Shelldene House School

Inspection of Shelldene House School Shelldene House, 20 Main Road, Friday Bridge, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE14 0HJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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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?

School life is supportive and empowering for pupils. Staff make sure that pupils feel understood and respected. This creates an environment where pupils can be themselves and feel secure. Pupils know they can rely on staff for both academic and emotional support. They feel listened to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff support pupils to re-engage with their education. Lessons support pupils to build on their strengths, while considering their specific needs. The school inspires pupils to set high goals for themselves. Staff help pupils to reach them. Pupils benefit from their school experiences. They acquire valuable knowledge and skills, qualifications and a path to career success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is managed in a way that makes pupils feel safe and responsible. This helps lessons to have a calm atmosphere. Staff encourage positive behaviour and focus on reinforcing what pupils do well. Pupils also learn new social skills, which give them confidence in how they interact with others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can develop niche interests and talents because of the tenacious way the school offers sporting, artistic and cultural experiences. These experiences also help pupils to understand their values, roles and responsibilities within the wider world. They are being prepared well for their next steps.

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better?

The curriculum is broad, ambitious and flexible. It is designed to meet pupils’ individual needs and is well sequenced. The school ensures that the curriculum includes core subjects such as mathematics, as well as subjects such as art, design and technology and history. Pupils also study some vocational subjects. The school supports all pupils to gain appropriate certificates, awards and qualifications in the subjects they are studying. As a result of the school’s work, pupils feel and are socially and academically successful.

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better?

Teaching is highly personalised, with a strong focus on individual progress. Teachers break down lessons into manageable steps, ensuring that pupils can follow along. If pupils struggle to engage, teachers aptly capture pupils’ interest with alternative tasks. Teachers are adept at helping pupils to learn new concepts in subjects such as science. In art, staff challenge pupils’ perceptions of the subject, encouraging them to explore it as an academic discipline. In English, teachers support pupils to express their ideas in writing. However, occasionally, pupils do not receive enough opportunities to develop more legible handwriting and accurate grammar and punctuation. This means that pupils do not build confidence and fluency in writing as well as they might.

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better?

The school expertly gathers and uses information about pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This includes staff’s astute perceptions of pupils’ needs, progress and aptitudes. Experts and professionals who work closely with the 4 to 6 February 2025 school provide additional information. Staff regularly meet to discuss how well pupils are learning the curriculum. Staff use this information to inform lesson and curriculum adaptation.

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better?

Reading is a priority. Lessons emphasise new vocabulary and opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning within texts. Teachers provide effective support for pupils who need to catch up with reading. As a result, pupils quickly develop the confidence and fluency needed to engage with challenging and interesting literature.

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better?

Staff monitor behaviour closely. They use a reward system to encourage positive actions and address issues such as occasional bad language through helpful guidance. The school collects and uses detailed information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance and engagement to provide well-tailored support. Appropriate use of part-time timetables helps to meet pupils’ individual needs.

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better?

The curriculum offers rich opportunities for personal development. Pupils engage in diverse extra-curricular activities. These include cultural trips, debates on current issues and discussions around moral dilemmas. The school fosters a sense of community and encourages pupils to explore different cultures and perspectives.

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better?

The school facilitates well-chosen, real-world experiences to provide pupils with practical insights and preparation for the future. This offer complements the highly individualised career support and advice on offer. Pupils appreciate the way the school helps them to prepare for their next steps because it gives them confidence about their futures. This includes the work the school does to secure unique courses and work experiences that match pupils’ aspirations and interests.

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better?

Leaders, including the proprietor, demonstrate strong commitment to high standards. They have created an inclusive and safe environment for all pupils, ensuring compliance with the Equality Act 2010. The proprietor has ensured the school meets the independent school standards. This includes regular checks of site safety and appropriate safeguarding checks on staff.

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better?

Staff receive effective training, ensuring they remain well equipped to support pupils. Collaboration with other professionals strengthens the multi-agency approach, ensuring a holistic approach to pupil welfare. Staff feel supported with manageable workloads and professional development opportunities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 to 6 February 2025

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Occasionally, pupils do not receive enough opportunities to develop more legible handwriting and accurate grammar and punctuation. This means that pupils do not quickly build confidence and fluency in writing. The proprietor needs to ensure that the school strengthens its English curriculum so that pupils develop greater fluency and accuracy with handwriting, punctuation and grammar.

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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. 4 to 6 February 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 135380 DfE registration number 873/6044

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School details

Inspection number 10342060 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Email address mikecoles@shelldenehouse.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 to 23 June 2022

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Information about this school

 The school provides education for up to 12 pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs. All pupils are placed at the school and funded by their respective local authorities. Pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The majority have an education, health and care (EHC) plan.  The school is registered for pupils aged 12 to 19. However, it currently caters for pupils aged 12 to 16, and only offers post-16 education in exceptional circumstances. Therefore, inspectors did not grade the sixth-form provision for this inspection.  There are three directors on the proprietor board. Two of the directors are actively involved in the running of the school. The school does not have a governing body.  Some subjects, such as design and technology, are taught off site.  The school uses two unregistered alternative providers. 4 to 6 February 2025  The school was previously inspected in June 2022. At the time, the school’s

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Information about this school

overall effectiveness was judged to be good and all the independent 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 evaluation 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 met with the directors, school leaders, teachers, and other staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, art, geography and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered a range of policies, documents, and records, including those for attendance and behaviour.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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Information about this inspection

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with a social worker and the school’s consultant child psychologist.  Inspectors spoke with pupils in lessons and during breaktimes and lunchtimes. Due to pupils’ additional needs, an adult was present when inspectors spoke with pupils. The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey and the online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Hannah Stoten, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Joanna Pedlow Ofsted Inspector 4 to 6 February 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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