Farney Close School

Inspection report for residential special school - Farney Close School 1 Farney Close School Bolney Court, Crossways, Bolney, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 5RD Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

The school provides care and education to children with social, emotional, or mental health and/or associated difficulties, such as speech and language or learning needs.

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Information about this residential special school

There are 80 children on roll at the school, of whom 34 access the residential provision. Most children attend the residential provision Monday to Friday, with some children having more-bespoke placements in line with their needs.

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Information about this residential special school

Only the residential provision was inspected.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The residential special school provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the school contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

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outstanding

Date of previous inspection: 12 March 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding Inspection report for residential special school - Farney Close School 2

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outstanding

Children continue to make excellent progress in relation to their individual starting points. They learn skills that help them to navigate their day successfully, such as how to manage conflicts with other children, how to cook and learn how to keep themselves safe. One child has been able to seek and maintain some employment.

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outstanding

Children who come to stay at the school make significant progress in relation to their school attendance and engagement. Children's views, feelings and aspirations are hugely important to leaders and staff, and they continue to find new ways to help children be heard. Because of this, children are confident in speaking to staff and feel that their views will be acted on. As a result of children’s feedback, new playground equipment has been installed and both children and staff were excited to talk about the upcoming Christmas disco.

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outstanding

Children enjoy a wide range of activities that help them to broaden their interests, have fun with friends and live physically and mentally healthier lives. These activities include swimming, gym sessions and bushcraft. Children say that the activities offered are one of the best things about living at the school.

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outstanding

Children are cared for by enthusiastic and committed staff who know them well and who provide excellent care. The depth and warmth of the relationships are abundantly clear in the relaxed conversations and the way that staff quickly identify and respond to any slight changes in children's presentation.

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outstanding

Leaders have developed and maintained strong relationships with children's families and professionals, such as social workers and therapists. One social worker said that leaders work hard to support a child accessing external education provision and ensure that the support needed is provided. One parent spoke about how their child had completely changed because of the progress they had made and felt that the school was an extension of their family.

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outstanding

Children’s physical and emotional health needs are understood and sensitively managed. For one child, they were extensively supported pre- and post-surgery with additional care from therapists. Another child was supported through a recent bereavement with great care and sensitivity that enabled them and their family to grieve together.

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outstanding

Children feel safe and they are happy. They can confidently identify adults whom they can talk to if they have concerns, and they believe that their concerns would be taken seriously. Because of this sense of safety and trust, children do not go missing Inspection report for residential special school - Farney Close School 3 from the school and, instead, opt to talk to staff or use the school’s extensive grounds to remove themselves from difficult situations.

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outstanding

Safeguarding arrangements are clear and effective. When staff have concerns about children's welfare, they know how to share their concerns and have confidence that actions will be taken by the safeguarding team. Leaders take effective action to keep children safe. They link with the wider safeguarding network when needed to ensure that there is a collaborative and appropriate response.

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outstanding

Children are taught how to become safer, and their learning has been shared across all settings, such as staff helping parents to set up safety controls at home to keep children safe online. Leaders have cultivated strong working relationships with the wider safeguarding network such as the police, to ensure that when appropriate, children are offered additional opportunities to learn about how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, the local community support officer has visited to talk to children about misogyny and the impact of this.

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outstanding

When children experience unsettling feelings and become distressed, staff are highly skilled in helping them to find ways to express their feelings in a safer, more positive way. One child's therapist explained that the child had become much better at talking about their feelings without resorting to harmful behaviours and is now better at dealing with conflict with other children.

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outstanding

On occasions where staff have used any physical intervention, they do so for the least amount of time needed to keep children and others safe and they use the least restrictive options needed. Following incidents, leaders review reports to identify opportunities to adapt practices, share learning and update children's plans so that staff can better support them in the future. As a result of this extensive work, the frequency of incidents has continued to reduce compared to last year.

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outstanding

Safer recruitment is effective. Appropriate checks are undertaken prior to staff start- ing with the school and even when staff transfer from one department to another, a full interview process is completed.

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outstanding

The response to health and safety is robust, with comprehensive oversight and responses from a highly trained and qualified professional.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders are highly aspirational for children and have an excellent understanding of the progress that they have made. They take pride and speak with warmth in ac- knowledging children's achievements and make sure this is celebrated with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, leaders have continued to monitor the provision effectively and take steps to enhance children’s experiences. For example, there is a large-scale Inspection report for residential special school - Farney Close School 4 programme underway to renovate some of the residential houses. Systems for track- ing children's progress that were previously in their infancy have now been fully em- bedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders also benefit from additional monitoring and scrutiny that helps to further their improvement journey. They have regular visits from an independent visitor who provides clear scrutiny and challenge to leaders, and who is well known to the chil- dren.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Governors are present, knowledgeable and focused on the importance and impact of the residential provision for children. They have effective oversight of the provision and ask challenging questions of leaders when this is appropriate. For governors, the child's safety and experiences are fundamental to each of their visits. They meet with children and their families to better understand what life is like in the residential provision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and staff work collaboratively with families and professionals to ensure that children receive the care and support that they need to be successful. If children need additional support, leaders advocate for this on their behalf and help them to access specialist services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff speak highly of the support that they receive from leaders and how valued they feel. They benefit from regular training that helps them to be confident in their roles and to help children with any emerging needs. Staff also value their regular supervision meetings, as this offers them the chance to reflect on their own practice and learn and think about their professional development. As a result, there has been an extremely low turnover of staff, and children are benefiting from being cared for by staff who know them well. Inspection report for residential special school - Farney Close School 5

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the National Minimum Standards. Inspection report for residential special school - Farney Close School 6

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC014513

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Sara Hack

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential Special School

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Residential special school details

Email address: sara.hack@farneyclose.co.uk

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Inspectors

Jay Shekleton, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Mark Newington, Ofsted Inspector Inspection report for residential special school - Farney Close School 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 4234 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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