The Poplars

Inspection of The Poplars Miners Lodge, Market Crescent, New Herrington, Houghton le Spring DH4 7AP

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy attending this school. Staff make sure pupils’ safety and well-being are at the centre of everything they do. Staff know pupils extremely well. Staff support pupils to manage their emotions when they find situations challenging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school environment is calm and welcoming. Adults support pupils effectively so that they focus on learning in lessons. Pupils behave positively. They are respectful to staff and are accepting of each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a bespoke curriculum. Pupils access learning in ways that meet their sensory and physical needs well. They enjoy one-to-one and small group teaching. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to keep themselves physically healthy through daily walks. During this time, pupils develop important social skills. Staff encourage them to join in conversations and to reflect on their day. In addition, pupils enjoy regular cycling sessions with a charity based in the community. Through cookery sessions, pupils learn how to hold and use everyday kitchen equipment. They develop an understanding about healthy eating. Pupils follow instructions well and are eager to sample the completed produce.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is broad and ambitious. There is a sharp focus on early language and communication skills, and mathematics. Pupils also have lessons in creative development, science, religion and world views, history and geography. Pupils regularly revisit prior learning to ensure they remember important knowledge. Staff make sure that pupils can apply learning from one subject to another. For example, pupils learn how to count in mathematics using a variety of resources. Pupils apply this knowledge when they measure quantities in cookery or pay for goods when shopping.

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better?

Staff adapt their teaching of the curriculum based on their knowledge of the pupils and their responses during lessons. Some members of staff are highly adept at digging deeper into pupils’ understanding, for instance, through effective questioning. They give pupils time to consider possible answers and ensure that pupils stay on task. However, there are some inconsistencies in approaches by members of staff. This means that some learning tasks do not match pupils’ starting points or match the ambitious intent of the curriculum.

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better?

Reading is a priority. Staff read to pupils daily, choosing books and texts to broaden pupils’ understanding of the world. Pupils also choose their own books that they enjoy reading for pleasure. Staff teach the phonics scheme through one-to-one sessions, when pupils are ready to learn to read. They do this effectively and consistently. 14 and 15 January 2025 There is a clear approach to writing. This includes the development of pupils’ fine and gross motor skills. The school has numerous resources to support pupils to develop pencil grip and control. These are used well by staff and pupils. However, there are some inconsistencies in the way that staff guide pupils in their handwriting formation.

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better?

The school uses detailed information about each pupil to inform behaviour plans. Expectations of behaviour vary slightly between members of staff. However, all know how to support pupils in regulating their behaviour. Well-established routines support pupils in their learning and provide a clear structure to the school day. This provides reassurance for those pupils who like to know what is going to happen and when. Pupils’ attendance is high and much improved compared to their previous school placements.

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better?

Pupils enjoy their enrichment sessions. Educational visits are purposeful, often aimed at building confidence and developing life skills. Aspects such as relationships and sex education are focused on the needs of individual pupils. Staff teach pupils important life skills to serve them beyond their time at school.

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better?

The school is proactive in inducting new staff so that the school’s vision is understood and shared by all. Some staff have not benefitted from the full professional development offer from the proprietor. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support for their workload and well-being.

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better?

Careful monitoring by the proprietor ensures that the school meets the independent school standards (the standards). The proprietor demonstrates a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for further improvement. They also ensure that the school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 There are some inconsistencies in staff expectations of behaviour and the teaching of the curriculum. As a result, the implementation of the school’s curriculum is sometimes inconsistent and, where this happens, pupils do not learn and remember as well as they could. The school should ensure that the staff team have a consistent experience in terms of training for both behaviour management and curriculum delivery. 14 and 15 January 2025

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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. 14 and 15 January 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 150515 DfE registration number 394/6006

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school School category Independent school

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School details

Proprietor Hexagon Care Services Limited

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School details

Email address Poplars.headteacher@hexagoncare.com 14 and 15 January 2025

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Information about this school

 The school operates at the following address: Miners Lodge, Market Crescent, New Herrington, Houghton le Spring DH4 7AP.  The school is registered to admit four pupils.  This is the school’s first standard inspection since it opened.  All pupils have SEND and an education, health and care plan. All pupils have autism and complex needs.  The school receives referrals for pupils through different local authority SEND panels in the north east of England. Pupils join the school throughout the year.  The school does not use 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

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.  The inspectors met with the proprietor.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: communication and early language, mathematics and personal, health, social and economic education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons, spoke to staff, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 reviewed the school’s policies and documentation relating to pupils’ welfare and to their education. They talked with staff and pupils about pupils’

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Information about this inspection

personal development and pupils’ behaviour and attitudes. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors checked the school’s compliance with the standards. As part of these checks, an inspector toured the school’s premises accompanied by school leaders.  Inspectors considered the views of parents shared through phone calls and responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors 14 and 15 January 2025 considered the views of staff shared through meetings and the staff survey. Inspectors considered the views of pupils shared through pupil discussions.

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Inspection team

Mary Cook, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Penny Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025 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

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