Maple View School

Inspection of Maple View School 305A Prince Charles Avenue, Mackworth, Derby DE22 4LL

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Maple View School provides pupils with an outstanding education. The school recognises the potential every pupil has to succeed. Staff work with dedication, determination and skill to realise the school’s ambitious expectations for pupils’ personal and academic achievements. Pupils are confident and enthusiastic. They learn exceptionally well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a warm and highly caring learning environment. Relationships between staff and pupils are built on trust and respect. Pupils have a strong sense of belonging. In assembly they clap and sing along with the music. They invite staff to dance with them. Their delight at being part of the school’s inclusive community is unmistakable. Pupils are also a part of their local community. They participated in a Victory in Europe celebration. They make regular visits to a local library and café.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff understand the complexity of pupils’ needs and prioritise their safety. Staff use a range of strategies to make sure that pupils know what is happening at every point in the school day. They skilfully predict the situations pupils may find more challenging. They help pupils to manage their emotions and regulate their behaviour effectively. The school runs like clockwork. Pupils are happy and their learning is maximised.

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better?

The school’s common purpose is that pupils will develop the core values of kindness, bravery and independence. Leaders work closely with members of the school community to bring about their aspirations for pupils’ futures. Staff are committed to the part they play in improving pupils’ lives. They agree that they live and breathe the school’s vision. Parents and carers are deeply appreciative of the school’s work. They recognise the exceptional care and education their children receive. One parent echoed the views of others when saying, ‘The school supports, nurtures and celebrates the uniqueness of our child.’

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better?

The school has designed the curriculum intelligently. It is broad, rich and ambitious. The school provides a bespoke curriculum offer for each pupil. It goes above and beyond the expected to ensure that learning is meticulously matched to pupils’ stage of development. At the heart of this work is the detailed understanding staff have of pupils’ needs. They use the information from pupils’ education, health and care plans (EHC plan) as well as their own checks to tailor learning. Staff identify the small steps of learning that pupils need to make to experience success and make sure that they are ready for the next step in the sequence of learning. As a result, pupils are well placed to meet, or exceed, the outcomes identified in their EHC plans.

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better?

Teachers deliver the curriculum expertly. They know the best ways to help pupils to acquire new learning. They use an extensive range of strategies to support pupils to communicate effectively. Teachers have high expectations of the engagement pupils 15 to 17 July 2025 show in their learning. Teachers remind pupils to listen and participate. They ask pupils to visibly demonstrate that they are ready to learn. They set out what they need to do before they can move on to a different or preferred task.

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better?

The school prioritises reading. Pupils learn to read well because the right support is provided for the stage they are at. Pupils who struggle to recognise sounds engage in reading activities to help them. They look at the pictures and turn the pages. Pupils at a later stage learn to recognise letters and sounds to decode words. The school supports pupils who are confident and fluent readers to develop their comprehension skills and discuss what they have read.

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better?

The school completes a personalised behaviour support plan for each pupil. Staff implement these plans and manage pupils’ behaviour consistently well. They celebrate pupils’ positive behaviour. As a result, pupils’ self-esteem skyrockets. They love coming to school and attend well.

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better?

The offer for pupils’ personal development is planned out with the same attention to detail as the rest of the curriculum. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme is of high quality. It is frequently personalised to meet individual pupils’ needs. Pupils gain valuable life skills such as self-care, how to live healthy lives and how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils benefit from a vast range of well-considered experiences that extend beyond the school’s academic offer. They visit museums, a zoo, go to a pantomime and participate in yoga classes. They enjoy outdoor learning and care for the rabbits and chickens on the school site. The school also supports pupils to develop their own talents and interests including through opportunities such as learning about the world of work.

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better?

The proprietor body is highly skilled. They know the school well. They have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and priorities for development based on the wealth of information they gather about the school. They offer the right support and challenge to school leaders and ensure that each decision is made with pupils’ best interests in mind. They fulfil their statutory duties to safeguard pupils. They comply with the independent school standards (the standards) including schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Together with leaders, they have played an instrumental part in the school’s commitment to provide an education for pupils that is second to none.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 15 to 17 July 2025 The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 15 to 17 July 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 139787 DfE registration number 831/6012

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School details

Inspection number 10374819 Type of school Other Independent Special School

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5–7 July 2022 15 to 17 July 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is an independent special school operated by SENAD group. The school operates from premises at 305A Prince Charles Avenue, Mackworth, Derby, DE22 4LL.  The headteacher took up post in September 2024.  The last standard inspection took place on 5 to 7 July 2022.  The school is registered to admit up to 18 pupils. There are currently 17 pupils on roll.  The school caters for pupils with a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), predominantly autism spectrum disorder. Other SEND needs may include moderate to severe learning difficulties and speech, language and communication difficulties. All pupils at the school have an EHC plan.  The school informed the Department for Education of the change to the upper age limit for the oldest pupils it is registered to teach from 19 to 16 while the inspection was underway.  The school does not make use of any 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

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 evaluation of 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 met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, SEND co-ordinator and senior therapist. The lead inspector held a meeting with representatives of the proprietor.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in 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 and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector also looked at curriculum plans and reviewed evidence of pupils’ work in some other subjects. 15 to 17 July 2025  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times, as well as the school’s arrangements for supervising pupils. An inspector met with a group

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Information about this inspection

of pupils to gather their views of school life.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single 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.  The lead inspector made a tour of the school and reviewed a range of documents, including those relating to health and safety, in order to check the school’s compliance with the standards.  Inspectors considered the views expressed in the responses to the Ofsted Parent View free text and the responses to the staff survey. They met with parents at the start of the school day and held a meeting with a group of staff.

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Inspection team

Caroline Poole, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Sheppard Ofsted Inspector 15 to 17 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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