Setting

Education and boarding residential inspection summary: Kings Mill School 25 to 27 June 2024 Education and residential inspection summary for Kings Mill School Victoria Road, Driffield YO25 6UG

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Outcome

The education overall effectiveness judgement is: Kings Mill School continues to be a good school

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Outcome

The judgement for the experiences and progress of children in the residential provision is: good

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What is it like to attend this school?

◼ A strong community ethos makes this school a positive and nurturing place to learn. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Staff know pupils well. There are warm, caring relationships.

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What is it like to attend this school?

◼ Pupils know they are valued and their opinions matter in this inclusive school. Consistent and high expectations for behaviour help pupils to feel safe. The environment is calm. Pupils behave well. Staff provide high-quality support and care.

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What is it like to attend this school?

◼ Pupils’ education, health and care plans sit at the heart of each pupils’ curriculum pathway. The curriculum is carefully tailored to pupils’ individual needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

◼ Pupils access learning in ways that meet their sensory and physical needs well. They enjoy one-to-one and small group teaching.

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What is it like to attend this school?

◼ Leaders are ambitious for pupils. There is a strong focus on developing pupils’ communication skills and widening their understanding of the world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

◼ Pupils experience a broad curriculum enhanced by a variety of enrichment activities. Pupils enjoy their learning which is designed to stimulate their interests, develop their independence and prepare them for adulthood well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

◼ Pupils like holding positions of responsibility such as school councillors. They enjoy the many sporting opportunities. The school nurtures pupils’ musical talents. Pupils develop confidence through their musical performances. They are particularly proud of the achievements of the school’s signing choir. The inspectors made two recommendations to help the school improve, covering improvements to subject leadership and extending the range of relevant qualification options to help pupils to achieve their best.

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What is it like to stay at this school?

◼ The children’s lives are enhanced through accessing the residential provision in the school. Inspectors observed the children having fun and appearing at ease in the residence. Indeed, the residence is a sought-after provision and highly regarded by the children’s respective families.

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What is it like to stay at this school?

◼ The staff are committed and dedicated to the children who stay in the residence. There is a focus and drive to give the children memorable experiences. Fun outings are captured through the staff taking photos. Poignantly, photos are shared with the children’s parents. In doing so, the parents have a tangible insight into their children’s experiences.

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What is it like to stay at this school?

◼ The head of care and the staff make extensive efforts to establish trust with the children’s parents. This is further aided by the school’s home liaison officer. The inspectors noted that parents used terms such as ‘amazing’, ‘unique’ and ‘fantastic’ to describe life for their child in the residence. One parent wrote that the residence feels part of their family.

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What is it like to stay at this school?

◼ The joy of food is promoted in the residence. This has resulted in some children broadening their diet. Additionally, mealtimes are structured but fun experiences for the children. Combined, these efforts promote wider benefits on the children’s health and well-being.

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What is it like to stay at this school?

◼ The school apply a specialised programme to promote a consistent approach to the children’s care between school and the residence. This is enabled through meaningful link meetings between the child’s teacher and their link worker from the residence. As a result, the children make progress in several aspects of their lives.

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What is it like to stay at this school?

◼ The children’s plans are crafted through effective partnership working with the children’s parents. This means that the children’s written plans are personalised and bring the child to life. Additionally, the plans detail fundamental aspects of the child’s care needs. This joint venture better equips the staff to carry out their duty of care to the children. The school does not meet the national minimum standards for residential special schools relating to the school’s leadership and management fulfilling their responsibilities consistently and effectively so that the standards are met.

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AND

The inspectors made one recommendation to help the school improve, covering the systems that need to be in place to support the head of care to have more meaningful and focused scrutiny of the residence.

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◼ View the full inspection report for the education provision: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/25/118144

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◼ View the full inspection report for the boarding residential provision: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/10/SC055984 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format

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or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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