Bushbury School

Bushbury School

Address: Hellier Road, Bushbury, Wolverhampton, WV10 8ED Unique reference number (URN): 150759

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Insufficient evidence: Inspectors were unable to gather sufficient evidence to judge whether safeguarding standards are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well. The school ensures that pupils learn on a pathway that is appropriate for them. This enables pupils to experience success and learn more. As the school very carefully measures how pupils progress, they are clear about how well prepared they are for the next stage of their learning. All this includes pupils who are learning to live with increasing independence as well as other pupils who are working towards carefully chosen qualifications. Pupils progress well because the school takes care to ensure pupils' core knowledge is secure. This includes a range of communication strategies appropriate to pupils' starting points, including a phonics scheme. These agreed approaches to communication are generally applied well, although there are occasions when they are not used as consistently as they could be. This means pupils can miss opportunities to further develop their communication, speech or language.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils attend the school well despite often starting with low attendance in previous settings. There are many reasons for their good attendance, but this is not least because pupils have a positive experience of education at the school. Leaders work effectively with pupils who find it harder to attend, including liaison with external agencies. This helps these pupils to improve their attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils typically behave well at Bushbury school. This is because the school works effectively to understand their needs. As a result, staff understand the appropriate approaches they need to adopt to support pupils to meet the school's expectations. These agreed approaches are typically followed, although sometimes there can be some variation. Staff work effectively to support the pupils who find it hardest to behave as the school expects them to. This considered approach helps pupils to improve their behaviour. The school reflects very carefully should there be more significant instances of poor behaviour. They use this reflection to consider adjustments to agreed approaches to support pupils. Generally, however, pupils treat each other and staff with respect as leaders have ensured that the school is a nurturing and inclusive environment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school has worked extensively to design an ambitious curriculum specific to pupils' needs and starting points, given all pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have built their curriculum across 3 distinct pathways with a number of key texts to enrich pupils' understanding. Within the curriculum, leaders have created opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures, independent living and wider employment opportunities. Leaders have carefully considered the key knowledge that pupils need to learn, and the order in which it should be taught to them. Typically, teachers check that this key knowledge is secure before they move on to more complex tasks. All this means that, generally, pupils learn the curriculum as leaders intend. On occasion, when pupils learn the curriculum less well, this is because teachers do not consistently use the appropriate communication

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

strategies intended for some pupils, or use these strategies imprecisely. Overall, however, pupils have appropriate and effective teaching to secure the foundational knowledge they need.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a very precise understanding of the quality of teaching in the school. They offer extensive training and rapid support to train staff to deliver the curriculum as they intend. This includes training specific to the pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities. This all helps reduce barriers to these pupils' learning of the curriculum.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders act quickly to identify each pupil’s needs. The school works thoroughly to identify and assess pupils' individual needs, including their speech and language, when they first start. This involves effective work from a therapist team. The information they produce for teaching staff is detailed and clear. It translates into specific strategies for each pupil with well-considered steps for them to progress. Each pupil's progress is reviewed often and the team make appropriate adjustments to the strategies they select. Staff have extensive training on the agreed approaches for pupils. Typically, staff use the agreed approaches well for each pupil. This reduces the barriers to their learning effectively. There are occasions when the agreed approaches are not used consistently well. This sometimes includes the agreed communication strategies for certain pupils. This can impact on pupils' progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Typically, however, pupils learn the curriculum well as teachers adapt the learning tasks appropriately to the pupils' needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school engages well with external agencies to support pupils who are known or previously known to social services, which provides further bespoke support for pupils. This is also the case for pupils who are disadvantaged.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school engages very well with parents and carers to ensure they are fully informed about their children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have worked very effectively, supported by the proprietor body, to establish this new provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils' best interests are always at the heart of the decisions they make. Leaders have a very clear understanding of the school's strengths and areas for further development. This is thanks to extensive and frequent internal and external reviews. The proprietor body and those responsible for governance offer significant and well-informed support and challenge. Leaders work extensively with the new staff team to ensure they have the necessary professional learning to build their expertise to work in this specialist setting. This means staff at all stages of their careers are well trained to fulfil their roles. Staff speak highly of how leaders engage with them around their development, wellbeing and workload. In this way, leaders have worked effectively to create significant cohesion and consistency across

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

the staff team in a relatively short space of time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school and wider proprietor body regularly review their compliance with the independent school standards (the standards). These are consistently met across the setting, including standards relating to the welfare, health and safety of pupils and the premises. The necessary information is provided on the school's website or via the school itself. There is extensive liaison with parents and carers who rightly speak very highly about how the school is having a transformative impact on their children. Any complaints are handled and reviewed appropriately.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school has designed a thoughtful and effective programme to develop pupils' personal development. This has a particular focus on preparing pupils to live independently as adults, as well as a focus on further education and employment. In this, the school has extensively considered the key learning pupils need given their starting points. For example, for some pupils the programme includes a focus on taking turns, sharing and ownership. In this way, pupils develop a fuller understanding of cooperation and social skills. The school also teaches pupils how to stay healthy and how to eat healthily. Pupils can typically articulate their understanding of this.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

There are a number of visits and trips that the school offers. These include visits to local places of worship, and other local attractions. Pupils can communicate their understanding of these opportunities appropriately, including respect for others. The school places considerable importance on pupils understanding the importance of healthy relationships. This is taught to them in a sensitive way that enables them to be aware of, for example, their personal space and feelings. Leaders are working effectively to develop pupils' knowledge of the world of work. Pupils have access to independent careers advice and opportunities to visit and understand more about different workplaces. Pupils speak very highly of these experiences and how they help to develop their confidence as well as their awareness of the world of employment. The school has various imaginative ways that it uses to teach pupils to stay safe, both indoors and outdoors. This includes online safety. This enables pupils to

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

be well prepared for life after they have finished school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

This is a school where pupils are openly accepted and celebrated for who they are. They feel known and cared for as individuals. As a result, pupils believe in the school and what it has to offer. The school takes the time to know and understand its pupils and their needs, in which all pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and all have education, health and care plans. Pupils feel safe to show their vulnerabilities, and so they become ready to learn.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Aspirations are high for pupils. The school has carefully considered the key learning that pupils need to live healthy, independent and fulfilling lives. In this, the school demonstrates its values so that pupils are 'responsible, respectful and ready'. Teachers typically match pupils' learning well to their starting points. They take account of their needs well. Staff always consider what is best for each individual pupil and how their learning should grow and build. This helps pupils to enjoy their learning and their experience of school. Pupils especially enjoy the visits that the school organises for them, including to a local farm and museum. These experiences help pupils to develop their confidence and independence and prepares them well for life beyond school. As pupils feel understood by staff, they behave well. They typically treat each other with respect and understanding. Pupils attend well as they enjoy school. This is despite many

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

pupils having had disjointed experiences of education before arriving at Bushbury School.

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Next steps

• The school should embed the consistency with which teachers use agreed communication strategies for pupils, and how they adapt the learning tasks to build on what the pupils already know.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this standard inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, and checked the school’s compliance with the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers and other adults in the school, employees of the proprietor body, including the chair of the governing body, pupils and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently caters for boys and girls from ages 7 to 15.

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About this inspection

The school caters for boys and girls with autistic spectrum condition as their primary need, and speech, language and communication as their secondary need.

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About this inspection

All pupils have education, health and care plans.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school was registered with the Department for Education in July 2024 and this is its first standard inspection.

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About this inspection

The name of the proprietor is Horizon Care and Education Group Limited.

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About this inspection

The chair of governors is Amanda Cunningham.

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About this inspection

The fees currently charged are from £75,356.

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About this inspection

The school's email address is Bushbury.office@horizoncare.co.uk

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. Headteacher: Natalie Weaver

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Independent school standards

1. Quality of education provided Standards met

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Independent school standards

2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Standards met

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Independent school standards

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards met

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Independent school standards

4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Standards met

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Independent school standards

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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Independent school standards

6. Provision of information Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Pupils with special educational needs (SEN) support

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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Pupils with special educational needs (SEN) support

8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Standards met

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Insufficient evidence

Inspectors were unable to gather reliable enough evidence to grade an evaluation area. This is rare and normally only happens if there are no pupils on roll at the school.

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Insufficient evidence

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Insufficient evidence

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Insufficient evidence

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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