Serenity School Eltham

School material change inspection report

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Serenity School Eltham 70 Court Road, London SE9 5NP

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided All paragraphs  Leaders plan to introduce an early years foundation stage to the school. They have adapted their curriculum policy to reflect this planned change.  Leaders have developed a curriculum plan for the early years foundation stage. This curriculum plan covers all seven areas of learning and development. Leaders’ curriculum thinking shows that they have detailed knowledge of both the prime and specific areas of learning in the early years. They have also linked their curriculum maps in the seven areas of learning to the early learning goals.  Leaders plan to implement the same reading programme that is already used for older pupils in the school. This programme is embedded, and staff are trained to deliver it.  Leaders have designed a system of assessment that will track the progress of children through the curriculum, including towards meeting the early learning goals. Leaders

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Main inspection findings

also intend to conduct the Reception Baseline Assessment for children when they join the school. Leaders have set out suitable plans to assess children regularly.  All children who join the school will have an education, health and care (EHC) plan . Leaders will assess children against the early learning goals, if appropriate, as well as assessing children against the targets in their EHC plan. Staff in the school are very experienced at adapting their teaching to meet the individual needs of pupils.  The independent school standards in these paragraphs are likely to be met if the material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils All paragraphs  Leaders have designed the school’s early years foundation stage curriculum to include a clear emphasis on promoting children’s personal, social and emotional development. Careful consideration has been given to how the curriculum will be tailored to support pupils with autism and/or additional social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school has plans in place to ensure that children receive healthy and nutritional meals, snacks and drinks. The curriculum includes teaching children about eating healthily and maintaining good oral hygiene.  The independent school standards in these paragraphs are likely to be met if the material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b) and 32(1)(c)  The school has an up-to-date safeguarding policy that includes the most recent changes to the government’s statutory guidance. Parents and carers can access the school’s policy via the school’s website.  Staff have a secure understanding of their responsibility to keep children safe. This is because they receive formal training at the start of each term in addition to weekly updates. Staff also complete online training modules during the academic year, for example on meeting their responsibilities under the ‘Prevent’ duty.  Staff know how to report any concerns that they may have about a child’s welfare. They know who the designated safeguarding leaders are and they are quick to seek advice if they have concerns. Staff are aware that many pupils in the school may struggle to articulate how they are feeling and so they are alert to changes in pupils’

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Main inspection findings

moods or behaviour. There are robust systems in place for staff to record their concerns and these are stored securely. Leaders work well with outside agencies to ensure that pupils receive the support that they require.  Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe physically and online. Pupils spoken to said that they feel safe in school, and they know who to speak to if they have any concerns. Pupils trust staff to support them and help resolve issues that they may have.  Leaders have given careful consideration to staff-to-child ratios in the planned early years foundation stage. Children will be taught by a qualified teacher and the staff-to- child ratio will be at least 1:8 at all times. The school has identified that many children are likely to have one-to-one support, and so staff-to-child ratios will often be smaller than 1:8.  The independent school standards in these paragraphs are likely to be met if the

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Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors All paragraphs  Leaders understand the importance of the safe recruitment of staff. Leaders make sure that checks for new staff are carried out in accordance with statutory guidance.  The school’s single central record of pre-employment checks accurately records all the required checks on leaders, staff and the proprietary body. Senior leaders conduct regular audits of the single central record to ensure that all checks are completed.  The independent school standards in this part are likely to be 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), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  Leaders demonstrate very secure knowledge and skills in relation to meeting the independent school standards. The proprietary body has put robust systems in place to check whether the school is continually meeting these standards.  The proprietary body, leaders and staff are very aware of the vulnerability of pupils in the school and they actively promote the importance of pupils’ well-being. Leaders ensure that staff have the training and support that they need to perform their roles and responsibilities well.  The independent school standards in this part are likely to be met if the material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage  The school has suitable plans in place to ensure that children’s safeguarding and welfare will be prioritised and well catered for.  The school’s proposed early years foundation stage curriculum is likely to meet statutory requirements in relation to learning and development.  The statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage are likely to be met if the material change is approved by the registration authority.

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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

Annual fees (day pupils) £41,000 to £76,000

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School details

Email address office@serenityschool.org.uk

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 26 to 28 April 2022

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recommendation

Age range of pupils 5 to 18 4 to 18 4 to 18

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 125 150 150

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 150 150

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities 125 150

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan 125 150

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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 125 150

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff 22 23

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision 3 3

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up her post in September 2024.  Serenity School Eltham is an independent special day school in the London Borough of Greenwich. The school is located at 70 Court Road, London SE9 5NP.  The school provides for pupils with autism and pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils have EHC plans and are placed by local authorities.  The school’s most recent standard inspection took place in April 2022. The most recent additional inspection took place in May 2023.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first material change inspection commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) to consider Serenity School Eltham’s application to make a change to its registration agreement. The requested change was to increase the age range of pupils from 5 to 18 to 4 to 18.  The inspection was conducted with two days’ notice.  The DfE requested that the inspector consider whether independent school standards contained within parts 1, 2 and 8 are met and are likely to continue to be met if the material change is approved.  The inspector met with pupils and staff. He held meetings with the chair of the proprietary body, the headteacher, the designated safeguarding lead, and other leaders. The inspector also met with a group of pupils and a group of teaching and non-teaching staff.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 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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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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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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