Taliesin Education Ltd

Inspection of Taliesin Education Ltd Loveny House, 10 Miller Business Park, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 4DA

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Taliesin Education Ltd does not offer pupils an acceptable standard of education. Staff do not have up-to-date expertise about special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Furthermore, staff do not have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. This means that pupils’ experiences in lessons are poor because they do not learn what they need to be successful. As a result, pupils do not achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value their relationships with staff. This helps pupils to feel positive about coming to school. Pupils are safe and say that they feel safe. They know that they can speak to trusted adults if they have any concerns. Pupils behave well. Friendships are nurtured by the school through off-site visits to a park as well as eating lunch together.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to stay safe when they are online. They also know the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Pupils have opportunities to learn about the environment with visits to the Eden Project and a recycling plant. These visits also provide pupils with opportunities to build their confidence by interacting with members of the public. Pupils learn to be responsible citizens by improving the local environment and through raising money for charities.

p.2

better?

Since the previous inspection, the quality of education at this school has declined. The proprietor and the school have not taken effective action to ensure there is a strong vision and strategic sense of direction. School systems lack accountability, scrutiny and rigour. For example, during the inspection, the school had to take a number of remedial actions to meet Part 5 of the independent school standards (the standards).

p.2

better?

The school does not have an effective oversight or understanding of the impact of its actions. Furthermore, the proprietor has not ensured that all the standards are met. The school lacks the capacity to bring about the necessary improvements. As a result, pupils experience a poor-quality education that does not prepare them for their next steps in education, training or employment.

p.2

better?

The school has ensured that there is a focus on developing pupils’ reading knowledge. However, much of the curriculum is not coherent or well sequenced. It lacks ambition. The school has not defined the knowledge and skills that it wants pupils to know and remember. The checks on pupils’ understanding are weak. This means that the learning activities that pupils complete do not support them to build on their learning.

p.2

better?

The school has not ensured that staff have the knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum effectively. Consequently, pupils often complete work that falls short of what they can and should be able to do. Furthermore, when pupils do have misconceptions in their learning, they are not identified or corrected. Errors persist 10 to 12 June 2025 because they are often marked as accurate. This means that pupils do not benefit from helpful feedback.

p.2

better?

All pupils at this school have an education, health care (EHC) plan. However, the school has not ensured that there are appropriate systems in place to fulfil the requirements of each pupil’s EHC plan. This means that the school does not systematically check the progress that pupils make against their individual EHC plans. In addition, staff do not have the guidance and professional development that they need to support pupils with SEND. As a result, adaptations to teaching do not ensure that pupils with SEND achieve as well as they could. Furthermore, communication with parents and carers lacks a formal structure. Consequently, the systems to ensure that the voice of parents contributes to pupils with SEND doing as well as they should are not effective.

p.3

better?

Pupils across the school generally behave well. There are warm and positive relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils also display mutual respect towards each other. They enjoy school, however, their rates of attendance are low. The school does not take appropriate action to ensure that high attendance is a priority for its pupils. Furthermore, the school does not record and analyse patterns relating to attendance and behaviour incidents effectively enough. This prevents the school from taking action to bring about improvements.

p.3

better?

The school provides some opportunities to support pupils’ personal development, such as trips to Dartmoor Zoo. Pupils also develop their technical skills at the school’s own workshop, ‘the tech provision’. This helps pupils to build confidence and independence, as well as helping them to learn new skills in preparation for adulthood. However, not enough consideration has been given to supporting pupils to develop their understanding of fundamental British values. Pupils also have a limited understanding of other cultures and religions.

p.3

better?

Staff are confident that the proprietor and school leaders take into account their workload and well-being when decisions are made. All staff who responded to Ofsted’s online staff survey said that they are proud to work at the school. The parents who shared their views on Ofsted Parent View are supportive of the school.

p.3

better?

The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The proprietor does not demonstrate the required knowledge appropriate to their role. This means that not all the independent school standards are met. The 10 to 12 June 2025 proprietor should ensure that they know and understand all the standards and take action to ensure they are met consistently.  There is a lack of accountability, scrutiny and rigour in the school’s systems and processes. As a result, there are gaps in, and limited oversight of, how effective the school’s provision is to provide a high-quality education to all pupils. The proprietor must ensure that they have the necessary systems and processes in place to gain an accurate and assured overview that pupils are receiving a high- quality education that meets their needs.  The school’s vision and model for the curriculum is not coherent or well- sequenced. As a result, some pupils are not receiving an adequate education. The school, including those responsible for governance, must ensure that there is a

p.3

(Information for the school and proprietor)

well-constructed curriculum in all subjects and all key stages so that pupils receive at least a good quality of education.  Some staff have poor subject knowledge and do not understand the best ways to help pupils with SEND to learn. As a result, the implementation of the curriculum is variable, which contributes to pupils’ underachievement. The school should ensure that staff develop their subject and pedagogical knowledge so that they can help pupils to know and remember more.  The targets set for pupils based on their EHC plans are unclear and unchecked. Teachers receive insufficient guidance on how to meet pupils’ needs. The school should ensure that the plans for all pupils with EHC plans include clear targets that will enable them to make progress through the curriculum. The school should also provide staff with better guidance on how to support the different needs of pupils with SEND.  The school has not established a clear and effective approach to assessment and

p.4

(Information for the school and proprietor)

feedback. Pupils do not benefit from helpful feedback. The school must ensure that they establish clear expectations for assessment and feedback and that staff apply the agreed strategies consistently well.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 10 to 12 June 2025

p.4

School details

Unique reference number 135405 DfE registration number 908/6096

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10374875 Type of school Other independent special school

p.5

School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £66,446.25 - £84,971.25

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 4 to 6 May 2022 10 to 12 June 2025

p.5

Information about this school

 Taliesin Education Ltd is an independent special day school in Cornwall. It provides education for pupils with SEND and with a primary need of social, emotional or mental health needs.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The school is registered for up to 15 pupils aged between 7 and 16 years of age.  The school is located at Loveny House, 10 Miller Business Park, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 4DA.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

The school has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

p.6

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.  Inspectors held meetings with the proprietor and strategic leaders, including the headteacher. They also spoke to a representative from the admitting local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, personal, social, health and economic education and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and pupils’ work in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

p.6

Information about this inspection

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 observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during social times. Inspectors held meetings with groups of pupils and spoke with pupils informally during lessons and breaktimes.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. The inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys. 10 to 12 June 2025  Inspectors had a tour of the premises and reviewed a range of school documents, in order to check the school’s compliance with the standards.

p.6

Inspection team

James Gentile, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Leanne Thirlby His Majesty’s Inspector 10 to 12 June 2025

p.7

Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work- – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(b) fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for

p.8

Part 1. Quality of education provided

themselves; – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; – 3(f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress;

p.8

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; 10 to 12 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

p.8

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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 .

p.9

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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

p.9

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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

p.9