Footsteps Trust

Inspection of Footsteps Trust New River Sports Centre, White Hart Lane, Wood Green, London N22 5QW

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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?

The caring and dedicated staff greet pupils with smiles and a warm welcome upon arrival. Pupils appreciate that staff understand their needs and support them in trying their best in class. Pupils feel safe to make mistakes and share their views. Staff focus on helping pupils to develop their resilience and confidence as learners and citizens. Pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s principle of ‘rules without relationships do not work’, underpins the positive behaviour and respectful interactions between staff and pupils. There is a calm atmosphere in this nurturing school. Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. Staff know how to spot the signs that a pupil may need extra help, including pupils who need support for their mental health and well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn important social skills, such as how to get along with peers and how to sort out any disagreements in an ordered way. They show good manners towards each other and staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Wider opportunities include a range of trips and visits in the community. For example, there are visits to places of interests and worship, such as museums, animal centres and a local Gurdwara. Pupils take part in sporting events.

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better?

The school has ensured that there is a suitable curriculum in place that prepares pupils for the next stage of education, training and employment. The school is increasing the range of vocational courses to strengthen the curricular offer. Teachers understand the subjects they teach. They present information clearly. Occasionally staff do not check what pupils know or understand. Some opportunities to revisit pupils’ knowledge to deepen their understanding are not captured or maximised in lessons. This limits some pupils’ subject specific understanding.

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better?

The school’ systems for identifying pupils with SEND are secure. Some pupils enter the school with education, health and care plans. The school supports pupils well in achieving their personal goals, including the management of their own social, emotional and mental health needs.

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better?

The school has taken appropriate steps to ensure that there is a structured approach in place to teach pupils to read. This is helping pupils to read with increasing comprehension and fluency. Pupils who may have fallen behind, get targeted support to help them catch up. This helps them access the rest of the curriculum. The school is still fine-tuning opportunities to inspire pupils’ enthusiasm and love of reading.

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better?

The school expects pupils to behave well. Staff support pupils well in understanding how to manage their behaviour and emotions. Staff provide this support in a sensitive and sympathetic way. Pupils learn to access a range of strategies to help 24 to 26 June 2025 them manage their emotional state. For instance, pupils choose to take sensory breaks when the learning process becomes overwhelming. This enables them to refocus and return to learning as soon as possible. The school tracks pupil’s attendance and punctuality carefully. The school is working closely with parents and carers to ensure pupils arrive to school on time.

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better?

The personal development programme enables pupils to explore a range of essential issues. Various themed assemblies and presentations, from carefully selected external providers, supports the effective learning experiences offered. For instance, pupils consider the consequences of discrimination, stereotyping and bullying others. They learn pupils are taught about a range of important social and personal issues, including discrimination and stereotyping people, including how to build positive and healthy relationships. They learn the importance of valuing diversity. Pupils respect people who live their lives differently to them. The relationships, sex and health education take full account of statutory guidance. This is delivered in an age- appropriate way. For example, staff teach pupils the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles and relationships. Staff encourage pupils to know about consent,

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better?

Pupils receive information about careers and the world of work. They become increasingly aware of the varying options available to them in the future. The school has established links with external partners. These deliver regular sessions on the skills that pupils will need to be ready for future careers and independence. Most pupils go on to attend courses in various further education establishments.

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better?

Staff are passionate about the school and the pupils who attend. Staff value the approachable and supportive nature of leaders. The school ensures that the management of staff’s well-being and workload is well considered. Leaders know the strengths and the next steps needed to realise their aspirations. The trustees ensure that there is close oversight of the school’s compliance with the independent school standards (the standards). The school and those responsible for governance have worked together to ensure that standards are met. 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)

 Occasionally, staff do not check what pupils know or understand. This leads to some pupils not deepening their understanding securely. The school should ensure that all staff check pupils’ understanding carefully and make the appropriate adaptations to teaching so that pupils are fully prepared for future learning. 24 to 26 June 2025

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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

Unique reference number 141859 DfE registration number 309/6004

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School details

Inspection number 10375109 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 to 15 July 2022 24 to 26 June 2025

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Information about this school

 Footsteps Trust is an independent school situated in the New River Sports centre, White Hart Lane, Wood Green N22 5QW.  The school caters for pupils who need support with their behaviour, attitudes and attendance.  Some pupils have education health and care plans (EHC plans). Since the last inspection there has been an increase in the intake at key stage 3 and pupils with EHC plans for a range of needs, including social, emotional and mental health.  The school is registered to admit up to 80 aged 12 to 16 years. At the time of the inspection, there were no Year 11 pupils on roll.  The last standard inspection was conducted from 13 to 15 July 2022 and was judged as good.  Currently, all pupils are dual registered with a mainstream school.  Parents have been consulted in relation to the school’s sex and relationships education. The school has an opt-out arrangement for those who do not wish to have their children study sex education.

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Information about this school

 The school does not 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 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 about the quality of a school’s education provision.  The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the chair of the trust, the principal, senior leaders and a range of staff.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, met with leaders, spoke to some pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work.  The inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and 24 to 26 June 2025 considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors considered the views of pupils and staff, through discussions and responses in the Ofsted’s survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s surveys for parents and pupils.

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Inspection team

Lascelles Haughton, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Teresa Neary Ofsted Inspector 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 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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