Children's home run by NASHE - UK LTD

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and Ofsted is currently checking whether this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since May 2025.

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Inspection date: 15 October 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 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 Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Practice that places children at risk of inadequate protection or significant harm.  Practice that leads to children’s welfare not being safeguarded and promoted.

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Findings from the inspection

Children in the home are not safeguarded. Leaders and managers have not taken appropriate action to ensure that the risks of harm to children have been reduced. Leaders have not been transparent with external agencies around safeguarding concerns. Staff have concerns around the safety and care of the children, and they do not feel that leaders and managers respond effectively to the concerns that they raise. One child has said they do not feel safe living in the home. The child’s family also feel that the child is not safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not fully considered the needs of the children or the skills of staff when accepting children into the home. Children’s progress has been impeded by them being placed together and they have caused each other harm. Staff have received inadequate levels of training to support children’s needs. This has left staff feeling ill equipped to support children effectively and to keep them safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers are not fully aware of the legislation regarding children’s homes. Decisions regarding why a child was moved to another home within the organisation without the correct authorisation are unclear. Leaders have confirmed that security staff have occasionally been used to care for children. The safety and security of children have been compromised by the use of unqualified, inappropriate staff. Some staff have been trained and supervised by an individual from within the organisation who is unsuitable for that role. Leaders and managers do not have a record of the new placement for a child who has moved out.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff describe an intimidating culture within the organisation. Many staff are fearful to challenge situations or raise concerns for fear of how this will affect their employment. Staff do not feel that the organisation is transparent with them or with external professionals. The welfare of children is not at the forefront of the organisation’s practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Children do not receive the care and support that they need. They are not treated with dignity and respect. A therapist is undergoing recruitment checks to join the organisation, but children do not have current access to therapeutic input to support them to process their previous experiences. As a result, children are not making progress.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are not aware of the plans for their care and they do not contribute to their plans. Staff do not talk to children or their families about children’s needs. One child Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Findings from the inspection

has recently received a diagnosis of neurodivergence. Staff have not spoken to the child or the family regarding how they can support the child with this diagnosis. Families are not kept informed regarding children’s care.

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Findings from the inspection

Children do not receive the education that they are entitled to. One child does not receive any education. Leaders and managers have not worked with children and professionals to create education plans that meet children’s needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are not supported with tasks to help them to become more independent, and they are expected to learn for themselves. Children are helped to create menus and to go food shopping, but they are expected to cook meals without having basic cooking skills and with minimal staff support. This means that children do not have a healthy, balanced diet or eat regular meals.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not considered children’s need for privacy. They have installed a camera which will record any future planned therapy sessions in the home. Leaders and managers say that this is to try to prevent allegations. Leaders and managers have not ensured that the surveillance system complies with data protection legislation.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have poor oversight of the home, resulting in shortfalls not being identified. Action plans and audits are not effective. Leaders and managers have not been regularly reviewing the quality of care for children. This is a missed opportunity to review children’s care and highlight where improvements can be made. As a result, children’s care and experiences are not improving.

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Findings from the inspection

Regulatory bodies are not informed of all notifiable incidents. Leaders and managers are unaware of the requirement to notify Ofsted of certain situations. This prevents Ofsted from having full oversight of the home to ensure that children are safe and well cared for.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have not had regular supervision, and some staff have not had any supervision sessions since starting work at the home. This means that staff do not have the opportunity to reflect or to receive feedback on the care that they give to children. This impacts on the quality of care that children receive.

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Findings from the inspection

Some staff have not received an effective induction into the home, describing their experiences as poor. This has led to mistakes by staff. Medication errors have occurred, due to staff not knowing correct medication procedures. Leaders and managers have not communicated their expectations of staff effectively. This has led to tasks not being completed.

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Findings from the inspection

Finances allocated to the home have been increased. There is now an adequate budget to cover what the home requires. The manager is confident that he can request additional funds if these are ever required. Staffing sufficiency has improved and there is now a full complement of staff. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Findings from the inspection

Feedback from one professional was that staff had worked well to support a child. They described staff as ‘supportive’ and leaders and managers as ‘responsive’.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/04/2025 Full Good 25/02/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/12/2024 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)) 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 1 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that records for staff and children are accessible at all times.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 1 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(a)(b)) 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)) 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access 1 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; and

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(b)) 1 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 9 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and 1 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 10 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

Part of this requirement has been restated.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure the register for children shows the child’s new address upon leaving the home. 1 December 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children’s case records detailed in regulations 35-39 are kept up to date while they remain in the home. In particular, the manager should ensure that all records, including risk assessments and support plans, are updated with relevant information that is consistent and guides staff to deliver effective care and support for children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 11 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 1 Farmbrough Close, Aylesbury HP20 1DQ

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Inspectors

Louise Webling, Social Care Inspector Sharron Dormand, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2775318 12 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspectors

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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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