Kisimul School

Kisimul School The Old Vicarage, 61 High Street, Swinderby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 9LU

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 7 to 7(b), 32(1), 32(1)(c)  There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. The school has ensured that the welfare and safety of pupils are high priorities.  The school has made sure that the arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils are effective. These arrangements have regard to the most recent guidance issued by the Secretary of State in relation to safeguarding children.  The school is aware of the particular risks and vulnerabilities that its pupils may face. Staff have given careful thought to how pupils communicate. This allows them to gather concerns from pupils in a range of appropriate ways. Pupils who are nonverbal are well supported by staff to communicate their needs, including those related to safety.  The school ensures that staff are well trained and understand their safeguarding

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Main inspection findings

responsibilities. There are regular safeguarding updates that build staff’s awareness of safeguarding issues. Monthly ‘team around the child’ meetings, which include a range of professionals and therapists, provide staff with updates about individual pupil presentation and any behavioural changes. Staff use this information to adapt pupil support plans so that everyone is aware of how to keep pupils safe.  Staff know how to pass on any concerns they may have about other staff members or adults in the school. Leaders are aware of their duty to refer a person who is deemed to be unsuitable for working with children to the Disclosure and Barring Service.  Leaders work closely and effectively with other agencies and professionals to make sure that pupils receive additional support when needed. The school has detailed child protection records.  Pupils indicate that they feel safe in school. They have an understanding of what

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Main inspection findings

safeguarding means, appropriate to their stage of development.  The school undertakes the necessary checks on staff and members of the proprietor body before they take up their respective position in the school. All checks are recorded on the school’s single central record.  The school’s safeguarding policy is available on the school’s website. It reflects the latest national guidance. Paragraphs 9 to 9(c)  The school’s behaviour policy is compliant with guidance from the Department for Education (DfE). It contains the school’s approach to managing pupils’ behaviour and the sanctions to be adopted in the event of any misbehaviour. The policy is also compliant with the Equality Act 2010 as it takes into account the additional needs of the pupils.  Staff implement the school’s behaviour policy effectively. They understand each pupil’s additional needs. Staff carefully follow the approaches outlined in pupils’ individual

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Main inspection findings

behaviour support plans.  Staff undertake proactive strategies to help pupils regulate their emotions. They give time and space to those pupils who become anxious or distressed due to sensory issues. The therapeutic and trauma-informed approach staff use helps pupils to manage their emotions and return to a calm state.  Staff use their bespoke training and carefully follow the policies and individual plans for the use of restrictive physical intervention. The records of any restraints used are detailed. Restraint is always used as a last resort, and records show all the interventions used prior to a restraint. Leaders provide opportunities for all involved to reflect and learn from incidents. Parent and carers, social workers, other professionals and, where possible, pupils’ views about physical interventions are always sought and recorded. The school uses this information to continually improve its practice in this

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Main inspection findings

area and reduce the need for restraint.  The school keeps accurate and detailed records of all behavioural incidents. These, along with any overnight notes from the care homes and communication from parents, are reviewed daily in staff briefings. This allows staff to support pupils proactively throughout the day. Paragraph 11  There is an appropriate health and safety policy in place that is implemented effectively by the proprietor and followed by staff.  Health and safety laws are complied with, such as those related to reporting injuries. Staff complete the appropriate documentation to ensure that these regulations are met.  Accidents are recorded on the school’s information management system. The records are comprehensive and describe well the incidents and follow-up actions taken. This includes protocols for seeking medical advice for any head injuries sustained by pupils or staff.  The school’s site is well maintained and free from any obvious hazards. Adaptations

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Main inspection findings

were seen to keep pupils safe in classrooms such as padded desks as well as breakout spaces. Paragraph 13  The proprietor has ensured that there is a relevant and up-to-date first-aid policy in place that is implemented by staff effectively.  There are appropriate levels of staff who are first-aid trained. Several staff have advanced first-aid training.  Records which detail incidents that require first aid are kept on the school’s information management system. These records show that first aid is administered in a timely and competent manner. Paragraph 14  Pupils are suitably supervised at all points throughout the day with high staff-to-pupil ratios. This was seen in lessons where the majority of classrooms had one adult to one pupil. Staffing ratios are carefully structured to ensure that pupils’ needs are fully met, with a two-to-one model in place for some pupils with physical development and

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Main inspection findings

mobility needs. Staff are unanimous in their view that the levels of staffing ensure that pupils’ needs are met. Paragraphs 16 to 16(b)  The school safeguards and promotes the welfare of pupils through the effective implementation of its risk assessment policy.  Leaders have ensured that staff have the necessary information to be able to support pupils, including in managing and reducing possible risky behaviours.  The school’s environment and activities undertaken on its site have been carefully assessed for risk. Staff follow these assessments to keep pupils safe, for example when they take them to the gym or swimming pool. All off-site visits are carefully assessed for risk and appropriate control measures are implemented.  The school meets the requirements of these independent school standards (the standards).

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1) to 34(1)(c)  Leaders, including the proprietor, have a secure knowledge and understanding of the standards checked during this inspection. They demonstrate appropriate skills to ensure that these standards are securely and consistently met.  Leaders have maintained a positive and open culture of safeguarding. They ensure that pupils are safe. They have effective systems in place to review the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures continually. Leaders actively promote pupils’ well-being.  The school meets the requirements of this standard.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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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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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 34

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £105,000 to £144,000

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 17 to 19 January 2023

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Information about this school

 Kisimul School provides education to pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities which include pupils with autism and those with severe learning difficulties.  The proprietor is the Kisimul Group Limited, which provides residential care and education for children and adults in various locations across the country.  The school is registered to admit 102 pupils. There are currently 88 pupils on roll, most of whom have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The majority of pupils are in the care of their local authorities.  The school has two sites in Lincolnshire. They are at The Old Vicarage, High Street, Swinderby, LN6 9LU and Acacia Hall, Friesthorpe, LN3 5AL.  The school does not use the services of any alternative provision.  The school’s most recent standard inspection took place from 17 to 19 January 2023.

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Information about this inspection

 The DfE commissioned this emergency inspection due to concerns related to safeguarding.  The DfE commissioned the inspectors to check the school’s approaches to safeguarding, managing behaviour, health and safety, first aid, pupil supervision, risk assessment and leadership and management.  The inspection was carried out without notice.  The inspectors met with the executive headteacher at the Acacia Hall site, the head of school and other members of the senior leadership team at the Swinderby site and one of the proprietor’s directors. The lead inspector spoke with the chair of the proprietor body and the group executive education lead.  The inspection considered the school’s safeguarding arrangements, including the single central record of pre-employment checks and whether the school’s safeguarding policy is available to parents.  The inspectors considered a range of documents, including policies related to

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Information about this inspection

behaviour, risk assessment, health and safety, first aid and pupils’ individual behaviour support plans and EHC plans.  The inspectors visited lessons. They spoke to staff and to some pupils who communicated verbally. They observed the handover of pupils from the care staff at the start of the day and staff interactions and supervision of pupils throughout the day.

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Inspection team

Dave Gilkerson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kirsty Norbury His Majesty’s Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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