Norbury Court School

Inspection of Norbury Court School London Road North, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1BZ

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this nurturing school. They benefit from trusting relationships with kind and compassionate staff. Pupils told inspectors that they feel cared for and safe. They appreciate the learning opportunities that the school provides.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All staff want the best for pupils. However, in some subjects, this aim is not realised fully. This is because the school’s expectations of what pupils should achieve are not high enough. Weaknesses in how well the curriculum is designed and delivered in some subjects mean that some pupils, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not develop a deep body of knowledge over time. They do not achieve as well as they could. The proprietor has not done enough to prevent a decline in the quality of education at this school. It does not provide the school with the support that is needed to bring about improvement.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Typically, pupils behave well. They try their best to follow the school rules and to work cooperatively together. Over time, pupils become confident and resilient learners. They are proud to talk about their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from activities that help to keep them physically active. For example, they enjoy football and trampolining. Pupils enjoy meaningful and worthwhile events and visits. Nevertheless, aspects of the school’s provision for pupils’ personal development are underdeveloped. This means that some pupils are not prepared sufficiently well for life in modern Britain.

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better?

The proprietor does not have a clear understanding of its responsibilities. As a result, it has not carried out its role effectively. It does not have a secure oversight of the quality of education that the school provides. Furthermore, it has not ensured that the independent school standards (the standards) are met consistently. For example, the standards related to the quality of education and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are not met. A lack of external governance means that the school is not held to account sufficiently well. Nor does the school receive the support that it needs to provide pupils with a high-quality education.

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better?

The school has considered the needs and interests of all pupils in its curriculum design. It provides learning programmes based on pupils’ differing starting points. For the most part, this work is successful in helping to eradicate some of the large gaps that pupils have in their learning when they enter the school. However, from this point on, the school has not given sufficient thought to the content of the curriculum that pupils will learn once their prior knowledge is secure. In some subjects, the school has not identified the essential knowledge and concepts that pupils must learn. This hinders the ability of staff to design learning that helps pupils to build their knowledge over time. As a result, some pupils do not develop secure subject knowledge as they progress through the school. 12 and 13 November 2024 The school accurately identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Pupils’ individual education, health and care (EHC) plans are frequently reviewed and

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better?

updated. The school makes sure that pupils with SEND receive the specialist support they need from external professionals.

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better?

Pupils read often. Those pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read receive extra help to catch up with their phonics knowledge. However, the proprietor has not ensured that staff have all of the expertise that they need to design and deliver the reading curriculum as well as they could. For example, at times, pupils do not read from books that match their current reading abilities. This limits some pupils from developing their confidence and reading fluency as quickly as they should.

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better?

Pupils who come to this school have often experienced significant barriers to their learning in the past. The school successfully supports pupils to settle in quickly and to attend school regularly. As a result, pupils typically develop positive attitudes to learning. Staff know pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs well. They are adept at stepping in quickly when pupils need help to follow the school’s rules or to regulate their own emotions. This ensures that pupils’ behaviour is supported sensitively and effectively.

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better?

The school works in partnership with external professionals to organise a range of experiences to help pupils understand the wider world. This enables pupils to learn about the differences that may exist between people. Nevertheless, the school is at the early stages of developing its personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum. This curriculum lacks clarity about what pupils should learn and when they should learn it. For instance, pupils do not learn enough about religions and public institutions. Furthermore, the school does not follow the statutory guidance for teaching relationships and sex education (RSE) or careers education sufficiently well. This means that pupils are not as well prepared as they should be for life in modern Britain.

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better?

The classroom is bright and well resourced. Additionally, there is a safe and secure outdoor space for pupils to play. The school meets some of the standards related to pupils’ welfare, health and safety, including the provision of risk assessments. However, the proprietor does not have a sufficiently strong oversight of these standards, which means many are not met. For example, there is no suitably qualified fire marshal or first aider.

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better?

Policies, including a safeguarding policy, are made available to parents and carers on request. The proprietor has ensured that the school is compliant with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. However, the proprietor has not ensured that an admissions register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) regulation 2006.

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better?

The proprietor’s quality assurance processes lack rigour. The proprietor does not have an accurate view of the school’s performance. This means that it has not 12 and 13 November 2024 identified the right priorities to address. The proprietor does not demonstrate that it has sufficient capacity to improve the school.

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better?

The proprietor has not ensured that the staff’s workload is manageable. This means that staff do not have the time they need to carry out their roles as effectively as they could.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

While pupils are safe at this school, inspectors found some shortcomings in the school’s arrangements to safeguard pupils. The proprietor has not ensured that the school’s safeguarding policy gives consideration to current statutory guidance. For example, staff have not received up-to-date training in all aspects of safeguarding. In addition, the school’s systems for recording safer recruitment checks are not as robust as they should be. However, pupils are not at immediate risk of harm.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The proprietor does not have sufficient oversight of the school. It has not ensured that all the standards are met. This has led to some weaknesses in the quality of education that pupils receive and the arrangements to promote pupils’ welfare, health and safety, as well as their personal development. The proprietor must ensure that the standards are consistently and securely met.  The proprietor does not have a sufficient depth of understanding of the quality of education that pupils receive. Over time, it has not challenged the school sufficiently well about pupils’ learning or provided suitable support to develop staff’s expertise. The proprietor should ensure that it gains a clear oversight of the effectiveness of the quality of education that pupils receive and that it supports and challenges the school to bring about the necessary improvements.  The proprietor does not make certain that staff have up-to-date training in all

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

aspects of safeguarding. In addition, the school’s safer recruitment checks lack rigour. This has the potential to cause pupils to be at risk of harm. The proprietor should ensure that it systematically develops staff’s safeguarding knowledge. It should also make sure that its safer recruitment procedures are thorough and that there is a full and accurate record of the checks that are undertaken.  In some subjects, the school has not considered exactly what pupils should learn and in what order this knowledge should be taught. This hinders some pupils from achieving as well as they could. The school should refine the curriculum content to ensure that teachers know exactly what knowledge pupils must learn and when they should learn it.  The school is in the early stages of developing a clear PSHE curriculum. In addition, RSE and careers education are not taught sufficiently well. As a result, pupils are not as well prepared as they should be for life in modern Britain. The

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

12 and 13 November 2024 school should develop its thinking in this area so that pupils benefit from a broad and coherent suite of curriculums in PSHE, RSE and careers education.  The proprietor has not ensured that staff have all of the expertise that they need to help pupils to read well. As a result, some gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge are not remedied quickly enough. This limits pupils’ reading fluency and confidence. The proprietor should ensure that staff have the knowledge that they need to enable pupils to read accurately and fluently.

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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. 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Email address julie.ahern@supportingfutures.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 and 23 June 2021 12 and 13 November 2024

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Information about this school

 Norbury Court School is an independent school operated and owned by Supporting Futures Limited. It opened in April 2020.  The school’s previous standard inspection took place from 22 and 23 June 2021.  The school is located at London Road North, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1BZ.  The school is registered to admit four pupils.  All pupils who attend this school are in the care of a local authority.  All pupils who attend this school have an EHC plan related to their social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school does not make use of any 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

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 has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of 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 met with the chair of the proprietor body, operations manager and headteacher.  The lead inspector held telephone conversations with representatives of local authorities that have pupils placed at the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to staff, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss SEND, assessment, pupils’ behaviour and provision for pupils’ wider development.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation, including that relating to the

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Information about this inspection

standards.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single 12 and 13 November 2024 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 with pupils about their experiences of school life and their views about behaviour and bullying.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at lunchtime.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils or for staff. The lead inspector spoke with a member of staff from the residential children’s home where the pupils reside.  Inspectors spoke with staff about workload and well-being.  The lead inspector made a tour of the school premises to check the suitability of the premises and accommodation against the relevant standards.

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Inspection team

Victoria Burnside, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 November 2024

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2 (1) The standard in this paragraph is met if-

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

- 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and - 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work- - 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan. - 2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are- - 2(2)(e) for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that– - 2(2)(e)(i) is presented in an impartial manner; - 2(2)(e)(ii) enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options; and - 2(2)(e)(iii) helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential. - 2(2)(i) effective preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society.  2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor-

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

- 2A(1)(b) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with secondary education at the school is provided with relationships and sex education, except in so far as the pupil is excused as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2). - 2A(1)(d) in making arrangements for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b) or (c), has regard to any guidance under section 80A of the Education Act 2002 that applies in relation to the provision of education by maintained schools. - 2A(1)(e) makes and keeps up to date a separate written statement of its policy with regard to the provision of education as required by each of paragraphs (a) and (b), - 2A(1)(f) consults parents of registered pupils at the school before making or revising a statement under sub-paragraph (e), and - 2A(1)(g) publishes a copy of the statement on a website and provides a copy of the statement free of charge to anyone who asks for one.  2A(2)2) Arrangements made by the proprietor for the purposes of sub-paragraph

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

(1)(b) must ensure that where a pupil’s parent requests that the pupil is wholly or partly excused from sex education provided as part of relationships and sex education, the pupil is so excused until the request is withdrawn, unless or to the extent that the head teacher considers that the pupil should not be so excused.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- 12 and 13 November 2024 - 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; - 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; - 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress;

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

 5 The standard about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school is met if the proprietor-

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

- 5(a) actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; - 5(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which- - 5(b)(iv) enable pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for public institutions and services in England; - 5(b)(v) further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures; - 5(b)(vi) encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act; and - 5 (b)(vii) encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England;

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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-

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

- 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.  9 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that-

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

- 9(a) a written behaviour policy is drawn up that, amongst other matters, sets out the sanctions to be adopted in the event of pupil misbehaviour; - 9(b) the policy is implemented effectively; and  12 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005[12].

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

1 S.I. 2005/1541, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations. 12 and 13 November 2024  13 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that first aid is administered in a timely and competent manner by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written first aid policy.

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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 School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that-

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

- 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

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

 20(6)The standard in this paragraph is met in relation to an individual ("MB"), not being the Chair of the school, who is a member of a body of persons corporate or unincorporate named as the proprietor of the school in the register or in an application to enter the school in the register, if-

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

- 20(6)(a) MB- - 20(6)(a)(i) is not barred from regulated activity relating to children in accordance with section 3(2) of the 2006 Act where that individual is or will be engaging in activity which is regulated activity within the meaning of Part 1 of Schedule 4 of that Act; and - 20(6)(a)(ii) does not carry out work, or intend to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction; - 20(6)(b) subject to sub-paragraphs (7) to (8), the Chair of the school makes the following checks relating to MB- - 20(6)(b)(i) where relevant to the individual, an enhanced criminal record check; - 20(6)(b)(ii) checks confirming MB’s identity and MB’s right to work in the United

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

Kingdom; and - 20(6)(b)(iii) where, by reason of MB’s living or having lived outside the United Kingdom, obtaining an enhanced criminal record certificate is not sufficient to establish MB’s suitability to work in a school, such further checks as the Chair of the school considers appropriate, having regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State; - 20(6)(c) subject to sub-paragraph (8), where the Secretary of State makes a request for an enhanced criminal record check relating to MB to be made, such a check is made.  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(3) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is– 12 and 13 November 2024  21(3)(a) in relation to each member of staff (“S”) appointed on or after 1st May 2007, whether–

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

- 21(3)(a)(iii) a check was made to establish whether S is subject to any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in such a direction; - 21(3)(b) in relation to each member of staff ("S"), whether a check was made to establish whether S is subject to a prohibition order or an interim prohibition order, including the date on which such check was completed. - 21(6) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is, in relation each member ("MB") of a body of persons named as the proprietor appointed on or after 1st May 2007, whether the checks referred to in paragraph 20(6)(b) were made, the date they were made and the date on which the resulting certificate was obtained.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that–  32(1)(a) the information specified in sub-paragraph (2) is provided to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils and, on request, to the Chief Inspector, the Secretary of State or an independent inspectorate;  32(2) The information specified in this sub-paragraph is-

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Part 6. Provision of information

- 32(2)(a) the school’s address and telephone number and the name of the head teacher;

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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-

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

- 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. 12 and 13 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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