Riseley Green School

School pre-registration inspection report

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Riseley Green School Riseley Business Park, Basingstoke Road, Riseley, Reading RG7 1QF

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1) to 2(2)(b), 2(2)(d) to 2(2)(f), 2(2)(h) to 4  The school intends to provide education for pupils with a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), centred around a diagnosis of autism. Pupils may be nonverbal or have limited communication skills, as well as additional social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. The curriculum model takes account of pupils’ potential needs. There are a range of pathways that combine academic learning and therapeutic support. This will likely help pupils to thrive and be successful.  The written curriculum policy outlines a clear approach to providing pupils with a broad range of learning, in line with the requirements of the independent school standards (the standards). At the heart of this planning is careful thought about how pupils will learn to communicate, including through the use of sign language and

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Main inspection findings

visual aids.  Learning for each subject is planned out in a logical sequence. This follows an approach used successfully in other schools owned by the proprietor. Where appropriate, older pupils will have the opportunity to gain relevant qualifications by the end of Year 11, including functional skills certification in English and mathematics.  The curriculum in the early years is based on a curriculum devised by the proprietor. As such, it covers all of the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage framework. An early years expert has been recruited and is due to join the school staff imminently. Ahead of any children being recruited to the early years provision, school leaders intend working with experts to ensure that this part of the school’s curriculum is brought adequately to life for children.  Pupils are likely to join the school at different points in their academic career. The

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Main inspection findings

school is aware that pupils will arrive with a diverse range of starting points and cognitive abilities. Leaders have appointed staff with proven experience of working in similar contexts. This equips them with the knowledge to apply the planned curriculum in a way that is likely to meet pupils’ varied learning needs.  Checking what pupils have learned will be an integral part of teachers’ work so that staff can respond quickly to emerging gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Assessment will be carried out and captured in line with processes that are established and effective in other schools owned by the proprietor.  Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education will be an integral part of the curriculum for all pupils. The curriculum covers a suitably broad and relevant range of topics, which will help pupils increase their understanding of the world around them. Arrangements for relationship and sex education meet the requirements of statutory

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Main inspection findings

guidance. Leaders are alert to where topics may need delivering in a particularly careful or sensitive way in order to equip pupils with timely information that helps them stay safe from risks such as sexual exploitation.  All applicable standards in this part are likely to be met if the school is granted permission to open.

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Main inspection findings

Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Paragraphs 5 to 5(d)(iii)  Plans for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development align well with the likely needs of pupils. The clinical team intend to work closely alongside teaching staff to ensure that the taught PSHE curriculum and therapeutic input form a cohesive programme of development and support. Prior experience of working in similar settings is helping to guide planning for this part of the school’s work, which will be at the heart of pupils’ learning.  Leaders are alert to the importance of helping pupils to develop a sense of self and to understand their place in the school and the local community. They are alert to ensuring that pupils have deliberate opportunities to connect with each other and with the world around them. They have begun to reach out and build links with local groups and venues to facilitate this. They have tried-and-tested experience of doing

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Main inspection findings

this successfully in other similar settings, which lends confidence to their planned approach.  The school’s planned approach to promote positive behaviour is reflected in their behaviour policy. Pupils and staff will be fully involved in developing the school’s vision and values into something that has real meaning for them. In itself, this will help to develop pupils’ sense of belonging as they will contribute to their school community and its culture. Staff will be expected to model positive behaviours in their interactions with pupils, showing them how to recognise right from wrong and to behave respectfully towards others.  The planned programme of assemblies aims to help pupils develop their wider understanding of the world. Careful thought has been given as to how these sessions will be made accessible to the full range of pupils. This includes through the use of visual communication aids or online for pupils if they initially find a large group

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Main inspection findings

environment to be challenging. Planned themes such as friendship, Remembrance Day, how to be kind and Hannukah, look set to support learning across a suitably broad range of topics. These themes will complement aspects of the taught curriculum that help pupils to learn more about different cultures and faiths and about the morality of decisions that have shaped historical events.  The school is likely to meet the requirements of the relevant standard in this part should it be granted permission to open.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7 to 7(b)  The school’s safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. There is a written policy, which reflects statutory guidance and will be available via the school’s website. This policy meets the requirements of relevant legislation, including ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (2024). It aligns with local safeguarding children partnership arrangements.  Leaders are alert to the additional risks and vulnerabilities that pupils enrolling at the school are likely to be subject to. For instance, they note that some pupils may not recognise if someone was behaving inappropriately towards them or may have difficulty communicating this to others who could help them. They have taken these factors into account when devising the school’s safeguarding arrangements.  Appropriate plans are in place to ensure that staff understand their safeguarding

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Main inspection findings

duties. The headteacher, who will initially act as designated safeguarding lead, and the deputy headteacher, who will deputise, bring relevant experience and are completing additional training to equip them successfully for this role. Safeguarding training will be an integral part of induction for all staff, with face-to-face, online and refresher activities that are designed to help check that learning has been understood. Contractors and agency staff will be briefed on arrival to ensure they know what to look out for and who to report concerns to.  Teaching pupils about risks and what to do when they feel unsafe will be integral to the school’s culture. They will learn about safe relationships, consent and online safety as part of the taught curriculum. Developing communication skills will be a priority, giving pupils a way to raise any concerns they may have, as well as enabling them to learn about other subjects.

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Main inspection findings

 Arrangements for identifying, reporting and recording any concerns about pupils are laid out clearly. Appropriate systems are in place to capture this information effectively and enable the designated safeguarding leads to take necessary action to reduce risks to pupils. Safeguarding leads within the proprietor body will provide appropriate additional scrutiny to ensure that actions are timely. Paragraphs 9, 10  Written behaviour and anti-bullying policies are fit for purpose. They will be published on the school’s website when it goes live. Together, these policies look likely to promote positive behaviour, through establishing a culture of high expectations. Staff will be expected to model kindness and to reflect on what can be learned from issues that arise. Clinical staff will support teachers and leaders in being alert to considering patterns in behaviour and understanding what these may be communicating, such as

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Main inspection findings

in relation to an unmet learning or welfare need.  The proposed school’s policy on the use of physical intervention is clear and appropriate. Although all staff will be trained in positive handling techniques, it is intended that they will use them as a last resort. Training will prioritise equipping staff with the tools to de-escalate situations which could otherwise lead to physical intervention being considered. Any incidents requiring physical intervention will be reviewed promptly and carefully to ensure the welfare of all involved and consider lessons learned. Paragraphs 11, 12, 13, 16  Arrangements are in place to establish high standards of health and safety, making use of the proprietor’s experience and expertise. Written policies and supporting documents meet the requirements relating to health and safety, first aid and risk assessment. The policies identify clear roles and lines of accountability for school staff,

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Main inspection findings

leaders and proprietor’s staff such as those in the facilities team.  Plans are in place for checking site safety routinely. The headteacher and staff from the proprietor have clearly defined roles in relation to how health and safety will be monitored. These arrangements should enable swift action to address any emerging issues as well as minimise risk to pupils and adults on the school site.  The proposed school looks likely to meet its duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. A fire risk assessment has already been completed by a competent person employed by the proprietor, with no action needed. An external audit is due very soon. Fire drills are planned for once the school is open. All pupils will have a personal emergency evacuation plan, which will be written as part of their transition into the school. Classrooms will be equipped with grab bags containing any additional resources that pupils may need to support their safe evacuation from the

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building in the event of the alarm being sounded.  Arrangements for administering first aid are fit for purpose. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have already undergone appropriate first-aid training. Other staff will be trained as part of their induction to the school. Paediatric first-aid training will be provided for those likely to work with children in the early years.  The school has adopted risk assessments developed by the proprietor. These cover relevant activities such as off-site visits and the management of pupils’ entry to and exit from the school. While broadly fit for purpose, some are yet to be adapted to the specifics of the school, such as around managing public vehicles which are permitted to access parking spaces near the site entrance. The school intends writing risk assessments for individual pupils as they are formally put on roll. Paragraph 14  The school intends to start with a relatively small number of pupils and grow over

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Main inspection findings

time towards its maximum permitted number. The number of staff already appointed is sufficient to provide adequate supervision to pupils throughout the day, with plans to recruit more as pupil numbers increase. There are appropriate plans in place to manage lessons and social times. They will ensure that staff get adequate breaks without compromising the quality of care for pupils. Paragraph 15  The school understands its requirements to hold an admissions register and the information that this needs to contain. It has an information management system in place that will enable it to do that efficiently. It is currently being used to store relevant information about prospective pupils whose applicants for admission have been submitted by their local authority.  Pupils will be registered twice a day by their teachers. Attendance registers will be kept electronically and in real time, enabling absence to be identified swiftly. Clear and

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Main inspection findings

appropriate routines are in place to follow up pupil absence in a timely way so that pupils are safe and accounted for. The headteacher will monitor attendance records to look for patterns of absence that need addressing so that timely action can be taken.  All applicable standards in this part are likely to be met if the school is granted permission to open.

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 18(2) to 18(2)(d), 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)  School leaders and the proprietor fully understand the recruitment and vetting checks they are required to carry out on adults working at or on behalf of the school. The proprietor has well-rehearsed routines to support the school in ensuring that these checks are carried out with sufficient rigour and in a timely way.  The single central record is in place and contains all of the required information for staff who are currently employed by and working at the school. This includes those staff who work directly for the proprietor. Information is recorded clearly. This information will be updated for other staff once their recruitment and vetting checks are complete.  The school has appropriate arrangements in place to fulfil the requirements relating to

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Main inspection findings

medical fitness checks and childcare disqualification notification. These are carried out as part of the induction process that staff undertake when they join the school.  Supply staff will be used as a last resort. Where necessary, the school would likely use a supply agency to source appropriate staff. Leaders are alert to the fact that agencies have to provide written assurances that vetting checks have been made and know to satisfy themselves of the person’s identity on arrival at the school.  The school is likely to meet the requirements of the relevant standards in this part should it be granted permission to open.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 23(1) to 23(1)(c), 24(1) to 24(1)(b), 24(2), 25 to 29(1)(b)  The proposed school is based in a former office building on a small business park, accessible via a short driveway from the main road. The building has been refurbished throughout and is finished to a high standard. The ground floor consists of a main reception area, three general purpose classrooms, a cookery room and a hall with a kitchen. A further six classrooms, two therapy rooms and an immersion (simulation) room are on the first floor, which is accessed via an enclosed staircase.  The classrooms provide sufficient space for the numbers that the school intends accommodating once it is full. Each room is light and airy, with appropriate acoustics and ventilation. Two of the upstairs rooms have sinks, making them suitable for use as teaching spaces for art and science should this be needed. All of the rooms are

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currently furnished in a formal style more suited to older pupils. Some have lockable storage cupboards.  The cookery room is furnished to a high standard, providing six workstations for pupils to use. It is not likely to be in use when the school first opens, as the pupil cohort is likely to be in the younger part of the requested age range, and so the room has not yet been equipped with pots, pans, bowls and utensils. Sharp objects such as knives will be stored securely in the nearby kitchen when not in use.  The main hall provides a useful multi-purpose space for dining and socialising, assemblies and indoor physical education (PE) for younger pupils. It is fit for purpose, albeit somewhat echoey. It leads to a large outside space, which is fenced securely and mainly laid to asphalt. There is a section of artificial grass at the far end with a climbing frame and some wooden planters with benching built in. This area provides a

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suitable place for pupils to play outside. The school anticipates fencing off a section for early years children to use during their curriculum time, but plans for this are in their infancy, pending the early years specialist teacher taking up their post.  There are suitable toilet facilities on both floors of the building, with separate blocks for boys and girls, plus an accessible toilet on the ground floor. Each of these facilities includes hot and cold water for hand washing, with water at an acceptable temperature. There are also showers available on the ground floor for boys and girls to use, such as after PE. Older pupils are likely to use local facilities for their PE sessions, which incorporate changing facilities.  Pupils will have their own drinking-water bottles. There are several water coolers across the school to be used for refilling bottles. Drinking-water is also available in the

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Main inspection findings

cookery room and is labelled as such.  There is a medical room on the ground floor, adjacent to the staffroom. It provides a suitable space to care for pupils who become unwell while at school. It includes a bed, lockable medicine store, fridge and hand washing facilities. The downstairs toilet facilities are very close by in case of need.  The outside of the site is well maintained, with appropriate outside lighting. Pupils will arrive and leave via the main reception area, which provides a secure entry and exit point that members of the public are not able to bypass. There is a drop-off/pick-up point for taxis and cars immediately outside the front door, providing a safe distance between pupils and any other cars accessing the site.  All applicable standards in this part are likely to be met if the school is granted permission to open.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 32(1) to 32(1)(d), 32(1)(f) to 32(2)(b), 32(2)(b)(ii) to 32(4)(c)  The proposed school will have a website that will provide parents, carers and other stakeholders with access to information about the school. This website is already well under construction and will be made publicly accessible once the school is granted permission to open. It was viewed as part of this inspection.  All of the policies that the school is required to publish, such as safeguarding, behaviour, exclusions, complaints and admissions, are already uploaded to the website ahead of it being launched. Contact details for the school and proprietor are also available, alongside a statement about the vision for the school. Leaders are alert to the requirement for them to publish information about academic achievement and complaints, as well as inspection reports, once such information becomes available.

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Main inspection findings

 Annual written reports about pupils’ achievements will adopt an approach that has been used successfully in another school owned by the proprietor. Similarly, the approach currently used by the proprietor to report to the placing local authority about how funds have been used will be adopted by this school.  The school is likely to meet the requirements of the relevant standard in this part should it be granted permission to open.

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Main inspection findings

Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled Paragraph 33  The proprietor’s written complaints policy has been adopted by the school. It fully meets the requirements of this part of the standards.  Arrangements for informal and formal complaints are laid out coherently in the written document, which will be available via the school’s website once it is launched. Clear timescales are identified for each stage of the process. Plans for panel hearings are appropriate, including representation from someone independent of the school, and the right for a complainant to be accompanied to the panel. The policy outlines how findings will be shared with relevant parties and the expectation that the school acts on any learning that is identified.  The standard in this part is likely to be met if the school is granted permission to open.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1) to 34(1)(c)  The proprietor has extensive experience of owning and operating similar educational settings successfully. Its established and suitably experienced staff already provide a network of useful support and challenge to the school’s leadership team as they prepare to open the school. As a result, school leaders are benefiting from existing expertise, for example in relation to health and safety, legal compliance of policies and curricular planning. This is helping them to ensure that all of the standards are likely to be met consistently once the school is allowed to open.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher bring useful and relevant prior experience to their roles. They are recruiting staff with similar expert backgrounds. This is enabling the school to plan provision that is likely to meet the needs of the pupils who

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Main inspection findings

join the school. Leaders’ understanding of the school’s context and the likely needs of pupils has been demonstrated convincingly during this pre-registration inspection.  The school will have a local governing body, comprising the headteacher and peers from two other local schools owned by the proprietor. The regional director will chair this group, which reports directly to the proprietor. All members will have access to a suite of information about all of the represented schools. This will enable rigorous scrutiny about standards in each of the schools, supporting high expectations and effective school improvement.  The school will adopt the monitoring routines that already exist in the other schools owned by the proprietor. For instance, there are data management systems already in place that provide relevant staff with timely information about the required frequency and status of health and safety checks. Expectations for who monitors what and when

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Main inspection findings

are laid out clearly in relevant policies. This approach looks likely to support leaders effectively in ensuring that the standards are met securely and consistently over time.  The standards contained in this part are likely to be met should the school be granted permission to open.

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Main inspection findings

Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  There is a written accessibility policy that meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Leaders intend reviewing this once staff recruitment and pupil admissions are complete. This will enable them to more precisely identify any actions needed, particularly in relation to ensuring that communication is not a barrier to pupils’ learning.

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Main inspection findings

Statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage  Children joining the school in Reception will follow the proprietor’s early years foundation stage (EYFS) curriculum. This meets the learning and development requirements of the EYFS framework, including the teaching of phonics where this is appropriate to children’s needs.  Children joining the early years are likely to be working at a level that is below their chronological age. The early years specialist teacher will use their relevant experience of working in similar settings to adapt learning in response to children’s identified needs as outlined in their education, health and care plans (EHC plan).  The school has made appropriate arrangements to meet the welfare and safeguarding requirements of the EYFS framework. Staff will have relevant experience working with children with additional needs and in an early years setting. Training as part of their

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Main inspection findings

induction will ensure that they have the knowledge they need to identify and act on safeguarding concerns, ensure the setting is safe and stimulating and be able to promote good health and positive behaviour.

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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.

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Proposed school details

This inspection was carried out under section 99 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards that are required for registration as an independent school.

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Proposed school details

Type of school Other independent special school

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Proposed school details

Annual fees (day pupils) £66,240 to £96,240

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recommendation

Age range of pupils Not applicable 4 to 16 4 to 16 Number of pupils on the school roll Not applicable 64 64

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Not applicable Mixed Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age Not applicable 64

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of part-time pupils Not applicable 0 Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities Not applicable 64

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan Not applicable 64

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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 Not applicable 64

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff Not applicable 3 initially, then rising with pupil numbers Number of part-time teaching staff Not applicable 6 initially, then rising with pupil numbers Number of staff in the welfare provision Not applicable Not applicable

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Information about this proposed school

 Riseley Green School intends to operate as a day school for pupils aged four to 16. All pupils will have an EHC plan, with a primary diagnosis of autism or associated traits. Pupils are likely to have a range of cognitive, communication and SEMH needs.  The proposed school is owned and operated by P Bloom Limited, a proprietor that owns and operates more than 30 other independent special schools. It is part of the Outcomes First Group (OFG) that runs a broad range of educational settings under four different brands: Acorn Education, Options Autism, Momenta Connect and Blenheim Schools. This school will form part of the Options Autism brand.  The school intends to have a governing body, which will be chaired by a regional director from OFG and consist of headteachers from this and two other local OFG schools.  The school will be based in a stand-alone building on a small business park, which also

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Information about this proposed school

incorporates a block of residential dwellings. Some parking bays adjacent to the school building but beyond the school’s perimeter are accessible to residents. The school will have sole occupancy of the building and the outside space used by the pupils. It does not intend operating from any other sites but may use local amenities as part of provision for PE. The building has an additional wing that is currently inaccessible to pupils and staff.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education in order to determine whether the school would be likely to meet the standards if granted permission to open. This was its first pre-registration inspection.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the clinical lead and with two members of the Outcomes First Group facilities team. She spoke on the telephone with the regional director, in his capacity as chair of governors, and to the quality and compliance director, who deputised for the chair of the proprietor body.  The inspector considered documentary evidence submitted by the school in relation to the standards. This included policies, curriculum planning, health and safety records and the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. The inspector also toured the school site alongside leaders and viewed the school’s provisional website.

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Inspection team

Kathryn Moles, 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 .

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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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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