Red Balloon Educational Trust-Norfolk

Red Balloon Educational Trust-Norfolk 76 Earlham Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 3DF

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 3, 3(a), 3(d) to 3(g)  The school has not sustained the quality of provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) that was evident at the last inspection. Systems and procedures have not worked as well as they should. Staff receive little guidance on how to meet the targets in pupils’ education, health and care (EHC) plans. As a result, pupils are not achieving as well as they should.  The school’s curriculum policy outlines that staff will determine an appropriate curriculum for each pupil. This is based upon staff’s understanding of pupils’ needs and starting points. However, due to high staff turnover and weak assessment practices, pupils are in receipt of a curriculum that is not typically delivered sufficiently well to enable their progress. This is particularly the case in the wider curriculum. The

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Main inspection findings

English curriculum is also underdeveloped.  The recommendation from the last Ofsted inspection to improve the use of assessment to inform future teaching choices has not been addressed. The proprietor has recently taken steps to bring capacity to leadership with a focus upon improving the provision for pupils with SEND. This work has yet to occur.  The independent school standards (the standards) in this part are not met.

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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)  The proprietor has not ensured that the arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Oversight of safeguarding by the proprietor is insufficient. There are multiple issues with safeguarding arrangements that leave pupils at risk.  The proprietor has an overview policy for safeguarding in its settings. This reflects current statutory guidance as detailed in ‘Keeping children safe in education’, Department for Education (DfE), September 2025. There is a link to this policy on the school’s website. However, the detail of this policy is not sufficiently followed by the school.  Staff have received limited training to ensure they have a secure understanding of safeguarding matters. This includes how to record a concern using the school’s electronic system. Over time, cases of harmful sexual behaviour and child-on-child

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Main inspection findings

abuse have not been correctly identified or acted upon. The school’s electronic system has not been set up sufficiently well for leaders to see patterns with safeguarding concerns over time.  Incidents of serious harm have not been dealt with as they should. There has been a lack of curiosity when pupils have reported concerns, which has led to inaction. The school has not liaised promptly with external agencies to keep vulnerable pupils safe. It is also the case that there has been a failure to report serious concerns about staff conduct to the local authority designated officer (LADO).  There is evidence that sometimes, staff do not follow the proprietor’s policy for the administration of medication.  Pupils are of the view that they feel safe on the school’s premises and are looked after by staff. They have a trusted adult they can go to if they need to. Paragraph 10  Incidents of bullying have not been identified as such over time. As a result, the

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Main inspection findings

school has few recorded incidents of bullying. This lack of understanding as to what constitutes bullying means that actions put in place do not prevent bullying from happening again. Paragraph 14  While there has been high turnover of staff, the school has ensured that there is appropriate staff coverage for the number of pupils on the school roll.  Staff are deployed appropriately during the school day, such as oversight of pupils during social times. Paragraph 16 to 16(b)  The school has a risk assessment policy that details how the school will manage and conduct risk assessments to keep pupils safe. However, this policy is not followed as intended.  Pupils’ risk assessments are not sufficiently clear for staff to act upon. Consequently, inspectors found that, on occasion, staff do not adhere to pupils’ risk assessment plans.  Records for off-site risk assessment were not readily available. As a result, the school

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Main inspection findings

was unable to provide evidence that these had been carried out.  Overall, several standards considered during this inspection were not met in these parts.

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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(3)(b), 21(5) to 21(5)(a)(ii), 21(5)(c), 21(6)  Since the previous inspection, the school’s single central record has not been maintained in line with statutory guidance. Staff recruitment procedures have not been followed. The school has not conducted checks on a person’s medical fitness. The proprietor has not ensured that the school conducts section 128 checks for those in leadership and management positions.  The school has not run the appropriate checks on supply staff for the leadership positions they undertake.  The standards in this part are not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1) to 34(1)(c)  The school has not maintained the quality of its provision since the last inspection. There has been a high staff turnover. This includes with senior leadership. As a result, standards have declined. This is still the case, as some of the school’s key leadership positions are vacant.  The proprietor has not ensured the smooth running of the school. The handover between leadership teams has not been well managed. In addition, there has been churn in the staffing for the proprietor body. This has led to intermittent support for senior leadership at the school. Over time, staff’s concerns have not been addressed, resulting in low morale.  The governance of the school and oversight of core elements of its work are weak. The governing body has also had recent changes in its membership. The lack of quality assurance in the school has meant that governors and leaders do not have a

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Main inspection findings

clear picture of the performance of the school. This includes with its safeguarding arrangements. They have not seen when urgent issues need addressing.  The proprietor has not ensured that the standards are consistently and securely met. Staff have not received the training they need to improve the school’s provision.  The school did not provide key documentation that inspectors requested for this inspection. This included the school’s improvement and accessibility plans.  The standards in this part are not met.

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Main inspection findings

Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010  The school did not provide evidence that it meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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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, as set out in the annex of this report. 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

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Red Balloon Educational Trust

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School details

Website www.redballoonlearner.org/locations/red- balloon-educational-trust-norfolk Email address louise.fisher@rbet.ac

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 14 to 16 January 2025

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Information about this school

 The school caters for pupils with SEND. All pupils have an EHC plan relating to their social, emotional and mental health needs. Currently, there are no pupils who are attending the school in key stage 5.  The school operates from one site located at 76 Earlham Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 3DF.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The school’s most recent inspection was a standard inspection that took place in January 2025.  At the time of the standard inspection, the proprietor was in the process of establishing a governing body to monitor the performance of the school. While this has been formed, the chair of governors has recently resigned.  Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious allegations of a child protection nature were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the

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Information about this school

school in response to the allegations were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was commissioned by the DfE because of concerns raised with the DfE regarding safeguarding and the provision for pupils with SEND.  This inspection was conducted without notice.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, a supply senior leader, staff and pupils. They conducted a telephone call with the proprietor. Inspectors also discussed the school’s provision with local authority representatives, including the LADO.  Inspectors visited lessons, considered pupils’ work and their EHC plans and their progress through the curriculum. Inspectors spoke informally to pupils during their lessons and social times.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s single central record of staff suitability checks and safeguarding information held on the school’s electronic safeguarding system. They also considered the documentation provided for risk assessment.

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Inspection team

Liz Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 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 pupils with an EHC plan.  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; – 3(f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  10 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that bullying at the school is prevented in so far as reasonably practicable, by the drawing up and implementation of an effective anti-bullying strategy.  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

 18(2) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 18(2)(c) the proprietor carries out appropriate checks to confirm in respect of each such person- – 18(2)(c)(ii) the person’s medical fitness;  18(3) The checks referred to in sub-paragraphs (2)(c) and (except where sub- paragraph (4) applies) (2)(e) must be completed before a person’s appointment.  19(2) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 19(2)(a) a person offered for supply by an employment business to the school only begins to work at the school if the proprietor has received- – 19(2)(a)(i) written notification from the employment business in relation to that person- – 19(2)(a)(i)(aa) that the checks referred to in paragraph 21(3)(a)(i) to (iv), (vii) and (b) have been made to the extent relevant to that person; – 19(2)(d) the proprietor, in the contract or other arrangements which the proprietor makes with any employment business, requires the employment business to provide-

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

– 19(2)(d)(i) the notification referred to in paragraph (a)(i); and  20(6) The standard in this paragraph is met in relation to an individual ("MB"), not being the Chair of the school, who is a member of a body of persons corporate or unincorporate named as the proprietor of the school in the register or in an application to enter the school in the register, if- – 20(6)(a) MB- – 20(6)(a)(ii) does not carry out work, or intend to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction;  21(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor keeps a register which shows such of the information referred to in sub-paragraphs (3) to (7) as is applicable to the school in question.

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

 21(3) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is- – 21(3)(a) in relation to each member of staff ("S") appointed on or after 1st May 2007, whether- – 21(3)(a)(iii) a check was made to establish whether S is subject to any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in such a direction;  21(5) The information referred to in this sub-paragraph is, in relation to supply staff- – 21(5)(a) whether written notification has been received from the employment business that- – 21(5)(a)(i) checks corresponding to those referred to in sub-paragraph (3)(a)(i) to (iv), (vi) and (vii) have been made to the extent relevant to any such person.

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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; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010

 3(1) The responsible body of a school in England and Wales must prepare-

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Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010

– 3(1)(a) an accessibility plan. 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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Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010

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Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010

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Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010

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Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010

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Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010

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Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010

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