Falcons Learning

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Falcons Learning Newport Street, Goole DN14 6TL

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 11, 12, 16 to 16(b)  At the previous inspection, the school was not securing effective implementation of its health and safety and risk assessment policies. There were no specific risk assessments for the school’s therapy dogs or for the use of the school minibus. Also, the school was not ensuring compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. There were several designated locations that did not have the necessary fire safety equipment. Important fire evacuation guidance was not in place and the school had incorrectly placed some signage.  In its action plan, the school proposed to complete risk assessments for its therapy dogs and for use of the school minibus. It proposed to conduct a fire audit to identify all areas of non-compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and to address such areas.  The school has acted with appropriate urgency to strengthen its practice with regard to

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Main inspection findings

the health and safety of pupils. It has completed risk assessments for its therapy dogs and for use of the school minibus. It has used an external agency to provide guidance on fire safety. All areas of the school now have the necessary fire safety equipment, signage and evacuation guidance. The school has a trained fire marshal and team of fire wardens. It undertakes regular checks on fire safety equipment and conducts practice fire evacuations. The school has also appointed a member of staff with responsibility for health and safety. This person oversees the implementation of the school’s policies with regard to health and safety, risk assessment and fire safety.  These previously unmet standards are now met. Paragraph 15  At the previous inspection, the school was not ensuring that it maintained its admission and attendance register in accordance with the relevant regulations. Important information regarding pupils’ past and subsequent school placements was not up to

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Main inspection findings

date. Some pupil information regarding attendance at an alternative provision was also incorrect. The school rectified these omissions and errors by the end of the previous inspection.  In its action plan, the school did not propose any specific actions to ensure that it maintained its admission and attendance register in accordance with relevant regulations over time. It suggested that additional staffing and governor oversight would ensure this.  The school has not acted with sufficient urgency and rigour to address the maintenance of its attendance register. While the admission register is now compliant with relevant regulations, the attendance register is not. The school does check pupils’ attendance on arrival at the school each day with appropriate rigour. However, the school does not record pupils’ attendance regularly and systematically on the school’s electronic register.  This previously unmet standard remains unmet.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 7 to 7(b)  The school’s arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school are ineffective. The school’s safeguarding arrangements are ineffective because of the following issues:  The school is not maintaining its attendance register with appropriate rigour.  The school does not always complete statutory pre-employment checks on staff prior to staff starting employment at the school.  The school does not record written confirmation of pre-employment checks on supply staff.  Some school staff do not know that they must report concerns about members of staff to the headteacher and not to the school’s designated safeguarding lead.  Since the previous inspection, the school has dismissed a member of staff who it deemed unsuitable to be working with children. The school sought and followed guidance from the designated officer on this matter. The school did not refer this person

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Main inspection findings

to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The school is now aware of its responsibility to refer such persons to the DBS as soon as possible. The school has now referred this person to the DBS.  These previously met standards are now unmet. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraph 18(3)  The school’s processes with regard to pre-employment checks on staff are not rigorous enough. For members of staff employed since the previous inspection, the school made some checks after the members of staff had started employment at the school. Also, there is not enough rigour in checking enhanced criminal checks on staff who are employed by the school directly from employment at another school. Paragraph 21(1), 21(5) to 21(5)(a)(ii)  The school does not record on its single central record the receipt of written confirmation of pre-employment checks on supply staff.  These previously met standards in part 4 are now unmet.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1) to 34(1)(c)  At the time of the previous inspection, some of the standards were unmet. The proprietor did not have sufficient oversight to ensure that the school was implementing health and safety and risk assessment policies effectively. The school did not maintain its admission and attendance register in accordance with relevant regulations. The school did not comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.  The school proposed to address the previously unmet standards regarding pupils’ welfare and health and safety by taking some specific actions to strengthen the implementation of its health and safety and risk assessment policies and the school’s approach to fire safety. To ensure that the school could meet the standards consistently over time, the school proposed to increase leadership capacity in the school and to establish a fully

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Main inspection findings

operational governing body.  The school’s actions to address the previously unmet standards regarding the implementation of its health and safety and risk assessment policies and regarding its fire safety procedures have been effective. The school has also made progress in developing the coherence of its curriculum, an area for improvement at the previous inspection. However, the school has failed to address the issues identified at the previous inspection in the maintenance of the admission and attendance register.  The school has appointed a new designated safeguarding lead and a new member of teaching staff who has a responsibility for health and safety. However, these staff only joined the school in September 2024. The school has established a new governing body but this has only met once since the previous inspection. There has been insufficient time for these changes in leadership to have a significant impact on the school’s capacity

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Main inspection findings

and capability to meet the standards consistently over time.  Significantly, the school has not acted with the urgency needed to ensure that it meets the standards consistently over time. Since the previous inspection, previously met requirements of the standards are now unmet. These requirements relate to safeguarding. Safeguarding arrangements at the school are ineffective.  The previously unmet standards in this part remain unmet.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School status Independent special school

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School details

Email address jowash@falconslearning.com

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 30 April to 2 May 2024

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provision.  The school operates from Newport Street, Goole DN14 6TL.  The school caters for pupils with a range of special educational needs, primarily social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.  The school is operating beyond its registration agreement with the DfE. The school has admitted three pupils above the registered age range. In admitting these pupils, the school has also exceeded the maximum number of pupils on roll that it is registered to admit. The school is applying to the DfE to seek a temporary extension to its registered age range and capacity so that these pupils can continue their education at the school for the remainder of this academic year. The DfE has received this application and it is being considered.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The school’s previous inspection, at which the school was judged not to comply with the independent school standards, was a standard inspection and took place on 30 April to 2 May 2024.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection since the standard inspection in April 2024.  The DfE required the school to prepare an action plan. This was a statutory requirement. Ofsted evaluated the school’s action plan on 28 August 2024. The DfE rejected the school’s action plan.  This progress monitoring inspection was conducted without notice.  To check compliance with the standards, the inspector met with the chair of the

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Information about this inspection

proprietor body who is also the headteacher of the school, another member of the proprietor body and with other school staff, including the deputy headteacher.  The inspector checked the school’s fire safety arrangements and scrutinised school policies and records.  The inspection also considered the school’s safeguarding arrangements, including the single central record of pre-employment checks and whether the school’s safeguarding policy is available to parents and carers. The inspector also met with pupils and staff to talk about safeguarding at the school.

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Inspection team

Ian Rawstorne, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain un-met at this inspection

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 15 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006[13].

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Standards that were met at the previous inspection, but are now judged to not be met at this inspection

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

 18(3) The checks referred to in sub-paragraphs (2)(c) and (except where sub-paragraph (4) applies) (2)(e) must be completed before a person’s appointment.  21(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor keeps a register which shows such of the information referred to in sub-paragraphs (3) to (7) as is applicable to the school in question. – 21(5) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is, in relation to supply staff- – 21(5)(a) whether written notification has been received from the employment business that- – 21(5)(a)(i) checks corresponding to those referred to in sub-paragraph (3)(a)(i) to (iv), (vi) and (vii) have been made to the extent relevant to any such person; and – 21(5)(a)(ii) an enhanced criminal record check has been made and that it or another employment business has obtained an enhanced criminal record certificate in response to such a check,

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.  12 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified. 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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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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