Vale of Evesham School

Inspection report for residential special school - Vale of Evesham School 1 Vale of Evesham School Vale of Evesham School, Four Pools Lane, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 1BN Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

This school is an academy and is responsible to a governing body. The school is an all-age generic special school, taking pupils from the age of two to 19 who have learning difficulties. Pupils may also have physical conditions, sensory impairments and difficulties associated with autism. The school has 180 pupils on roll, with a residential provision, Blossom House. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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Information about this residential special school

The residential provision operates from Monday to Friday and provides care for up to 15 children across three suites. There were eight children boarding at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this residential special school

The head of care holds the appropriate qualifications. She remains on site from Monday to Friday to support the care of children and have oversight of the boarding provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The residential special school provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of previous inspection: 28 January 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for residential special school - Vale of Evesham School 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, eight children were accessing the residential provision. One child was absent due to illness but returned to residence towards the end of the inspection period. All children either spoke with or engaged positively with inspectors. Children expressed that they enjoy staying in residence. One child said that they have felt calmer recently, attributing this to the support provided by leaders and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to create positive and meaningful experiences during their time in residence. They are attentive to individual preferences and offer a wide range of activities, including trips to the park and shops, pamper evenings, movie nights and bowling. These opportunities contribute to an enjoyable and enriching residential experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between staff and children are nurturing and supportive. Staff demonstrate care and understanding, particularly when children are not feeling their best. They provide a consistent and reliable support network and are responsive to children’s concerns. Children are encouraged to share their views and make requests about the service through regular discussions and group chats. As a result, children trust staff and feel confident that their voices are heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s achievements are celebrated within the residence. The environment displays photos and certificates that recognise individual accomplishments. Staff encourage children to work towards personalised incentive targets, and achievements are acknowledged collectively. Children receive positive praise regardless of the scale of their success, which helps them to feel proud and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and staff work effectively with families. Staff routinely share successful strategies with parents, enabling consistent approaches to be implemented at home. This has contributed to a reduction in incidents within family settings. One parent told the inspector, ‘I am very happy; I have no worries. I am grateful for the effort the team put in and how we work together to manage behaviours.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the development of children’s independence skills. Each child is supported with bespoke targets, such as clearing their dinner plates, brushing their teeth and dressing independently. Due to consistent support from staff, children make good progress in these areas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The residential environment is child focused and welcoming. Photos of children and staff are displayed throughout the provision. Bedrooms are personalised with children’s own bedding and posters, creating a homely and familiar atmosphere.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Mealtimes are inclusive and thoughtfully managed. Children with specific dietary requirements, such as gluten-free diets, are provided with food that closely resembles that of their peers, ensuring they do not feel excluded. For children who are fed via Inspection report for residential special school - Vale of Evesham School 3 enteral tubes, staff ensure they join their peers at the table afterwards to promote social interaction. This approach helps prevent feelings of isolation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into residence are well planned. Leaders carry out thorough assessments to determine whether the provision can meet the needs of prospective children. Compatibility with existing residents is also considered carefully. As a result, children are suitably matched and settle well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

However, not all children’s care plans contain accurate or consistent information. For example, leaders reported that one child had a specific condition, but this was not reflected consistently across all documentation. It was unclear how leaders had assured themselves that the child was receiving consistent care in relation to this need.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders prioritise the safety of children who attend the residential provision. Internal systems have been developed to support staff in reporting concerns efficiently. There is a collaborative approach with parents and carers to ensure that information about a child’s day is shared clearly and consistently. Staff demonstrate confidence in recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns, which contributes to a strong sense of safety in the residence.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders and staff are committed to promoting positive behaviour. The behavioural lead, alongside senior leaders, has implemented systems to drive improvement across the provision. Behaviour support plans have been redeveloped in consultation with parents and carers. This collaborative approach has led to a significant reduction in the number of incidents this term compared to the previous year. When incidents do occur, staff respond in accordance with children’s behaviour management plans. This has resulted in incidents being de-escalated quickly and without the need for physical intervention.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff actively support children to understand how to keep themselves safe. Children engage in discussions about environmental risks and how to identify healthy peer relationships. The consistent approach taken by staff has helped children to develop confidence and knowledge in these areas.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

No children have gone missing from the provision. Staff provide a safe and engaging environment, offering a variety of activities that promote positive participation. On occasions when children walk off, staff follow children’s individual plans to manage the situation effectively and prevent escalation.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

No complaints have been raised by children since the last inspection. Leaders and staff encourage children to use the available avenues to express concerns, including access to an independent listening ear worker who is readily available. Inspection report for residential special school - Vale of Evesham School 4 Improvements have been made to the management of pro re nata (PRN) medication since the last inspection. Leaders have introduced a new document that outlines the rationale for PRN use and the circumstances under which it should be administered, and it ensures parental or carer agreement. Medication storage and recording appear to be safely managed, with regular audits conducted by leaders and staff. However, medication errors have occurred since the previous inspection, some involving members of the management team. A senior leadership review and external investigations have taken place. In response, medication recording sheets have been

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

redeveloped, staff have received retraining and competency assessments have been completed. Despite these actions, a recent medication error indicates that further development is still required in this area.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The head of care remains committed to the residential provision. She continues to be suitably qualified to lead and guide the staff team in delivering high-quality care to children. She works closely with the senior leadership team, and together they share a clear vision for all children to make consistent progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team has remained stable. Staff report feeling well supported by the manager and are confident in raising any concerns with her. Regular supervision sessions are held, focusing on staff well-being, professional development and children’s progress. This enables the manager to ensure that staff feel confident and capable in their roles. Since the last inspection, one new staff member has joined and settled in well. A staff member told the inspector, ‘In terms of support, I feel very supported. [Name of manager] is a very approachable person. She drills in that there is no such thing as a silly question. She has been brilliant for my progression.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The senior leadership team has a good understanding of the residential provision. Leaders carry out regular audits and have recently developed systems to monitor children’s progress more effectively. The 24-hour curriculum is used across both the school and the residence to ensure children remain on track to meet their targets. The emphasis is placed on understanding children’s development in depth, rather than relying solely on statistical data. Leaders work well with governors and independent visitors, who carry out regular visits to the residence. This has helped leaders to identify and focus on key areas for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders maintain strong relationships with external professionals. One professional told the inspector, ‘When [name of child] first came to the home, we received a lot of plans from the school. They were really detailed and clear. They have been amazing, and any enquiries are always responded to.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders ensure that staff remain suitably trained. Mandatory training is completed as part of staff induction. The manager has also arranged bespoke training, including dysphagia and enteral feeding, in collaboration with the school nurse. This ensures that staff are equipped to meet the specific needs of children in their care. Inspection report for residential special school - Vale of Evesham School 5

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special schools

The school does not meet the following national minimum standards for residential special schools:

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 There is a written plan in place for each child resident in the school setting out how their day-to-day needs will be met, known as the placement plan. The plan is thorough and specific to the child and is agreed, as far as is practicable, with the child, the child’s parents/carers and any placing authority for the child. Children have an opportunity to contribute to their plans. The placement plan identifies the needs of that child that the school should meet, assesses any risk and specifies how the school will care for the child and promote their welfare on a day-to-day basis. Where significant changes are made to the placement plan there is appropriate consultation. Where applicable, the plan is consistent with the EHC plan and reflects any changes to the EHC plan. (Residential special schools: national minimum standards 13.8)  The school’s leadership and management fulfil their responsibilities consistently

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special schools

and effectively so that the standards are met. (Residential special schools: national minimum standards 2.4)

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Points for improvement

 The leadership team should ensure staff have the skills and knowledge to safely administer medication.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential special school - Vale of Evesham School 6

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC043049

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Brian Thomas

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential special school

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Residential special school details

Email address: enquiries@valeofeveshamschool.org

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Inspectors

Chanel Bryant, Social Care Inspector Emma Fryer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential special school - Vale of Evesham School 7 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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