Broadbeck Learning Centre

Broadbeck Learning Centre Brearcliffe Drive, Buttershaw, Bradford, West Yorkshire, West Yorkshire BD6 2LE

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Inspection dates 11 and 12 December 2024

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 7 to 7(b)  During this emergency inspection, inspectors found significant weaknesses in the school’s arrangements to keep pupils safe and consistently promote their welfare.  The proprietor has not ensured that the school fulfils all the statutory requirements as set out in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ 2024. For example, senior staff new to the school, including leaders of safeguarding, have not received an appropriate induction or handover. This means that they do not have a working oversight of the previous cases and contexts related to the safeguarding of vulnerable pupils or the management of serious allegations against staff. Senior staff lack the knowledge and oversight that they need to keep children safe and fulfil their statutory responsibilities.  The school has an information management system for the recording of safeguarding

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Main inspection findings

concerns. However, during the inspection pupils told inspectors about previous concerns and incidents that they had raised with staff. When inspectors scrutinised the school’s documentation, they found that some of these concerns had not been appropriately recorded or escalated. In other cases, concerns about harmful behaviour had been appropriately identified and recorded. However, the school has failed to ensure that this information is used to inform appropriate actions to assess the risks presented and keep pupils safe from further harm. Consequently, incidents of harmful behaviour continued to occur.  The school has ensured that appropriate processes for the safer recruitment of staff are in place. All appropriate checks on staff suitability to work with children are made and recorded on the single central record.  These independent school standards (the standards) are not met. Paragraph 9, 9(a)

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Main inspection findings

 The school has a written behaviour policy. It sets out the sanctions to be adopted in the event of pupil misbehaviour.  This standard is met. Paragraph 9, 9(b), 9(c), 10  The school has recently implemented a new approach to behaviour management. However, the behaviour policy is not implemented effectively. For example, although staff have received training about the behaviour policy and procedures, it is not currently implemented consistently by all staff. Some pupils do not understand the rules and consequences for their behaviour.  Furthermore, the proprietor does not ensure that incidents of pupils using derogatory language, including racist and homophobic comments, are routinely recorded and addressed.  The school has an anti-bullying policy and strategy in place. However, the proprietor has not ensured that the school routinely records all incidents of derogatory language that pupils use towards staff and other pupils. This prevents the school from

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Main inspection findings

identifying patterns and trends in some pupils’ bullying behaviours. These recurring behaviours are not effectively addressed and/or reduced. Some pupils feel intimidated and harassed by others.  These standards are not met. Paragraph 14  There are adequate staff to pupil ratios in place. However, a small number of staff stated that, on occasion, they are left in vulnerable positions managing the challenging behaviours of several pupils. This is particularly the case when designated staff are required to accompany pupils who leave the classroom due to their dysregulated behaviour.  Pupils are supervised by staff, including at lunch and breaktimes. However, sometimes pupils are allowed to enter spaces and classrooms that are not designated for them. Older pupils are also allowed to enter spaces with much younger pupils. In some incidences, the risks associated with this have not been appropriately and effectively

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Main inspection findings

assessed. Some pupils stated that this made them feel intimidated and unsafe.  This standard is not met. Paragraph 15  The proprietor has ensured the school maintains an admissions and attendance register in accordance with the appropriate regulations.  This standard is met. Paragraph 16 to 16(b)  The school has an appropriate risk assessment policy in place. However, this policy is not implemented effectively. The school does not ensure that all relevant concerns that are identified form part of pupils’ individual risk assessment plans, for example, when managing sexually harmful behaviours. This hinders how well the school’s actions can reduce identified risks. These risk assessments do not consistently promote and safeguard the welfare of pupils.  These standards are not met. Paragraph 32(1)(c)  The school’s safeguarding policy reflects current statutory requirements and is available on the school’s website.

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Main inspection findings

Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled Paragraph 33 to 33(k)  The school has adopted the Witherslack Group complaints policy. This policy is in writing. Parents and carers can access it via the school’s website. The policy details how complaints can be made on a formal and informal basis, including the timescales for the management of a complaint. The school keeps a log of all complaints that have been made to the school.  However, at the time of this emergency inspection, the proprietor had failed to put in place a sufficient level of independence when complaints reach the final stage of investigation. The independent school standards require formal complaints at stage 3 to be considered by a panel, one member of which should be independent to the leadership and management of the school. Inspectors found that the Witherslack Group’s complaints policy did not include this requirement. This meant that if a

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Main inspection findings

complaints panel was ever convened at stage 3, the complaint may not have been considered by anyone impartial to the leadership of the school.  Prior to the publication of this report, the Witherslack Group updated their complaints policy. The school has adopted it. It now ensures that, where there is a panel hearing of a complaint, one panel member is independent of the management and running of the school.  These standards are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1) to 34(1)(c)  During this emergency inspection, inspectors found that, over time, the proprietor has not ensured that the school has the knowledge and understanding to fulfil statutory responsibilities, including in relation to keeping pupils safe. The school does not ensure that the well-being of pupils is actively promoted.  The proprietor has not ensured that the leadership and management of the school have the capacity to meet the independent school standards consistently and securely.  The standards in this part are not met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Website http://witherslackgroup.co.uk/broadbeck- integrated-therapeutic-provision/ Email address admin@witherslackgroup.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 7 to 9 December 2021

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Information about this school

 Broadbeck Learning Centre is an independent special school for pupils aged 6- to 18- years old. All pupils have social, emotional and mental health needs. Some pupils have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or a learning disability. Most pupils have an education, health and care plan, but this is not a requirement for admission.  The school’s registered premises is at Brearcliffe Drive, Buttershaw, Bradford, West Yorkshire, West Yorkshire BD6 2LE.  The school has capacity for 14 pupils, with 14 on roll at present.  The school’s last standard inspection was in December 2021.  The current headteacher has been in post since June 2024. Several members of staff are new to the school since the previous inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) as a result of a number of concerns raised about the school and the Witherslack Group in general. This was one of a number of inspections carried out at the same time.  The focus of the inspection was to check leaders’ compliance specifically with those standards related to the welfare, health and safety of pupils; the manner in which complaints are handled and the quality of leadership and management.  This inspection was carried out without notice.  To check compliance with the independent school standards, inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and a range of other staff in the school.  An inspector spoke with representatives of the proprietor body from the Witherslack Group.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their views and experiences and scrutinised a range of documentation.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

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Information about this inspection

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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Amanda Downing, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  9 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that- – 9(b) the policy is implemented effectively; and – 9(c) a record is kept of the sanctions imposed upon pupils for serious misbehaviour.  10 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that bullying at the school is prevented in so far as reasonably practicable, by the drawing up and implementation of an effective anti-bullying strategy.  14 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that pupils are properly supervised through the appropriate deployment of school staff.  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that-

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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