for pupils who are being treated as inpatients at Ellern Mede Hospital.  Ellern Mede School Limited has a second site called the Orange Tree School. This is located at Oakleigh Park North, London, N20 9AR. The Orange Tree School provides education for pupils with a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities, for example social, emotional and mental health needs. Nearly all pupils at this location have an education, health and care plan.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school’s previous inspection was a standard inspection which took place in February 2024 when the overall effectiveness was judged to be outstanding.

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Information about this inspection

 The school has applied to the Department for Education (DfE) to make a material change to its registration: to increase its age range to admit pupils aged 19 years who may be required to repeat a year to finish their studies. At the DfE’s request, this inspection was carried out as a desk-based evaluation of the risk assessment submitted by the school to assess whether the school has sufficiently considered all of the risks that the admission of 19-year-olds presents.  This was the first material change inspection in respect of this particular change that the school has applied to make.

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Inspection team

Amanda Fraser, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified. guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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