Three Chestnuts

Three Chestnuts

Address: Fen Road, Holbeach, Spalding, PE12 8QD Unique reference number (URN): 151553

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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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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development programme and the support the school provides for pupils’ wellbeing are significant strengths. Leaders and staff share a collective determination to raise pupils’ aspirations and support them to develop their confidence and character. Leaders use their knowledge of pupils to plan learning and activities that precisely match pupils’ interests.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

In daily personal development lessons, pupils discuss global current affairs. This helps pupils to consider different perspectives and to find out about different faiths and cultures. They learn about the fundamental British values and equalities law.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The curriculum for personal, social and health education is designed to give pupils the knowledge they need to be safe and healthy future citizens. All pupils learn age-appropriate sex and relationships education. They are taught how to keep themselves safe and healthy, including online. The school invites expert visitors to provide workshops to teach pupils about important themes such as substance abuse and coercive control. Leaders check pupils’ understanding carefully and provide further opportunities to revisit topics to make sure that pupils remember what they have learned.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The afternoon careers sessions are the highlight of the day for pupils. Pupils are able to choose from a range of options to learn about different careers in detail. Sessions are planned carefully to give pupils knowledge and insight into the world of work and to help them learn new skills. There are opportunities to develop communication skills when working in groups or visiting local businesses. The oldest pupils learn about and visit colleges to find out about their future options.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Nurture is at the heart of the school’s ethos. Each pupil is assigned a trusted adult who makes regular checks on the pupil's wellbeing and helps them to overcome any challenges. These strong, positive relationships support pupils to thrive at the school.

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Achievement Expected standard

When pupils arrive at the school, they have often missed education or had negative experiences previously. They benefit from personalised curriculum pathways that prioritise building their self-esteem and strengthening their communication skills. This helps pupils to take part in learning with greater confidence. Any knowledge gaps, or weaknesses in literacy and numeracy, are identified and resolved quickly. The school’s reading programme helps pupils to quickly improve fluency. Once settled, pupils gain knowledge across the curriculum and produce work of a good quality.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders are aspirational for what pupils can achieve. In key stage 4, the school offers a range of suitable academic and vocational courses. Pupils work towards gaining appropriate GCSE and BTEC qualifications. This represents significant achievement for these pupils, given the previous disruption to their education. Pupils, parents and carers recognise the positive impact that the school has in preparing pupils for the next stage in their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is a high priority for the school. Leaders recognise that many pupils face barriers to good attendance due to social, emotional and mental health needs and as a result of previous negative experiences in education. Leaders work closely with pupils and their parents and carers to remove these barriers so that all pupils can attend school with confidence. The majority of pupils attend school well.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

There are high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. These have been agreed by leaders and staff and shared with pupils so that everyone knows what is expected of them. The systems for rewarding good behaviour and sanctioning poor behaviour are well understood and applied consistently. When pupils are struggling to manage their emotions, staff encourage them to take time out of lessons and provide support for their wellbeing. This helps to maintain a calm environment.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

When incidents of poor behaviour happen, or when pupils use inappropriate or discriminatory language, the school takes a restorative approach. Trusted adults talk to pupils about their behaviour and help them reflect on their actions. Pupils value this nurturing approach. Typically, pupils follow the routines without fuss and engage positively with learning and other school activities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is centred around ‘3 Cs’: creativity, challenge and careers. It is broad and ambitious in its design. All pupils learn English, mathematics and science, alongside a range of other subjects. In key stage 4, pupils work towards suitable GCSEs and vocational qualifications. The curriculum has been designed purposefully to reflect pupils’ differing starting points. There are frequent opportunities to revisit previous learning and make connections between themes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils have plenty of opportunities to strengthen their foundation skills in reading, writing, mathematics and communication. For example, the school offers phonics intervention that is effective in helping pupils improve their reading fluency. In mathematics lessons, there is a keen focus on identifying and addressing gaps in pupils' basic skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

In classrooms, teachers routinely adapt learning to meet pupils' specific needs. They are ambitious for what pupils can achieve, while making sure that they give pupils the time they need to learn securely. Teachers question pupils carefully and encourage discussion, helping pupils gain confidence and apply what they have learned. On some occasions, teaching is not as sharply focused on the important knowledge and vocabulary as it could be. Leaders are planning professional learning opportunities for staff to make sure the curriculum is delivered consistently well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders make every effort to get to know pupils well before, and during, their transition to the school. Leaders work closely with pupils’ families and external agencies, where appropriate. This helps leaders to identify pupils’ needs accurately and to understand the specific barriers that pupils face. Once pupils have settled at the school, they follow individualised curriculum plans designed to meet their needs and help them overcome any obstacles to learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Teachers adapt learning skilfully to meet pupils' needs. They know the pupils well and keep a careful eye on their progress. Information about pupils’ progress and wellbeing is shared between staff in daily meetings. This information is used to inform future planning. The systems in place for monitoring pupils’ progress are effective. However, as the school continues to grow, leaders are working to add increased rigour to the way this data is used and shared.

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Inclusion Expected standard

A small number of pupils benefit from attending alternative provision. This affords them opportunities to access a broader range of learning opportunities. These include vocational courses in construction, vehicle maintenance and agriculture. The school works closely with virtual schools to make sure that pupils known to social care are well cared for and benefit fully from the school’s ambitious offer.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

School leaders and the proprietor have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. United by a shared vision, they prioritise pupils’ best interests. Leaders share a wealth of knowledge and experience. This has been crucial in establishing the school and making sure that it provides a high-quality education for pupils. As the school grows, leaders recognise where further improvements are needed. They have plans to improve the consistency of the delivery of the curriculum and to be more strategic in the way that they assess the impact of their work. The proprietor has robust systems in place to make sure that the school continues to meet the independent school standards. This includes making sure that the premises are well maintained and that pupils are safe and that their wellbeing is everybody’s priority.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

As the school has become established, leaders have made sure that there are enough staff at the school to keep pupils safe and well, and to deliver a broad curriculum. Leaders ensure that staff receive high-quality professional learning so they can perform their roles. However, leaders also recognise that there is more work to do in order to strengthen teaching. Staff, many of whom are new to the school, have mixed views. Some feel that communication between leaders and staff is not as effective as it could be, and that sometimes expectations are not made clear enough. Other staff are more positive. All staff and leaders are committed to providing the best possible experience for the pupils at the school.

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

Pupils receive a warm welcome from staff when they arrive at Three Chestnuts each morning. They are happy in the calm and nurturing environment that the school provides. Pupils feel well cared for by staff who take the time to get to know them as individuals. The majority of pupils attend school well. Some are keen to stay longer at the end of the school day.

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

All pupils benefit from a thoughtfully planned transition programme that gives them time to settle in at the school. This helps to build pupils’ confidence and overcome their anxiety of attending school after disrupted or negative experiences of education previously. Pupils have a variety of special educational needs and/or disabilities, supported by an education, health and care plan. The school's broad and ambitious curriculum is tailored carefully for each individual pupil to reflect their starting points and meet their needs. This ensures that pupils make good progress and enjoy learning.

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

The school sets clear expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Bullying and discrimination are never tolerated. When things go wrong, staff respond calmly and give pupils time and space to reflect. Trusted adults help pupils to manage their emotions so that they can engage positively with learning and other activities.

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

The school provides a wealth of experiences designed to prepare pupils for their next stages in education, training or employment and for adulthood. In afternoon careers sessions, pupils gain life skills and learn about the world of work through a range of interesting activities. These include visits to local businesses and school-based sessions that teach pupils skills such as cooking, baking, upcycling and tiling. Staff listen carefully to pupils’ ideas and interests and design activities accordingly.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that their priorities and planned strategies are communicated effectively with staff so that staff are clear about what is expected of them. Leaders should make sure that teaching is consistently focused on the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know so that pupils gain knowledge securely and remember what they have learned. Leaders should ensure that information about pupils' progress and wellbeing is collected and monitored rigorously to assure themselves that planning precisely meets pupils' needs.

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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 (HMI).

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Independent school standards

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, staff, pupils and parents and carers. Inspectors also spoke to representatives from the proprietor, including the chair of the proprietor body.

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Independent school standards

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Independent school standards

All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities and an education, health and care plan. The school caters for pupils with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Pupils are referred to the school by a number of local authorities.

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Independent school standards

The school uses 1 unregistered alternative provision.

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Independent school standards

The school currently has 15 pupils on roll, and has a capacity of 36 pupils.

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Independent school standards

This was the first standard inspection of the school. It was registered by the DfE on 19 May 2025.

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Independent school standards

The name of the proprietor is Hexagon Care Services Limited. The chair of the proprietor body is Caroline Ashdown.

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Independent school standards

The fees currently charged are £53,602 to £76,412.

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Independent school standards

The school's email address is threechestnuts.headteacher@hexagoncare.com.

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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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Team inspector:

Joanna Hall, Ofsted Inspector All standards have been met.

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Team inspector:

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards met

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Team inspector:

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

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Team inspector:

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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Team inspector:

6. Provision of information Standards met

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Team inspector:

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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Team inspector:

8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools 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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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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