Aurora Charnwood School

Inspection of R.E.A.L. Independent Schools Hinckley 27 Station Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 1AP

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Inspection dates: 26 to 28 November 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding 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 who have not previously engaged with education find the help they need to develop a love for learning at this school. Those who were historically poor attenders begin to value school. Staff help them improve their attendance. Highly effective pastoral support and caring staff foster exceptionally positive relationships with pupils. As a result, all pupils feel safe and happy here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what each pupil can achieve. Staff help pupils aspire. Staff tailor the curriculum to meet individual needs, enabling pupils to succeed academically and develop essential life skills. In key stage 4, pupils achieve qualifications that open doors to future opportunities. The school’s personal development programme thoroughly prepares pupils for independence and adulthood.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning, and their behaviour improves rapidly. Staff manage incidents of poor behaviour swiftly and effectively, ensuring that all pupils remain focused and engaged in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Every parent and carer who shared their views said that they would recommend the school. Parents value and appreciate the dedication that staff demonstrate in helping their children succeed. This school transforms the lives of young people who might otherwise have disengaged from education entirely.

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better?

Staff swiftly assess and identify pupils’ needs before a pupil starts their education journey at this school. Teachers create bespoke provision to ensure that pupils work towards the outcomes listed in their education, health and care plan.

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better?

The school expertly organises the curriculum into four pathways. This is to meet the diverse needs of its pupils. Pathways 1 and 2 prioritise outreach. Teachers start to build trust with pupils who are reluctant to attend school. Teachers gradually integrate pupils into the school setting. Pathways 3 and 4 are for pupils who have integrated into the school full-time. Each of the four pathways provides access to a broad academic curriculum that aligns with the individual pupil’s stage of learning.

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better?

High-quality training helps teachers acquire the appropriate subject knowledge to teach the curriculum effectively. Over time, staff develop into expertly skilled practitioners. Many staff use effective teaching approaches. Teachers use assessment purposefully. All of this enables teachers to support pupils to learn well. At times, in key stage 3, teachers do not move learning forward quickly enough for individual pupils who are ready for more complex tasks. This prevents some pupils from learning as well as they should.

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better?

Across the curriculum, pupils develop detailed knowledge in a range of subjects. They begin to experience academic success. For example, in science, key stage 3 26 to 28 November 2024 pupils articulate their understanding of states of matter. In key stage 4, pupils develop this further. They develop a detailed understanding of the molecular structure of a gas. They use terms like atoms, particles and molecules with confidence and accuracy. This detailed knowledge across the curriculum helps pupils achieve qualifications they need for their next steps.

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better?

Teachers expertly deliver an age-appropriate phonics curriculum to pupils who are at the earliest stages of reading. This helps pupils become more fluent readers. Pupils engage with broader texts, improving their vocabulary and comprehension. Older pupils read independently. This structured approach encourages pupils to appreciate reading as well as get better at it.

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better?

The school provides an exceptional personal development provision. Staff expertly tailor parts of the provision to meet each pupil’s unique interests and develop each pupil’s aspirations. Through the ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ programme, pupils acquire practical life skills, such as using public transport, cooking and participating in competitive sport. The curriculum integrates spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and offers opportunities for pupils to engage in diverse cultural experiences, including visits to places of worship. The school delivers robust careers education, providing independent guidance, work experience and a careers fair. This holistic approach helps pupils develop resilience and confidence. The work of this school prepares every pupil for adulthood, employment and further education effectively.

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better?

Pupils actively support the wider community through initiatives like gardening projects and charity work. They develop a strong sense of responsibility. Pupils who were previously at risk of exclusion, begin to display more positive behaviour. This is a result of teachers sharing clear expectations and providing consistent support. Pupils engage positively, showing greater respect and contributing to a calm, orderly school environment.

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better?

The school has implemented a highly effective induction and training programme for staff. This ensures that pedagogical approaches align with the school’s bespoke teaching model. Leaders place a strong emphasis on mitigating staff’s workload, providing necessary resources and ensuring that staff have the support they need to carry out their roles effectively.

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better?

The proprietor board and governors provide robust oversight. They ensure that the school maintains high standards through robust support and challenge. The proprietor board and governors instil and uphold a culture of continuous improvement, rooted in a clear moral purpose to provide the highest quality provision for pupils. Governors actively monitor the school’s performance. Those responsible for governance collaborate with school leaders, ensuring that policies are implemented effectively. They understand and meet their statutory responsibilities, for example compliance with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 and ensuring that all independent school standards are met consistently. 26 to 28 November 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 On occasions, during key stage 3 group work, teachers are not always quick enough to move individual pupils on to learning which will help them know more. For these pupils, learning is not maximised. The school must ensure that teachers move pupils on to learning which will help them remember more when they are ready.

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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. 26 to 28 November 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 147607 DfE registration number 855/6047

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School details

Inspection number 10342153 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Email address enquiries@real-education.org

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 30 September 2021 26 to 28 November 2024

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Information about this school

 The school is part of R.E.A.L. Education Ltd.  The school uses an additional site. This is based at Whittle Hill Farm, Nanpantan Road, Nanpantan, Loughborough LE12 9NY.  The school educates pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including social, emotional and mental health needs and autism. Pupils have often been out of full-time education for long periods prior to admission.  The school uses two unregistered alternative providers.  The school uses a local further education college to deliver some key stage 4 qualifications.

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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 evaluation 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 met with members of the proprietor board including the chair, the head of school, other senior leaders and members of the local governing board including the chair.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science and personal, social, health and economic education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans, spoke to leaders and visited lessons related to some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 inspect compliance with the independent school standards, inspectors reviewed documentation, including policies and plans, and the lead inspector had a tour of the site with the headteacher. 26 to 28 November 2024  Inspectors considered responses received on Ofsted Parent View, including free- text responses. They met with parents in person at the school gates. Inspectors also considered responses to the Ofsted surveys for school staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Rakesh Patel, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

George Huthart Ofsted Inspector 26 to 28 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 looked after children, 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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