ALP Leicester

Inspection of ALP Leicester Stonehill Avenue, Birstall, Leicester, Leicestershire LE4 4JG

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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?

ALP Leicester is a warm, friendly school. Pupils are comfortable in their safe, nurturing surroundings. They feel happy and valued. Pupils describe their school as a fantastic, amazing place to learn. First and foremost, they put this down to the caring staff team, who understand their needs and help them to flourish.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. It takes great care to ensure that every learning journey is just right for each pupil. Staff know pupils well. This depth of knowledge enables staff to provide highly personalised and effective support. Consequently, pupils make good progress through the curriculum from their starting points.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s positive culture is based on its ‘ARRRTT’ philosophy. A key aspect of this is respect. Pupils have a clear understanding of what respect is. They know that it is something they should give but also something they should expect in return. Pupils typically behave courteously and treat each other kindly. They engage well with learning most of the time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the wide range of exciting enrichment experiences on offer to broaden their horizons and develop their talents and interests. These include robot workshops, rock band club and paddle boarding.

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better?

All pupils at this school have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder and/or social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. The school identifies pupils’ needs quickly and accurately when they join. It ensures that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to support pupils effectively. When required, staff modify resources so that pupils can access learning. Staff ensure that learning environments meet pupils’ sensory needs. The individual support for pupils is fully aligned to their education, health and care (EHC) plans.

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better?

The school has thought carefully about the design of its curriculum. It is broad, balanced and well sequenced. The curriculum enables pupils to achieve a range of functional skills and vocational qualifications in preparation for their next steps and for adulthood. The school equips pupils well for their futures by making links to potential careers across its curriculum and providing work experience through its vocational courses.

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better?

The school has clear expectations regarding how staff should teach its curriculum. It has set out the teaching strategies that will maximise pupils’ learning. However, at times, staff do not use these strategies effectively. On occasion, staff do not model learning well enough, which leaves some pupils unsure as to how to succeed. Sometimes, staff do not check closely enough on learning in lessons, which means that some pupils’ misconceptions go unresolved. 2 to 4 September 2025 The school prioritises reading. It ensures that pupils in the early stages of learning to read get the support they need to become fluent and confident readers. Any pupils who access the school’s phonics programme read books that are matched closely to the letter sounds they know. Pupils have frequent opportunities to read across the curriculum. They enjoy reading aloud and showing how well they can read.

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better?

Staff support pupils effectively if they become anxious or upset. They adapt individual support plans in response to pupils’ behaviour so that they can meet pupils’ evolving needs.

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better?

With attendance being the first of the school’s ‘ARRRTT’ values, pupils know why it is important not to miss school. Many pupils attend well. The overall rate of attendance for the whole school has risen in recent years. However, the school does not identify and respond to the causes of some pupils’ repeated absence swiftly enough. This means that these pupils continue to have too much time off school.

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better?

Pupils’ personal development is a strength. It is the heartbeat of the school. Pupils learn a comprehensive personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. They understand how to keep themselves safe online and in the community. There is high-quality pastoral support available to all. Pupils visit places of worship to develop their understanding and appreciation of other’s beliefs. They have welcoming, inclusive attitudes towards the differences between people. The school organises many exciting experiences, with residential trips living long in pupils’ memories. They particularly enjoy the outdoor and adventurous activities that challenge them to try new things. Through the school council and the eco- committee, pupil learns how their decisions can make a positive difference to others.

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better?

The school is well led. Leaders check closely on all aspects of the school’s work to ensure that pupils thrive. Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being. Parents and carers recognise the positive impact that the school has on their children’s lives.

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better?

The school securely and consistently meets all the independent school standards (the standards). Through the executive board, the proprietor checks closely on all aspects of the school’s work, providing effective challenge and support. They ensure that the policies for safeguarding, behaviour, health and safety and risk assessment reflect the latest guidance and are implemented effectively. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 2 to 4 September 2025

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school has thought carefully about the teaching strategies that best suit the needs of its pupils. However, some staff do not employ some of these strategies as the school expects them to. Consequently, at times, pupils are not clear on what they need to do or how they need to do it. Sometimes, staff do not identify and resolve pupils’ misconceptions before moving learning on. The school must ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills that they need to implement the curriculum consistently well so that all pupils achieve as highly as they can.  At times, the school does not ascertain the reasons for some pupils’ low attendance quickly enough. It sometimes waits too long to work with families to reduce pupils’ absence. This means that improvements to some pupils’ attendance do not happen as rapidly as they could and too much learning is missed. The school should review its systems for securing high attendance so that

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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. 2 to 4 September 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 139559 DfE registration number 855/6042

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School details

Inspection number 10391765 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Email address daniel.brown@alpschools.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8 to 10 November 2022 2 to 4 September 2025

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Information about this school

 ALP Leicester is an independent special school located at Stonehill Avenue, Birstall, Leicester LE4 4AG.  ALP Leicester is on the same site as The Cedars Academy in Birstall, in what was previously known as Stonehill School.  The school is registered to admit up to 55 pupils in the age range of 6 to 19 years. At the time of the inspection, there were 41 pupils on the school’s roll.  All of the pupils on the school’s roll are pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They all have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder and/or SEMH needs. Every pupil at the school has an EHC plan.  Pupils who are above compulsory school age pursue a curriculum that is appropriate to their needs, including preparing them for adulthood. At the time of the inspection, there were too few post-16 students on roll to make a sixth-form judgement.  The school admits pupils from Leicester and Leicestershire local authorities.

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Information about this school

 The proprietor of ALP Leicester is Gemma Gosden. The governance of the school is overseen by an executive board.  ALP Leicester is part of the ALP schools group. There are four other independent special schools in the group.  The school’s previous standard inspection took place in November 2022.  The school uses three unregistered alternative provisions.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued 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 reading, mathematics and design and technology. 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. 2 to 4 September 2025  Inspectors also considered pupils’ learning in English, history, religious education, art and PSHE.  The lead inspector observed a sample of pupils read.  Inspectors spoke to pupils about their experience of school. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at social times and at the beginning and the end of the school day.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders and staff. The lead

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Information about this inspection

inspector spoke with the proprietor and members 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.  Inspectors examined some school documents, including a wide range of curriculum plans, a variety of policies and risk assessments, as well as documents 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

Vic Wilkinson His Majesty’s Inspector 2 to 4 September 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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