Woodlands

Woodlands Church Lane, Edenfield, Rossendale, Rossendale, Lancashire BL0 0QL

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inspection report:

Overall outcome The school meets all of the independent school standards that were checked during this inspection

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inspection report:

At its most recent inspection, the school was judged to not meet all of the independent school standards and associated requirements.

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inspection report:

The purpose of this inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

When we carry out progress monitoring inspections of independent schools, we report on the school’s likely compliance with part 8 of the independent school standards first. Under part 8, the proprietor is required to ensure that the school meets all of the independent school standards consistently. The standard in part 8 is intended to ensure that the quality of leadership and management at the school is sufficient for that purpose.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

At the school’s last progress monitoring inspection in September 2025, the inspector found that the proprietor had not ensured that all of the independent school standards (the standards) were securely met. Support to ensure that staff had the knowledge they needed to deliver the curriculum effectively was at an early stage. Consequently, there remained variability in how well pupils were achieving in some aspects of the curriculum.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Following the previous progress monitoring inspection, the proprietor submitted an approved action plan to the Department for Education (DfE). The proprietor has ensured that those actions have been carried out and implemented within the specified time periods. The actions taken have been carefully considered and timely. A robust oversight at all levels has provided the proprietor with an accurate understanding of the progress made and where further measures and support have been required. This has ensured that previous weaknesses have been addressed with a matter of urgency. The proprietor has also enhanced oversight of leadership across the school and engaged with external experts to ensure that the school has the capacity to make sure that all the standards will be met consistently.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The proprietor has ensured that the standards in Part 8 are now met.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

At the previous progress monitoring inspection, the inspector found that leaders had recently put in place personalised support for staff. This was in order to strengthen their understanding of how to design and implement learning activities that build pupils’ knowledge over time. This work was at an early stage and aspects of consistency required further development.

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Teaching

The programme of training and professional learning for staff has continued to be delivered at pace by the proprietor and leaders in the school. This has ensured that staff have the knowledge they need to teach the curriculum as intended. Focused ongoing monitoring from leaders has ensured that staff effectively apply what they learn in training into practice. Teaching activities are designed well and take into account pupils’ individual interests to further engage them in learning. Pupils build the important knowledge they need in reading, writing and mathematics. Typically, across other subjects, pupils build on and connect what they know. For example, pupils link their understanding around ancient Egypt to aspects of art and design from that time period.

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Assessment

The proprietor and leaders at the school have ensured that staff have effective means with which to check on what pupils know and remember. Staff use this knowledge to inform the curriculum and the teaching activities that they design. This helps to ensure that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge are addressed in a timely manner and that they make positive progress from their different starting points. Pupils’ books show consistency in the precision and impact of actions taken by staff to address misconceptions in writing and mathematics.

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Assessment

The proprietor has ensured that the standards in Part 1 are now met.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under sections 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. Inspectors 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. Following our updated 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

The focus of the inspection was to explore the progress made by the proprietor and school leaders in addressing the unmet standards from the previous progress monitoring inspection that took place in September 2025.

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About this inspection

The inspection was conducted without notice.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the chair of the proprietor body, the headteacher and the head of education during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspector 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.

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About this inspection

This was the second consecutive progress monitoring inspection. The previous progress monitoring inspection took place on 16 September 2025.

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About this inspection

Following the previous progress monitoring inspection, the DfE required the school to prepare a statutory action plan. Ofsted’s evaluation of the action plan was completed on 23 December 2025. This action plan was accepted by the DfE in January 2026.

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About this inspection

The previous standard inspection took place from 19 to 21 March 2025.

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About this inspection

The inspector confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This is a small, independent special school, which caters for up to nine pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils who attend the school have an education, health and care plan.

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About this inspection

The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

This school is located at Church Lane, Edenfield, Rossendale, Lancashire BL0 0QL.

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About this school

Proprietor Halliwell Homes Ltd Headteacher Ms Emma Fletcher Type of school Other Independent Special School Capacity 9 Number of full-time pupils of compulsory school age on roll Number of part-time pupils of compulsory school age on roll Age range of pupils 6 to 14 Gender of pupils Mixed Annual fees for day pupils £53,250 to £75,250 Email address emma.fletcher@halliwellhomes.co.uk

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

1. The standards about the quality of education provided at the school are those contained in this Part.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

3. The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school— (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; and (e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught.

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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— (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. inspects 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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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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