Elizabeth House School

Elizabeth House School

Address: Wentworth Close, Middleton, Manchester, M24 4BD Unique reference number (URN): 145170

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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 Expected standard

Most pupils attend school every day possible. Leaders liaise effectively with parents and carers. They make sure that pupils attend school regularly and on time. Leaders ensure that the small number of pupils who struggle to attend school are supported to improve their attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils typically behave well during the school day. They usually engage with learning during lessons and demonstrate increasingly positive attitudes to learning over time. Leaders provide a well-organised learning environment. Pupils respond to the carefully considered routines and systems in place. When pupils struggle to manage their emotions, staff deal with them calmly. Staff consistently follow leaders’ clear and effective strategies for managing behaviour. They deal with pupils sensitively and with great care. Staff make suitable allowances and adaptations for pupils when this is needed.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils get along with each other most of the time. Any minor differences of opinion are quickly dealt with and forgotten. Pupils have a secure understanding of how to recognise bullying. They trust adults to deal with these situations well.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a well-considered personal development programme. They consider the different challenges that each pupil faces in their lives. Leaders make sure that pupils receive the support that they need. Pupils develop self-confidence and resilience. They learn how to make a positive contribution to society. For example, older pupils take good care of their younger peers. They help new pupils to settle quickly at the school when they first arrive. Pupils learn about activities within their local community that they can take part in.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils appreciate the need for rules and laws. They develop a secure understanding of fundamental British values. Pupils understand how these support equality within society. They learn how to develop and maintain positive relationships with others. Leaders have a suitable relationships and sex education programme in place. Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe, including when online.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures that they are likely to come across living in a diverse and modern Britain. They are respectful when discussing the differences that people may have. Sometimes, pupils use derogatory terms towards each other. However, they understand that this is not acceptable. They know that everyone should be treated equally well. They respond respectfully when staff remind them about this.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders help pupils to reflect on a range of suitable career pathways available to them. Pupils regularly receive impartial and high-quality careers advice and guidance. They develop confidence in exploring the requirements of their preferred careers. They develop aspiration and motivation to work towards their goals. Pupils take part in workshops that provide a wide range of practical experiences. These opportunities help pupils to consider occupations that they may not have previously thought about. They also enable pupils to

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Needs attention

develop useful skills and knowledge. Overall, pupils are well prepared for independent living when they are older.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils do not consistently make the progress that they should from their differing starting points. In particular, they do not build sufficient stamina and fluency in reading, writing and mathematics. The standards of their written work vary from subject to subject. Some pupils are not able to produce clearly legible handwritten work. Some pupils are not ready for GCSEs or other qualifications in English and mathematics that they are entered for. Because of this, they are not as well prepared for their next stages of education, training or employment as they could be. This is especially true for pupils who intend to pursue post-16 education or training.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils’ achievement in subjects beyond English and mathematics is variable. This is particularly true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils recall some aspects of their learning with clarity. In other subjects, their understanding lacks depth. Consequently, pupils do not achieve as well as they could across the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders do not have an accurate view of how effectively pupils learn across the curriculum. Leaders provide a broad and ambitious curriculum for pupils. However, teachers deliver this with varying degrees of success. This is often because they do not have the subject knowledge that they need. The curriculum does not define equally well what pupils should learn, or the order that learning should occur, in different subjects. In addition, teachers do not focus sufficiently well on pupils building stamina and fluency in reading, writing and mathematics. This means that pupils are not as well prepared as they could be for their next stages of education, training or employment.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teachers do not check what pupils already know carefully enough before introducing new information. This means that sometimes pupils find planned activities too easy and at other times too difficult. When this happens, they lose focus. This is especially true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers have an underdeveloped understanding of SEND. They are unclear on how best to support these pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders provide an effective phonics programme for pupils at the early stages of learning to read. However, there is no similar support for pupils who find it more difficult to produce clear and legible writing.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders ensure that all pupils feel welcome at the school. There is a suitable accessibility plan in place. However, the implementation of this plan is only partially successful. Leaders do not consider information about pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well enough. Teachers are unclear on how to accurately identify pupils who may have SEND. Leaders do not ensure that teachers know how best to adapt classroom practices to meet pupils’ differing needs. This means that, at times, some pupils struggle to access the curriculum.

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Inclusion Needs attention

All pupils at the school are disadvantaged. Most have experienced disrupted education before joining the school. Leaders think carefully about the support that pupils need to successfully integrate into the school community. Leaders make effective use of most of the information that they gather about pupils. This includes the views from parents, carers and other professionals. Leaders successfully help pupils to settle at school and focus on their learning. Leaders work closely with specialists, such as therapists. Leaders liaise with professionals who have supported pupils previously. This includes those who oversee the education of children in care. If pupils' situations change, leaders reconsider and adapt the support that pupils receive so that it is as helpful as it can be.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The proprietor understands its statutory duties. It keeps well informed about what is happening at the school on a day-to-day basis. The proprietor ensures that the school environment is safe, inviting and supports pupils’ welfare. It is aware of many of the strengths and areas for development at the school. However, the proprietor’s processes for ensuring that all pupils achieve highly are not developed as well as they could be.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders make sure that staff are supported in their wellbeing. However, leaders do not provide enough support for teachers to teach well. Important information about the content and structure of the curriculum for the pupils in their class is inconsistent. This increases teachers’ workload. Moreover, leaders do not ensure that teachers develop their subject knowledge and classroom practice sufficiently well. In particular, leaders do not make sure that teachers know how to accurately identify and meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders forge positive relationships with parents, carers and the local community. Leaders work closely with a wide range of professionals who provide specialist support for pupils. Leaders make sure that parents and other relevant professionals are provided with the information that they need. This includes being kept up to date with how pupils are doing at school. Leaders at all levels make decisions in the best interests of pupils. They are effective advocates for pupils at the school. Leaders ensure that all staff understand and support the school’s inclusive ethos.

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

Pupils are safe and happy at school. Staff know the pupils well. They provide effective support to make sure that pupils feel settled and part of the school community. Pupils develop confidence and self-belief while they are part of this school. They access training and resources available within their locality. These include learning about climbing or taking part in woodwork and pottery projects. Pupils particularly enjoy learning about different careers that they might want to pursue when they are older, such as plumbing or electrical work. They take part in charity work and other activities within their local community.

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

Pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The curriculum does not provide the support that they need to build knowledge equally well in different subjects. Pupils are not as well prepared as they could be for their next stages of education, employment or training as a result. This is particularly true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

All pupils at the school face challenges in their lives. Leaders successfully reduce many of the difficulties that pupils face in accessing the curriculum. However, this is less true for pupils with SEND. These pupils do not make as much progress as they could in some aspects of their learning.

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

Pupils get along with each other well. They respond willingly to the routines that leaders provide. Pupils typically maintain positive behaviour throughout the school day. Staff provide effective support when pupils struggle to manage their emotions. Pupils are respectful of people’s differences. They learn to embrace the diversity that they may encounter living in modern Britain. Incidents of bullying are rare and are dealt with thoroughly by leaders.

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

Most pupils attend school every day that they can. Leaders provide effective support to improve the attendance of those who find this more difficult.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teachers recognise when pupils may have special educational needs and/or disabilities and how to help them learn most effectively. Leaders should make sure that pupils build up their knowledge as well as they can, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the subject-specific knowledge that they need to support pupils’ learning equally well across the curriculum. Leaders should make sure that teachers check and take into account what pupils already know before moving on to new learning. Leaders at all levels should strengthen their systems and procedures to ensure that the independent school standards are consistently met and maintained.

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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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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other leaders during the inspection. This included the proprietor.

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Independent school standards

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school: The school is part of Hexagon Care Services. The chair of the proprietor body is Caroline Ashdown. The school caters for pupils who are living at Elizabeth House Children's Home. The school does not currently make use of alternative provision for pupils. There are no part-time pupils on roll. There were no pupils on roll accessing the post-16 provision at the time of the inspection. Annual fees for the school range from £53,000 to £76,000. The school's email address is elizabeth.headteacher@hexagoncare.com

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Independent school standards

1. Quality of education provided Standards not met

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Independent school standards

The following standards have not been met: Paragraph 2(1)

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Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if–

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Independent school standards

(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

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Independent school standards

(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work– (i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and

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Independent school standards

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school–

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Independent school standards

(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; (e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; (f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range; (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

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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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Independent school standards

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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Our grades explained

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

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Our grades explained

The following standards have not been met:

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Our grades explained

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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Our grades explained

(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

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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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