Stradbroke

Inspection of Stradbroke c/o TulipCare, 19-20 Bourne Court, Southend Road, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 8HD

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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?

The school provides a warm, welcoming environment for pupils. Classrooms are bright, airy and well resourced. The school enables pupils to feel safe and relaxed as they learn. Pupils benefit from strong working relationships with adults at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at this school having experienced disruption in previous placements, which has resulted in gaps in their learning. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school works closely with other professionals to ensure these are understood. This school helps pupils to find their feet. It identifies their precise needs and provides a tailored curriculum that re-engages pupils in learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of both pupils’ achievement and their behaviour. Pupils respond to this well. They respect the school’s environment and take pride in their work. They behave well, and there is no evidence of poor conduct.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school takes the time to get to know its pupils well. It identifies pupils’ interests and aspirations. The school designs both curriculum and enrichment opportunities to suit each pupil’s individuality. This includes activities such as animal care, roller skating and jewellery design.

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better?

The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum in place. This curriculum is adapted to create a bespoke programme for each pupil, depending on their individual needs, interests and prior attainment levels. Pupils achieve well. They develop confidence in learning and are reintroduced to education in readiness for their next school or placement. Some pupils access accredited courses that prepare them well for their next steps in education.

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better?

The school’s curriculum sets out how learning builds over time in each subject. The school thinks carefully about the way the curriculum is presented in order to maximise pupil participation. For example, when studying texts in English, the school considers whether to use extracts, short versions or graphic novels to best engage the individual pupil. However, in some subjects, the curriculum, as set out, has not been designed to suit the needs of the school’s cohort. For example, it includes physical education (PE) modules that involve small team games, which are not possible with the very small cohort in this school.

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better?

Pupils on roll are competent readers. The school works to engender a love of reading through the introduction of interesting books and trips to the library. The school has ensured that staff are trained in the use of a phonics programme should any pupil require help to develop fluency in reading. 3 to 5 June 2025 Pupils’ needs are accurately identified and appropriately catered for. Teachers have sound subject knowledge and seek expertise from elsewhere when needed, for example through a music tutor.

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better?

The school has suitable processes in place for checking pupils’ understanding. Pupils joining the school have gaps in their knowledge and often have been out of school for some time. The school checks pupils’ knowledge in English and mathematics before setting appropriate targets and programmes of work.

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better?

The school’s behaviour policy sets out its high expectations and the positive ways in which appropriate behaviour is celebrated. It also sets out the strategies used when dealing with inappropriate or difficult behaviours. Incidents of poor behaviour are very rare. The well-respected learning environment and well-presented work in pupils’ books demonstrate pupils’ positive attitude to their work. Leaders do all they can to secure good attendance, including travelling to the pupil if required to deliver the curriculum.

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better?

Personal development is a cornerstone of the school’s work and is threaded through much of the curriculum offered. The school thinks carefully about these aspects in the light of each pupil’s experience. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is given priority. Pupils are taught about risks, including different online risks. They are taught how to stay physically and mentally healthy. Pupils celebrate festivals from a range of faiths and cultures. They raise money for charities, including through enterprise projects. Pupils enjoy outings in the community such as horse riding, swimming and trampolining, alongside visits to places of cultural interest and museums.

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better?

The school has strong links to local post-16 providers, enabling pupils to access careers services. This ensures that pupils receive impartial advice and are aware of a wide range of potential options for their future. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education or training.

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better?

The school ensures that staff are well trained to fulfil their roles and have the support they require from therapists and other education professionals. Well-being and workload are considered. The school engages well with other agencies such as local authorities and colleges in order to fulfil its responsibilities and provide a rich education for pupils. The proprietor is knowledgeable about the school and has set up systems that enable the school to run smoothly. The proprietor has ensured that all the independent school standards are met. The school also meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 to 5 June 2025

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In some subjects, the school’s agreed curriculum is not closely matched to the cohort of pupils who are placed in the school. The school is reliant on the skills of staff to identify and adapt programmes of work from elsewhere when designing bespoke programmes for pupils. The school should revise its curriculum in these subjects so they are suited to the school’s cohort and are deliverable in the school’s context.

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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

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School category Independent special school

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 to 24 November 2022 3 to 5 June 2025

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Information about this school

 Stradbroke provides education for girls with social, emotional and mental health needs.  The proprietor’s name is not listed on the government website ‘Get Information About Schools’.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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

 The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and the proprietor. The inspector also held telephone calls with the school’s education adviser and representatives of local authorities that place pupils at the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, PE and PSHE. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also looked at curriculum plans, spoke to school staff and scrutinised pupils’ work in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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Information about this inspection

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector also considered a wide range of documentation about pupils’ behaviour and the school’s provision for personal development. The inspector gathered a range of evidence and toured the school’s site to check compliance with the independent school standards.  The inspector only inspected the education provision at this school. 3 to 5 June 2025

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Inspection team

Gaynor Roberts, lead inspector 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

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

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