Brookways School

Inspection of Brookways School 660 London Road, North Cheam, Sutton SM3 9BZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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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?

When pupils arrive at the school in the morning, most choose to take part in the school’s daily morning walk around the playground. They catch up with their classmates and staff, while benefiting from some physical exercise before they start their day. Staff have developed positive, trusting and nurturing working relationships with the pupils here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff make it their priority to know each pupil they work with well. They set them high expectations and support them in being successful in their learning. Pupils respond well to the support they receive. They engage well in their learning and understand how to manage their emotions if they become distressed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils participate in different trips and visits to learn more about the local and wider community, for example trips to museums, the London Eye, Kew Gardens and the Sutton Synagogue. Residentials to the Isle of Wight and Swanage are very popular and pupils are looking forward to their journey to Berlin later this year. Some pupils visit the local care home, where they play games with the residents and entertain them on the piano.

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better?

The curriculum has been designed so that it is ambitious for all pupils. In all subjects there is now a clear progression of skills and knowledge mapped out. Pupils access this in different ways and at varied stages, depending on their needs. The school has worked to link the curriculum more closely with pupils’ education, health and care plan (EHC) targets. This work is in its early stages. A few staff are not fully confident in using pupils’ targets in their teaching. This means some pupils are not achieving as well as they could.

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better?

The school’s therapeutic team works closely with all staff and leaders. They get to know each pupil’s communication, emotional, sensory and physical needs. They use this information to create personalised support plans that staff use effectively.

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better?

In the primary phrase, the curriculum provides pupils with important opportunities to develop their social and emotional skills. However, some subjects are less well developed. In these subjects, the most important knowledge that pupils need to know is not clearly identified. This means when pupils are ready to re-engage in learning they do not build secure knowledge as quickly as they should.

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better?

Reading has been made a key priority. The school now follows a phonics programme. It has made sure all key staff have received appropriate training. Once pupils are confident readers, they engage in the school’s morning reading sessions. This time is protected so that all pupils are involved with reading every day. 21 to 23 January 2025 Pupils develop their life skills here. They learn about positive relationships and how to keep safe, including online. Pupils who travel to school on their own are given step-by-step guidance on doing this safely and successfully. Pupils receive appropriate careers advice and guidance Opportunities to work with external organisations and visits to local colleges prepare pupils well for their next steps.

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better?

Pupils who initially struggle with behaviour are given expert support. Consequently, they become much more able to manage their behaviour. They learn to build resilience, confidence and independence. They typically focus on their learning and are rarely disruptive in lessons. Many pupils who start at the school have had a negative prior experience of schooling. This has had an impact on their previous school attendance. When they join this school, staff get to know the reasons why they did not attend school regularly. The school then works with pupils and their families to address those barriers. Consequently, most pupils attend school regularly.

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better?

Despite having to work hard to embed the new changes, staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at this school and say that leaders always consider their well-being. Parents are extremely pleased with the changes. They now feel that communication is strong and feel better involved with the school.

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better?

The proprietor, supported by the local governing body, fulfils its statutory duties, for example by making sure that arrangements to promote pupils’ safety are suitable. All of the requirements of the independent school standards are met.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school’s work to link the curriculum more closely with pupils’ EHC plans is at an early stage of implementation. As a result, some staff lack confidence in aligning the curriculum and assessment to pupils’ individual EHC targets and outcomes. This means pupils do not make the progress they are capable of. The school should ensure that all staff understand how to adapt their teaching so that pupils successfully achieve well across the curriculum.  In the primary phase, some subjects are at an earlier stage of design. In these cases, the important knowledge and skills pupils need to secure are less clearly defined and sequenced. This limits pupils building a secure knowledge of the content they are learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum identifies all the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn and remember so that they are well prepared for their next stages of learning.

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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. 21 to 23 January 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 144774 DfE registration number 319/6000

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School details

Inspection number 10342128 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Chair Paul Brosnan and Lee Reed (Co-chairs)

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School details

Website www.kedlestongroup.com/Our-Schools- Homes/Day-Schools/Brookways- School/Home Email address brookways@kedlestongroup.com

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 to 26 January 2023 21 to 23 January 2025

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Information about this school

 Brookways School opened in 2018. All pupils have an EHC plan.  All pupils have autism and a range of associated needs.  Brookways is part of Kedleston Group Limited, which owns and operates several similar special schools across England.  The headteacher took up their post in June 2023.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  Pupils in key stage 4 attend North East Surrey College of Technology once a week as part of their curriculum.  The school’s previous inspection was a standard inspection in January 2023, when the school was judged as requires improvement. All Independent school standards were met.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, talked to pupils about their learning in these subjects and looked at their work.  Inspectors also considered curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils to discuss their views about the school, behaviour and safety. Inspectors met with some staff. Inspectors analysed the survey responses of pupils, staff and parents.  Several meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and

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Information about this inspection

regional director of the group and the subject leaders. Inspectors also held discussions with one of the co-chairs of the group and quality improvement lead. 21 to 23 January 2025  Inspectors scrutinised a range of policies and documents. Inspectors checked the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kieran Bird His Majesty’s Inspector 21 to 23 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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