Gloucester House, The Tavistock Children's Day Unit

Inspection of Gloucester House, The Tavistock Children’s Day Unit 33 Daleham Gardens, London NW3 5BU

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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?

Pupils are well supported by a team of staff made up of both education and health professionals. These adults work collaboratively to ensure that pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well understood and effectively met. Over the last year, the school has re-evaluated its curriculum and approach to pupils’ behaviour. It has set high expectations and pupils are rising to these.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils join this school after difficult experiences in other settings. Many have been out of school for some time. In this school, they develop positive relationships with staff. Over time, pupils learn to trust staff and understand and manage their emotions and behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that pupils have opportunities to experience a range of leisure and enrichment activities, including through ‘well-being Fridays’. On Friday afternoons, pupils from different classes enjoy a variety of sporting or craft activities, developing their social skills alongside learning a new skill. Pupils also have opportunities to influence the school’s development, including through membership of the ‘pupil parliament’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents and carers appreciate the school’s work to support their child. However, a few are dissatisfied and feel that the school does not listen or respond well to their concerns.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is ambitious. It has an appropriate focus on English, mathematics and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Recently, the school has reviewed its curriculum across all subjects. The revised curriculum sets out clearly what should be taught.

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better?

In subjects which are well established, such as mathematics, lessons are consistently designed to develop pupils’ knowledge. Carefully chosen activities interest pupils and extend their learning. However, in some other subjects, the curriculum is very new and less familiar to those delivering it. In these cases, teaching activities are not aligned consistently with the school’s intended curriculum, and the lessons delivered lack coherence.

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better?

Education and health teams work closely together to ensure that pupils’ needs are accurately understood. This enables them to craft personalised approaches for individual pupils.

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better?

Pupils are taught individually or in small groups. However, sometimes teaching does not involve precise questioning or clear explanations. For example, when questions are too abstract and not tightly linked to the subject content, pupils do not make as much progress as they could. 1 to 3 July 2025 The school has prioritised reading. It has established daily opportunities for staff and pupils to share books. The school develops pupils’ confidence in reading aloud. A phonics programme is used effectively to support pupils who have gaps in their phonics knowledge or lack fluency in their reading.

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better?

The school has brought about a significant shift in culture with regard to pupils’ behaviour. It has established high expectations that are consistent across the school, but mindful of each pupil’s needs. Over time, pupils learn to understand their emotions and the impact of their behaviour on others.

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better?

Around the school, the atmosphere is generally calm. Pupils respond well to familiar staff. They are polite and courteous. Staff help pupils sort out any friendship issues. Any incidents of bullying are taken seriously. The school takes suitable action to ensure that these are dealt with.

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better?

Absence from school is followed up swiftly. The school identifies and tackles any barriers to attendance. Some pupils’ attendance improves significantly. A few pupils receive home tuition delivered by school staff. This is delivered over a short period with a clear rationale and plans for swift reintegration into school.

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better?

PSHE and relationships and sex education and health education programmes are clearly set out. Where required, content is adapted based on pupils’ needs and any issues that arise. This work is strengthened by the integration of therapeutic approaches. Pupils learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships and consent in an age-appropriate manner. They are taught about ‘grooming’ and the possible implications of ‘holding things’ for others.

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better?

Visitors to the school support pupils’ readiness for life beyond school. For example, police officers visit to help pupils understand the consequences of inappropriate behaviour. The school works effectively to develop pupils’ respect for others. For example, the school identified that discriminatory language was infrequently challenged. The school successfully raised awareness of the impact of these words. Use of discriminatory language has significantly decreased. Weekly equality, diversity and inclusion champions are proud to receive recognition.

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better?

The school provides some trips off site, usually in the local area. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures and mark events such as PRIDE and Black History Month.

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better?

The school works closely with partners to prepare pupils for their next steps. This is achieved through visits and information sharing. From Year 7 onwards, pupils benefit from the school’s structured careers education programme.

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better?

The school has made significant improvements in a short space of time following a period of instability. However, there have been many changes over a short period. Some of these changes are not embedded. Leaders are mindful of staff well-being and workload. For example, staff welcome the introduction of the ‘well-being’ space. 1 to 3 July 2025 Steering committee members have the appropriate expertise to support the school well. They ensure that the independent school standards are met. They receive helpful information about pupils’ learning and behaviour. Committee members attend school events where they may speak with parents. They are seeking ways to strengthen this area of engagement.

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better?

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)

 The school’s work to improve the quality of education has been impeded by high staff turnover, including at senior levels. The curriculum is not embedded fully in practice across all subjects. As a result, pupils do not consistently receive clear, coherent sequences of lessons in some subjects. The school should ensure that the curriculum is consistently delivered in line with the school’s expectations.  Sometimes, curriculum delivery lacks precision. For example, questions posed and explanations provided by staff are not clear, so pupils do not understand what is being asked of them. As a consequence, pupils do not make as much progress through the curriculum as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum is consistently delivered with clarity and precision.

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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. 1 to 3 July 2025

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust Chair John Lawlor

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School details

Headteacher Chilo Graham (Acting Headteacher)

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School details

Website www.gloucesterhouse.camden.sch.uk

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School details

Email address gloucesterhouseadmin@tavi-port.nhs.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 November to 1 December 2022 1 to 3 July 2025

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, there have been changes to leadership roles. The acting headteacher joined the school as deputy headteacher in June 2024 and became acting headteacher in April 2025.  The proprietor appoints a steering committee to oversee the work of the school. The chair of the steering committee took up their role in February 2025.  The school caters for pupils who have social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils have an education, health and care plan linked to their social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The school is registered to admit up to 21 pupils.

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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 met with the acting headteacher and clinical lead professional. They also met with teachers, support staff and clinical professionals working in the school.  Inspectors met with members of the steering committee and the proprietor’s strategic lead for education and partnerships.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and PSHE. 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 spoke to leaders about the curriculum experienced by individual pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single

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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. 1 to 3 July 2025  Inspectors also considered the school’s work to support pupils’ behaviour and attendance. They scrutinised a range of documentation and spoke to leaders and staff about the school’s work to support pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors toured the school premises and scrutinised a range of documentation to check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  Inspectors took into account the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for parents, pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Gaynor Roberts, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Deborah Walters His Majesty’s Inspector 1 to 3 July 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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