Fair Ways School

Inspection of Fair Ways School New Road, Swanwick, Southampton, Hampshire SO31 7HE

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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 feel a deep sense of community at this distinctive school. They are happy and proud to belong here. The natural environment, including the bushcraft area, is utilised effectively. Pupils benefit from outdoor space in which they learn well, play happily and relax. Staff provide personalised support, enabling pupils to thrive. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities and most have missed significant parts of their education before they join. Staff organise transition activities meticulously to ensure that everyone settles in well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values are evident in pupils’ positive behaviour. Pupils treat each other respectfully and learn to consider each other’s feelings. Sometimes pupils need bespoke support to manage their emotions and feelings that staff provide expertly. As a result, disruption to learning is rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff share a high ambition for pupils. They have an excellent understanding of individual pupils’ needs. Staff plan considered activities through which pupils learn to trust them. This helps pupils feel safe and behave well so that they can learn. Pupils receive high-quality pastoral care and tailored support. One parent, typical of many, told inspectors that ‘staff are amazing. They are very caring and understand the pupils’ needs really well’.

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better?

The curriculum is broad and balanced. The school adapts what pupils study to best suit their needs across the school. Pupils in key stages 3 and 4 study appropriate subjects to prepare them for future education, employment or training. Similarly, students in the sixth form follow bespoke pathways in preparation for aspirational next steps. The school prioritises pupils’ understanding of English and mathematics. The school’s work to improve pupils’ reading is a continued focus. New library facilities help engage pupils in a wider variety of literature and foster a love of reading. Work to improve pupils’ writing is developing.

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better?

Staff are trained to adapt learning to meet the needs of all pupils. In lessons, pupils are eager to engage with their teachers. Staff use a wide variety of strategies to help pupils maintain focus and concentration. They respond to the individual needs of pupils effectively. For example, some pupils need movement breaks to help them focus and others use music to help them concentrate. The school has thought carefully about how learning builds over time. Pupils learn new knowledge by building on what they have learned before.

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better?

The school ensures that pupils know how to behave appropriately. Transition activities, which begin before pupils attend the school, help everyone understand the clear expectations. Pupils receive individual teaching from staff. This means that lessons are calm and respectful. Sometimes, pupils lose focus and concentration. Staff use effective methods to re-engage pupils. However, the re-engagement could take place more quickly. The school has a strong focus on attendance. However, the 5 to 7 November 2024 absence of some pupils is still too high. As a result, these pupils miss out on vital learning. The school takes appropriate action to make sure that pupils not attending school are known to be safe. Pupils enjoy engaging with the new strategies to help them improve their attendance such as the daily tracking and weekly rewards.

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better?

The school promotes pupils’ wider personal development effectively. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is well designed. Through a combination of timetabled lessons, pastoral support sessions, student meetings and culture capital experiences, pupils learn crucial knowledge and skills. This provision continues into the sixth form, incorporating an independent living curriculum that provides appropriate preparation for adulthood. Pupils all receive appropriate and timely careers information, education, advice and guidance. Older students are supported to complete work experience successfully.

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better?

Pupils and staff work happily together. School days are punctuated by lots of laughter. Staff are extremely positive about working at the school. They feel valued, and they know they are supported by leaders well. As a result, the school has a harmonious culture. Staff appreciate the efforts of leaders to manage their workload.

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better?

The proprietor has a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to continue to be refined. The work of the proprietor body and its officers ensures the school meets its statutory duties. This includes compliance with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Systems and processes for securing improvement are rigorous.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Some pupils are absent from school for too much of the time. This means they miss out on vital learning and risk falling further behind. The school must continue its work with families to ensure that the attendance of pupils meets the school’s high expectations.

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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. 5 to 7 November 2024

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School details

DfE registration number 850/6088 Local authority Hampshire

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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form

Proprietor Fair Ways Community Benefit Society

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form

Annual fees (day pupils) £73,486 to £103,550

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form

Date of previous inspection 2 to 4 March 2022 5 to 7 November 2024

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Information about this school

 Fair Ways School is an independent special school located in Hampshire. The school currently admits pupils from several surrounding local authorities.  All pupils have an education, health and care plan. They have a diagnosis of social, emotional and mental health needs. Some may also have autism.  The last standard inspection took place between 2 and 4 March 2022, when its overall effectiveness was judged to be good and all the independent school standards were met. Since then, the school has received a material change inspection in March 2024, when it applied successfully to increase its roll to the current capacity of 50 pupils.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school operates across two sites: – New Road, Swanwick, Hampshire, Southampton, SO31 7HE – Unit R, Fort Wallington, Fareham, PO16 8TT.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held a range of meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and teaching and support staff at the school. The lead inspector met with a representative of the proprietor body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, personal, social and health education and bushcraft. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and support staff, spoke to a few pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work. Inspectors also visited other lessons and looked at pupils’ work from other subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour on arrival at school and during visits to classrooms and the outside space. 5 to 7 November 2024  Inspectors considered the views of parents expressed in Ofsted Parent View,

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted’s online survey for parents. Inspectors considered the views of staff during meetings with them and through the staff survey. Inspectors also considered the views of pupils through observations of their behaviour and informal discussions with them.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single 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.  Inspectors carried out other activities to check that the school meets the independent school standards. These included a check of the school premises and wider work to comply with health and safety laws (including fire safety). Inspectors considered the school’s approach to risk management. Inspectors also checked the relevant policies and the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Linda Culling, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kathryn Moles His Majesty’s Inspector 5 to 7 November 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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