The Becklands School

The Becklands School Unit 18, Becklands Park Industrial Estate, York Road, Market Weighton, East Yorkshire YO43 3GA

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Part 6. Provision of information

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Main inspection findings

Paragraphs 7 to 7(b), 32(1), 32(1)(c)  The school has a system for child protection that has regard to the latest appropriate statutory guidance. There are secure and robust procedures in place for staff to report any safeguarding concerns that they might have about a pupil.  The proprietor has ensured that all staff receive regular safeguarding training based on the most recent guidance from the Department for Education (DfE). This helps staff to recognise when pupils may be at risk of harm. Several staff are trained as designated safeguarding leads and deputy designated safeguarding leads. This means that there is always at least one suitably qualified professional available in the school. The safeguarding policy is being revised to reflect the changes in DfE guidance from September 2025. An up-to-date version is not available on the school’s website.  When necessary, the school makes timely and appropriate referrals to external

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Main inspection findings

agencies in order to keep pupils safe. The arrangements for doing so take into account that places at the school are commissioned by numerous local authorities. The school keeps in close contact with the pupils’ home authorities, sharing appropriate information in a timely way. The school keeps detailed records of any incidents, referrals and follow-up actions.  All new staff receive an appropriate induction programme, ongoing safeguarding training and regular updates on areas such as radicalisation and extremism, and criminal and sexual exploitation.  Pupils feel safe in school and can identify who they would go to if they had a concern. Relationships between members of staff and pupils are highly positive. Staff know pupils well and care deeply about them.  Although members of staff show deep concern for the pupils, there are some standards relating to pupils’ welfare, including the condition of the premises, that are

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Main inspection findings

not being met. Therefore, the standard in part 7a is not met, so the overall standards in this part are not met. Paragraph 11  The published health and safety arrangements on the school website are out of date and do not reflect the current procedures. A more recent health and safety policy was available in school and awaiting approval from the governing body.  Some aspects relating to health and safety are not being identified by the school and corrected in a timely way. For example, the disposal of medical waste is not managed well enough. Due to this mismanagement, pupils are at risk.  This standard is not met. Paragraph 12  A fire risk assessment undertaken by a third party in February 2025 identified significant risks in the building. The school has begun to explore what changes can be made to the building to reduce these risks. However, there is no clear written action plan to manage the risks or a record of the actions already undertaken.

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Main inspection findings

 This standard is not met. Paragraphs 16 to 16(b)  The school has begun overhauling the systems for reviewing risk assessments and the risk assessment policy. The policy is out of date and does not reflect the new ways of working.  The school has identified risk assessments for a range of activities and pupils. The quality of the assessments and the approach to assessing risk are variable. Some assessments are not sufficiently detailed or organised to ensure that all the risks to pupils are explained and understood by all staff. The standards in this part are not met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraph 25  The premises are not maintained well enough to ensure the health and safety of pupils. Examples of this include a blocked sink, no flushing protocols for fixed plumbing such as showers and some broken equipment.  This standard is not met. Paragraphs 27 to 27(b)  The school has bright and airy classrooms. Leaders have created a welcoming environment for pupils. Suitable lighting is in place.  The standard in this part is met. Paragraphs 28 to 28(2)  The school provides pupils with suitable drinking water facilities. Clear labelling indicates which taps are used for hot and cold water.  Leaders are aware that water temperature checks are not completed with a thermometer and the results recorded. They are considering how this might be implemented.  The standard in this part is not met. Paragraphs 29(1) to 29(2)  There is suitable outdoor space for the pupils to have breaks outside. Pupils enjoy

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Main inspection findings

using the outdoor equipment. They contribute their views about the use of the space and have helped to further develop the area.  The school provides physical education in an appropriate location nearby.  The standards in this part are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1)(a) to 34(1)(c)  The proprietor and leadership team have a clear understanding of the weaknesses in the school, which they attribute to previous difficulties in the recruitment of senior staff. The leadership team has begun to work differently, for example there is now an executive board. They are supporting one another to bring about positive change in school. The proprietor has recently engaged external support to provide professional challenge, coaching for the senior leadership team and advice to the school regarding the processes necessary to comply with the standards. However, it is too early to measure the impact of the new initiatives. Some roles and responsibilities are still being identified, and some actions are still in the planning stage. Quality assurance systems are in development.  The school has commissioned appropriate external support to develop staff expertise.

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Main inspection findings

New members of staff feel welcomed into the school. They experience a well- considered induction process.  There is a broad, appropriate offer to actively promote the wider wellbeing of pupils. The school works in partnership with parents and carers, local authorities, the pupils themselves and alternative provisions to plan personalised programmes. Pupils benefit greatly from being introduced to new activities and social situations. This includes pathways into potential careers.  The standard in this part is not met.

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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 Independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 28 to 30 January 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is situated on an industrial estate on the outskirts of Market Weighton. The school’s address is Unit 18, Becklands Park Industrial Estate, York Road, Market Weighton, East Yorkshire YO43 3GA.  The school caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and other associated special educational needs and/or disabilities. Places are commissioned at this school by local authorities.  The school’s most recent standard inspection was in January 2025, when it was judged to be good.  Since the previous inspection, there have been changes to the senior leadership of the school. An executive board was created in August 2025. This includes the proprietor, headteacher (who is also director of operations), head of school and the regional manager of the care homes that are also owned by the proprietor.  The school currently uses two registered and two unregistered alternate provisions.

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Information about this school

 There are a small number of students who attend the school’s sixth-form provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) as a result of a number of concerns raised about the school.  This inspection was conducted with no notice.  Inspectors focused on the school’s safeguarding procedures and how pupils are kept safe; health and safety arrangements and how the school manages the welfare of pupils; the condition of the school building; and leadership and management.  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 independent school standards are met.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the head of school, the pastoral lead, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) and the safeguarding governor.  The lead inspector held a meeting with the proprietor.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors made a tour of the school site and the Becklands Landbased Outdoor Studies alternative provision.  Inspectors observed pupils in lessons and in other less-structured times.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils and individual pupils about their experiences at the school.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead and their deputies.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation relating to safeguarding. This included the checks leaders make prior to employment on staff’s suitability to work with children.  Inspectors reviewed documents relating to risk assessments and health and safety.

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Inspection team

Mary Cook, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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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  11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.  12 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005[12].  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 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.  28(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 28(1)(d) the temperature of hot water at the point of use does not pose a scalding risk to users.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 32(1)(c) particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request.

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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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