New Horizon Academy

New Horizon Academy

Address: New Horizon Academy, Erdington, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 6DY Unique reference number (URN): 148929

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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 Expected standard

Pupils achieve well from their very different starting points. Many pupils have gaps in learning. However, the school identifies these and addresses them successfully. The school identifies the correct pathway for pupils to follow to secure success. It uses personalised strategies to help pupils reconnect with learning when past experiences have created a barrier. Pupils now view themselves as successful learners. They are proud to share their work and the progress that they have made. This progress occurs in core subjects like reading, writing and mathematics but also across different curriculum subjects. Handwriting remains a barrier for some pupils, but the school recognises the need to address this.

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Achievement Expected standard

The individualised approach means most pupils make pleasing progress. The life skills curriculum prepares pupils for the wider world by building the knowledge and behaviour they need for future education or employment.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils attend school regularly. This is because the school works hard to meet the needs of individual pupils. For pupils whose attendance is not yet where it needs to be, the school collaborates with a full range of professionals. They adapt provision and make reasonable adjustments to reduce barriers, helping pupils attend successfully. The school ensures there is something for pupils to enjoy each day, which strengthens their desire to attend regularly. If a pupil has a reduced timetable, it is put in place in the best interest of pupils and following advice from a range of external professionals.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Typically, pupils behave positively. They engage with the learning opportunities on offer. Leaders monitor and analyse behaviour incidents forensically. This enables them to identify any triggers that result in less positive behaviours. They use this information thoughtfully to adjust provision or activities. Playtimes are enjoyable. They are a time for pupils and staff to connect and build relationships. Pupils are respectful to staff and each other. Bullying is rare. If any incidents occur, they are dealt with calmly and sensitively. The school uses suspensions when necessary. However, leaders do not always keep clear records about why these decisions are made and who was involved.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school has made many positive changes to the curriculum. Each subject area now has a clear plan that supports pupils' progress. Teachers understand the end goals and how to support each pupil in reaching them. The school connects national curriculum subjects to careers, fundamental British values and personal development. This makes learning relevant and purposeful. The school has put in place measures to help staff see how well pupils remember the key knowledge and skills that they have learned. In lessons, pupils return to their previous work in their books. This supports them in completing their current tasks. Leaders check the implementation of the curriculum regularly. Leaders recognise that teaching is not yet consistent across the school or across all subjects. The school focuses on building basic skills in reading, writing, mathematics and handwriting. Typically, this leads to pupils securing these skills. Although some pupils have yet to improve their handwriting,

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

the school continues to prioritise this area. Staff use various resources to help pupils overcome barriers to sharing their ideas, even when their work must be recorded in different ways. The school knows its pupils well. Staff use their interests to make the curriculum more engaging. Typically, teaching meets the needs of pupils.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school prioritises getting to know each pupil upon arrival. This enables them to meet each pupil's needs and pinpoint their starting points in the curriculum. Historically, most pupils have had very disjointed and negative educational experiences. Many have missed large chunks of education, so they have wide and varied gaps in their knowledge. However, the school quickly identifies these gaps and addresses them promptly. School leaders create bespoke resources, including reading material, that are designed for pupils’ learning stages and personal interests. Pupils show good progress in reading from different starting points. Similar progress is evident across other subjects. Some pupils continue to miss significant periods of learning time. While the school acknowledges that pupils re-engage after these breaks, it recognises that it now needs to adopt strategies to improve their resilience for learning so that they lose less curriculum time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Many pupils have a range of different barriers that affect learning and wellbeing. The school's relational approach and suite of therapeutic sessions help pupils settle quickly. Whatever their difficulties, they start to thrive in a nurturing environment where leaders maintain high expectations for everyone. The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The headteacher is new to the role. However, they have made many positive changes in this school in a short space of time. They wasted no time identifying the aspects of the school that they were determined to strengthen. They understand what still needs to be done so it can continue on its journey of success. Leaders rightly recognise that teaching is not yet consistent in all classes and in all subjects. There is a professional learning offer, but it does not always address teachers' gaps in knowledge or skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

This is a happy school. Staff are proud to be part of it. Leaders are supportive of staff wellbeing and the 'open door' approach means that staff know that they will be listened to. Parents and carers are equally positive. They think highly of the school and appreciate the positive changes in the children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those in charge of governance regularly monitor the school's performance. They make sure the school meets independent standards and maintains quality in key areas including curriculum, teaching, inclusion, attendance and behaviour. As a result, this 'small school with a big heart' makes a positive difference to the lives of the pupils who attend.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have created a comprehensive personal, social, health and economic curriculum that is taught explicitly but which also runs through other areas of the curriculum. Pupils learn about relationships including what makes them healthy and what signs might indicate that it is not healthy. The idea of consent is taught well. This also sits alongside a carefully considered topic around online safety.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils get to make their voices heard through the community council. Everyone is invited to be involved. These meetings help pupils realise they can make decisions that affect school life. They learn about democracy and tolerance through their involvement.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Careers education is also threaded through the curriculum. This helps pupils understand why they learn things and where learning relating to certain subjects could take them with future job opportunities. Visits to a local university also help raise aspirations. They teach pupils that there are no limits on what they can achieve.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils see themselves as individuals. They are taught to celebrate their uniqueness. This helps them accept and respect differences in other people. Pupils learn about different religions in blocks related to celebrations and traditions throughout the year. This helps pupils to understand about the lives of people different to themselves.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Trips and visits bring the curriculum to life. They also help the pupils to develop vital life skills. Opportunities to travel on public transport and visit a local college to take part in weekly physical education lessons supports this further. Pupils get the opportunity to feed back to the local community through events such as litter picking. Pupils are encouraged to develop their interests, including in crochet, music and creating comic book stories.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral support is a real strength of this school. Pupils are encouraged to talk about issues affecting them which supports their wellbeing.

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

Pupils attend New Horizon Academy because previous mainstream education has not been able to meet their needs. Some pupils have been out of education for a long time. Others have lost the confidence to see themselves as successful learners. New Horizon offers a fresh start. Pupils settle quickly, and attend often, because the school addresses their individual needs. Pupils are grouped in a considered way, to promote successful integration. Warm and purposeful relationships are the bedrock of the school. Pupils trust the staff and this helps them to feel safe in school. They recognise that staff care for them and have their best interests at heart. Pupils make friendships with each other and this contributes to their sense of belonging in this nurturing school.

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

Pupils now show positive attitudes in lessons and to learning. Most pupils are able to stay in lessons for the expected amount of time. This allows them to fully benefit from the education on offer. Pupils now recognise themselves as learners. They are able to feel the success that is so important to their personal wellbeing. The progress they make since arriving, and the work they produce are of a pleasing standard. This, coupled with effective pastoral support and care, means that pupils are able to thrive.

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

Cody, the school's therapy dog, is a much loved member of the school family. He supports in lessons, supports with attendance, and is always grateful when pupils take him for a walk or sit and have a cuddle or a belly rub. Pupils behave well. Sometimes incidents do occur, but pupils know that when they do staff will respond with patience, care and sensitivity. Pupils say that bullying happens occasionally. However, systems and approaches in place mean that any issues are dealt with promptly and fairly.

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Next steps

Leaders need to continue to build pupils' resilience for learning so learning time is maximised. Leaders need to ensure that professional learning opportunities are purposeful and lead to even greater consistency in teaching across the school. Leaders need to ensure that decisions taken to suspend any pupil are carefully recorded and ensure that they are always used appropriately. Leaders should continue to develop the handwriting of all pupils to ensure that they are well prepared for the next stage of education or employment when the time comes.

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About this inspection

The name of the proprietor body is N H Care. The chair of the proprietor body is Sukhjit Bains.

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About this inspection

The fees currently charged for day pupils are £69,000 to £134,000.

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About this inspection

The school's email address is enquiries@newhorizon-academy.co.uk.

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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 (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the chair of the proprietor body and its operations manager during the inspection.

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About this inspection

All pupils in school have an education, health and care plan. The primary need is moderate learning difficulty. Pupils also have social, emotional and mental health needs.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. The headteacher was appointed in April 2025.

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Independent school standards

The school is registered to admit 10 pupils. There are currently 9 pupils on roll.

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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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Team inspector:

Sarahjane Cuncannon Edwards, Ofsted Inspector

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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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9

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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9

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

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

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