Evergreen

Inspection of Evergreen Greenhills Farm, Ipstones Edge, Ipstones, Staffordshire ST10 2LP

p.1

Inspection dates: 16 to 18 September 2025

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy strong, nurturing relationships with staff who care deeply about their well-being. They trust that a staff member is always available to help them if they are worried. This helps pupils feel safe and secure. These positive working relationships help to develop pupils’ confidence, independence and self-esteem. They show respect and kindness for each other. The progress made by pupils in recognising and managing their own behaviour is excellent.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ learning. They are taught by staff who know them well. The thoughtfully designed curriculum prepares pupils, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities, well for the next steps in their education and adult life.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is particularly effective at identifying pupils’ interests and aspirations. It offers pupils a varied range of visits and experiences, including dance classes, instrumental lessons and outdoor education sessions. Pupils also learn about people’s lives that are different from their own. For example, they learn about people’s faiths from visits to a local church and a Buddhist retreat. They benefit from opportunities to explore and find out about different careers. This reinforces the school’s belief that there are no limits to what pupils can achieve.

p.2

better?

The proprietor body, governors and school share an ambitious vision for all pupils. The school and external partners oversee the school’s provision closely. They ensure that the Equality Act 2010 and appropriate health, safety and education independent school standards are met. Relevant information such as the school’s safeguarding policy is available on the school’s website. The proprietor body ensures the school has the necessary knowledge and resources to meet the independent school standards.

p.2

better?

Before joining the school, pupils missed significant parts of their education and personal development opportunities. Most pupils have education, health and care plans. Many pupils join the school at the earliest stages of learning to read. They require additional support to develop their language skills and knowledge of words and their meaning. Regular phonics sessions help pupils learn to read well. Routine checks identify who needs additional phonics practice. Reading books match pupils’ phonics knowledge. Early readers read to a member of staff to build their reading fluency and often play letter and word games. Pupils borrow books from the class library and enjoy visits to the local community library.

p.2

better?

Pupils develop their reading comprehension and love of books by sharing and discussing high-quality texts. This also helps pupils develop their social and emotional skills, knowledge and vocabulary. For example, pupils show empathy for other people when talking about the characters in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. 16 to 18 September 2025 The school has created a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum. It carefully considers the gaps that need to be closed in pupils’ knowledge and understanding to succeed academically. However, a small number of subject curriculums are less well developed than others. In these subjects, the language structures and subject- specific words are not clearly identified. This makes it difficult for teachers to ensure pupils know the important words they need to learn. This means that some pupils with additional speech and language needs have superficial subject knowledge. They

p.2

better?

are unable to make connections between important curriculum concepts, for example civilisations throughout history.

p.3

better?

Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent. The school ensures that routines and boundaries are clear and predictable. Pupils respond positively to these because they provide structure and predictability. Staff agree on effective strategies to meet pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs. They pre-empt difficulties and make the necessary changes. For example, pupils’ timetables and curriculum are adapted to ensure they learn successfully. Staff challenge low-level behaviour exceptionally well. They are calm and empathetic when supporting pupils who are struggling. Pupils can then focus on their learning and development because they are calm and regulated. Pupils feel safe and ready to learn. Consequently, pupils want to be in school.

p.3

better?

The school’s personal development provision ensures pupils learn right from wrong. They learn how to be physically and mentally healthy. Pupils are developing their knowledge of life in modern Britain. Stereotypes are challenged to provide pupils with an informed, impartial view of the community they live in. They are learning to become confident individuals who can contribute to society effectively.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Important curriculum vocabulary has not been identified in some subjects. This means that subsequent learning does not help pupils with speech and language needs to secure new knowledge or build on prior knowledge well enough. The proprietor body should support the school to ensure subject-specific vocabulary and language structures are identified in these curriculum areas and implemented effectively.

p.3

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 16 to 18 September 2025 part of their inspection.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 16 to 18 September 2025

p.4

School details

School category Independent residential special school

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 15 to 17 March 2022 16 to 18 September 2025

p.5

Information about this school

 This is the second standard inspection since the school opened. The previous inspection took place in March 2022.  Evergreen School is registered as an independent residential school for up to eight pupils aged seven to 16. To date, the school has not and does not intend to admit key stage 4 pupils. It is located in a village in Staffordshire. The school caters for looked-after children from several neighbouring local authorities.  All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Most have education, health and care plans for social, emotional and mental health needs.  Evergreen School is part of the Roaches School network, operated by Care Today (Children’s Services). Evergreen School does not have its own website but directs parents and carers to the Roaches School website, where the relevant information for Evergreen’s safeguarding arrangements and the Roaches School network is

p.6

Information about this school

available.  At the time of the inspection, the acting headteacher had been in post at Evergreen for eight days.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 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 chair of governors, as a representative of the proprietor body, the acting headteacher and staff from the school and residential provision.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading and English, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about other subjects. This evidence contributed to parts 1 and 2 of the independent school 16 to 18 September 2025 standards.  The inspectors also observed pupils during social times, looked at pupils’ work

p.6

Information about this inspection

and spoke with pupils and leaders about opportunities for pupils’ personal development and pupils’ behaviour and attendance. An adult was present when we spoke with the pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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. This evidence contributed towards parts 4 and 8 of the independent school standards.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for parts 3 and 7 of the independent school standards. Together, they considered policies, registers and key documents such as checks and risk assessments.  The lead inspector conducted a detailed tour of the site and premises to consider part 5 of the independent school standards.  Inspectors evaluated the school’s website, policies and specific documents to

p.7

Information about this inspection

determine how well the school meets parts 6 and 7 of the independent school standards.  The inspectors only inspected the education provision at this school.

p.7

Inspection team

Marie Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Stuart Clarkson His Majesty’s Inspector 16 to 18 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.

p.7

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8