Lawrence House School

Lawrence House School

Address: 8 Huyton Church Road, Huyton, Liverpool, L36 5SJ Unique reference number (URN): 136752

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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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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders fastidiously manage attendance. They work alongside carers to unpick reasons for absence and explore ways to motivate pupils to attend. Leaders use well-chosen strategies. For example, they praise the desired behaviour so as to reinforce it. Pupils respond really well to this. The collaborative approach creates consistently high expectations and contributes to rapidly improved attendance over time.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations for behaviour. They model these consistently. When pupils first arrive, they benefit from a well-considered induction process. This helps them feel safe and to re-engage with education. Pupils get the time and support they need to adjust to a purposeful classroom culture. As a result, learning is rarely disrupted. Staff create a calm culture. Pupils gradually learn to manage their emotions so they can focus successfully on learning. Behaviour incidents are logged accurately and addressed promptly. Bullying and discrimination are not tolerated. Pupils demonstrate respectful relationships with staff and each other.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Staff maximise opportunities for pupils to engage with other pupils. An example is during the weekly physical education sessions. Staff demonstrate positive peer relationships through sport. Pupils then enjoy encouraging social interaction. Staff pay close attention to the relevant risk assessments. This ensures that pupils are kept safe and well supported.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion lies at the heart of everything that leaders and staff do here. Pupils arrive with complex needs. Leaders act urgently on the information that pupils enrol with. This ensures that provision is made immediately for any needs that are already identified. Leaders have implemented a clear system to identify any further needs pupils have. Staff are well trained to follow this. The school has well-developed expertise in supporting pupils who have experienced trauma. Staff use carefully considered strategies that prioritise pupils' emotional wellbeing alongside their academic progress. This compassionate and proactive approach helps pupils to rebuild a sense of trust and belonging.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school tracks pupils' progress closely. It uses this to inform its decisions on how to allocate funding, including the funding it gets for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders work closely with professionals, such as leaders of virtual schools and social care, to agree and deploy the most effective means of support. The school reviews carefully and regularly the impact of the support it provides. Where leaders make use of alternative provision, they work closely with partner providers to oversee safeguarding and ensure that there is continuity and quality of education for pupils. These excellent systems create coherent support for pupils.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The proprietor has made sure the school consistently meets all the independent school standards. Leaders have established a culture of high expectations, professionalism and continual learning for all. This ensures positive experiences for the most vulnerable pupils. Leaders have ensured that all staff have access to a high-quality, coherent programme of professional learning that builds expertise over time. This includes early career teachers.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The proprietor takes a strategic role in shaping the direction of the school while maintaining close oversight of day-to-day operations, resource allocation, and holding school leaders accountable for outcomes. The proprietor and leaders model high expectations of professional conduct. They demonstrate a shared commitment to breaking down the barriers that young people arrive with and improving their life chances. Where any aspects of provision fall short, leaders take immediate and effective action to ensure rapid improvement.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Monitoring is well structured and robust. There is an established culture of professional learning. This supports leaders to make effective, evidence ‑ based decisions that bring about continuous improvement. These decisions are rooted in the best interests of pupils. Other professionals, including the virtual school, report that staff and leaders drive productive collaboration and demonstrate unwavering dedication to supporting pupils.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders communicate this clear vision to staff and other stakeholders. Staff report that their voice is heard through decision-making processes. They appreciate how leaders genuinely consider their wellbeing and workload. Staff are encouraged and afforded the time and resource needed to take responsibility for their own professional development.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

There is a coherent and extremely well-designed personal development and wellbeing offer. This continually evolves to meet pupils' needs and aspirations. The school knows each pupil exceedingly well. It makes astute decisions about what clinical and pastoral support they need. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum develops pupils' understanding of relationships and the wider world. They are taught how to maintain their physical and mental health and how to stay safe online. Pupils undertake activities that help them to engage successfully in social situations. For example, they can explain in detail how they host a yearly pride event, where they organise activities for other schools and members of the public to attend.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils' talents and interests are actively recognised and nurtured. They enjoy an array of clubs and enjoy trips and visits throughout the year, for example to the theatre and the museum. The school fosters a culture in which pupils gradually move from dependence to being self-accountable. Practical life skills, such as budgeting and travel planning, are taught carefully. Consequently, pupils say they feel well prepared for adulthood.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils learn about different religions and cultures. They understand what the characteristics protected by law are. They live out fundamental British values in their day-to-day life. For example, they use democratic voting to make collective decisions and acknowledge the importance of applying consistent rules. This helps ensure that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils are supported to explore their aspirations and learn about a wide range of future pathways. They receive independent careers advice and talk enthusiastically about going to

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Expected standard

local job fairs and open days. This broadens their exposure to different sectors and opportunities. Leaders work diligently with other professionals to plan and collate pupils' targets. This means they have the skills and experiences to be ready for the next stage of their education, training or employment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils make positive progress from their starting points. They are able to recall their prior learning and talk about it confidently. Pupils build on what they have already learned. They develop the resilience and proficiency needed to achieve national qualifications. This means they are well prepared for the next steps of their education or pathways into their chosen careers.

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Achievement Expected standard

At times, the standard of pupils' work is uneven. This is particularly the case in writing. This hinders pupils' ability to produce high-quality work across the wider curriculum. Leaders are aware that pupils' writing is underdeveloped. At times, this is because pupils are not emotionally ready to learn. However, staff do not always create tasks that pupils are confident completing. Where this happens, pupils do not complete work to a high standard.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school has implemented an ambitious curriculum. It is well designed to build pupils' knowledge and skills over time. Leaders make effective decisions to improve learning. For example, they have recently introduced knowledge organisers to make intended learning outcomes clearer. Checking systems are in place. However, these are not used accurately enough to identify and address all the gaps in the foundations of pupils' knowledge. For example, sometimes staff give pupils high-quality feedback on their work. At other times, this lacks specificity. Sometimes, when feedback is written, it does not model standard English for pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders prioritise staff professional development. Leaders recognise that this is essential for staff teaching pupils who face complex barriers to learning. Staff have the knowledge and confidence to deliver the intended curriculum. They have the expertise that they need to reflect on how well pupils are learning. They engage pupils effectively, drawing on pupils' interests. Staff make quick and effective decisions about adaptations to the curriculum. For example, on occasion, pupils need access to specific resources or short breaks away from the classroom. Staff make sure pupils get these to help them manage their emotions. This means they access learning. Staff are well trained to deliver effective phonics sessions to those pupils who struggle with reading. Language, oracy and vocabulary are given high importance throughout the curriculum.

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

Pupils feel unconditionally accepted and valued at this school. Staff carefully construct positive relationships with them. This helps pupils to feel safe, happy and settled.

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

Pupils arrive at this school having experienced fragmented education. They have suffered significant trauma in the past and have large gaps in their learning. All pupils are young people in care who face varied barriers to their learning.

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

Staff are kind, patient and resilient when it comes to understanding pupils' individual needs. This helps pupils to put previous difficulties behind them. Over time, they rebuild their confidence and form positive attitudes to learning. Pupils attend school well. Staff develop pupils' abilities to manage their own behaviour. This means they are ready to learn and can develop respectful relationships with their peers. Bullying is rare. Ultimately, pupils become respectful young people who interact politely with visitors and demonstrate interest and curiosity in the world around them.

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

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum that is thoughtfully adapted to their needs and interests. Staff consistently break down barriers to learning so that pupils enjoy lessons and make progress. Older pupils work towards a range of academic and vocational qualifications. They achieve well and are rightly proud of their accomplishments. Pupils are well prepared for further education or moving into the workforce.

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

Pupils benefit hugely from the vast range of activities offered by the school to enrich their learning. Many of these have an outdoor learning focus. For example, pupils make termly residential visits to a farm in South Wales. Here, they participate in activities such as lambing, hiking and raft building. This enables pupils to learn new skills, expand their horizons and strengthen their communication abilities.

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Next steps

In some subjects, leaders do not have a precise understanding of pupils' differing starting points. Assessment processes need to be strengthened so that gaps in knowledge are identified promptly, feedback is targeted, and subsequent teaching responds to this information, enabling pupils to move through the curriculum successfully. The school should make sure that pupils receive the support they need to develop their writing and produce consistently high-quality written work across all areas of the curriculum.

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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

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Independent school standards

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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Independent school standards

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff. They also met with the proprietor.

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Independent school standards

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Independent school standards

The school caters for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils' needs include social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorder.

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Independent school standards

There are currently very few pupils at the school who are aged over 16. These pupils are not taught separately from other pupils.

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Independent school standards

Leaders make use of one registered alternative provision.

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Independent school standards

The name of the proprietor is Anthony Nolan.

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Independent school standards

The email address of the school is phil.davies@qpconline.co.uk.

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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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Team inspectors:

Kevin Sexton, Ofsted Inspector Linda Griffiths, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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

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Facts and figures used on inspection

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

6. Provision of information Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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

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Facts and figures used on inspection

All standards have been met. This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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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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Insufficient evidence

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

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