KWS School

KWS School

Address: 51 Brunel Road, Bedford, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 9TJ Unique reference number (URN): 136122

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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 individual starting points. Many join the school with significant gaps in learning and barriers to engagement. Over time, pupils develop the knowledge, skills and confidence that they need to succeed.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils secure important knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. They demonstrate a secure understanding of key concepts and apply this knowledge well in their learning. Pupils develop their understanding across the curriculum and build knowledge over time. Where teaching supports learning most effectively, pupils gain a deeper understanding of subject content. They can recall and apply previous learning when they encounter new ideas.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils access a range of qualifications and accreditations, including in core subjects, such as English and mathematics. They achieve these successfully and develop the knowledge and skills needed for their next stage of education, training or employment. The school's work extends beyond academic achievement. Pupils improve their attendance, engagement and readiness to learn. They build positive relationships with adults and peers and participate well in lessons. These improvements help pupils overcome previous barriers and prepare them well for future success.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders maintain robust oversight of attendance. They review attendance regularly. Leaders consider each pupils' circumstances carefully and adapt support when needed. This ensures that pupils receive timely help to overcome barriers to attendance. This work is very individualised. It includes close working and planning with parents and carers and external agencies and professionals when needed. Many pupils join the school after long periods of disrupted education and very low attendance. The school's targeted work leads to improvements in pupils' attendance. Consequently, attendance overall is positive. Some pupils are still absent frequently. However, most of these pupils have improved their attendance significantly since joining the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Leaders have established an inclusive approach that reflects pupils' individual needs and circumstances. Staff apply this approach consistently. As a result, pupils engage well in lessons and participate positively in school life. Pupils show respect towards staff and their peers. They feel safe and know that staff will address concerns quickly. Incidents of bullying and discriminatory behaviour are not regular. When incidents arise, staff respond promptly and take appropriate action. Pupils trust staff to resolve issues effectively. The school provides a calm environment where pupils can learn, build confidence and develop positive relationships with others.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed the curriculum to meet pupils' academic, social and emotional needs. They have considered pupils' starting points carefully and created a curriculum that supports both personal development and future success. Pupils study a range of qualifications at appropriate levels. This helps them prepare for further education, training and employment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders place a clear focus on securing the knowledge that pupils need for future learning. Staff identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and provide targeted support. For example, pupils receive additional help with reading through a phonics programme. Teachers also address gaps in writing and other key areas well. As a result, pupils strengthen important foundational knowledge and skills over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced across most subjects. Leaders have identified the knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order in which they should learn it. This helps pupils build their understanding step by step. Teachers typically demonstrate secure subject knowledge. They have robust knowledge of pupils' needs. Staff adapt learning effectively and support pupils to engage well in lessons. A small number of curriculum areas require further refinement to define the sequence of knowledge more clearly, so that it helps pupils to gain and embed knowledge securely over time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify pupils' needs early. They apply a detailed transition process that includes home visits and close work with families and professionals. This helps staff to gain a clear understanding of pupils' academic, social, emotional and mental health needs before they join the school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

All pupils have education, health and care (EHC) plan. Many pupils also have complex social needs, including involvement with external agencies. Leaders gather detailed information about these needs and use it well. They ensure staff understand pupils' experiences, barriers and strengths. Staff receive training that helps them respond effectively to pupils' needs. They apply this consistently in their work with pupils.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff build robust relationships with pupils. Pupils feel safe, valued and understood. As a result, they engage well with learning and participate positively in school life. Leaders maintain effective oversight of pupils who receive support from external services, including social care and the virtual school. They work closely with local partners to secure the right support for pupils and their families, at the right time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders track pupils' progress towards their EHC plan outcomes regularly. This helps them to identify needs and adapt support when required. Leaders recognise that they can strengthen this work further by breaking longer-term outcomes into smaller steps to allow even more precise tracking and support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and the proprietor place pupils at the centre of their work. They understand the multiple needs and varied experiences of pupils. They make decisions that reflect pupils' best interests. They share a clear commitment to improving pupils' lives and helping them achieve positive outcomes. This vision shapes the culture of the school and influences all aspects of its work.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the strengths of the school including the areas that require further development. Their evaluation of the school's work is accurate. They demonstrate a secure capacity for continued improvement. The proprietor and leaders maintain effective oversight of key aspects of the school's work. This includes safeguarding and inclusion. They understand the independent school standards well and ensure that these are consistently met. Leaders review pupils' progress, attendance behaviour and well-being regularly. They use this information typically well to identify needs and respond appropriately. Leaders have established effective systems to monitor the school's work. They recognise that they can strengthen these further through more precise tracking and analysing information. This will help them make improvement decisions that respond even more closely to pupils' needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff value the support that they receive from leaders. leaders recognise the demands of working in this setting and take staff well-being and workload into account constantly. They provide a well-planned programme of training so that staff have the knowledge and skills needed to support pupils effectively. Leaders and staff build positive relationships with parents and carers. They work closely with families through regular communication, key workers support and home visits. This helps families engage with the school and strengthens support for pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders place a robust focus on pupils' personal development. They have created a well- considered programme that responds to pupils' individual needs and prepares them well for adulthood. The school's key worker systems plays a central role in this work. Key workers build effective relationships with pupils and families and provide consistent support to them. This helps staff understand pupils' needs and respond effectively. Some pupils also receive additional therapeutic support to promote their emotional well-being and development.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides a broad range of experiences that extend beyond the classroom. Pupils take part in activities such as theatre visits, fossil hunting and residential trips. These opportunities broaden pupils' horizons and help them develop confidence, independence and resilience. They also encourage pupils to try new experiences and engage positively with the wider community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) curriculum is well sequenced. Pupils learn about topics that support their safety, well-being and future success. They develop an understanding of healthy relationships, consent, online safety and personal responsibility. The relationships, health and sex education curriculum complements this learning. It provides pupils with important knowledge to help them make safe and informed choices. Pupils learn about different cultures, beliefs and communities. They discuss current issues and consider wider viewpoints. Visitors and wider experiences help pupils challenge stereotypes and develop respect for others. Pupils also learn about democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide effective careers education. Pupils receive impartial advice and guidance to help them make decisions about their future. They visit colleges, explore future pathways and take part in work experience opportunities. These experiences help pupils understand their options. Pupils develop greater confidence, independence and self awareness over time. They learn how to manage their own needs and make informed decisions. They are very well prepared for life after school.

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

Pupils achieve well from their starting points. Many join the school with significant barriers to learning and engagement. Pupils develop secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics. They build knowledge across the curriculum and achieve a range of qualifications and accreditations. Pupils engage positively in lessons and show increasing confidence in their learning. They benefit from a curriculum that meets their academic, social and emotional needs. Pupils develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for their next stage. They are well prepared and ready for what comes next when they leave the school.

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

Pupils belong. They feel safe, valued and understood. Pupils build positive relationships with both staff and their peers. They trust staff to listen to them and support them when any concerns arise. Pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning consistently through the school. They participate positively in school life and are well supported to do so. Incidents of bullying do not happen often. Pupils are confident that staff will address these effectively if they do occur. Many pupils improve their attendance over time, despite historical challenges with their attendance. Pupils learn about democracy, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance. They develop an understanding and respect for different cultures, beliefs and communities. Pupils learn to contribute positively to society.

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

Pupils thrive at this school. They benefit from consistent and expert support that reflects their individual needs and circumstances. Pupils develop greater resilience and independence over time. They access a wide range of experiences, including educational visits, residential trips and work related learning. These opportunities broaden their experience of the wider world and help them develop new interests and aspirations. Pupils learn how to manage challenges, make informed and safe decisions and take responsibility. They are well prepared for their next stage of education, training or employment and adulthood.

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Next steps

Leaders should further develop their systems for tracking and analysing information so that decisions about improvement are increasingly precise and responsive to pupils’ needs.

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is equally ambitious and well sequenced across all subjects so that pupils build their knowledge securely over time through the entire curriculum. Leaders should identify intended outcomes for pupils with additional needs with even greater precision, so that provision meets pupils' needs as closely as possible and supports them to achieve well.

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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

The school supports pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.

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About this inspection

The school is part of KWS education Services. This school's address is 51 Brunel Road, Bedford, MMK41 9T. KWS education services has one other school situated at R2D, 1-9 Barton Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 3HU.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 5 unregistered alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

Karl Weaver is the proprietor of this school.

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About this inspection

The school's annual fees per pupil are £37,878.

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About this inspection

The school's email address is admin@kwseducational.co.uk

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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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