Acacia School

Acacia School Acacia Hall, Shortwood Lane, Friesthorpe, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN3 5AL

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Emergency inspection report: 4 June 2026

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Overall outcome The school meets all of the independent school standards that were checked during this inspection

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This inspection was commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE), which is the registration authority for independent schools. It was commissioned because of concerns raised with the DfE about safeguarding at the school.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

When we carry out emergency inspections of independent schools, we report on the school’s likely compliance with part 8 of the independent school standards (ISS) first. Under part 8, the proprietor is required to ensure that the school meets all of the ISS consistently. The standard in part 8 is intended to ensure that the quality of leadership and management at the school is sufficient for that purpose.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Leaders, including the proprietor, have a secure knowledge and understanding of the ISS checked on this inspection. The proprietor is kept well informed about the school from a variety of sources. The high frequency of detailed reporting to the proprietor and regular assurance visits indicate that all leaders have the knowledge and appropriate skills to ensure that the ISS in this part are securely and consistently met.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Leaders have maintained a positive and open culture of safeguarding. They have effective systems in place to continually review the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures. The proprietor fulfils their role by ensuring that staff are appropriately checked and trained. Leaders review serious incidents and use this to strengthen practice. For example, they improved communication and handover processes between the care home and school following a recent issue and shared these changes clearly with staff. Leaders ensure that pupils’ wider welfare needs, including those outlined in education, health and care (EHC) plans, are met. Plans are reviewed regularly and involve external professionals. Leaders place direct emphasis on pupils’ views, emotional wellbeing and safety. Therapeutic support, such as speech and language and music therapy, helps meet pupils’ needs. Overall, leaders provide a coordinated and responsive approach that actively promotes pupils’ safety and

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The proprietor has ensured that the ISS are met.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and the proprietor have established a positive culture of safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. They ensure that safeguarding arrangements are effective and reflect the latest statutory guidance. Pupils’ welfare and safety are high priorities.

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Safeguarding

The school understands the particular risks and vulnerabilities its pupils may face. Staff think carefully about how pupils communicate. This helps them identify concerns effectively. Pupils who are nonspeaking are supported well to express their needs, including those related to their safety.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained and understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Regular updates strengthen staff’s awareness of safeguarding issues. ‘Team around the child’ meetings provide timely information about pupils’ needs, including any changes in behaviour. The meetings involve a range of professionals.

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Safeguarding

Staff know how to report concerns about adults in the school. Leaders understand their duty to refer unsuitable individuals to the Disclosure and Barring Service. The school maintains detailed and well-organised child protection records.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about personal safety, relationships and boundaries in ways that match their stage of development. As a result, pupils show that they feel safe through their relaxed manner and positive interactions with staff.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding policy is published on the school’s website and reflects current statutory guidance.

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Behaviour and supervision of pupils

The school’s behaviour policy reflects DfE guidance. It sets out clear expectations for managing behaviour and the appropriate use of sanctions. The policy takes account of pupils’ additional needs and complies with the Equality Act 2010.

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Behaviour and supervision of pupils

Staff implement the policy consistently well. They understand pupils’ individual needs and follow behaviour support plans carefully. Staff use proactive strategies to help pupils regulate their emotions. They provide time and space for pupils who become dysregulated, including where this relates to sensory needs. The school’s therapeutic approach enables staff to support pupils so that they return to their ‘behaviour baseline’ after they become heightened.

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Behaviour and supervision of pupils

Pupils are suitably supervised, with high staffing-to-pupil ratios. Staff are clear that the current levels of staffing ensure that pupils’ needs are met. During the inspection, the majority of classrooms had a ratio of one adult to one pupil.

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Behaviour and supervision of pupils

Staff follow clear procedures for the use of restrictive physical intervention. They use this only as a last resort to keep pupils and staff safe. Records are detailed and show the steps taken to avoid physical intervention. Leaders review incidents and ensure that staff, pupils (where possible), parents and carers and other professionals contribute their views. This helps the school to improve practice and to reduce the need for such measures. Leaders inform parents, care home managers and social workers about any incident requiring physical intervention within a reasonable time span.

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Behaviour and supervision of pupils

The school keeps detailed records of behaviour. Staff review these daily alongside information from care settings and parents. This helps staff to anticipate pupils’ needs and provide effective support.

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Anti-bullying

There are no recorded incidents of bullying. The school supports pupils to understand and communicate about bullying through a well-designed communication board. This uses pictures, signs and symbols to help pupils express their feelings, including what they like, do not like, and do not want.

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Health and safety, fire and first aid

The school has clear policies and procedures to manage health and safety. Roles and responsibilities are well defined, and staff understand them. Leaders have effective systems to monitor health and safety. These include an annual external audit and regular checks, such as those for legionella, water temperature and fire safety. Leaders act promptly to address any issues identified. Staff raise health and safety concerns at any time. They do this daily and in weekly meetings. Staff log concerns and leaders ensure that they receive updates once issues are resolved.

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Health and safety, fire and first aid

The school has a current fire risk assessment. Leaders have addressed identified actions promptly. Overall, the proprietor ensures that a suitable health and safety policy is in place and is implemented effectively by staff.

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Health and safety, fire and first aid

The school maintains clear and detailed records of accidents that include body maps for both pupils and staff. Leaders inform parents and carers of any accidents swiftly. They review the records to identify any patterns or trends.

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Health and safety, fire and first aid

There is a suitable number of first-aid trained staff. Clear displays help pupils and staff know whom to approach. Records show that staff administer first aid promptly and competently.

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Health and safety, fire and first aid

Procedures for managing medication are thorough. Individual pupil records set out medical needs clearly. Leaders ensure that staff sign medicines in and out. Medication administration records follow recognised templates and include additional checks, such as photographs of packaging, to ensure accuracy and pupil safety.

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Health and safety, fire and first aid

Records and practice demonstrate that arrangements for first aid and administration of medication are secure and consistently applied.

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Risk assessment

The school has a suitable risk assessment policy in place. Risk assessments are detailed, regularly reviewed and updated when needed. Leaders ensure that assessments are revisited routinely, even where no new risks have been identified. For example, one pupil’s risk assessment has been reviewed several times since October 2025 to maintain effective oversight.

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Risk assessment

Leaders and staff understand the importance of identifying, reviewing and communicating risk. They are clear about how to report new concerns and contribute to updates. Input from therapy staff informs the review process and helps ensure that suitable control measures are in place. Risk assessments are used as live documents. Staff can access the most up-to-date versions, which enables them to respond consistently and support pupils effectively.

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Risk assessment

Assessments identify clear and appropriate measures to reduce risk. These reflect pupils’ individual needs and, where relevant, align with information set out in pupils’ EHC plans.

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Risk assessment

The proprietor has ensured that the ISS are met.

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The recruitment checks made on staff, supply staff and the proprietor

The school meets all the ISS related to the employment of staff. Leaders complete pre-employment checks before staff start work. Safer recruitment procedures are secure and apply to all staff, including therapists. Appropriate section 128 checks have been made on members of the proprietor body and individuals in leadership roles. The school does not use agency staff.

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The single central record of these recruitment checks

The school maintains a compliant single central record that includes all required checks. The headteacher checks the record when new staff join and leaders from the proprietor body review it when they visit.

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The single central record of these recruitment checks

The proprietor has ensured that the ISS are met.

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The school’s accessibility plan

Leaders have put in place an appropriate 3-year accessibility plan. The plan meets the requirements of paragraph 3 of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under sections 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. Inspectors 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

The DfE commissioned the inspectors to check the school’s approaches to safeguarding, managing behaviour and the use of restrictive physical intervention, health and safety, first aid, pupil supervision, risk assessment and leadership and management. This was due to safeguarding concerns raised at an associated children’s home located on the site and operated by the same proprietor.

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About this inspection

The inspection was carried out without notice. Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the chair of the proprietor body and 2 directors from the proprietor’s executive team during the inspection.

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Team inspector

Simon Hollingsworth His Majesty’s Inspector

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About this school

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this school

Acacia School provides education to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including autistic pupils and those with severe learning difficulties.

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About this school

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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proprietor body

Kisimul Group Ltd Anita Marie Andrews Headteacher Terry Lawson Type of school Other independent special school Capacity 45

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compulsory school age on roll

Age range of pupils 11 to 19 Gender of pupils Mixed Annual fees for day pupils £105,202 to £144,080 Email address enquiries@kisimul.co.uk 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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compulsory school age on roll

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compulsory school age on roll

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compulsory school age on roll

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

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