Dukes Wood School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Wings School Notts Main Street, Kirklington, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG22 8NB

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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)  The school’s safeguarding policy is available on the school’s website. The proprietor has ensured that the policy adheres to the latest statutory guidance and reflects local contextual safeguarding issues.  There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. Staff are professionally curious. They benefit from a range of training and guidance and have the knowledge that they need to keep pupils safe.  The school has robust systems in place for reporting and recording safeguarding concerns. Staff meet twice daily to discuss pupils’ needs including any relevant information that will help staff to safeguard children.  The school takes appropriate and timely action, when necessary, to safeguard pupils. This includes working effectively with wider agencies. The school is tenacious in securing

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Main inspection findings

the help that pupils need. Paragraphs 9, 9(b)  At the time of the previous inspection, the proprietor had not ensured that staff recorded incidents related to low-level misbehaviour appropriately. The school had not ensured that behaviour support plans were reviewed in the timeframe required by the behaviour policy. This meant that there were times when the management of behaviour was not as effective as it could have been.  The school has worked hard to ensure that staff are well supported to follow each aspect of the school’s behaviour policy. The policy has been updated. It is clear for staff what should be recorded, when behaviour plans will be reviewed and what staff’s role is in relation to this.  Staff pay careful attention to pupils’ views during the creation of behaviour support plans. These plans include clear and accessible information about pupils’ behaviours and strategies that can be used to support them. All behaviour plans sampled during the

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Main inspection findings

inspection had been reviewed in line with the school’s policy.  Staff are knowledgeable about pupils’ additional needs and behaviours. They reported that they feel confident in the range of strategies that they have available to them to support pupils in managing their behaviour. Staff can explain how they use these strategies. They clearly articulate the school’s focus on the importance of challenging any poor behaviour using personalised strategies and of building positive relationships with pupils.  Pupils shared that they feel respected by staff. Staff know the pupils individually and help them to feel comfortable at the school.  Staff understand the need to record incidents of misbehaviour. They use the school’s recording system as well as daily staff briefings to ensure that information is shared appropriately. The school analyses this information to identify trends and introduce strategies to help individuals and groups of pupils to manage their behaviour more

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Main inspection findings

effectively. Paragraphs 16, 16(a)  At the time of the previous inspection, the school had not ensured that pupils’ risk assessments were consistently reviewed in a timely and precise enough manner. The school has since rectified this.  The school has ensured that risk assessments continue to clearly identify risks and appropriate mitigations to reduce those risks. The school carefully evaluates levels of risk and how pupils and others may be affected. Risk assessments provide staff with the information that they need to help look after the welfare and behaviour of pupils.  Staff receive training about the approaches that underpin the design of risk assessments. They understand those approaches and contribute to the development and review of risk assessments. Staff can confidently explain how they use strategies outlined in risk assessments to support pupils.  The school has ensured that risk assessments are reviewed in a timely manner. All risk

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Main inspection findings

assessments reviewed during this inspection had been updated in accordance with the school’s policy.  The school now meets all the previously unmet requirements of the independent school standards (the standards) in this part.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1) to 34(1)(b)  At the time of the previous inspection, the proprietor had not ensured that the requirements of the standards in relation to behaviour management and risk assessment were met.  The proprietor has since updated the school’s behaviour policy and systems. Staff have received training about the approach that underpins the management of behaviour at this school. Staff manage the behaviour of pupils well. They form strong, positive relationships with pupils. Staff feel well supported by the school in managing behaviour. Pupils share that they trust staff to deal with incidents of misbehaviour and to generally act in their interests.  The school analyses incidents of misbehaviour carefully to identify priorities and introduce effective strategies in response. This analysis relies on the recording of behaviour incidents by staff, which they do appropriately. Pupils’ behaviour has improved

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Main inspection findings

as a result of the strategies put in place by the school.  The proprietor has ensured that risk assessments and behaviour support plans are appropriate and reviewed and updated in line with the school’s policies. Staff have the information that they need to support pupils’ well.  The school now meets all the previously unmet requirements of the standard in this part.

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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. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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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.  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy.

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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.

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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

Website www.kedlestongroup.com/wings-notts

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School details

Email address wingsnotts@kedlestongroup.com

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 20 to 22 June 2023

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Information about this school

 The school is registered to admit up to 60 pupils.  The school admits pupils who have experienced trauma and have social, emotional, behavioural and mental health needs. Many pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school does not currently use the services of any alternative provision.  The school’s most recent standard inspection took place on 20 to 22 June 2023. The school received an overall judgement of good at this inspection. An additional inspection was carried out on 4 and 18 March 2025.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The school’s most recent standard inspection was in March 2025 at which the school was judged to not meet standards. As a result, the Department for Education (DfE) required the school to prepare an action plan. The most recent action plan was evaluated by Ofsted on 27 June 2025. The DfE accepted the action plan.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring visit. The inspection was carried out without notice.  Inspectors met with the principal, headteacher and other senior leaders, staff, the chair of the proprietor body and the regional director.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils formally and informally. They visited lessons and

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Information about this inspection

observed routines and behaviour during social times and throughout the school day.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss the school’s arrangements in relation to behaviour and risk assessments. They reviewed a sample of pupil behaviour support plans and risk assessments.  The inspection considered the school’s safeguarding arrangements, including the school’s single central record of pre-employment checks.

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Inspection team

Matthew Fearns-Davies, 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

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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

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

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