GLADE School

School material change inspection report

p.1

GLADE School 49 Junction Road, Totton, Hampshire SO40 3BU

p.1

Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7 to 7(b), 32(1)(c)  There is an appropriate child protection and safeguarding policy, which is published on the school website. It reflects the statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  Leaders prioritise safeguarding. Staff are trained in safeguarding through annual training and regular updates, including daily briefings. Staff are alert to the additional risks faced by pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They report concerns using the school’s online reporting system. These records are well maintained.  Staff are alert to external risks, including the risk of radicalisation and exploitation. Pupils learn about these risks as part of their life-skills education. They also learn about how to be safe in the local area.  The proprietor has made sure that there is a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and

p.1

Main inspection findings

several deputies. These leaders are well trained and understand how to escalate concerns about pupils. The school intends that one DSL will be on site at the new school building at all times.  Leaders are trained in safer recruitment. They undertake the appropriate pre- employment checks on adults before they start work in the school. The single central record of recruitment checks is well maintained. Paragraph 11  There is a health and safety policy, which takes account of the proposed new site. Certification is in place for the new site, including for gas, water and electrical safety.  Staff are trained in health and safety. Processes for regular, ongoing health and safety checks are in place, overseen by school leaders and those employed by the proprietor body.  All pupils who need it have safety provision as part of their personal plans, which includes safety in the community for educational visits.

p.1

Main inspection findings

Paragraph 12  Leaders have ensured that the building and site have all the relevant fire safety checks and certification in place, including a fire risk assessment. There are mitigations to reduce the risk of fire spreading and to allow for escape, including fire doors, smoke detectors, fire alarms, emergency lighting and clear emergency exits. Pupils who need extra help to evacuate will have appropriate personal plans in place. The proprietor intends to appoint fire marshals and to provide them with appropriate training. Regular drills are intended to be carried out and evaluated. Paragraph 14  The proprietor intends to appoint enough additional teaching and pastoral staff so that pupils will have one-to-one provision. This is in line with what the school anticipates will be the requirements of pupils’ education, health and care (EHC) plans.  The proprietor intends for staff to have travel and driving training so that they can

p.2

Main inspection findings

transport pupils between sites and take them on trips and visits. Paragraphs 16 to 16(b)  The proprietor has ensured that a risk assessment policy is in place, which includes consideration of any additional risks presented by the new site. The policy also covers educational visits and pupil safety.  There are numerous risk assessments in place, including for the site, trips, visits, driving and pastoral risks. All pupils have their own risk assessment and individual support plan, which mitigates for risks associated with their personal safety, including fire evacuation procedures and absconding risks, where necessary. The school uses the local authority systems to risk assess additional trips and visits it undertakes.  Leaders have a thorough risk assessment in place to ensure that pupils arrive and leave the proposed new site safely.  The school is likely to meet all the relevant aspects of this part of the independent

p.2

Main inspection findings

school standards (the standards) if the material change is implemented.

p.2

Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 18(2) to 18(2)(e), 18(3), 19(2) to 19(2)(d)(ii), 19(3), 20(6) to 20(6)(c) 21(1) to 21(3)(b), 21(5) to 21(6)  Leaders have ensured that all the required recruitment and safety checks are made on staff, governors and supply staff. These are recorded on the well-maintained single central record.  Appropriate checks are put in place for any visitors to the site, such as contractors who work outside of school hours.  The school is likely to meet the relevant standards in this part if the material change is implemented.

p.2

Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 23(1) to 29(1)(b)  The proposed new site for the school is an Edwardian semi-detached house that has been refitted to be suitable as a school. This is near a busy main road and by a set of traffic lights. Leaders intend for pupils to be dropped off in their taxis at the next-door community centre, or a community car park on a quieter side road and then accompanied by staff along the path and through the front gate of the school. These are likely to both be effective and safe ways for pupils to enter and leave the school.  Externally, the school has a small space at the front of the building for pupils to play, relax or exercise. They intend to set up outside seating for pupils alongside this space. This space is not big enough for more active sports, so leaders intend to use the town park, which is a short walk away, or the local leisure centre. All outdoor spaces have

p.2

Main inspection findings

lighting on a sensor switch and CCTV. The site is securely fenced and the front gate locked. Pupils will not have access to the back of the site, which is laid out as a car park for staff.  Internally, there are eight spaces that will be used as classrooms. These spaces are of adequate size for pupils to learn on a one-to-one basis. Some will be suitable for two or three pupils to learn together. There is also a larger room that is set up as a common room and lunch space for pupils, and another space that leaders intend to be a regulation room. Additionally, there is a kitchen where pupils can learn catering and a staff work room. Leaders intend that much of pupils’ curriculum will be off-site learning, utilising the local town centre as part of preparing pupils for adulthood. Therefore, having eight classrooms is likely to be sufficient for the proposed use of the site for a maximum of 10 pupils.  The site is likely to be well maintained inside and outside. Floors are carpeted and

p.3

Main inspection findings

walls freshly painted. Rooms are bright and airy. The building meets the requirements for the supply of hot and cold water, ventilation, lighting and heating. Windows which open widely are having restrictors fitted.  Drinking water is available for pupils from the kitchen.  There are two individual pupil toilets and one staff toilet. This is adequate for 10 pupils and will accommodate both boys and girls.  There is no shower available for pupils to use on site. Leaders intend for pupils to use the local leisure centre for physical education and there are changing facilities available there.  There is a medical room with a bed and sink. The room contains a lockable cupboard for medicines. The toilet is next to the medical room.  At the school’s existing site in Totton, leaders have split some existing classrooms into two to provide additional learning spaces. These are well maintained. This means that

p.3

Main inspection findings

there is adequate space for a maximum of 25 pupils on this site.  In total, leaders intend for the whole school to take a maximum of 30 pupils. There is enough space on both sites for this number of pupils, with 20 to 25 in Totton and five to ten in Eastleigh.  The school is likely to meet the requirements of this part if the material change is implemented. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a) – (c) Leaders and the proprietor body demonstrate good knowledge of their roles, including how to ensure that the independent school standards are met.  The proprietor has employed a headteacher with experience in school leadership and special education. A governance committee holds the headteacher to account for the effectiveness of the school, including its education, care and safeguarding. Leaders also report to governors about whether the independent school standards are met.

p.3

Main inspection findings

 There are routines and procedures in place to check that the school is run well and that the standards will be met consistently well over time. The proprietor employs a central team who do additional checks on provision in the school, including overseeing human resources processes, health and safety and safeguarding. The local authority also checks on safeguarding.  The proprietor ensures that staff are well trained in autism and in safeguarding. There are several procedures in place to check constantly on pupils’ well-being, including morning and evening briefings, tutor checks and through communication with parents.  School leaders have designed the curriculum to help pupils prepare for life outside of the school. This includes education about how to keep safe and how to make a valuable contribution to society. The proposed new site is purposefully intended for older pupils who need help preparing for adulthood. It is well located for that purpose,

p.4

Main inspection findings

being close to the local town centre.  The school is likely to meet the requirements of this part if the material change is implemented.

p.4

Main inspection findings

Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  The school is likely to meet the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. The accessibility plan considers how the site will be used and how pupils will access written material. Communication with parents is also considered.

p.4

Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is likely to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that are relevant to the material change.

p.5

School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the material change that the school has applied to make.

p.6

School details

Type of school Other independent special school

p.6

School details

School status Independent special school

p.6

School details

Proprietor Fair Ways Community Benefit Society (FWCBS) Chair Mac McHugh

p.6

School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £79,600 to £103,500

p.6

School details

Website www.fairways.co/ourservices/education/gla de-school Email address adminglade@fairways.co

p.6

School details

Date of previous standard inspection 17 to 19 October 2023

p.6

recommendation

Age range of pupils 11 to 19 11 to 19 11 to 19

p.6

recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 20 30 30

p.6

School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Mixed Mixed Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 20 30

p.6

School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities 20 30

p.7

School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan 20 30

p.7

School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with an education, health and care plan 20 30

p.7

School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff 17 23

p.7

School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision 19 23

p.7

Information about this school

 GLADE School is an independent special school for pupils with autism. Pupils are referred to the school by a local authority. All pupils have an EHC plan. Most pupils have been out of formal education for some time before coming to the school.  GLADE school is one of two schools operated by the proprietor body, Fair Ways Community Benefit Society. It is located at 49 Junction Road, Totton, Hampshire SO40 3BU and its new site at 77 Leigh Road, Eastleigh SO50 9DT .  The headteacher has been in post for a year. Several other leaders and staff are new to the school in the last year.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school’s most recent standard inspection was 17 to 19 October 2023.

p.7

Information about this inspection

 The material change inspection was carried out at the request of the DfE. The purpose of the inspection was to establish if the school would be likely to meet all the relevant independent school standards if the proposed material changes are implemented.  The material changes intended are to increase the number of pupils to 30 and to open a new site for the school to accommodate the additional pupils.  The school intends for all pupils to have an EHC plan for a diagnosis of autism.  This is the first material change inspection in respect of these particular changes that the school has applied to make.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the chair of the proprietor body, operations director for the proprietor body and some other members of staff. The inspector toured the proposed additional new site for the school and the existing school site. A range of documents, policies and plans were scrutinised, including the single central

p.8

Inspection team

Catherine Old, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 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 .

p.8

Inspection team

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.

p.9

Inspection team

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 .

p.9

Inspection team

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.9

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 . 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.9

Inspection team

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

p.9

Inspection team

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

p.9