Seva Education

Inspection of Seva Education 145 Kingsley Road, Harrow, South Harrow HA2 8LF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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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?

Staff greet pupils with a smile and a warm welcome when they arrive at school. They know pupils and their needs well. Staff engage pupils straight away in a range of purposeful activities. These settle pupils down and get them into a positive frame of mind for learning. The school’s new approaches for supporting pupils to recognise, identify and manage their emotions are highly effective. As a result, pupils’ behaviour is excellent and they feel happy, safe and well cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school strives to ensure that all pupils meet their targets in their education, health and care (EHC) plans. It is ambitious for all to achieve well. Pupils access a strong academic curriculum and therapeutic support, which are adapted to their needs. This enables them to meet their academic goals with success. Pupils also achieve well in their social and emotional development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The new democratically elected school council has given pupils a ‘voice’ in their school. For example, the school responded positively to pupils’ requests for more outdoor equipment and visits in the community. Older students undertook local area litter picking. They also participated in a charity fundraising walk. These opportunities help to give pupils a strong sense of responsibility for others and the community.

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better?

Since the last inspection, the proprietor has taken decisive action to increase the school’s leadership capacity. The curriculum has been overhauled, and staff have received much training and development. The school has put more rigour into some processes and procedures. These include the recording of safeguarding concerns and the support for behaviour management. Consequently, all aspects of the school’s work have improved.

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better?

All pupils who attend this school are pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some have had poor prior experiences of education and have not attended school regularly. The school checks what pupils know and can do when they first arrive. Pupils’ therapeutic and social needs are also assessed. Based on the school’s initial findings and the information and targets in pupils’ EHC plans, the school designs bespoke provision. It identifies suitable starting points for pupils to access the well-sequenced curriculum. Staff routinely check on how well pupils are getting on in their work and social development. They use the information effectively to inform the next steps of teaching and support. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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better?

The school has prioritised the teaching of reading. The new phonics programme is well embedded. Staff have the expertise to deliver it effectively. Pupils practise reading with books matched to the sounds that they know. Over time, pupils gain in confidence and reading fluency. The school encourages a love of reading, for example, through daily ‘read to succeed’ sessions. Staff use a range of effective 10 to 12 June 2025 strategies to develop the communication skills of pupils not yet ready to learn to read.

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better?

The improved curriculum design makes clear what pupils should learn and in what order. It is well established for reading, mathematics and the wider curriculum subjects. In the post-16 provision, there is a strong emphasis on preparing students for adulthood. Students learn a range of functional skills and accredited vocational courses. These help students to be successful in their future lives. The review of the entire curriculum is not currently complete. The school is still working on improving further the curriculum in early writing and some elements of the post-16 provision. The revised personal, social and health education (PSHE) provision is at an early stage of implementation. Although current provision in these areas is effective overall, leaders’ aim is for the proposed changes to make it even better for pupils.

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better?

Teaching and support staff generally have subject and teaching expertise. This enables pupils to make strong progression through the curriculum overall. However, in a few instances, the teaching and support are not as effective as they could be in promoting pupils’ learning. Occasionally, teaching activities are not well chosen, as they detract from the key learning intention. Sometimes, when supporting pupils who need some assistance, staff step in too early or do the work for them, thus limiting pupils from building their independence. At times, therefore, some pupils do not achieve as highly as they could.

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better?

Staff celebrate pupils’ successes. This is one of the strategies that encourage pupils to try hard. Across the school, there is a calm ambience and pupils pay attention in class. This is because the school sets high expectations for behaviour and establishes well-considered routines. Pupils are supported to manage any change well, such as when unfamiliar adults enter the classroom. Learning is, therefore, not disrupted. Strategies to encourage regular attendance are effective. Rates of absence are decreasing. There has also been an exponential drop in suspensions this year.

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better?

The school broadens and enriches pupils’ experiences in several ways. Pupils enjoy visits that link to their learning. For example, they visit a planetarium when learning about the solar system. They have opportunities to plan shopping trips, to cook and bake and learn how to use public transport safely. They also enjoy their weekly visits to the school’s allotments where they learn gardening and other outdoor skills.

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better?

The school ensures that pupils receive impartial careers guidance. Visitors, such as from the army, police and cyber security sectors, talk to pupils about future employment opportunities. Students visited a hotel to understand all that goes on behind the scenes as part of their work experience. During lunchtimes, pupils can choose to attend a wide range of clubs such as yoga, art, make up and Italian clubs. These opportunities help pupils to explore their interests and hobbies.

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better?

Staff are happy with the recent changes made at the school. They expressed that these have had a positive impact on their personal career development. They also 10 to 12 June 2025 appreciate that the school’s proprietor and leaders are approachable. Workload is reasonable and staff feel valued.

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better?

The proprietor ensures that the school consistently meets all the independent school standards. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Some elements of the new and ambitious curriculum are not routinely taught as effectively as they could be. In these instances, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that both teaching and support staff have the skills to routinely help pupils to gain new knowledge and independence to achieve the best that they can.

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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. 10 to 12 June 2025

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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sixth form

Annual fees (day pupils) £66,000 to £85,500

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sixth form

Email address education@sevacaregroup.com

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 6 to 8 June 2023 10 to 12 June 2025

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Information about this school

 The school’s last standard inspection was on 6 to 8 June 2023.  The school had a material change inspection in September 2023.  Since the previous inspection there has been a large turnover of staff, including in the senior leadership team.  Pupils aged seven to 16 are taught at Kingsley Road, South Harrow, Middlesex, HA2 8LT. Pupils aged 16 to 25 are taught at additional premises at 519 North Circular Road, London, NW2 7QG.  All pupils who attend the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities. All pupils have an EHC plan which identifies social, emotional and mental health difficulties as the primary area of need. Some pupils also have additional communication and interaction needs and/or autism.  The school makes no use of alternative provision.  In April 2025, the Department for Education approved the school’s proposal for the use of additional premises at 16 Northwick Park Road, Harrow, HA1 2NU. At

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Information about this school

the time of this inspection, these additional premises were not in use.

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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

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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement 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 of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, PSHE, and physical education. 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. They also considered other subjects as part of this inspection.  Inspectors met with the proprietor, headteacher and other senior staff. They also had formal meetings with groups of staff and spoke with pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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. 10 to 12 June 2025  To check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards, inspectors carried out a range of activities, including meeting with leaders, site walks to check the premises, looking at the content on the school’s website and scrutinising the school’s records and documentation.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for parents and carers, and staff.

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Inspection team

David Radomsky, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jayne Jardine Ofsted Inspector 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 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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