Minerva May School

School material change inspection report

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Minerva May School Dovenby Hall, Balcombe Road, Horley, Surrey RH6 9UU

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)  The school has a positive safeguarding culture. Leaders and staff have received appropriate safeguarding training. This continues throughout the year. The designated safeguarding lead ensures that the school keeps the safeguarding of pupils at the forefront of its work. Leaders understand the school’s local context well. They are also clearly aware of the specific risks and vulnerabilities of the pupils in the school.  Safeguarding leaders prioritise the welfare, health and safety of pupils and staff. The school has secure systems in place to record and escalate safeguarding concerns. The school’s safeguarding records demonstrate that concerns are managed in a timely way and referred on to external agencies appropriately.  Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities well. They know how to recognise when pupils may be at risk of harm. They understand how to refer any concerns they

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Main inspection findings

may have and how to assure themselves that appropriate action has been taken.  The school’s safeguarding policy is up to date. It takes current statutory guidance into account. Paragraphs 11, 12, 14 and 16, 16(a) and 16(b)  The school has a comprehensive health and safety policy. This ensures that the school complies with relevant health and safety laws. Regular health and safety checks, including daily premises walks, ensure that the building and facilities are well maintained and fit for purpose.  Staff have a secure understanding of their health and safety responsibilities. Through daily health and safety briefings, leaders keep this aspect of the school high on the agenda.  The school conforms fully to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The site displays clear fire signage. This includes evacuation procedures and locations of fire exits and assembly points. Detailed records show that school staff check fire

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Main inspection findings

equipment regularly. In addition, records show that fire evacuation drills take place as appropriate.  The school ensures high levels of supervision. Pupils are supervised appropriately throughout the school day, right from when they arrive. This includes when they are moving around the building and when they are outside at social times. The school has employed well-qualified staff, who take good care of the pupils. Leaders have clear oversight of pupils’ supervision. Leaders understand when pupils may need more careful supervision and when they can encourage pupils to be more independent.  Leaders have thought through their future staffing requirements carefully. The school has appropriate plans to employ sufficient additional staff to keep supervision levels high when pupil numbers increase.  The school has produced a wide range of appropriate written risk assessments. These are underpinned by an effective risk assessment policy.

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Main inspection findings

 The relevant independent school standards (the standards) in this part are likely to be met if the proposed material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 18(2) to 18(2)(e), 18(3), 19(2) to 19(2)(d)(ii), 19(3), 20(6) to 20(6)(c), 21(1) to 21(5)(a)(ii), 21(5)(c) to 21(7)(b)  The proprietor body ensures that the school carries out all appropriate recruitment checks on adults who work with pupils in the school. This ensures that adults are safe to work with children.  When the school uses supply staff, it obtains appropriate assurances to confirm that these staff have been subject to the required pre-employment checks. The school also appropriately obtains proof of the identity of agency staff presenting themselves for work when they arrive at the school.  The school maintains an appropriate single central record. This record contains all the necessary evidence of the recruitment checks the school has completed.  The standards in this part are likely to be met if the proposed material change is

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraphs 23(1) to 24(1)(b), 24(2), 25 to 29(1)(b)  The school is housed in a former manor house. The premises consist of a main school building with accommodation over two floors and extensive grounds. The building houses 11 classrooms, a school hall, medical room, offices and staff facilities. This has been refurbished by the proprietor to a suitably high standard, which makes the building fit for purpose.  The school is located within large grounds to the front and rear. These are well maintained. The site is secure. Entry is through electric gates with call point access. The extensive grounds provide suitable areas for outdoor play and for pupils to sit and talk quietly with their friends. Well maintained picnic benches provide comfortable places to sit.  Since the pre-registration inspection, the proprietor has refurbished six additional rooms. As with the school’s existing classrooms, these rooms provide spacious

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Main inspection findings

accommodation for pupils. They provide ample space for an additional 36 pupils. This means that the school now has sufficient capacity to educate 70 pupils, as requested in the material change application.  The school also has a number of additional spaces for pupils to use. These include communal break out spaces, an art room and a sensory room. All of which are appropriate.  The school building has suitable toilet facilities with hot and cold running water for handwashing. The temperature of the hot water does not pose a scalding risk.  Drinking water is provided from clearly marked sinks on the ground floor of the school in easily accessible locations. These are separate from toilet facilities as required.  The school’s outdoor areas are suitable for pupils to take part in physical education. For example, there is a large field to the rear of the property for pupils to play team sports, such as football.

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Main inspection findings

 The school has a well-furnished and very well-equipped medical room. This provides a comfortable space for the short-term care of sick and injured pupils. All staff have appropriate first-aid training.  The standards in this part are likely to be met if the proposed material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  The proprietor is passionate about providing a nurturing, high-quality education for the pupils it serves. Leaders demonstrate strong knowledge and skills appropriate to their roles in the school.  The proprietor understands the requirements of the independent school standards in full. The school has clear, robust systems in place to ensure that the standards continue to be met.  There is a clear rationale for the proposed material change request. The proposed increase in pupil numbers will meet a local area need for additional special school places serving pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.  The proprietor has carefully considered the impact of the proposed material change on the staff and pupils in the school. Due to the specific vulnerabilities of the pupils, the proprietor is determined to manage the proposed increase gradually. This is to

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Main inspection findings

ensure that it does not have a detrimental effect on the education of the current pupils.  The proprietor has made sure that the school’s accommodation and facilities are at least sufficient to support the proposed increase in pupil numbers.  School leaders have appropriate plans in place to ensure that increasing pupil numbers will not impact negatively on staff workload and well-being. For example, staff already share expertise to support teaching and professional development. The proprietor intends to continue to expand staff expertise by appointing staff with specific skills that they can then share with their colleagues.  The standards in this part are likely to be met if the proposed material change is approved.

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Main inspection findings

Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  The proprietor has ensured that the school complies with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. There is a suitable accessibility plan for the school.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school is likely to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that are relevant to the material change.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s likely compliance with the independent school standards relevant to the material change that the school has applied to make.

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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

School status Independent special school

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School details

Email address melvingeorge@minervamayschool.org

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection Not previously inspected

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recommendation

Age range of pupils 11 to 17 11-17 11-17

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recommendation

Number of pupils on the school roll 26 70 70

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Gender of pupils Mixed Mixed Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age 26 70

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities 26 70

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils with an education, health and care plan 26 70

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Of which, number of pupils paid for by a local authority with an education, health and care plan 26 70

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of full-time equivalent teaching staff 6 11

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School’s current position School’s proposal

Number of staff in the welfare provision 6 11

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Information about this school

 The school caters wholly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All pupils have an education, health and care plan. School places are funded by a local authority.  The school opened in September 2025. It is currently registered to admit 34 pupils with 26 pupils on roll at the time of the inspection.  The school provides education for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and autism. Pupils may also have a range of associated conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, speech and language difficulties and attachment disorders.  The school is housed in a two-storey building that was built originally for residential use and was subsequently used as an office building. It is located in a semi-rural area on the edge of a small town.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education because the proprietor has applied to make a change to the school’s registration. The proprietor wishes to increase the school’s capacity from 34 pupils to 70 pupils.  This was the first material change inspection in respect of this change that the school has applied to make.  The inspectors met with the chair of the proprietor body, who is also the head teacher, and other senior leaders. The inspectors also spoke to several members of staff and some pupils.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documents prior to the inspection, including information provided on the school’s website.  The inspectors checked the suitability of the school’s premises to accommodate the increase in pupil numbers and discussed this with leaders.  The inspectors checked policies, records and documentation relating to the specific independent school standards in scope for this inspection, including the single central

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Inspection team

Sue Keeling, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon Graydon 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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