The Haven School Wolston

The Haven School Wolston

Address: The Stables at the Hall, Rugby Road, Wolston, CV8 3FZ Unique reference number (URN): 148828

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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

Pupils often arrive at the school with a history of fragmented attendance. As leaders know each pupil, they quickly identify and minimise barriers to regular attendance at school. This means that pupils feel secure and are ready to attend more regularly. Therefore, pupil attendance is high. Part-time timetables are used appropriately to enable pupils to regain the habit of regular attendance. Leaders regularly review their use of these timetables, and ensure that pupils are well supported to increase their attendance. Leaders have a comprehensive overview of pupils' attendance. This means they act rapidly should a pupil's attendance start to decrease from the high levels which they expect.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils behave very respectfully towards each other and towards the staff. This is because they benefit from supportive relationships across the school. This helps all the pupils to understand the school's expectations for how they should behave. Pupils try hard in lessons and look to complete tasks to the best of their ability. Pupils understand that difference is celebrated at this school, and bullying is not tolerated. Leaders check carefully that pupils meet the school's expectations. If pupils have difficulties in this, leaders take supportive and effective action.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have highly effective processes in place to ensure the school is inclusive for all its pupils. When pupils first start, leaders take considerable care to understand their individual needs, as well as their previous experience of school and learning. As all pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities, leaders use their education, health and care plans as well as advice from external experts to ensure that informative and accurate learning plans are produced for each pupil, both for their learning and their wellbeing. These include ambitious targets for each pupil's progress. Staff understand these plans, and what they mean for how they support pupils. This means there is a consistent approach to meeting pupils' needs, and barriers to their wellbeing and learning are reduced. Staff regularly review these plans to ensure they reflect each pupil's journey as they develop. Should pupils need

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Inclusion Strong standard

additional support, leaders ensure this is provided promptly. Pupils therefore make good progress against the ambitious targets which leaders have agreed.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Pupils who are disadvantaged have support to ensure they can access experiences in line with their peers. This means leaders provide equipment and help with funding for trips or other activities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school's provision for pupils' personal development and wellbeing is a notable strength. Leaders have designed a high-quality curriculum to ensure pupils secure the necessary learning they need. The teaching of personal development is very precise and consistent. This includes pupils' lessons, key-worker time and the discussions that teachers skilfully lead in assemblies. As a result, pupils develop detailed knowledge around life in modern Britain, healthy relationships, other cultures and beliefs and how to stay safe.

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Expected standard

Leaders carefully check that pupils learn the curriculum well. They also adapt the curriculum to ensure it continues to meet pupils' individual needs. This means, for example, that extra experiences are organised for pupils which support them to be ready for independent living. Such experiences include visits to local shops, organising a Christmas fair to sell items, trips and activities. As leaders understand how individual pupils are progressing, they carefully target pupils to benefit from the specific opportunities which they provide.

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Expected standard

The pastoral support which adults provide to pupils is of very high-quality. This is because of the strong relationships which all adults have with the pupils. These relationships are informed by a deep understanding of how each pupil is progressing in their development. This helps adults to understand how best to support each pupil.

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Expected standard

Leaders have carefully designed a careers programme to support pupils to access ambitious destinations when they leave the school. These opportunities start early in the school. Leaders discuss opportunities available to pupils. They listen to pupils' views. They also broaden pupils' experiences of what is possible for future education or employment. This includes, for example, pupils learning about apprenticeships and visits to local colleges. This all means that pupils are very well-prepared for further study, independent living or employment. Pupils all secure high-quality destinations when they leave the school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils complete work to the best of their ability. They typically achieve an impressive suite of qualifications. These are carefully selected to ensure that all pupils secure qualifications in English and mathematics alongside a range of other subjects. As leaders know the pupils well, they ensure pupils are entered for qualifications at a level which they can achieve. In this way, pupils make sound progress from their starting points. Pupils enjoy the optional qualifications which they study and see value in these. These include qualifications in such subjects as food, media, employability and textiles. These help ensure that pupils are well prepared for future study and independent living.

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Achievement Expected standard

Although older pupils achieve well, there can be some variance in how well some of the younger pupils achieve. For some, their attitude towards reading limits how rapidly they are ready to learn the ambitious curriculum which leaders have put in place.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. They recognise that many pupils join the school with gaps in learning because their previous experience of education has been disrupted. Leaders identify the knowledge that pupils need to catch up on so that they can access the school’s curriculum successfully. This work is generally effective. Leaders are reviewing the teaching of early reading and how pupils develop a love of reading. They are doing this to ensure that support for this foundational knowledge is consistently high quality. Teachers usually set tasks that build on what pupils already know. Teachers and additional adults generally provide clear explanations and appropriate support. This enables pupils to rapidly secure the learning they need. This is especially the case for older pupils. When the learning activity is less well-selected, or explanations lack clarity, this can slow the pace of

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

learning. This is more likely to be the case for younger pupils with more complex learning needs. Some additional adults can also be less precise in how they support some of these pupils. Typically, however, pupils learn the school's curriculum well thanks to effective teaching.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have wasted no time in securing high-quality provision as the school has expanded. They have a clear vision for the development of the school and are ambitious for every pupil. Leaders use the information they hold about pupils with increasing precision to make informed judgements about the impact of their work and areas for further development. Their work to develop the quality of teaching is having an impact to ensure teaching is consistently high quality.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The proprietors and board of governors offer supportive challenge to leaders. They ensure that leaders have the resources and expertise to carry out their roles. They check carefully that the independent school standards are met, safeguarding practice is secure, and that the provision in the school meets their expectations.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff appreciate how leaders engage with them around matters of workload and wellbeing. They understand the wider vision for the school, and how leaders communicate this to them. They appreciate the opportunities which leaders provide to develop in their roles.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents are very positive about the school and the opportunities it provides for the pupils. As one parent states: 'The school puts pupils' best interests in all decisions that they make.'

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

Pupils thrive at this school. As one pupil said: 'This school is magical - you change when you come here.' Other pupils share this view. They feel that they belong at this unique setting and value the strong relationships they build with the adults who work here. Staff know pupils well as individuals and support them to learn and to flourish, despite many having had negative experiences of education before joining the school.

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

Pupils benefit from the many wider opportunities available to them, including trips, visits and additional activities. Many of these are carefully planned to help pupils prepare for independent living when they leave. Pupils are happy and achieve well. Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum and, through effective teaching, pupils gain high-quality qualifications. Because all the adults working with them know them well, pupils receive consistent support to overcome barriers to learning and attendance. This helps all pupils to make effective progress from their starting points. Pupils behave very well towards adults, visitors and each other. They celebrate difference and understand that poor behaviour towards anyone is not tolerated. Pupils feel safe and know that adults will listen if they have concerns. They trust that adults will always act in their best interests. The strong relationships that they enjoy help pupils to attend regularly,

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

even when this has been difficult in the past. Pupils are well-prepared for life after school thanks to the carefully targeted experiences and guidance which leaders provide. Pupils secure impressive apprenticeships, employment or further study when they leave.

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Next steps

Leaders should work to enhance the precision of teaching in key stage three to more securely and consistently meet the learning needs of these pupils.

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About this inspection

The names of the proprietors are Steve Farmer and Jennifer Delaney, and the chair of the governing board is Martin Cain.

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About this inspection

The fees currently charged range from £60 000 to £96 000.

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About this inspection

The school's email address is: enquiries@thehavenwolston.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 senior leaders, the chair of the governing board, governors, the proprietors, staff and pupils during the inspection. Minutes of the governing board were reviewed. Pupils' books were scrutinised. One commissioning local authority was contacted by telephone. The lead inspector also spoke to a number of parents.

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About this inspection

The school has a small number of students who attend post-16 provision. Due to the small numbers, this provision is not reported on separately. Inspectors gathered evidence about the experiences and outcomes of these pupils, and this evidence is included in the inspection findings above.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school caters for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, specifically those on the autism spectrum or with social, emotional or mental health needs. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Independent school standards

A number of senior leaders and staff are new in post since the last inspection.

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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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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. All standards have been met.

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Exceptional

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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Exceptional

8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Standards met

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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

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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