Include - St Matthews

Include - St Matthews

Address: St Matthews House, Brick Row, Darley Abbey, Derby, Derbyshire, DE22 1DQ Unique reference number (URN): 151335

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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 Needs attention

Pupils' progress across the curriculum pathways is limited. Due to a lack of clarity around the prior knowledge of individual pupils, it is difficult for staff to know if pupils are making secure progress in subjects. Pupils do not consistently produce work that shows a solid understanding of what they are studying. Those with a bespoke curriculum have made progress from their starting points in a short space of time.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders do not have robust systems in place to track progress across a range of measures that include outcomes in pupils' education, health and care plans. This makes it difficult for leaders to assess how well pupils are being prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Achievement Needs attention

Many pupils have only been attending the school for a few months. Several are building their resilience to cope with extended periods of time in the classroom. Some are developing their ability to manage relationships with others and build their tolerance to change.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

The system leaders use to track attendance does not provide them with accurate data that allows for insightful analysis to identify trends and patterns. This means that leaders do not gather a clear enough picture of how well pupils attend. Tracking attendance is complicated by the number of pupils on part-time timetables and 'blended learning' which includes the outreach work the school provides. Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ attendance. All pupils have previously been absent from school for a significant proportion of time. Many have complex anxieties related to school attendance. Leaders have undertaken considerable work with families to help pupils engage with learning. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that pupils are improving their attendance from their previous school or provider.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and caring. The school has established high expectations of how pupils should behave and relate to each other. Staff make suitable adaptations for pupils to help them cope with the school day. Staff are skilled in knowing how to support pupils to manage their emotions. Staff deal with any discriminatory language and bullying behaviour swiftly and effectively. As a result, lessons are, on the whole, calm. Pupils develop their resilience to manage chunks of learning. They enjoy being rewarded with positive points for their hard work and good behaviour. Pupils look forward to the celebration assemblies on Fridays.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Staff do not always know where to start pupils on the curriculum. This can lead to pupils completing work that is too easy for them or repeating what they have already learned. Sometimes, the work given to pupils and the way it is presented by staff makes demands that are too high. This means that pupils lose interest or shut down. Teachers do not always make it clear what the important knowledge is that pupils should learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed pathways to help pupils to develop communication skills, English and mathematics knowledge and their understanding of the wider world. Several aspects of the curriculum are appropriately sequenced, enabling pupils to build on prior learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders typically have a clear understanding of the quality of the curriculum. They regularly check the quality of teaching and learning. Leaders have developed training for staff and provide tailored support to bring about any improvements needed. However, staff do not consistently employ the chosen methods for teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The school has enhanced the leadership for reading and invested in phonics training for staff. There is evidence that this is having some impact on pupils' ability to read confidently. However, it is too early to say whether the reading strategy is being implemented effectively and pupils' reading abilities are rising consistently.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff are well trained to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. However, the precise support which pupils need to help them build on what they know, and which addresses any knowledge gaps, is limited by staff's understanding of pupils' starting points.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders pull together information to support pupils. For example, they create individualised target trackers. However, the targets do not set out what pupils need to achieve consistently and precisely. This hinders leaders' ability to monitor the effectiveness of the provision and track pupils' progress accurately.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders make decisions that put pupils' best interests at the heart. Leaders have established an inclusive culture across the school. They seek to reduce any barriers to learning and wellbeing that pupils may face. Staff identify pupils' emerging and changing needs well. The school provides individualised curriculums and learning spaces as well as one-to-one support for some pupils. When this happens, this allows pupils to engage well with their learning. Advice from external professionals, such as therapists, help staff provide pupils with additional appropriate support. Staff provide time and space for pupils to manage their emotions. As a result, pupils are well supported to be fully included in learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders work closely with other agencies, such as the virtual school and alternative provision (AP). They ensure that any AP they use is suitable for pupils.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The proprietor has not ensured that all the independent school standards have been consistently met. Leaders are aware that there is inconsistency in teaching across the school. Their recent plans to address this issue have yet to have the impact that they desire. The proprietor body is knowledgeable about its statutory duties and carries them out effectively. It generally supports and challenges school leaders effectively. The proprietor knew that moving from being an alternative provision to a specialist school meant changes were needed. It has undertaken significant work to establish a clear ethos and strategic direction towards the school's ambitious vision for pupils to flourish. The proprietor knows the strengths of the school and takes a strategic approach to improvement. The members of the new leadership team are reflective and identify the right priorities to ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of all pupils.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders provide training for staff as part of their professional learning programme. Most staff, including those new to teaching, appreciate these opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders take account of staff wellbeing and make sure their workload is manageable. Staff feel listened to and leaders make reasonable adjustments when staff need support for their mental wellbeing. Leaders forge constructive relationships with parents and carers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that there is a clearly defined, coherent personal development programme in place. The school does not capture exactly what pupils need to learn. This means that the activities pupils take part in do not always equip them with the valuable life experiences and skills they need. As a result, pupils' knowledge of some aspects of the programme is limited. For example, they lack a full understanding of fundamental British values such as democracy and the rule of law. Pupils have some understanding and respect for others from different contexts to themselves. However, this is not sufficiently developed to prepare them fully for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The personal, social and health education curriculum is a key part of the school's provision. This curriculum meets the statutory requirements and provides pupils with a clear understanding of healthy relationships. 'Talk times' provide opportunities for staff to discuss current affairs and moral and ethical issues with pupils. Pupils are supported to reflect on their own beliefs and those of others. This happens, for example, when visitors come into school. Leaders invite outside agencies to talk about particular social issues with pupils. Staff teach pupils about risks to their wellbeing, including when they are online. Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy, including their mental health.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders provide some opportunities to nurture pupils' interests and talents. Plans are in place to expand this offer. Careers education is at an early stage. Older pupils are booked in for independent careers interviews and some work experience has been arranged for them. Staff do not always pick up on pupils' interests to help them shape some clear career aspirations. Not all pupils are as well prepared for their next steps and for adult life as they could be.

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

The majority of pupils have had a negative experience of education prior to joining Include - St Matthews. Many pupils have been out of education for extended periods of time. This has led to trauma related to school attendance. The school has provided extensive therapeutic support to help pupils to attend. Staff remove barriers that might prevent pupils from attending.

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

Many pupils are beginning to reconnect with education. Several have found a sense of belonging at the school. Pupils are safe and generally happy at school. Parents and carers say that when they talk about their child's needs they feel listened to by leaders. Parents have confidence that pupils' barriers to learning are considered by staff.

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

There are positive relationships between staff and pupils. As a result, pupils try hard to manage their emotions and be polite and respectful of others. Bullying is rare and pupils are confident that staff will sort out any problems or concerns they may have. Pupils who find peer relationships difficult get help to make friends. Generally, classrooms are calm and pupils engage with their learning.

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

Pupils' individual circumstances and special educational needs and/or disabilities are known by staff. However, the school is still developing systems to pull together all the information staff need to accurately understand pupils' starting points. Staff are also at the early stages of accurately assessing pupils' progress through the curriculum. It is not always clear why pupils have been given certain work to do and if it is ideally suited to their ability. Pupils learn a curriculum that is variable in quality. Leaders are redesigning it to ensure that pupils are taught the most important knowledge and skills they need. This work is further along in some areas than others.

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

Pupils have engaged in various trips and some community activity that broadens their horizons. However, the personal development programme does not fully prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

Leaders need to put in place assessment processes that provide accurate starting points for pupils and define ambitious end points and milestones so that staff can accurately track pupils' progress. Further refinement of curriculum pathways needs to be based on clearly identified key knowledge so that pupils can access planned learning at the correct level for them and build on prior learning effectively. The variability in teaching needs to be addressed so it is at a consistently high standard throughout the school. Leaders need to address the issues with the system they use to record attendance so that it provides clear analysis to identify patterns and trends and clearly demonstrate improved pupil attendance. Leaders should continue the work to create a coherent personal development programme so it fully prepares pupils with the knowledge and skills they need for life in modern Britain.

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category.

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About this inspection

The chair of the proprietor body is Damian Belshaw.

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About this inspection

The fees currently charged range between £26,000 and £66,000

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About this inspection

info.stmatthews@include-education-group.co.uk

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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, the deputy headteacher, several other executive school leaders, the members of the proprietor body, as well as school staff and pupils 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

Most pupils have an education, health and care plan. The school provides education for pupils with autism, social and emotional, mental health needs, speech language and communication needs and moderate learning difficulties.

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About this inspection

The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school operates from premises at St Matthews House, Brick Row, Darley Abbey, Derby, Derbyshire DE22 1DQ

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About this inspection

The school is registered to accept 50 pupils. There are currently 43 pupils on roll.

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About this inspection

The school was registered by the Department for Education on 27 December 2024, and this is its first standard inspection.

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About this inspection

1. Quality of education provided Standards not met

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About this inspection

The following standards have not been met:

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About this inspection

Paragraph 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school– (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; (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; (c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; (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;

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards met

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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About this inspection

6. Provision of information Standards met

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About this inspection

7. Manner in which complaints are handled 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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50

8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Standards not met

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50

The following standards have not been met:

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50

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–

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50

(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; (b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and (c) actively promote the wellbeing of pupils.

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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

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Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

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