St Rose’s School

Inspection report for residential special school - St Rose’s School 1 St Rose’s School St Rose’s Special School, Stratford Lawn, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 4AP Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

This is a co-educational, non-maintained, Roman Catholic day and residential school. It provides a service for students with physical disabilities and/or associated sensory, communication and learning disabilities. Some students have complex healthcare issues, and 24-hour nursing support is available. Students are aged between two and 19 years.

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Information about this residential special school

At the time of this inspection, there were 46 students on roll at the school with one student staying in the residential provision. The school offers flexible boarding arrangements, with capacity for six students to stay from one to four nights, with weekend care available during term time.

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Information about this residential special school

The head of care has been in post since May 2023 and is a registered nurse. A new trainee manager and trainee deputy manager have also been appointed.

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Information about this residential special school

The inspector only inspected the social care provision at the school. The inspector has referred to children as students throughout the report, as this is the preferred choice of reference used by leaders and managers in the school.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The residential special school provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of previous inspection: 19 September 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for residential special school - St Rose’s School 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three students are having regular stays at the school. During the inspection, the inspector saw and spoke with one student. Students enjoy their stays in residential and seem happy with the staff who care for them. Staff prioritise students' needs, enabling them to make timely progress. One student was seen enjoying a board game with two young adults who were visiting for tea. The student also enjoyed a visit to the school’s sensory garden and a sociable meal with their friends. The student appeared happy and settled during their stay. The inspector saw them smiling, and they regularly giggled or laughed in response to interactions with the staff or the goings-on around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Students have access to a wide range of opportunities during their stays. They enjoy various activities inside and outside school. Facilities at the school include a hydrotherapy pool, trampoline and sensory garden. An immersive sensory experience enables students to benefit from experiences they might not typically have the opportunity to enjoy. This includes going to the beach, riding on a rollercoaster, and falling from an aeroplane. The staff have enhanced the beach experience by providing sand, water and the scent of sun cream, making it feel more authentic for the students. Students can also go shopping, have picnics, or go for walks to the park in the local community. The residential experience enables students to spend time with other students so that they can make new friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Students make timely progress in this school and respond well to routines and boundaries. They are well supported by staff who know them well and understand their needs. Skilled practitioners provide on-site therapy input, supporting the students with specialist interventions. They are involved with the students both in educational and residential spaces. When equipment is not working or changes are required to students’ support plans, they are able to respond quickly and ensure that any action is taken in a timely way. This provides a seamless approach to the care and support that students receive across both care and education. There are also strong links between school therapy services and community-based services to ensure that students receive consistent levels of care and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

‘Overall, my impression is that the care staff are incredibly dedicated, caring and know the students well. Everything seems to be well organised, and staff are responsive to students’ needs and interests. A student I work with who occasionally stays always expressed how much they are looking forward to their next stay and how much fun they have had after each stay.’ Inspection report for residential special school - St Rose’s School 3 The school is welcoming, clean and comfortable. It is undergoing improvements, making it a suitable, modern, accessible and spacious environment for students to spend time in. Students’ bedrooms have been personalised to make them feel like their own spaces, and they are encouraged to bring in personal items from home. There are plans to renovate the rest of the residential building so that quality is improved across the board. Leaders have requested repairs for the broken new lift.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The old lift is being used on a short-term basis. Although there is a sensory garden with accessible equipment for all students, the presence of pre-school toys means that it is not always accessible to some students.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding is managed effectively in this school. There have been no safeguarding incidents in residential since the last inspection. Staff understand students’ vulnerabilities and place their needs at the centre of their practice. They take strong and decisive action to ensure that students are safe and well cared for. Staff work hard to identify any potential safeguarding concerns and take prompt action when needed.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Communication with families, social workers and other professionals is timely and effective in keeping students safe and promoting their welfare. When students move into residential or are moving on to college, robust transition plans are put in place to support them. Students receive a high level of individualised care, which supports them in making good progress. The staff know the students well and can recognise when they are feeling unwell or unhappy. During the inspection, one student was experiencing a minor seizure. The member of staff supported the student well, communicating with them throughout and providing them with a high level of support and reassurance.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There is positive practice around prescription medication in this school. Since the last inspection, no medication errors have been identified. Regular audits take place, which supports the manager and staff to ensure that practice continues to be good. Staff receive regular supervision and training around safeguarding, and positive and reflective practices are evident. Research is used to support staff in developing their practice, and scenarios are regularly used to enable staff to learn from others. This positive support helps staff to ensure that safeguarding is fully considered while improving their skills and knowledge.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Students have detailed support plans that clearly describe their needs and include important information about how to care for them. These plans do not capture the students' views regarding their culture and identity. Safer recruitment checks are carried out, and there is a stable team of staff supporting students, many of whom have worked in the home for a long time. The school has recently added closed- circuit television (CCTV) to the school site, and parents and social workers have not been consulted fully about these arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for residential special school - St Rose’s School 4 There is a strong leadership team that has good knowledge, skills and experience. Leaders and managers know the students well and have high aspirations for their care. They are driving forward the changes that are needed to enhance the residential experience of students and the quality of the facilities they have access to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the care that students need and ensure that they receive a high level of individualised support. Policies and procedures are detailed and relevant, and they are reviewed and revised regularly. There is a good level of management oversight, ensuring that staff continue to be knowledgeable and skilled in supporting the students’ needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to regular supervision and training. They said that they are well supported by their managers and find that they are very approachable. Staff receive specialist training in line with students’ additional healthcare needs. There are regular opportunities for staff to engage in reflection and learning so they can move forward with their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that the school has a stable staff team. Most staff have many years of experience working in this school, and new staff are being recruited so that overnight stays can be offered to more students. There is regular input from governors and independent visitors, who support managers in improving practice. Inspection report for residential special school - St Rose’s School 5

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Points for improvement

 School leaders should ensure that the new lift is repaired in a timely manner to improve students’ residential experiences.  School leaders should ensure that the sensory garden is made fully accessible to all students.  School leaders should ensure that information about students’ culture and identity is captured in their support plans, and their views should be recorded.  School leaders should ensure that parents and social workers are consulted around the use of CCTV in residential spaces, and guidance on this should be further reviewed.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential special school - St Rose’s School 6

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC034383

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Sheila Talwar

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential special school

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Inspector

Sarah Sheffield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential special school - St Rose’s School 7 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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