Aspiration House School

Inspection of Aspiration House School Aspiration House, Church Road, Freiston, Boston, Lincolnshire PE22 0NX

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Inspection dates: 16 to 18 September 2025

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Aspiration House School. Relationships between pupils and staff are largely positive. Pupils who are pre-verbal demonstrate their genuine delight when their favourite member of staff arrives in the room. They smile and give ‘high- fives’. Some pupils described the activities that they like best in school, for example, playing in the garden and nature walks. Staff work effectively to keep pupils safe. On the whole, staff take the right action when pupils’ behaviour places themselves, and others, at risk of harm. Most of the school day is calm.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have complex needs. These are clearly set out in their education, health and care (EHC) plans. Most staff understand the barriers that pupils face when learning. However, too often pupils are not given the right support to help them to learn well. The school’s vision that pupils will receive a high-quality education in a caring and nurturing learning environment is not realised. The school’s expectations of pupils are not high enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school and the proprietor have not prioritised pupils’ needs, health and welfare, when making decisions about the running of the school. As a result, the education that pupils receive is inadequate. They are not well prepared for their next steps.

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better?

The proprietor and the school are not working together effectively. They have not ensured that pupils have the necessary opportunities to succeed academically or in aspects of their personal development. Communication between the proprietor and school leaders is poor. There is a lack of accountability because leaders do not have a precise understanding of their roles and responsibilities. This limits the proprietor’s capacity to secure the improvements to the school that are needed. The school and the proprietor have not kept a close enough eye on ensuring that the school meets the independent school standards (the standards). This means that the school has declined significantly since its last standard inspection in November 2021.

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better?

The curriculum is broad. Pupils have the opportunity to experience a range of subjects. Most pupils follow a curriculum that identifies the key knowledge that they need to learn based on their stage of development. Sometimes, however, this curriculum is not well-organised. For some pupils, there is no clear sequence of learning. This means that staff have to improvise when they deliver the curriculum content. Pupils are given learning activities when they have not secured the prior knowledge that they need to complete these tasks successfully. In contrast, some pupils are ready for more challenging learning. As a result, the curriculum is not meeting pupils’ needs.

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better?

Staff lack the skills that they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. They have not used the information in pupils’ EHC plans well enough to identify the small steps 16 to 18 September 2025 that pupils need to make to progress through the curriculum. Staff have not received sufficient training. There is a lack of clarity about the best ways to present new learning to pupils. Pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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better?

The school has systems in place to check what pupils know and remember of the intended curriculum. Nevertheless, this information is not used well enough to design lessons that build on pupils’ prior learning. Too often, pupils are given work that is too hard for them and, occasionally, does not reflect what they are capable of achieving.

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better?

Reading is part of each pupil’s weekly timetable. The school has a phonics programme in place to support pupils to learn to read. Again, staff have not received the training that they need to deliver this programme expertly. They do not have the skills that they need to adapt their delivery of the programme to meet the needs of pupils. They do not match learning activities to the stage of the phonics code that pupils are at. This means that pupils are not learning to read well.

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better?

Across the school, pupils generally behave well. There are high levels of staff supervision to keep pupils safe. Most staff show appropriate care for pupils. They remind pupils to use ‘kind hands’ and ‘make good choices’. Pupils have plenty of time to regulate their feelings when they become frustrated or cross.

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better?

Most pupils attend school regularly. The school works closely with external agencies, and parents and carers, when pupils miss too much of their education. However, pupils’ attitudes to learning are not routinely positive. Too often, some pupils choose not to engage in their learning. Staff do not use a wide range of strategies to help pupils to return to the activities they have been asked to complete. This means that learning time is sometimes wasted.

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better?

The school provides some opportunities to support pupils’ personal development. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum covers a range of appropriate topics, such as how pupils can keep themselves safe, including relationship and sex education, and how to be healthy. Pupils have weekly swimming lessons. They visit local landmarks, supermarkets and trampoline parks. However, the offer is not broad enough to fully prepare pupils for later life and to help them to discover their own talents and interests. In part this is due to the limited resources that are made available to the school.

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better?

The proprietor has a suitable risk assessment policy in place. However, oversight of the school building and the site is not meticulous enough. Not all risks have been identified. Occasionally, even when risks have been identified, the proprietor and the school wait too long to take action. Even so, this has not posed a risk to pupils’ safety. During the inspection, inspectors identified a number of minor maintenance issues. These were resolved while inspectors were on site.

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better?

Staff say that they enjoy working at the school. They are keen to provide pupils with an education that meets their needs. Nevertheless, some staff express concerns about their workload. They are not universally positive about the consideration given 16 to 18 September 2025 to their well-being. Many describe their work as stressful and express frustration about a lack of resources.

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better?

The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The working relationship between leaders and the proprietor has broken down. Decisions are not made in the best interests of pupils. Pupils’ needs have not been prioritised and, as a result, the school does not provide a standard of education that is good enough for pupils or meets the standards. The school should ensure that there is greater clarity regarding leaders’ roles and responsibilities. There must be clear lines of accountability for the proprietor and leaders.  The curriculum is not well designed for some pupils. Learning activities are not matched to their stage of development and do not build logically over time. This means that pupils do not learn or achieve well. The school must ensure that all pupils have access to an appropriate curriculum.  The school has not ensured that staff have the training or expertise that they need to deliver the curriculum so that pupils’ complex needs are met. Pupils do

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

not achieve well. The school should ensure that staff are equipped with the knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum with sufficient expertise.  The school has not ensured that staff have a secure understanding of the adopted phonics programme or how to support pupils to acquire the phonics code. This means that pupils do not get the right support to help them to learn to read. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge that they need to help pupils’ gain essential phonics knowledge.  The school does not make effective checks on what pupils know and remember. Too often the work that pupils are given is too difficult, or on occasion, too easy. The school should ensure that clear assessment systems are used by staff and the information gathered is used well to prepare lessons that are matched to pupils' needs.  Staff do not consistently support pupils when they do not engage in their

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

learning. As a result, some pupils do not develop consistently positive attitudes to their education. The school should ensure that staff have a wide range of techniques at their fingertips to support pupils to actively participate in lessons.  Some of the opportunities that pupils have beyond the curriculum are restricted by a lack of resources. This limits the breadth of the school’s personal 16 to 18 September 2025 development offer. The school should ensure that pupils have a wide range of experiences that support them to prepare for their futures.  Sometimes, the school does not identify minor issues around the school site and grounds. They do not consistently spot the improvements that need to be made or take swift enough action to reduce risk. The school must ensure that premises checks are thorough, and any identified work is completed without delay.  Many staff raise concerns about the consideration that is given to their workload

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

and well-being. They are not routinely provided with the support, resources and training that they need to their jobs well. The school should work closely with staff to address the concerns identified and ensure that staff are fully equipped to fulfil their roles.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 16 to 18 September 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 148189 DfE registration number 925/6058

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School details

Inspection number 10322517 Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £60,800 to £108,300

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School details

Email address julie.white@vals-place.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16 to 18 November 2021 16 to 18 September 2025

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Information about this school

 The proprietor of the school is Aspiration House Limited.  The school has two sites. One site is based at Aspiration House, Church Road, Freiston, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE22 0NX and the other at Inspire House, Lincoln Road, Holton-Cum-Beckering, Market Rasen, LN8 5NG.  The school is registered for 24 pupils aged seven to 18 years old. Across both sites there are ten pupils on roll. There is currently one pupil receiving post-16 education. All pupils who attend the school have a diagnosis of autism and have an EHC plan.  The school’s last standard inspection was in November 2021, when it was judged to be good. In November 2022, an emergency inspection was conducted and in September 2024 there was a further inspection to consider an application for a material change. During both inspections, the school was judged to meet all of the independent school standards that were checked.  The deputy headteacher has been appointed since the previous standard

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Information about this school

inspection.  At the time of the inspection the chair of the proprietor board was unavailable to meet with inspectors.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection 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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Information about this inspection

The school has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and education director. They also spoke with members of staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and 16 to 18 September 2025 considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive

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Information about this inspection

culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Members of staff were present when inspectors spoke with pupils. Staff supported pupils to engage with inspectors to provide their views about the school.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors checked the safety and suitability of the premises. They considered risk assessments and the policies in place to promote the well-being of pupils.  Inspectors considered the views expressed in the response to the Ofsted Parent View free text service.

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Inspection team

Caroline Poole, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain His Majesty's Inspector 16 to 18 September 2025 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted 16 to 18 September 2025

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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 pupils with an education, health and care plan.  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are- – 2(2)(b) that pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills; – 2(2)(h) that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress.  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

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(b) fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves; – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 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 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

 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 to 18 September 2025 – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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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.

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