Small Haven School

Inspection of Small Haven School 146-150, Newington Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT12 6PT

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Inspection dates: 10 to 12 December 2024

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils offer a warm and joyful welcome to their deeply caring and ambitious school. The motto of ‘Belong, Believe, Thrive, Achieve’ permeates all aspects of school life. Expectations are consistently high and impressively met. Pupils achieve well. They progress through the curriculum with success, while also developing interpersonal qualities and life skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is excellent. Staff provide pastoral support and encouragement to help pupils stay on track if they feel unsettled. Conduct around school is calm, focused and friendly. Relationships between pupils, and with staff, are delightful. Everyone communicates with respect and compassion, ensuring a supportive and purposeful learning atmosphere across every class. One pupil represented many when sharing, ‘This school welcomed me with open arms and always believes in me’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Personal development is exceptional. Pupils proudly present and record the school’s podcast using their cutting-edge studio. Music, sport and creative arts are celebrated and nurtured to find the best in everyone. Trips are extensive, enriching the curriculum for all. The school boosts pupils’ spiritual awareness with visits to places of worship such as a synagogue. Leadership roles enable pupils to make a tangible difference to school life. Opportunities include ‘head of online safety’, ‘friendship champion’ and ‘recycling monitor’. Pupils value these responsibilities enormously.

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better?

The school has developed its curriculum with high ambition and rigour. Every subject is defined with precise knowledge, skills and vocabulary. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and teachers plan bespoke tasks to meet their needs well. Staff track individual progress meticulously to ensure that pupils’ education, health and care plan (EHCP) targets are achieved. Pupils make strong progress across the full breadth of the curriculum and with their personal targets. This is reported with clarity and detail every term to keep parents and carers highly informed.

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better?

Reading is valued highly. All staff are trained to teach phonics and reading using the school’s programme. Pupils hear precise modelling of sounds and use consistent resources. Catch-up activities, individual support and group lessons utilise well- matched texts, giving pupils the help they need. As they progress through the school, pupils become fluent, confident and motivated readers.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. The proprietor and school leaders prioritise professional development across the team. This outward-facing approach harnesses high quality practice from the local area. For example, the mathematics programme is enhanced through the school’s collaboration with a specialist hub. The curriculum also encourages pupils to become worldly in their thinking. For example, a whole school project about Kenya taught pupils essential geographical facts. Art and design lessons then focussed on Gakonga art to immerse pupils in their learning further. 10 to 12 December 2024 Behaviour is impressive. Expectations are widely understood, ensuring positive behaviour in and out of the classroom. Pupils socialise and play joyfully in their well- kept recreation areas. Staff are always nearby to help pupils navigate any challenges, such as agreeing the rules of a game. Everybody feels equal here. Pupils

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better?

are sympathetic to the needs of others and are proud to help each other.

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better?

Leaders and the proprietor take effective action to improve attendance when needed. The school uses appropriate strategies, including pastoral support, to encourage strong punctuality and attendance. As a result, pupils attend highly.

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better?

The school has identified the importance of high quality personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE). The curriculum is planned to provide pupils with strong support for modern life and challenges beyond school. From online safety to swimming and awareness of crime, content helps pupils to understand risks. Older pupils learn about important issues such as consent. The school ensures that relationships and sex education fully complies with statutory guidance from the Department for Education. Pupils celebrate differences and oppose prejudice such as racism, homophobia and transphobia.

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better?

Excellent personal development opportunities help pupils to become conscientious citizens who want to improve the world. This is achieved through a raft of thoughtful initiatives including creating Christmas packages for homeless charities. Visitors enrich school life and help pupils to understand moral issues. For example, pupils welcomed a visit from a refugee who inspired them to understand the plight of someone fleeing war. Older pupils support younger pupils as buddies. The courteous and inspirational sixth-form students are role models for others. The student council makes a tangible difference to school life. Pupils write and present manifestos before everyone considers their vote. This is one of many examples of how fundamental British values are promoted successfully. Cookery is important across all ages, helping pupils to develop life skills. This is made possible by the proprietor’s strong

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better?

investment in high-quality facilities which are accessible to all.

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better?

Careers guidance is highly effective. Visiting professionals such as hairdressers educate pupils about future vocational options. From Year 10 onwards, pupils attend work experience each year. By the end of sixth form, students typically earn places at college for further study. Others progress to university or employment. The school also collaborates with charities to support students with their next steps.

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better?

The proprietor ensures that the independent school standards are met with diligence. Leaders and staff take great care of the school environment. Pupils’ welfare is top priority. From therapeutic interventions to medical support, pupils’ physical, emotional and mental health needs are well met. The proprietor ensures that accessibility is prioritised to fully meet the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

Parent and carers are unanimous in their high praise for leaders and the school. They say this is ‘an amazing school where children are fully supported to thrive’. The 10 to 12 December 2024 school provides extensive help for families and ensures that views of parents are well considered. Staff feel happy, proud and highly valued. Careful considerations about workload ensure positive well-being for all. Every decision is made with pupils at heart. The proprietor’s vision to provide life-changing learning for pupils with SEND is fulfilled every day with expertise, dedication and compassion.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 10 to 12 December 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 135018 DfE registration number 886/6103

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School details

Inspection number 10342053 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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sixth form

Annual fees (day pupils) £38,822.55 to £56,518.88

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sixth form

Email address enquiries@smallhavenschool.co.uk

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 1 to 3 March 2022 10 to 12 December 2024

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Information about this school

 Small Haven School is an independent special school which provides education for pupils with a range of complex needs.  All pupils who attend the school have an EHCP. The majority of pupils have autism. The school supports pupils with anxiety, attention deficit disorder, speech, language and communication needs, mild learning disability, and social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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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.  This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 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 the headteacher, deputy headteacher, teachers, subject leaders, SENDCo and support staff.  The lead inspector met with the proprietor and directors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, PSHE and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also evaluated pupils’ work in science and art and design.  The lead inspector listened to a range of pupils read. The inspector observed

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Information about this inspection

catch-up interventions to learn how staff provide extra support to pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 spoke to a range of pupils to learn their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school. 10 to 12 December 2024  Inspectors considered written correspondence from external agencies who work with the school and took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text responses.  The lead inspector assessed the school site, scrutinised documents and held meetings with a range of staff to check compliance with the independent school

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Inspection team

Scott Reece, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Tash Hurtado Ofsted Inspector 10 to 12 December 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

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

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