Rivacre Brook

Inspection of Rivacre Brook Westways, Hooton Park Lane, Hooton, Ellesmere Port CH65 1AN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good 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?

When joining this school, pupils benefit from personalised arrangements that help them to settle into their new setting. A great deal of time is spent by the school in understanding the needs and previous experiences of each pupil. This helps pupils to build trusting relationships with staff that make them feel safe and happy in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Typically, pupils join the school having had high levels of absence in their previous setting. The school is ambitious for pupils’ personal and academic success. Pupils work hard and make the most of the opportunities that the school provides for them. This helps them to catch up on missed learning and prepares them well for the next stage of education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have opportunities to develop their talents and interests through the range of experiences available to them. These include activities such as gardening, boxing and music. Vocational opportunities in areas such as car mechanics expose pupils to potential career pathways. Pupils enjoy the range of educational visits that the school provides. For example, visiting museums, attending shows at the theatre and taking part in a range of outdoor adventure activities.

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better?

The school’s curriculum plans and schemes of work identify the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and when they should learn it. Typically, staff identify accurately where pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Staff use the information from these checks to design learning activities that build on what pupils already know. Staff training ensures that pupils’ SEND needs are well met, helping them to access the curriculum.

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better?

Across much of the curriculum, pupils achieve well from their varied starting points. Furthermore, the school ensures that pupils learn a broad range of life skills that help them become increasingly independent. However, there are some instances where pupils do not achieve as well as they could. For example, in a small number of subjects, some learning activities do not support pupils in learning successfully the key content set out in the curriculum. Furthermore, a small number of pupils join the school with gaps in their knowledge from key stage 1. In some subjects, the curriculum information linked to the key knowledge required at key stage 1 is limited. This hinders teachers from knowing what key knowledge they should prioritise when designing lessons. Consequently, gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not addressed as quickly as they could be.

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better?

The school has established effective systems to identify any weaknesses in pupils’ reading knowledge, including phonics. Pupils benefit from additional lessons with staff that help them to improve their reading. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read access books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge. This helps 3 to 5 June 2025 them to experience success when reading. Pupils have access to a wide range of books that capture their interests. These carefully selected texts motivate some previously reluctant readers to engage in the pleasure that comes from reading a book.

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better?

Many pupils arrive at the school with complex emotional needs. They are supported well by nurturing staff. This helps to establish calm classrooms where pupils can focus on their learning without interruption. Effective systems help pupils transition into the school and to improve their attendance. Parents and carers speak with high regard for the work that the school does in helping their children to re-engage with learning.

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better?

The curriculums for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), relationships and sex education and health education, and careers education, prepare pupils well for adulthood. For example, pupils learn about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe online. They fundraise for charities of their choice. This helps them to understand the value of helping others. Pupils benefit from external independent careers advice and guidance.

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better?

The school meets the health and safety and premises requirements of the independent school standards (the standards). The building is maintained to a high standard, and teaching spaces are bright, clean and well resourced. There is a safe outdoor area where pupils enjoy spending time playing football and board games and challenging themselves on the climbing apparatus.

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better?

The proprietor is fully involved with the school. It has clear oversight, coupled with a secure understanding and knowledge of the standards. The proprietor has ensured that the standards are consistently met, including compliance with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

Staff are positive about what the school does to support their workload and well- being. This includes a broad range of professional development that helps them in their roles.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a small number of subjects, some of the learning activities that pupils complete do not enable them to learn the important content as well as they could. As a result, pupils’ learning is hindered. The school should make sure that staff have the subject knowledge needed to deliver the curriculum effectively so that pupils achieve well. 3 to 5 June 2025  In a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not account for the gaps that some pupils have in their knowledge. This hinders teachers from knowing what key knowledge they should prioritise when designing lessons. Consequently, the gaps in some pupils’ knowledge are not addressed as quickly as they could be. The school should finalise its curriculum thinking so that teachers are equipped to promptly identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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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. 3 to 5 June 2025

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School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £60,840 to £101,790

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School details

Website www.keyschildren.co.uk/schools/rivacre- brook-school Email address caroline.mcpoland@keys-group.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 November to 2 December 2022 3 to 5 June 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is located at Westways, Hooton Park Lane, Hooton, Ellesmere Port, CH65 1AN.  The school is part of the Keys Group. The proprietor body is Keys Child Care Limited.  The school provides full-time education for up to 42 pupils aged between seven and 18 years. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  At the time of the inspection, there were no students in the sixth form.  All pupils have behavioural and emotional needs.  The school currently uses two unregistered alternative provisions.  The previous standard inspection was 30 November to 2 December 2022. A material change inspection, commissioned by the Department for Education, took place on 12 September 2024.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the chair of the proprietor body, the chair of governors, the headteacher and other school leaders.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives from several local authorities.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, mathematics and PSHE. They discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited some lessons, reviewed pupils’ work and spoke with staff and pupils.  Inspectors reviewed the curriculum plans and pupils’ work for a range of other subjects.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss SEND, the curriculum, assessment, pupils’ behaviour and the provision for pupils’ wider development. 3 to 5 June 2025  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils. Inspectors gathered

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Information about this inspection

the views of pupils throughout the inspection.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online staff survey.  Inspectors spoke with some parents. They also considered the free-text responses in Ofsted Parent View.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding the 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.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school life. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including those relating to the standards and the curriculum.  The lead inspector made a tour of the school to check the suitability of the

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Information about this inspection

premises against the relevant standards.

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Inspection team

David Robinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Phil Lloyd Ofsted Inspector 3 to 5 June 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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