The Nest

The Nest

Address: Brownhills Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 4JU Unique reference number (URN): 148131

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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 Strong standard

From their starting points, pupils consistently achieve well. Their work shows that, over time, they close their knowledge gaps, gain key skills and the foundational literacy and numeracy knowledge they need to succeed. Those who struggle to read or use number consistently, learn to do so well in their time at school. Those who struggle to write, similarly, develop the skills and confidence to write more, with flair and skill. Pupils rapidly develop their speaking skills so that they can express themselves well.

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Achievement Strong standard

The school makes sure that each pupil undertakes courses that are both appropriate for them and ambitious. All pupils successfully gain a range of accreditations and qualifications by the time they leave the school. This, alongside the gains pupils make in their confidence, articulacy and personal skills, means that pupils are very well prepared for their next steps. Pupils consistently move on to the next level of study at colleges and other providers following their time in the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Strategic leadership of attendance and behaviour is very effective and has a notably positive impact on pupils. Many pupils in the school attend almost all of the time, most having not attended well in the past. Where pupils struggle with attendance, the school’s work to help them to improve has swift and positive impact. School staff listen carefully to pupils and their families and work intelligently and effectively to improve pupils’ attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The school is a calm place to learn and pupils’ behaviour is consistently positive. This is because staff notice when there is any change in behaviour and support pupils to make the right choices. If pupils need time to manage their feelings in a positive way, staff support them with this so that small problems do not grow into bigger ones. Pupils who have been at The Nest for longer, make those choices more independently. They learn to manage their emotions with considerable positive effect over time. This means that their relationships with staff and other pupils develop well. Bullying and other prejudicial behaviour are rare and dealt with well if it happens. Pupils who have been in the school for longer are excellent role models for younger pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is precisely designed to meet the needs of pupils, who have had a disrupted education. This curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. The school aims to prepare pupils to learn a broad academic curriculum, fill in their knowledge gaps and prepare them to take confident next steps. Teachers subject knowledge is secure. They explain lesson content simply, helping pupils understand it. They consistently use appropriate tasks for pupils to secure and develop their understanding.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers use initial assessments effectively. This means that they know pupils’ starting points across the curriculum, in detail. Where pupils’ foundational skills, such as in reading, writing and mathematics, are weaker, the school identifies this. Teachers consistently help pupils catch up, using the assessment information to identify gaps. Teachers have sound expertise in teaching reading to pupils who need this and these pupils’ reading improves swiftly.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers use ongoing assessment effectively. They regularly check that pupils understand lesson content. This means that pupils build their knowledge well, over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Pupils deepen their knowledge through out-of-classroom activities related to the academic curriculum. For example, pupils undertake fieldwork for geography, regularly go shopping to practise their personal financial skills and cook for special events to develop their catering skills. These opportunities bring the curriculum to life and consistently secure pupils’ understanding of complex topics.

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Inclusion Strong standard

All pupils at The Nest have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All have had disruption to attendance at school in the past. Staff in the school know pupils very well. They have well-established systems for transition and identifying pupils' individual needs. These systems make sure that pupils' voices and those of their families, are heard and taken into consideration in planning bespoke support. As a result, pupils consistently make a confident and positive start to their time at The Nest. They and their families swiftly form trusting relationships with staff so that everyone works together effectively to break down pupils’ barriers to success.

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Inclusion Strong standard

All staff are highly vigilant to pupils’ emergent and developing needs. Leaders monitor pupils’ progress rigorously. The school draws on the expertise of specialists, whenever they need to. This helps staff better understand the barriers pupils face; staff take appropriate and effective action to address these barriers successfully.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school invests in staff expertise, involving all staff in exploring and making decisions about what pupils need. This means that the strategies the school uses are regularly re- evaluated and adjusted. As a result, the school consistently and effectively breaks down barriers to SEND and disadvantaged pupils’ success.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Proprietors and leaders understand the school well. The school's proprietors have made sure that the school improves consistently and leaders have what they need to provide a high-quality of education for pupils. Staff say that they appreciate proprietors' involvement, guidance and support. Leaders have ensured that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Proprietors and leaders are absolutely committed to improving the lives of pupils in their care. They have developed an excellent working environment, where staff feel valued, invested in and excited about their work. Staff say that the support they receive, including pastoral support and professional learning to excel in their roles, helps them enjoy working here. Staff feel proud to work at The Nest and value that leaders help manage their workload well. Leaders build strong relationships with all partners. Parents and carers feel well informed about their children's progress and are overwhelmingly positive about the impact the school has on their children. The school works effectively with organisations that commission places in the school to meet pupils' needs.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

All pupils at The Nest have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All have had turbulence in their education and long periods out of school. The impact of the school’s work to develop pupils personally and look after their wellbeing is very effective. It is carefully tailored to pupils’ needs and starting points.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders make sure that pupils gain a secure knowledge of the personal development curriculum during their time here. Staff are very adept at harnessing opportunities for pupils to reflect on what they know, retrieve their knowledge and apply it to their daily lives. As a result, pupils spend plenty of time both in class and incidentally, learning to be healthy, respect others, engage in democratic processes, explore the world around them and focus on the beauty of the countryside. Older pupils are particularly articulate about their personal development journeys and the positive impact of the careers programme. They talk about having built personal skills that will have a positive, lifelong impact.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

All pupils have a rich and broad range of experiences outside of the classroom. Leaders have clarity on the purpose of each of these activities for individual pupils. This means that they secure the longer term personal growth for pupils as a result of activities, such as trips to museums, places of work and places of worship.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school’s work to teach pupils about healthy relationships and sex is highly effective. The impact of this is that pupils have the knowledge they need to form positive friendships. They understand boundaries in relationships and know how to keep themselves safe. They treat one another very respectfully.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Support for pupils’ wellbeing is excellent. All staff know pupils well. Each pupil has a specific wellbeing plan. These are constructed with pupils so that staff know how pupils are feeling and what support they need.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Through these wide range of opportunities, experiences, support and bespoke careers guidance, pupils leave the school very well prepared for adulthood.

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

The Nest is a very special place to be. It is a warm, welcoming environment, where pupils are thriving. From the moment pupils arrive, to the moment they leave, staff take care of them. This means that pupils feel safe and seen.

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

Pupils build excellent relationships with their peers and staff. The school is calm and everyone is respectful of one another. Pupils say that bullying does not occur and that staff help them to solve any problems with friendships effectively. Having found school difficult in the past, pupils enjoy coming to school. They attend very well because they feel valued and enjoy achieving in their lessons. Pupils produce work that they can be truly proud of.

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

Over their time in The Nest, pupils take part in a wide range of broader experiences. Many of these are challenging, but pupils rise to this challenge and achieve things they never thought they could.

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

Over their time at The Nest, the school gives pupils the confidence to be articulate, gain useful qualifications, learn about themselves and the world around them and take positive next steps.

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Next steps

The school should continue to build on the strengths of new approaches to reading to make sure that these improve pupils' knowledge and skills even further.

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About this inspection

The proprietor of the school is Beechfield Education Ltd. The joint proprietors are Rebecca Butterfield-Davis and Joanne Talbot-Beech.

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About this inspection

The fees that the school charges are £58,500 to £67,860.

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About this inspection

The school's email address is: office@beechfield-education.com

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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 joint proprietors, school leaders, staff and place commissioners during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The school caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

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About this inspection

The school uses 2 registered and 2 unregistered alternative provisions.

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Independent school standards

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

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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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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 met

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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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