Educ8 Leicestershire

Inspection of Educ8 Leicestershire Allexton Youth and Community Centre, Frolesworth Road, New Parks, Leicester, Leicestershire LE3 6LP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school caters for pupils who have a range of different needs. Most of the pupils have suffered disruption to their education previously due to negative experiences. Pupils credit the school for helping them re-engage with learning and feel good about themselves. They say that the small, informal setting and the high staff ratio suits their needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are caring and considerate. They take the time to find out about pupils’ interests and their ambitions for the future. Pupils know that staff have their best interests at heart. Pupils feel safe and valued. They are comfortable talking to staff about any difficulties that they might have, both educational and personal.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like earning rewards for behaving well, such as ‘REACH’ points and ambassador status. However, at times, staff do not deal with poor behaviour effectively, which means it can escalate and disrupt learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for all its pupils. It wants to help every pupil achieve the best possible outcomes in the time that they are there. However, the quality of education and the school’s personal development provision are not effective enough to achieve this aim.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is designed carefully to prepare pupils for their next steps, whether this is going on to post-16 education or returning to mainstream school successfully. As well as foundational skills courses in English, mathematics and science, pupils can also follow a range of accredited vocational pathways. However, while pupils gain qualifications in these subjects, they do not achieve as well as they could. This is because staff do not implement the curriculum well at times. For example, staff sometimes rush through content without explaining it clearly or checking pupils’ understanding. Some of the learning tasks lack purpose or are too easy.

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better?

Some pupils join the school with significant gaps in their reading knowledge. The school does not provide the support that some of these pupils need to catch up. This is because the school does not have a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics. The school has not supported staff so that they know how to teach pupils to read effectively. The school does not promote a love of reading effectively. Many pupils have negative attitudes to reading and few make use of the school’s online library. While there are opportunities for pupils to read in lessons, there are limited books for them to borrow, and they rarely read in their own time.

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better?

Most pupils at the school have special educational needs and or/disabilities (SEND). As part of its thorough induction process, the school ensures that these pupils have a smooth transition when they join. All pupils, including those with SEND, have individual support plans so that staff understand how best to help them. 24 to 26 June 2025 Staff help pupils to understand their feelings and develop strategies to regulate their behaviour. However, at times, staff do not follow the school’s behaviour policy as they are expected to. Sometimes, disrespectful and defiant behaviour is not dealt with well enough and this affects pupils’ learning.

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better?

Many pupils had poor attendance before they joined the school. Some were out of education altogether. The school is successful in helping most pupils value the importance of education. Most pupils’ attendance improves significantly while they attend the school.

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better?

Personal development is central to the school’s aims and ethos. Pupils benefit from effective pastoral support that helps them re-engage with education. They receive high-quality, impartial careers advice and guidance. Staff make links to careers and further education options across the curriculum. The school provides meaningful opportunities for pupils to encounter the world of work and learn life skills. However, the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is not having the impact that the school intends. Some pupils do not remember important learning securely. They lack the knowledge that they need to make healthy choices and be well- rounded, inclusive citizens.

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better?

Staff are happy and enjoy working at the school. They feel well supported by the proprietor. However, there has been limited training for staff to ensure that they can teach the curriculum consistently well.

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better?

The school does not meet all the independent school standards (the standards). The proprietor has made sure that the standards relating to spiritual, moral, social and cultural education, safeguarding and the school’s premises are met. The school’s website includes the required information to meet the related standards. The school’s complaints procedure is appropriate, and it complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. However, the proprietor has not ensured that some standards related to the quality of education and behaviour are met.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school has not ensured that staff deliver the school’s curriculum consistently well. At times, staff do not present new subject content clearly to pupils. Sometimes, staff do not check pupils’ understanding closely enough. Some of the work is too easy for pupils or does not help them learn the curriculum. Consequently, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school must ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills they need to implement the curriculum effectively. 24 to 26 June 2025  The school does not have a suitable phonics programme. Some staff have not been supported in how to teach pupils to read. Consequently, pupils with gaps in their phonics and reading knowledge do not receive the support they need to catch up. The school should ensure that there is an effective approach to the teaching of early reading.  The school does not promote a culture of reading effectively. Some pupils do not

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

appreciate the value of reading or access reading resources readily. Consequently, they do not read as much as they should. The school should develop its reading culture so that pupils acquire positive attitudes to reading and enjoy the benefits of reading widely.  The school has not ensured that its behaviour policy is implemented consistently. At times, pupils’ disrespectful behaviour is not dealt with well enough. When lessons are disrupted, pupils do not gain as much as they could from their learning. The school must ensure that staff respond effectively to poor behaviour, enabling pupils to develop positive, focused and respectful attitudes to learning.  The school has not ensured that pupils remember key content from the PSHE curriculum securely. Some pupils lack the knowledge they need to be healthy, respectful citizens. Their understanding of fundamental British values and the differences between people is limited. The school must ensure that its PSHE

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

curriculum helps pupils gain the knowledge and skills that they need for life in modern Britain.  The school does not meet all the standards. There are inconsistencies in how well the behaviour policy is implemented and how effectively the curriculum is delivered. Therefore, the school does not meet some of the standards relating to the quality of education, the welfare, health and safety of pupils, and leadership and management. The proprietor must ensure that it has a robust oversight of the provision, so that all of the standards are met consistently and securely over time.

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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. 24 to 26 June 2025

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School details

Inspection number 10374831 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £19,500 to £25,000

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 24 to 26 June 2025

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Information about this school

 This was the school’s first standard inspection.  The school opened as an independent special school in May 2024. Before this time, it was operating as an unregistered alternative provision.  The school is located at Allexton Youth and Community Centre, Frolesworth Road, New Parks, Leicester, Leicestershire LE3 6LP.  The school caters for pupils at risk of exclusion and pupils not attending a mainstream school.  The school caters for pupils with moderate learning and behavioural difficulties, including social, emotional and mental health needs. Most pupils who attend the school have SEND. A small number of pupils have education, health and care plans.  The proprietor body has a limited company called Educ8 Leicestershire Limited. The governance of the school is overseen by an executive board.  The school is registered to admit up to 16 pupils, aged between 13 and 16 years old. At the time of the inspection, there were 10 pupils on the school’s roll.

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use 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 has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of 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 about the quality of a school's education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with staff, spoke with pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered pupils’ learning in a range of other subjects, including vocational courses.  The lead inspector observed a sample of pupils read. 24 to 26 June 2025  Inspectors spoke to pupils about their experience of school. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, curriculum leaders and staff. An inspector

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Information about this inspection

spoke with the chair of the proprietor body and a member of the executive board.  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 inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including a wide range of curriculum plans, a variety of policies and risk assessments, as well as documentation relating to school improvement, safeguarding, behaviour, attendance and governance.  To check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards, inspectors considered relevant documents and reviewed the facilities at the school’s site.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Sheppard Ofsted Inspector 24 to 26 June 2025

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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.  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(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; – 3(h) utilises effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging pupils to act responsibly.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 9 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that- – 9(b) the policy is implemented effectively.

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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. 24 to 26 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

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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