Treloar School

Inspection report for residential special school - Treloar School 1 Treloar School London Road, Holybourne, Alton, Hampshire GU34 4GL Residential provision inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential special school

Treloar School is a non-maintained residential special school for physically disabled students. The school offers residential and short-break accommodation for students between 11 and 18 years of age. The college offers residential provision for students between 16 and 25 years of age.

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Information about this residential special school

At the time of this inspection, 17 students were accessing the school’s residential provision.

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Information about this residential special school

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The residential special school provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the school contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

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outstanding

Date of previous inspection: 19 November 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding Inspection report for residential special school - Treloar School 2

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outstanding

Students flourish in the residential provision due to knowledgeable staff who consistently prioritise their care and well-being. Staff have an in-depth understanding of each student and have high expectations of them, enabling them to achieve beyond expectations. Family members described the care as ‘life-changing’ for their children because of the high standards and opportunities provided. Another parent said that staff are making ‘massive differences’ to their children’s lives and to theirs.

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outstanding

Staff act as positive role models, promoting a ‘can-do’ attitude that empowers students to take ownership of their environment and make informed choices. Through creativity and ambition, staff help students explore new experiences and pursue personal interests, including sports, theatre visits and fashion-related activities.

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outstanding

The residential setting provides a happy, vibrant and inclusive atmosphere. Staff help the students develop friendships characterised by laughter and familiarity. Sibling relationships have been strengthened through innovative interventions, such as removing physical barriers to experience emotional and sensory connections.

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outstanding

The multidisciplinary approach to health and well-being is exemplary. Careful planning and seamless communication between health professionals and staff ensure that students’ needs are managed safely across both school and residential settings. Furthermore, staff actively contribute to national research and development initiatives, sharing best practice with universities to improve services for disabled children.

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outstanding

Students are provided meaningful opportunities to express their views and influence their care planning. Staff use creative strategies to ensure that these voices are heard and acted on. Advocacy is a notable strength, with some students confidently chairing their own care planning meetings. As a result, students experience growth, independence and enhanced life opportunities.

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outstanding

Staff provide highly effective support for students to engage in education. Older students have successfully transitioned to further education and employment. The breadth of educational or vocational opportunities for students is substantial, with some fulfilling lifelong goals. Students have made remarkable progress from their starting points. Inspection report for residential special school - Treloar School 3

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outstanding

Leaders have firmly embedded a proactive and well-informed safeguarding culture throughout the school. Staff have a clear understanding of their roles in keeping students safe, reinforcing that safeguarding is a shared responsibility.

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outstanding

There has been a sharp focus on improving the quality and content of safeguarding training for all staff and leaders. Notably, student feedback and participation are incorporated into training materials, including videos. This ensures that students’ voices are central to promoting effective and child-focused training for staff.

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outstanding

New staff receive a comprehensive induction and say they are well supported and confident when starting their first shift. However, current processes do not fully test the staff retention of critical information, particularly regarding actions to take if they are concerned about a student’s welfare. Managers are proactively addressing this gap to strengthen practice.

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outstanding

Medication management systems benefit from exceptional clinical oversight. There are highly developed systems to monitor the administration of medication to the students. Staff help the students to understand their medication and its role in supporting their health. Clinical teams provide the staff with the best information possible to minimise students’ risks.

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outstanding

Health and safety remain a priority for staff. They are highly trained in the use of students’ specialist equipment and mobility support. Maintenance issues are resolved promptly, enabling students to move safely and confidently in their environment.

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outstanding

Safer recruitment practices are rigorously applied, and the single central record is methodically reviewed. These measures significantly reduce the risk of unsuitable adults caring for students.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The long-standing leadership team demonstrates exceptional knowledge of staff and students. Their commitment and nurturing values are consistently shared across the school, creating a culture of excellence. Leaders model best practice, and the school’s ethos is evident throughout all aspects of the residential provision. Staff have a clear understanding of the statement of purpose and deliver this through diligent, well- informed and child-centred practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The newly appointed manager of the residential setting has benefited from a thorough and comprehensive induction. They have a clear vision for the coming year, which is strongly supported by positive feedback from parents and students, reflecting confidence in their leadership and approach. Inspection report for residential special school - Treloar School 4 Highly organised, transparent, and effective relationships in the school and with external agencies set the extremely high standards of care. Collaborative working between the residential setting and school ensures efficient, open communication among professionals. Information is shared promptly when changes occur in a student’s care plan or personal circumstances, enabling informed and consistent responses from staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The collective knowledge, skills and experience of the team are impressive. The school benefits from a stable, long-standing staff group, which provides continuity and consistency for students. Staff access a wide range of training to support their roles, and specialist training is delivered swiftly when required to meet individual student needs. All staff receive practice-led supervision, at least half-termly, alongside an annual appraisal of performance and development needs. Records of appraisals vary in quality, and the leadership team is taking effective steps to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

This strong leadership and staff expertise results in a highly effective assessment process for residential applications. Families and students speak positively about the process, induction, and the welcoming nature of the staff provision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The governing body demonstrates diligence in its approach. Governors have completed all necessary training to fulfil their role effectively. The recruitment of governors with specialist knowledge has further strengthened their expertise. For example, one governor has information technology expertise to support the increasing use of technology. The named safeguarding governor works closely with the school to ensure rigorous oversight of safeguarding, particularly in relation to online safety and associated risks for students. Inspection report for residential special school - Treloar School 5

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Points for improvement

 School leaders should ensure that new staff have retained the information they learn during their induction programme, including how to identify and safely manage safeguarding issues.  School leaders should ensure that all staff supervision sessions and annual appraisals are recorded in a way that is helpful to them and that recording is of a consistent quality. This should clearly document the actions, who is responsible for them, and the timescales for their completion.

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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 - Treloar School 6

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Residential special school details

Social care unique reference number: SC012024

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Residential special school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Martin Ingram

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Residential special school details

Type of school: Residential special school

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Residential special school details

Email address: Martin.Ingram@treloar.org.uk

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Inspectors

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector (lead) Glen Strowbridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential special school - Treloar 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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