Jasmine Hall School

Inspection of Jasmine Hall School 51 Ashbourne Road, Derby DE22 3FS

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Inspection dates: 29 April to 1 May 2025

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good 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?

The atmosphere at Jasmine Hall School is friendly, nurturing and welcoming. Staff build extremely positive and supportive relationships with pupils. This is because they take the time to get to know pupils’ interests and past experiences in detail. Pupils are well cared for. They know that they can talk to staff if they have any worries and will always be helped.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils at this school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school prioritises pupils’ well-being and mental health, as well as their academic success. For newcomers to the school, there is an extensive transition and induction process that allows pupils to settle in well. The school’s vision is captured in its ambition for pupils to ‘feel safe, valued and inspired’. These high aims ensure that pupils feel safe, appreciated and keen to learn. Pupils flourish at Jasmine Hall.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is praiseworthy. They are excellent ambassadors for the school. Pupils contribute to life in school and the local community. For example, they collect Easter eggs to donate to a local children’s hospital. They play a pivotal role in designing the school environment. These experiences help pupils to develop a sense of responsibility and an understanding of people less fortunate than themselves.

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better?

Many pupils have experienced significant periods out of education prior to joining the school. Staff work skilfully to reintegrate pupils into school life. As a result, pupils are calm and engaged in their learning. The school offers a broad range of subjects for pupils to study. There is an unrelenting focus on preparing pupils for their future by equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need. Individual curriculum pathways allow pupils to work towards accredited qualifications. There is flexibility in this offer, which allows pupils to build on their strengths and interests. As pupils get older, they have opportunities to study vocational subjects, such as hair and beauty, and animal care, as well as academic subjects.

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better?

The school’s curriculum identifies the important information that pupils will learn over time. This enables pupils to build their knowledge of the different subjects cumulatively year-on-year. However, in a small number of subjects, the activities that pupils undertake do not help them to achieve the aims of the ambitious curriculum consistently. This means that some pupils do not achieve as highly as they might.

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better?

The school fosters a love of reading among pupils. Many pupils make use of the calming ‘sensory library’, where they can choose from a vast array of books. Pupils benefit from well-planned opportunities to develop and practise their reading and writing skills. They engage well in dedicated reading sessions. Listening to pupils read is joyous. They read with expression and enthusiasm. Those who are at the earlier stages of learning to read get the help they need to catch up quickly. 29 April to 1 May 2025 Each pupil has an individual education, health and care (EHC) plan. Staff use these to create personalised plans that include valuable contributions from the pupils themselves. This means that staff know individual pupil’s needs well and support them with their social, emotional and mental well-being. Pupils benefit from the support that they receive from the school’s therapeutic teams. This also includes

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better?

staff training so that a therapeutic approach is at the heart of all interactions.

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better?

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is exemplary. They are fully focused on their learning and engage well with their teachers. The impact of pupils’ strong relationships with staff is evident in all aspects of school life. Pupils have beautiful manners, holding doors open for visitors and supporting each other as they learn.

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better?

The school goes above and beyond to promote attendance. Whole families are supported with any challenges they may have. This personalised approach results in pupils’ attendance increasing significantly over time.

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better?

The school offers a bespoke personal development programme. Pupils have opportunities to develop their talents and interests. These include gardening, cooking and learning how to play pool. Pupils learn how to become independent through their ‘life lessons’. They know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils have a secure understanding of important values and speak with respect when discussing difference and diversity. Their learning is enhanced by visits to local museums and the local park. Pupils speak highly of the care they receive in school, stating, ‘We can be just who we are, we have a voice here.’

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better?

The school offers pupils independent careers advice. This advice is effective in helping pupils to identify their next steps. Pupils learn about potential employment opportunities through visiting speakers. They have high aspirations for their futures, with budding firefighters and zookeepers to name but a few.

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better?

The proprietor and governors maintain effective oversight of the work of the school. They ensure that the premises are well maintained and equipped with sufficient facilities to meet the needs of the pupils. The school knows and upholds its responsibilities under schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Staff are incredibly proud to work at Jasmine Hall School. They value leaders’ genuine care and consideration of their workload and well-being. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school, typically describing it as an ‘amazingly perfect’ place to be.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 29 April to 1 May 2025

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a small number of subjects, intended learning is not implemented as effectively as it could be. This limits what pupils can achieve in these subjects. The school should ensure that suitable pedagogical choices are made, so that the clearly sequenced curriculum is delivered as planned, and pupils achieve as well as they could.

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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. 29 April to 1 May 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 148839 DfE registration number 831/6016

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School details

Inspection number 10374829 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Smoothstone Care and Education

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School details

Headteacher Nathan Slater (Headteacher) Daniel Pallet (Executive headteacher) Annual fees (day pupils) Up to £80,000

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School details

Website www.smoothstonecare.co.uk/jasmine-hall- school Email address nathan.slater@smoothstonecare.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 to 23 September 2022 29 April to 1 May 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is located on three sites: 51 Ashbourne Road, 35 Ashbourne Road and Markeaton House, Derby, Derbyshire DE22 3FS.  The school caters for pupils with a diagnosis of autism and with a range of associated social, emotional, speech, language and communication needs. All pupils have an EHC plan.  The school makes use of three unregistered alternative provisions.  The school’s previous standard inspection took place in September 2022, when the school was judged to be good in all areas.

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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 executive headteacher, the headteacher and other senior leaders, as well as representatives of the proprietor and governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In

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Information about this inspection

addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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’ interests first.  To check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards, inspectors reviewed relevant documents and policies, such as the health and 29 April to 1 May 2025 safety policy and the risk assessment policy. The lead inspector also completed a tour of the school’s premises.  Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers through their responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered the views shared through Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Norbury, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Janis Warren Ofsted Inspector 29 April to 1 May 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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