Broadlands Hall

Inspection of Broadlands Hall Little Wratting, Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 7UA

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision 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 happy at Broadlands Hall. Most pupils arrive having experienced significant disruption to their schooling. Passionate and dedicated staff support pupils to re-engage with education. Staff take the time to understand pupils’ individual needs. They are tenacious at putting in place the right support for pupils. This helps pupils to begin to close the gaps in knowledge that they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils. Staff establish clear routines for behaviour. This helps pupils to manage their feelings and emotions. Pupils behave very well throughout the day. They work hard in their lessons and try to do their best. Pupils value the extra-curricular activities the school organises. They love cycling around Grafham Water, visiting a zoo for the first time, or going to view the FA cup for example.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the opportunities the school provides for them to take up positions of responsibility. The school council look forward to being able to influence what happens in school. They are proud that their peers have elected them to do this. Pupils across the school learn about caring for animals when feeding Sonic and Trevor the guinea pigs or gently patting Figueroa the cat.

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better?

All pupils attending Broadlands Hall have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff use information from pupils’ education, health and care (EHC) plans to adapt the curriculum well to meet their specific needs. This helps pupils to learn in the section relevant to them. This includes for students in the sixth form who study alongside other pupils where appropriate.

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better?

Pupils arrive with a variety of different needs. Typically, staff use assessment accurately to identify what pupils know and where they have gaps in their knowledge. In most subjects, staff use this information well to inform future teaching choices. For example, students in the sixth form who still need to secure qualifications in English and mathematics are identified quickly. The school provides additional support for these students. In some subjects, staff do not use assessment as effectively. There are occasions when some pupils do not get the chance to revisit learning when they need to, or to move on to new content when they are ready.

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better?

Staff typically present information clearly to pupils. They explain activities plainly and in manageable steps. This helps pupils to understand what they need to do. For example, during physical education (PE) lessons, staff show pupils how to complete exercises accurately. They also explain to pupils what the benefits of exercise are to both their physical and mental health. This enables pupils to succeed. They understand why exercise is important and appreciate the way it supports them to lead healthy lifestyles. 22 to 24 October 2024 Reading is a high priority across the school. Pupils, and students, who need to learn to communicate their wants and needs do this because staff skilfully teach them strategies to do so. As pupils become more confident and proficient, they learn the sounds that letters make. The school is quick to identify when a pupil is ready to learn phonics. Well-trained staff help these pupils to read with developing

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better?

confidence and fluency. As pupils learn to read fluently, staff teach them to understand what they read through well-considered questioning. However, there are some inconsistencies in how effectively staff do this across the school. This can mean that, sometimes, pupils do not have as secure an understanding of what they read as they might.

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better?

The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum underpins the school’s work. Pupils learn important content such as the dangers of substance abuse. Pupils learn about differences between people. The careers programme provides pupils with important information about their next stages. Students value the opportunity to learn about possible future careers during ‘wow days’. Staff plan key actions for pupils to help them get to their next steps. For example, the chance to visit careers fairs or volunteer with local employers gives pupils a taste of the world of work. This helps to prepare pupils well for their next steps.

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better?

Many pupils arrive having had significant periods of absence from their previous schools. Most want to attend school and do so regularly. Staff encourage pupils to attend regularly. Typically, they do. When pupils are absent, staff follow this up on an individual basis. However, as the school has grown, some of its systems to support regular attendance have not kept pace. This makes it difficult for the school to know whether its actions to help pupils who struggle to attend are successful.

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better?

Many leaders are new to their roles. The school, with the support of the proprietor, has developed more rigorous systems to monitor the quality of education on offer. This helps the school to provide additional training where it is needed. For example, training on how to manage behaviour has helped staff to feel well supported in their roles. They are proud to work at the school. The proprietor ensures that the school meets the independent school standards (the standards) including schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand how to raise concerns about pupils. They do this promptly following the school’s agreed procedures. The school takes appropriate action when there are concerns about a pupil’s welfare. This includes seeking support from external professionals. This is done in a timely manner.

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Safeguarding

However, some of the school’s systems for keeping information about safeguarding, behaviour and attendance lack precision. This makes it harder for staff to efficiently evaluate all the information they receive. While the school takes appropriate action 22 to 24 October 2024 to keep pupils safe, there is work needed to refine some of the systems to bring all this information together to ensure potential patterns and details are not missed.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The way that the school evaluates some information about safeguarding, attendance and behaviour lacks precision. This makes it harder for the proprietor to get a full picture of the effectiveness of the systems in place. The proprietor must ensure that the school uses effective systems to evaluate information about pupils.  In some subjects, staff do not use assessment to inform future teaching. Sometimes, pupils do not get opportunities to revisit learning or move onto new content when they are ready. The school should ensure staff use their checks on pupils’ understanding to adapt their teaching.  There are some inconsistencies in how well staff support pupils to develop understanding of what they read once they become fluent readers. Sometimes, pupils do not secure their understanding of what they have read as well as they might. The school should ensure that staff use effective strategies to help pupils

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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. 22 to 24 October 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 135252 DfE registration number 935/6086

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School details

Inspection number 10342059 Type of school Other independent special school

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 30 November to 2 December 2021 22 to 24 October 2024

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Information about this school

 Broadlands Hall is registered to admit up to 50 pupils between the ages of nine and 20 years. The school has grown over recent years from 17 pupils on roll in 2021 to 41 pupils on roll at the time of this inspection.  The school has a sole proprietor.  The headteacher joined in September 2024.  The school is currently completing building work to provide new classrooms and an area for the teaching of animal care.  All pupils who attend are boys who have an EHC plan and/or a diagnosis of autism.  Many pupils have had significant periods of disruption to their formal education prior to joining the school.  Pupils are referred to the school by their local authority.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  Ofsted conducted a standard inspection of the school in November 2021.  Ofsted conducted an additional inspection of the school in March 2023 to consider the school’s request to change the registration from 25 pupils to 50.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the proprietor, the headteacher, the SEND coordinator, section leaders, staff and a representative from a local authority that commission places at the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects; early reading and English, mathematics, PE and PSHE. Inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited some lessons, reviewed evidence of work and spoke with pupils. The lead inspector also listened to some pupils read. 22 to 24 October 2024  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans, reviewed evidence of work and spoke with pupils about some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

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.  To check compliance with the standards, inspectors spoke to leaders, staff and pupils. Inspectors visited classrooms and toured the school site, reviewed pupil records, school policies and records relating a range of aspects of the school such as behaviour and health and safety.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments. They also spoke with some parents over the telephone.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for pupils. Inspectors also spoke with pupils throughout the inspection to gather their views.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for school staff. Inspectors also met with staff throughout the inspection to gather their views.

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Inspection team

Michael Williams, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Nerrissa Bear His Majesty's Inspector 22 to 24 October 2024 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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