Mary Hare School for the Deaf

Inspection report for residential special school - Mary Hare School for the Deaf 1 Mary Hare School for the Deaf Mary Hare School, Arlington Manor, Snelsmore Common, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 3BQ Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

The school is a non-maintained special school that provides education and accommodation for students aged five to 19 who have severe and profound hearing loss. There are 157 students on the school roll, of whom 110 are currently boarding.

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Information about this residential special school

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The residential special school provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the school contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

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outstanding

Date of previous inspection: 12 September 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for residential special school - Mary Hare School for the Deaf 2

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outstanding

Managers and staff have created a highly aspirational culture that helps children to achieve their full potential and improves their life chances. Many children have faced a difficult educational journey and the experience of moving to the school has been transformational for them and their parents. One parent told inspectors, ‘The school is a wonderful place where my child has grown and flourished, and I cannot praise the care team more.’ Another parent said, ‘The school is an amazing environment for the children to grow and develop. There is a nurturing, supportive culture.’

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outstanding

The leadership team has changed the working patterns of the residential staff team and that has led to a significant increase in the amount of quality time that care staff spend with children. This has had an extremely positive impact on the ability of care staff to build and to maintain strong relationships with children.

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outstanding

While most children communicate in an auditory oral manner, staff understand that children prefer to communicate in different ways and respect their freedom of choice. Some children prefer to use British Sign Language as their primary communication. Staff are clear about the importance of p reparing children to live and work in a predominately hearing society. The school is currently developing individual communication profiles to further support children’s preferred communication methods.

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outstanding

Children feel able to express their feelings, and the school is invested in ensuring that the voices of children who access the residential provision are represented in the wider school. Some children are appointed through a peer voting process to the school council or prefect roles. They undertake these roles with a sense of pride and responsibility.

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outstanding

Children have access to a wide range of specialist support services, such as in-house therapists and well-being professionals. All staff communicate effectively in order to ensure that there is a holistic understanding of children’s needs and day-to-day experiences.

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outstanding

Children enjoy access to a range of social and educational learning opportunities that are planned around the education timetable. Some children are being supported to achieve additional formal qualifications through their extra-curricular activities, such as lifeguarding. This helps children to build their confidence and provides social learning opportunities, and for some children, this has positively influenced the career paths they have chosen.

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outstanding

Admissions processes for children who are new to the residential provision are well organised and carefully managed. As a result, children have positive experiences of moving to the school. Many children moving on from the school go on to further Inspection report for residential special school - Mary Hare School for the Deaf 3 education at college or university. One child said, ‘Moving to the school has allowed me to meet my best friends, express myself and find out who I am as a person.’

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outstanding

There is a proactive safeguarding culture that emphasises that there is an individual responsibility on staff to exercise their duty to keep children safe and report any concerns for their welfare. The formal safeguarding team consists of leaders and staff who have expertise and relevant professional experience. Consequently, any necessary investigations are comprehensive and promote children’s welfare.

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outstanding

Residential staff make effective use of safeguarding the system to report any concerns about children or practice within the wider school. There is good monitoring of this system, and effective action is taken to respond promptly if concerns arise. Senior leaders make good use of records to determine the help and support children require. Children also have a range of ways to share any concerns, including access to an independent visitor.

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outstanding

Information regarding safeguarding is recorded in a methodical and transparent manner. All staff receive relevant training regarding professional curiosity and reporting safeguarding concerns. The designated safeguarding lead demonstrates an excellent understanding of their wider safeguarding responsibilities. They have built good working relationships with external safeguarding professionals, including the local authority designated officer.

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outstanding

Children feel safe and can identify preferred adults to talk to who are able to communicate with them effectively. Staff receive training from the speech and language team to support the ongoing development of their communication skills and can also undertake more formal training, such as British Sign Language levels one and two. Staff are motivated and persist when there are communication barriers to ensure that children’s voices are heard. In one example, a staff member’s relationship with two children significantly improved over time due to the commitment they demonstrated to communicating with them. In addition, children sometimes use peer support to help each other to communicate.

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outstanding

Staff recruitment processes are robust and well managed. All staff are suitably vetted and, since the last inspection, time and effort have been invested in increasing the frequency and monitoring of disclosure and barring service checks. The single central record is routinely updated, ensuring that there is effective oversight of staff suitability to work at the school. All staff benefit from a comprehensive induction and training programme.

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outstanding

Staff are attuned and responsive to children’s presenting needs and provide additional support for children and their families outside of the school. Senior leaders recognise the important position the residential provision holds as a place of safety and stability for children. They carefully use their resources to provide additional Inspection report for residential special school - Mary Hare School for the Deaf 4 support to children and their families when required. This helps to cement the school’s status as a safe and important part of children’s lives.

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outstanding

All children have access to therapeutic and pastoral support from trusted adults who they can seek advice and support from. Staff create individual support plans for children and ensure that children receive the help and support they need to in all aspects of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders have a highly ambitious vision for children and the progress they can make. They are committed to ensuring the highest standards of care for children. Leaders and staff demonstrate a sensitive understanding of each child’s preferred communication method and the importance of respecting each child as an individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Senior leaders have demonstrated a sustained commitment to transforming the residential care approach within the school. The impact of this is a fundamental and significant shift in the perception of residential care staff in the wider school. Staff across the school now recognise better the depth of knowledge that care staff have about individual children and the value of the relationships that they have forged with them. This means that children receive more joined up and effective support in both their education and social lives within the school. As a result, residential care staff feel highly valued and have an increased sense of optimism about the positive impact they can have on children’s outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision, and the frequency of this has been increased to half-termly to increase opportunities for staff to reflect and focus on their self- development. Several residential care staff have progressed into other professional roles in the school due to the range of development and progression opportunities that the school provides.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are invested in the ethos of the school and take great pride in supporting development. The morale of the residential care staff is high, and they say that they feel fully supported by leaders and managers to carry out their responsibilities and provide the best care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers demonstrate highly effective monitoring of children’s care. This gives them a well-rounded awareness of the progress that children make over time. Leaders and managers ensure that residential care staff are included in multi- agency decision-making and have an important role in the care planning and safeguarding of children who stay at the school.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are receptive to the feedback that they receive from external monitoring. They strive to continuously improve the experiences of children and staff. Senior leaders adopt a learning culture and ensure that opportunities for growth and progression are fully considered within the wider school development plan. Inspection report for residential special school - Mary Hare School for the Deaf 5 Leaders and managers have developed excellent working relationships with a range of organisations and charitable enterprises. As a result, children have benefited from an expanding range of experiences and social opportunities, and this has enhanced their experience of living in the school. Inspection report for residential special school - Mary Hare School for the Deaf 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential special school - Mary Hare School for the Deaf 7

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC011137

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Robin Askew

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential Special School

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Inspectors

Ashley Edwards, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Emma Haskell, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Peter Jackson, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Glen Strowbridge, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for residential special school - Mary Hare School for the Deaf 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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