Pledge2Learn

Inspection of Pledge2Learn Bottesford Town Football Club, Ontario Road, Scunthorpe DN17 2TQ

p.1

Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

p.1

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?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are valued at this nurturing school. Parents and carers typically appreciate that staff welcome pupils ‘with open arms’. Pupils have a chance to make a fresh start and succeed in education where they have previously struggled in other school settings. The school’s values of ‘gratitude, respect, integrity and teamwork’ shine through the caring ethos and the personalised approach to learning.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The environment is relaxed and informal. Relationships are positive. Pupils learn how to treat others with respect because staff model this well. Pupils develop ways to manage their emotions and behaviour effectively. They attend well. Established routines help them to understand how to behave and to feel safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s high expectations for pupils are reflected in the ambitious curriculum. Pupils gain a range of relevant qualifications to equip them well for life beyond school. Learning and support are tailored to pupils’ individual needs. Activities engage and interest pupils. They take part in various sporting activities. They receive effective guidance to explore potential further education, training and employment opportunities. Pupils develop life skills such as learning to cook and to travel independently. They are looking forward to competing against other schools in the final of a local, new-age curling competition.

p.2

better?

The school uses a range of information to identify and assess pupils’ needs thoroughly when they first begin to attend. They create comprehensive ‘learning journey’ profiles for each pupil. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with an education, health and care plan (EHC plan). Learning journeys identify pupils’ academic targets, interests, aspirations and ways to best support their social, emotional and mental health needs. Teachers discuss and review this information regularly with pupils. They provide effective and personalised support for pupils. When needed, teachers provide specific resources and adapt learning to support the needs of pupils with SEND well. This includes pupils with sensory needs. Pupils are supported to access learning in a way that suits them best.

p.2

better?

The curriculum is broad and coherently sequenced. Most pupils come to the school with more significant gaps in their knowledge of English and mathematics than would be expected for their age. Teachers prioritise these areas of the curriculum. Learning is matched precisely to pupils’ individual abilities. Pupils practise their English and mathematics skills often. For example, in English, pupils are encouraged to read, reflect and orally rehearse sentences before writing. Pupils benefit from one-to-one and small-group teaching. Staff encourage them to be resilient and achieve success. Lessons are well designed to support pupils in concentrating and fostering positive attitudes to learning. 28 to 29 January 2025 Most pupils have missed significant periods of education before attending Pledge2Learn. Many have experienced trauma in their lives. Teachers make careful observations about how well pupils are achieving, their emotional well-being,

p.2

better?

behaviour and attendance. This information is shared with pupils’ mainstream schools and parents. Once settled, pupils’ attendance and engagement in education improve because of leaders’ effective work with pupils and their parents.

p.3

better?

Leaders are quick to identify those who need support with their reading. They provide specific phonics teaching for pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read when necessary. Pupils with dyslexia receive specialist support. Pupils read books that are appropriate to their reading ability. They study a range of different genres. Teachers model reading and encourage pupils to read for different purposes.

p.3

better?

The offer to promote pupils’ personal development is well supported by the personal, social, health and economics education (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils learn what to do about risks of local concern such as those related to drugs, alcohol and hate crime. They develop an age-appropriate understanding of relationships and sex education and health education. They engage in discussions and debates with adults, including issues relating to gender identity and diversity. They develop an understanding of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues. The school places particular focus on healthy lifestyles and ensuring that pupils understand how to seek help outside school to keep safe. This includes through charities and the citizen’s advice service. Pupils receive suitable independent advice and guidance about further education, employment and training. However, leaders recognise that most pupils have limited experiences of life beyond their home and school

p.3

better?

environments. Currently, the school’s wider curriculum enrichment activities are also limited. Pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in real life to equip them well for life in modern Britain.

p.3

better?

Staff are well supported with their workload and well-being. They are valued and respected. They enjoy being part of the close-knit team. Teachers have the necessary expertise to meet pupils’ needs well. However, the school does not provide sufficient opportunities for teachers to continue to develop their skills and improve their practice so that teaching and learning can be strengthened further.

p.3

better?

The proprietor body has a comprehensive understanding of the school. It ensures that the independent school standards are met. It is suitably supported by an advisory board with relevant knowledge and skills. There are frequent checks on the health, safety and welfare of pupils. Appropriate policies and procedures are in place to keep pupils safe. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and proprietor)

28 to 29 January 2025  Teachers do not have access to high-quality training to support the development of their teaching. Opportunities to ensure that teachers can hone their teaching skills may be missed. The school should provide teachers with access to high- quality training and support to continue to strengthen the teaching of the curriculum.  The school does not provide pupils with sufficiently broad experiences of life beyond school. Pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The school should ensure that pupils have suitable enrichment opportunities to broaden their understanding of the wider world.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 28 to 29 January 2025

p.4

School details

Type of school Other independent special school

p.5

School details

School category Independent special school

p.5

School details

Proprietor Solutions Pledge2Learn Limited

p.5

School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £35,100 to £48,769

p.5

School details

Email address admin@pledge2learn.co.uk 28 to 29 January 2025

p.5

Information about this school

 The school opened in March 2024.  The school operates from a site that is owned by Bottesford Town Football Club. Pupils utilise the on-site sports facilities during the day when they are not in use by the public.  The school provides education and support for pupils who have social, emotional and mental health needs, autism and trauma difficulties. Some pupils have EHC plans.  The school is registered to admit up to 30 pupils.  The school admits pupils on a part-time or full-time basis. Part-time pupils are dual registered with their commissioning schools.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The postal address for the school is: Solutions Pledge2Learn, Sovereign House, Arkwright Way, Queensway Industrial Estate, Scunthorpe, DN16 1AL.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the chair of the proprietor body, the centre manager and teachers.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the advisory board and spoke on the telephone with a representative from North Lincolnshire local authority.  Inspectors spoke on the telephone with leaders of some of the schools who commission places for pupils at Pledge2Learn.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: English, including reading, mathematics and PSHE. For each group of subjects, the inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 28 to 29 January 2025  Inspectors spoke to leaders about the school’s approach to teaching employability

p.6

Information about this inspection

skills and history and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors visited a sample of lessons for physical education and art.  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’ interest first.  Inspectors met with some pupils and staff and spoke on the telephone with some parents.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey Ofsted Parent View and Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff.

p.7

Inspection team

Stephanie Innes-Taylor, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Jessica McKay His Majesty’s Inspector 28 to 29 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.

p.7

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8