School of Coding AEP Limited

School of Coding AEP Limited

Address: Unit 8 Newton Court, Pendeford Business Park, Wolverhampton, WV9 5HB Unique reference number (URN): 151496

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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 Needs attention

Full-time pupils are typically prepared well for the next stage of their education. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities progress well from their starting points. The school uses the information on education, health and care plans to successfully adapt learning for each individual. Pupils’ books show clear progress over time, particularly in English, where pupils move from basic sentence construction to extended writing using increasingly sophisticated language features. If pupils choose to study a subject to examination level, they typically gain appropriate qualifications. This prepares them well for their next steps.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils who have a part-time timetable experience a limited range of subjects. The school focuses on foundational skills in English and mathematics for these pupils. This work is successful in helping pupils to catch up and address any gaps. However, they do not get the chance to learn knowledge and make progress across the wider curriculum.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils arrive with very inconsistent attendance at previous settings. The school supports pupils and families to reduce the barriers that pupils face to attending. They have success with much of this work. However, pupils’ attendance is variable, and some pupils do not attend well. Leaders have not ensured that attendance records are completed in line with statutory guidance. This means that leaders’ information about absence is inaccurate. Consequently, leaders’ approaches to improve the attendance of pupils is not as targeted and effective as it could be.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

The school has established a behaviour approach that is centred on high expectations, positive relationships and consistent routines. The school is effective at sensitively supporting pupils to regulate their own behaviour. Staff expertly model how to behave and interact in a positive way with adults and peers. When pupils struggle, effective pastoral support and guided reflection help pupils learn from their mistakes. As a result, pupils behave well and learning is rarely disrupted. Pupils know that staff would deal with bullying if it were to occur.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a curriculum that reflects the school's specialist vision, with coding and game design providing a motivating context for learning and developing computer skills. The broader curriculum is suitable and well planned for each subject and year group. It identifies clear end points and builds on what has already been taught and learned.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Pupils typically join the school on a part-time timetable. During this time, while pupils settle in, they focus on foundational skills in English and mathematics. This ensures pupils catch up on areas, where they may have gaps due to missed learning in previous settings. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive targeted help so they can access work alongside their peers. Teaching is effective. Teachers have good subject knowledge. The school uses a range of checks on pupils’ learning to plan what pupils need to learn next. They provide pupils with regular written and verbal feedback. This means pupils understand what they have done well and where they need to improve.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

However, leaders have not drawn up plans to systematically increase part-time timetables. Some pupils remain on a part-time timetables for a long time. As a result, they do not experience the school’s broad curriculum.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The school has established a positive school experience for families and pupils, who have previously experienced difficulties in mainstream education. At this school, pupils re-engage with education because they receive effective personalised support in a nurturing environment.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Pupils’ individual needs are recognised quickly, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school considers information from any pupil’s education, health and care plans to inform them about what support is required. When pupils join the school, leaders make sure staff understand pupils’ strengths and any potential barriers to learning. This means teachers know how to adapt work for each pupil. Pupils and teachers develop trusted relationships. Staff also have a secure understanding of pupils’ individual behavioural and emotional needs. They understand when to intervene or allow pupils time and space to self-regulate. Pupils flourish due to regular pastoral check-ins from trusted adults.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Much of the school's effectiveness in removing barriers to learning, relies on the knowledge and determination of individual staff. The school does not have clearly defined and consistently used processes for reviewing and recording pupils’ needs. As a result, leaders do not record changes to pupils’ needs and progress thoroughly or have a clear strategic overview of the effectiveness of the support they provide.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have not ensured that the independent school standards (the standards) are met.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The proprietor makes sure the school’s vision is enacted through the day-to-day work of the school. The school is ambitious for pupils to re-engage with learning and be ready for their future lives. Alongside the proprietor, leaders inspire pupils to have high aspirations for their own futures.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders understand the school’s context and the challenges that pupils face. They have made appropriate decisions about future intended improvements that will strengthen leadership capacity and increase pupils’ access to a wider curriculum. However, leaders do not currently evaluate some aspects of the school’s work in sufficient detail. This means that leaders do not have the information they need to strategically review the impact of the school’s work on pupils’ behaviour, attendance and learning. Leaders are committed to developing the expertise of staff. Staff appreciate their relevant training, which improves their practice. Leaders support teachers to manage their workload well. For example, the school provides teachers with helpful curriculum plans that save them time so they can focus on adapting the activities to meet pupils’ needs. Staff feel that leaders are considerate of their wellbeing. They are proud to be part of the school team.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders develop constructive relationships with parents and carers. The school ensures parents are kept informed about how well their child is doing. Typically, parents agree the school is making a positive difference for their children, who are able to re-engage with education and are happy at school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have created a nurturing environment in which pupils are supported to develop high aspirations for their future. The school provides effective pastoral support that helps pupils feel respected and valued. As a result, pupils demonstrate increasing confidence and are encouraged to develop resilience and independence.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders want every pupil, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities, to develop the skills and character they need for adult life. There is a clear programme of personal development. This outlines how pupils develop their understanding of protected characteristics, fundamental British values and cultural diversity in modern Britain. Pupils regularly discuss a range of moral questions that helps them develop a clear sense of right and wrong. Pupils learn to respect the views of others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils have opportunities to broaden their experiences and enable them to develop their talents, especially through aspects of computing, such as games design. Pupils have opportunities to try different sports at a local sports facility. The school ensures that all pupils can join in with enrichment activities, such as trips to animal parks, aquariums and visits to the local area.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school’s careers education programme makes a difference for some pupils and supports them to select and apply for appropriate and aspirational next steps through timetabled work skills sessions. However, careers education is not delivered consistently for all pupils. This means some pupils do not receive regular careers advice and guidance to support them to make informed decisions about their post-16 options in employment or education. Additionally, the personal development programme includes a suitable relationships and sex education programme. This is not regularly taught to all pupils, so some pupils do not develop a deep knowledge about healthy relationships and are not as well prepared for adulthood as they could be.

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

At School of Coding, pupils quickly find a place, where they are safe, happy and feel they belong. They develop confidence to re-engage with learning and build resilience over time. Most pupils have experienced difficulties in their previous education. Pupils enjoy their learning, which is personalised and linked to their needs. They enjoy the specialist teaching in gaming, coding and subjects, such as animation.

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

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Teachers design lessons to help pupils build their knowledge step by step. They make sure pupils have a good understanding of the important skills in English and mathematics. Staff adjust the work and reduce barriers to learning so all pupils feel successful. As a result, pupils concentrate during lessons and feel a growing pride in their achievements.

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

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive, based on respect and understanding. Pupils are confident to share any worries with staff because they trust them to listen and provide support if needed.

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

However, pupils do not attend school regularly, and some pupils remain on part-time timetables for long periods. This means they do not have the chance to benefit from all aspects of the school’s wider curriculum. For example, part-time pupils do not experience regular careers education or benefit from a complete programme of relationships and sex education. This means they are not as well prepared for their next steps as they could be.

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

Pupils are well behaved and respectful. Commonly understood and applied routines help pupils feel secure and ready to learn. Bullying is never tolerated in this school, and should it happen, staff deal with it without delay.

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

Pupils benefit from the new experiences that leaders plan for them. For instance, pupils visit the theatre and nearby universities. These visits enhance pupils' learning. Leaders make sure that everyone accesses these opportunities.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that there are clear step-by-step processes for assessing, meeting, reviewing and recording pupils’ needs to enable the school to have a strategic overview of the impact of their support on pupils. Leaders should ensure that all students, once settled in school, experience a full-time broad and balanced curriculum suited to their needs that enables them to achieve their potential in a wide range of subjects. Leaders should ensure that pupils’ attendance is recorded in line with statutory guidance to enable the school to have an accurate understanding of pupils’ absence rates, and, therefore, improve attendance for all pupils. Leaders should ensure that all students receive appropriate and well-organised relationships and sex education and careers education, so they are ready for their next steps as adults. The proprietor should ensure that leaders have the capacity to be able to strategically

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Next steps

review the impact of all areas of the school’s work, so that pupils attend regularly and achieve well across all areas of 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 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

Inspectors spoke with the chair of the proprietor body and the headteacher.

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About this inspection

The proprietor body is School of Coding AEP Limited and the chair of the proprietor body is Sandeep Athwal.

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About this inspection

The annual fees currently charged are £37,050 to £56,050.

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About this inspection

The email address is suki@schoolofcoding.co.uk

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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 is located at Unit 8 Newton Court, Pendeford Business Park, Wolverhampton WV9 5HB.

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About this inspection

This is the first standard inspection of the school. The school was registered registered by the DfE in June 2025.

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About this inspection

The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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About this inspection

1. Quality of education provided Standards not met

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About this inspection

The following standards have not been met:

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About this inspection

The standard in this paragraph is met if–

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About this inspection

(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and Paragraph 2(2)

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About this inspection

For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are–

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About this inspection

(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education;

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About this inspection

(e) for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that– (i) is presented in an impartial manner; (ii) enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options; and (iii) helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential;

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About this inspection

(h) that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress; and

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About this inspection

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor–

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About this inspection

(b) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with secondary education at the school is provided with relationships and sex education, except in so far as the pupil is excused as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2),

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About this inspection

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 not met

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About this inspection

The following standards have not been met: Paragraph 15

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About this inspection

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024.

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About this inspection

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

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Lead inspector:

Corinne Biddell, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspector:

Nazya Ghalib, Ofsted Inspector All standards have been met.

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Team inspector:

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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Team inspector:

6. Provision of information Standards met

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Team inspector:

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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Team inspector:

8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Standards not met

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Team inspector:

The following standards have not been met: Paragraph 34(1)

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Team inspector:

The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school–

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Team inspector:

(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; (b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and (c) actively promote the wellbeing of pupils.

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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

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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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