Philpots Manor School

Philpots Manor School

Address: West Hoathly, West Sussex, RH19 4PR Unique reference number (URN): 126141

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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 Strong standard

Leaders ensure that pupils attend highly. Through excellent strategic oversight and pastoral support, absences have fallen for pupils. The school has achieved significant success with attendance. Many pupils who have missed extended periods of schooling in their previous settings now attend school every day. They appreciate the warm welcome and high expectations of caring staff when they arrive each morning. Leaders' work involving transition, pastoral care and support for families is highly effective. Staff and leaders share responsibility to drive attendance. As a result, attendance is strong and still rising.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Attitudes to learning are enthusiastic and positive. The school is a calm, respectful and positive environment. Relationships are compassionate, relaxed and good humoured but also underpinned by high ambitions. Pupils feel safe and learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Many pupils make remarkable improvements to their behaviour here. Some have experienced significant trauma and exclusions from previous schools. Here, staff apply a forgiving approach supported by high aspirations, excellent nurture and complete consistency. As a result, pupils learn to manage their feelings so they can thrive as individuals. Pupils have no worries about bullying. They know that staff will stop it immediately. Leaders have achieved very high standards of behaviour to help all pupils to belong and flourish.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school identifies, assesses and meets pupils’ needs with forensic precision, ensuring that every child receives the support required to thrive. Leaders use detailed learning profiles and robust transition processes to remove barriers quickly, particularly for pupils who have experienced disrupted education, trauma or adverse childhood experiences. Staff assess pupils’ starting points accurately and review progress frequently, enabling timely adaptations to provision.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is rigorous. Staff understand individual needs deeply and implement strategies that enable pupils to access the full curriculum with increasing independence. Disadvantaged pupils benefit from highly targeted support that addresses both academic and pastoral barriers. Leaders track the impact of interventions relentlessly, ensuring that disadvantaged pupils sustain progress over time.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school maintains close oversight of pupils who are known, or previously known, to children’s social care. Leaders work proactively with external agencies and families to ensure that safeguarding, wellbeing and learning needs are met without delay. Leaders and the proprietor ensure that tailored support helps all pupil groups facing barriers, including those with previously low attendance, mental health challenges or emotional needs. Leaders ensure that the rare use of alternative provision is carefully designed and managed to ensure that pupils are safe and thriving.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and the proprietor body show precise understanding of the strengths of the curriculum. They are committed to school development with a dedicated and highly effective focus on inclusion. The school is deeply nurturing and successful in its ambitions to meet the needs of pupils. Leaders have ensured excellence across many areas of this highly inclusive, caring and ambitious school. They have sharply identified writing as a priority area. Swift and decisive action is driving tangible improvements with urgency. There is a shared mission and ethos here, with pupils at the heart of decision making. Staff feel well supported. Workload and wellbeing are positive and training opportunities ensure that teachers and support staff have the skills they need.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have ensured impressive improvements to attendance and behaviour. Many parents recommend the school and speak highly of how the school has transformed their child from being lost from education to becoming engaged, supported and able to flourish at this setting. More than one parent said that this school has changed their lives.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The proprietor body and school leaders demonstrate careful oversight of the independent school standards to ensure that the school meets its duties with diligence. Systems are well developed to ensure a robust approach to maintaining the premises, pupil welfare, curriculum development, safeguarding and leadership and governance. Governance duties are fulfilled through a management committee. Support and challenge is effective in holding leaders to account without any risks to workload and well-being. The school fulfils its equality duties impressively. This school is a beacon of compassion and high aspiration for all.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders provide highly effective strategic leadership of personal development and wellbeing. They set a clear vision that places pupils’ welfare, character and future success at the centre of the school’s work. Leaders evaluate provision with precision and act swiftly to strengthen it. As a result, the personal development programme is coherent, ambitious and deeply embedded across the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The programme promotes pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development highly. Outdoor learning and equine provision cultivate reflection, resilience and self ‑ awareness. Pupils connect meaningfully with nature, notice seasonal change and develop empathy and teamwork. Spirituality is strengthened through a curriculum that weaves religious education into subjects such as geography, food technology and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, enabling pupils to explore global cultures and religious practices with maturity.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Relationships and sex education is robust, sensitive and well sequenced. Leaders tailor it carefully for pupils with adverse childhood experiences. Pupils learn about consent from an early age and understand online and offline risks to their wellbeing. Staff maintain close communication with parents to ensure content is appropriate and understood.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Personal development is highly inclusive. Staff demonstrate deep understanding of the barriers faced by pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, medical

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Expected standard

conditions, trauma and social ‑ care involvement. Pastoral support is trauma ‑ informed and timely. The wellbeing hub, sensory room and on ‑ site therapists ensure that pupils receive the right help at the right time. Daily routines include movement breaks and wellbeing opportunities that help pupils to regulate emotions.

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Expected standard

The school develops pupils’ character and understanding of fundamental British values very well. Pupils show respect, take responsibility and contribute positively to their community through volunteering and environmental projects. Leaders prepare pupils thoroughly for adulthood. Vocational pathways reflect pupils’ aspirations, and careers education is strong. Pupils gain practical skills for independent living, explore employment routes and build the confidence needed to participate fully in society. Leaders remove barriers relentlessly, ensuring all pupils access opportunities and progress to meaningful destinations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well across a broad range of subjects. They experience particular success with cookery, bricklaying, outdoor education, orienteering, equine care and art and design. Leaders have raised aspirations by ensuring that more pupils study formal qualifications such as GCSEs and BTEC National Diplomas. Pupils learn secure foundations in reading, writing, mathematics and communication. While reading is a strength, pupils’ writing in English and across other subjects is not consistently high quality. Leaders have identified this and their actions to improve writing are already having positive impact.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils make impressive progress through their individual learning targets. They increasingly acquire a rich set of knowledge and skills to equip them well for their next steps, with many going on to study A-levels. This equips pupils well for their next steps and for adult life. Pupils are also well prepared for career options. The school helps them to develop a range of life skills, building on their unique strengths and qualities to enhance their opportunities for future jobs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and the proprietor have a clear and accurate view of curriculum quality and teaching. They act with purpose to strengthen provision and ensure that improvement work remains focused on raising expectations for all pupils. Leaders set out a coherent vision for a broad and balanced curriculum and monitor its implementation with rigour. Curriculum plans across subjects show logical sequencing and clearly defined endpoints. Leaders prioritise strong foundations, particularly in reading. The recently introduced phonics approach is already embedded, enabling pupils at the early stages of reading to gain essential skills. Staff identify pupils who need additional support quickly and provide effective targeted phonics help.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff use assessment well to check understanding and adapt teaching so pupils can access the curriculum successfully. Additional adults are deployed appropriately and contribute positively to learning. Leaders recognise that writing is less secure than other areas. Teachers do not always model high ‑ quality writing, which limits pupils’ ability to develop strong writing skills. Leaders have already taken steps to address this and early improvements are evident.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is inclusive by design. Staff use their detailed knowledge of pupils to shape provision to meet their needs well. As a result, pupils increasingly build the knowledge and skills they need as they move through the school.

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

This is a deeply caring and nurturing school with high ambitions for all. Leaders and the proprietor show relentless determination to help pupils to overcome barriers and have their chance to shine. Pupils here know that they are unique, valued and special. The school ensures excellent support for pupils to enable everyone to make progress and achieve well. All pupils have an education, health and care plan (EHCP). The school ensures that pupils’ provision is precisely matched to their needs. As a result, they develop a strong sense of belonging and learn to flourish academically, socially and emotionally. Pupils go on to access a range of academic and vocational qualifications that help them access further education with increased skills, knowledge and confidence.

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

Behaviour is impressive. When pupils struggle with their feelings, expert staff provide strong support underpinned with compassion, forgiveness and high aspirations. Pupils are not worried about bullying because they know that leaders take concerns seriously and address problems swiftly. These high expectations also extend to attendance. The tireless efforts of leaders, teachers and support staff helps pupils to overcome a range of obstacles to attendance. Many pupils have missed extended periods of schooling before joining here. Now, they attend highly, because leaders have achieved rapid success to reduce absences. One parent represented others when saying that the school 'has changed my son's life, and therefore all our lives'.

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

Personal development and wellbeing are excellent. Pastoral care is built on compassion and expertise, and leaders' work to prepare pupils for later life is highly effective. Staff tailor provision skilfully to constantly adapt to the emotional needs of pupils. Pupils learn to cook, plan budgets, use public transport, care for animals and develop vocational skills such as bricklaying. Pupils enjoy working with the horses in the yard and canoeing across the local reservoir.

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Next steps

Leaders should maintain their focus on improving pupils' writing to help all pupils to produce high-quality writing across the curriculum.

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Independent school standards

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

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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, deputy headteacher, leaders, teachers, support staff and the proprietor during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

Philpots Manor School is an independent special day school for children and young people with social, emotional, and mental health needs and communication and interaction difficulties. Many pupils are neurodiverse and have an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Many have missed extended periods of time in school before joining.

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About this inspection

The annual fees are £71,580 to £73,725 per year.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses two unregistered alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

The school is registered to admit 61 pupils. There are currently 62 pupils on roll, as one pupil is dual-registered and attends a different setting.

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About this inspection

The email address for the school is info@philpotsmanorschool.co.uk

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection, with the appointment of a new headteacher.

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About this inspection

The proprietor body is Philpots Manor School Limited. The chair of the proprietor body is Steven Ogilvie.

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About this inspection

1. Quality of education provided Standards met

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About this inspection

All standards have been met. 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Standards met

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About this inspection

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards met

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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About this inspection

6. Provision of information Standards met

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About this inspection

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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About this inspection

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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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