Lord's School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Lord’s School Brooklyn, Green Lane, Bolton, Lancashire BL3 2EF

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a) to 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2), 2(2)(a)  At the last standard inspection in June 2024, inspectors found that there were no plans or schemes of work in place for some of the subjects and for some of the ages that the school is registered to admit.  At the last progress monitoring inspection in April 2025, the inspector found that the school had not ensured that curriculum plans were in place for key stage 2, key stage 5 or aesthetic or creative education in key stages 3 and 4.  At this inspection, the inspector found that the proprietor has put in place plans and schemes of work for all subjects for key stages 3 and 4. The proprietor has made sure that there is a suitable offer in place for pupils who may join the sixth form. However, although there are currently no pupils on roll in key stage 2, the proprietor is unclear about the requirement for the school to have plans and schemes of work in place for the

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Main inspection findings

full registered age range. There remain no plans or schemes of work for most of the key stage 2 curriculum. The proprietor does not have a secure understanding of the requirement in this part.  The independent school standards (the standards) in this part remain unmet.

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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)(c)  Leaders make regular checks on the culture of safeguarding. The safeguarding policy shows regard to statutory guidance and is published on the school’s website. There are effective systems and procedures in place to keep pupils safe from harm. Well-planned staff training enables staff to know the risks that pupils face in relation to their needs and vulnerabilities. Staff are vigilant for signs of harm and know how to report their concerns to leaders. This includes where concerns may be about adults who work in the school.  These standards continue to be met.

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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 last standard inspection, inspectors found that the proprietor had not ensured that the school meets all of the standards and fulfils its statutory responsibilities. This impacted negatively on the quality of education that pupils received.  At the last progress monitoring inspection, the inspector found that some of the standards in relation to the quality of education that the school provides remained unmet. The school had not designed an appropriate curriculum for pupils’ aesthetic and creative education in key stages 3 and 5, nor set out the subject curriculum plans for key stages 2 and 5. In the latter failing, the proprietor was not aware that these plans needed to be in place to meet the standards. It was found that the proprietor did not demonstrate they had fulfilled their responsibilities effectively so that the standards were

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Main inspection findings

met consistently.  At this inspection, the inspector found that the proprietor had not taken the necessary action to put plans and schemes of work in place for the full age range that the school is registered to admit. The proprietor did not demonstrate a secure understanding of the standards to be able to fulfil the requirement in this part.  The proprietor does not make regular checks on compliance with the standards. They do not seek the necessary assurances that the standards continue to be met over time.  The standards in this part remain unmet.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet 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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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

Annual fees (day pupils) £4,800 to £7,800

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School details

Email address anne.ainsworth@lordsschool.net

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 11 to 13 June 2024

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Information about this school

 The previous standard inspection took place on 11 to 13 June 2024. A progress monitoring inspection took place on 1 April 2025.  The school operates from premises at Brooklyn, Green Lane, Bolton, Lancashire BL3 2EF.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.  The school is registered to admit 70 pupils.

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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 and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This is the school’s second progress monitoring inspection following the standard inspection in June 2024. The school’s first progress monitoring inspection took place on 1 April 2025.  The Department for Education (DfE) required the school to prepare a statutory action plan. The action plan was reviewed by Ofsted on 25 June 2025. The DfE rejected the school’s action plan.  The inspection was carried out without notice.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator and proprietor.  The inspector met with some teachers and support staff.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector made a tour of the site with the proprietor.  The inspector reviewed a wide range of documentation. This included information relating to the standards, the school’s curriculum and leaders’ improvement priorities.  The inspection also considered the school’s safeguarding arrangements, including the single central record of pre-employment checks and whether the school’s safeguarding policy is available to parents and carers. These requirements of the standards are met.

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Inspection team

Jane Dennis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain un-met at this inspection

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub- paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work- – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those with an EHC plan.  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are- – 2(2)(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education.

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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. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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