RBWM Alternative Learning Provision

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: RBWM Alternative Learning Provision Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 8BY

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Outcome

RBWM Alternative Learning Provision has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils often join the school having experienced a disrupted education. For many, this includes being permanently excluded from their previous school. They and their families can be apprehensive about their future schooling. In response, expert staff from Haybrook College swiftly provide reassurance and dedicate time to get to know each pupil. Individual transition plans are put in place. Staff use different assessments to identify what additional support each pupil may need to help them learn well. There is a clear focus on helping pupils get what they need in readiness for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff prioritise building positive relationships with pupils. In lessons, pupils are mainly respectful to staff and each other. They know they are expected to follow the well- established rules and routines. At times, some pupils can find it difficult to manage their behaviour. In response, staff take time to develop pupils’ speech and language skills. This helps pupils communicate their views and emotions more confidently.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what it wants pupils to achieve. Pupils are encouraged to be ambitious for their futures. The comprehensive careers provision, alongside the wide-ranging personal development opportunities, helps prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Windsor and Maidenhead local authority commissions Haybrook College to educate all pupils enrolled with RBWM Alternative Learning Provision. The provision is also known as 3 and 4 June 2025

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RISE because learning is based on the values of ‘respect, inspire succeed and engage’. Strong partnership working between the local authority and the school means pupils get targeted support as soon as they join. This may be when a pupil is permanently excluded from their previous school or when professionals believe a pupil’s health needs prevent them from attending. When needed, school staff work with multi-agency professionals to ensure families also get the support they need. This helps pupils to successfully transition into learning.

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Each pupil’s aspirations for their future are at the centre of any decisions made about their education. Older pupils can study a breadth of subjects in key stage 4. This includes the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, as well as vocational subjects. Opportunities are provided for pupils to find out about different industries through work- experience placements. Pupils in key stage 3 study content that aligns with the national curriculum. In lessons, teachers help pupils learn important vocabulary. Thought- provoking non-fiction and fiction texts are used to develop pupils’ reading skills. When needed, expert staff provide intervention sessions to build pupils’ reading fluency. Leaders recognise the need to regularly review the curriculum to meet the varied needs of the key stage 3 pupils. The school is currently in the process of doing this.

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Recently, the school and the local authority identified a need for a renewed primary provision to meet the needs of an increasing number of younger pupils who are joining the school. The new RISE primary provision is now established at a new site. Staff focus on helping pupils build learning skills. This is to ensure pupils can successfully transition into a new school when they are ready to do so. Work is now underway to identify the curriculum content more precisely, as well as the ways in which pupils will learn. Leaders are working with staff and the local authority to implement their ambitious plans.

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Pupils benefit from the expertise of staff in meeting their social, emotional and mental health needs. Staff are given specific information that identifies each pupil’s needs. Regular briefings enable staff to share individual pupils’ successes and where further adaptations are needed to help pupils learn well.

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Staff regularly communicate with parents and carers. These discussions include a focus on the importance of regular attendance. Appropriate referrals are made to the local authority for additional support for families when needed.

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The curriculum includes numerous opportunities for each pupil’s personal development. Pupils are encouraged to share and celebrate their background and culture. Appropriate relationships, sex and health education is provided. This is taught as part of a planned personal, social and health education as well as part of individual intervention sessions when needed. Frequent careers lessons and opportunities to meet post-16 providers help pupils to be well informed about their future education and career options.

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The school’s management committee uses appropriate processes to quality assure the education offered by Haybrook College. The committee members are knowledgeable and well informed. Time is taken to explore individual case studies, where the voices of pupils are valued and heard. 3 and 4 June 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The RISE primary provision is at an earlier stage of development than other aspects of the school. Consequently, work is ongoing to design the intent of the curriculum precisely, as well as identify appropriate pedagogical practices to support the small number of pupils who attend this provision. The school should continue this work with the local authority to fully implement these plans.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2019.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 3 and 4 June 2025

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Headteacher Jamie Rockman (Executive headteacher)

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School details

Website www.risealternativeprovision.org.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 RISE Alternative Learning Provision is a virtual pupil referral unit that does not have a physical building or any employed staff. The local authority commissions Haybrook College, URN 142607, to provide education for all pupils on roll.  The executive headteacher of RISE is also the executive headteacher of Haybrook College.  Haybrook College educates pupils across different sites. At the time of the inspection, secondary-age RISE pupils attended the college sites at Springboard (112 Burnham Lane, Burnham, Slough SL1 6LZ), Interim (The Rotunda, Northampton Avenue, Slough SL1 3BW) and Activate (Queens Road, Slough SL1 3QW).  Recently, a new site has been opened for the small number of pupils who attend the RISE primary provision. This is on the site of Eton Wick C of E First School, Sheepcote Road, Eton Wick, Windsor SL4 6JB.  At the time of the inspection, all pupils currently on roll had been permanently

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Information about this school

excluded from their previous schools. As needed, the provision also supports pupils who are unable to attend school due to their health needs. The number of pupils attending changes frequently because some stay on roll for a few weeks, whereas others stay for longer. 3 and 4 June 2025

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 All pupils are considered to have special educational needs and/or disabilities due to their social, emotional and mental health difficulties or because of other diagnosed conditions, such as autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.  The school currently uses two unregistered alternative providers to support the education of a small number of pupils.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the executive headteacher, other senior leaders, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, curriculum leaders and other staff.  The inspector met with representatives from the management committee, including the chair. She also spoke to representatives from the local authority.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons across different sites, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. She also spoke to some parents about the education of their children and reviewed any responses to Ofsted’s

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Information about this inspection

online surveys.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements and the management committee’s oversight and quality assurance of these, including safer recruitment processes; 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.

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Inspection team

Aimee Floyd, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 June 2025

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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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