Rodenhurst School

Rodenhurst School, 2 July 2026 1 Rodenhurst School Rodenhurst Business Park, Rodenhurst Lane, Rodington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 4QU

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report:

Overall outcome The school does not meet all of the independent school standards that were checked during this inspection

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report:

At its most recent inspection, the school was judged to not meet all of the independent school standards and associated requirements.

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report:

The purpose of this inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

When we carry out progress monitoring inspections of independent schools, we report on the school’s likely compliance with part 8 of the independent school standards first. Under part 8, the proprietor is required to ensure that the school meets all of the independent school standards 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

At the previous inspection, there was no headteacher or acting headteacher in post. As a result, there was significant fragility in the leadership and management of the school. The proprietor had not ensured that those responsible for the leadership and management of the school demonstrated the skills and knowledge to meet the independent school standards (the standards) consistently. There were a number of unmet standards.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Following the last inspection, the Department for Education required the proprietor to submit an action plan. The action plan was judged to be not acceptable.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Since the previous inspection, the proprietor has appointed a new headteacher and associate director of education. These leaders have an appropriate understanding of education in the context of this particular school. Together, the proprietor and new leaders Rodenhurst School, 2 July 2026 2 have developed a strategic plan, which directly addresses the weaknesses found at the last inspection. While leaders have made many improvements to the curriculum, teaching, assessment, risk assessment and safeguarding, most of the standards found to be unmet at the last inspection remain unmet.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The proprietor has not ensured that the standards in this part are met.

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Curriculum

At the previous inspection, the proprietor had not ensured that there was a curriculum policy in place. Teachers chose what to teach ad hoc and there was little oversight of the curriculum.

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Curriculum

Leaders have developed a curriculum policy. This policy adequately reflects the needs of the pupils who attend the school. Leaders have also developed accompanying plans, which outline how they will implement the curriculum. Schemes of work plan in detail the social, emotional and relational elements of the curriculum. However, the schemes of work do not yet identify what pupils need to know from the academic curriculum, and when.

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Curriculum

Leaders have reviewed how they teach pupils to read. They have rightly identified that all pupils are at different stages and have different needs related to phonics and reading. Leaders also rightly identify that staff need more effective training in the teaching of reading. The school now has the resources needed to teach reading well. Leaders have planned training for staff in the new academic year. Staff are not yet using these resources because they have not been trained to do so.

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Curriculum

The proprietor has not ensured that these standards are met.

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Teaching

At the previous inspection, the proprietor had not ensured that the curriculum was well planned. As a result, teaching did not lead to pupils making the progress that they are capable of.

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Teaching

Given the remaining weaknesses in curriculum and assessment, teaching does not enable pupils to make good progress. Lessons are not as well planned as they need to be.

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Teaching

The school is not yet using some of the appropriate classroom resources that they have adopted because staff have yet to be trained to use them.

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Teaching

The proprietor has not ensured that these standards are met.

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Assessment

Rodenhurst School, 2 July 2026 3 At the previous inspection, no assessment framework was in place.

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Assessment

Leaders have designed an appropriate assessment framework. This framework reflects the curriculum policy so that assessment takes consideration of the particular pupils who attend the school and their unique curriculum. The assessment framework enables leaders to track pupils’ social, emotional and relational progress and adapt their work in light of these assessments. However, teachers cannot yet fully use the assessment framework to plan teaching because the schemes of work do not contain the detail they need to assess against.

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Assessment

The proprietor has not ensured that these standards are met.

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Safeguarding

At the previous inspection, there were weaknesses in the school’s processes for the vetting of staff. There were also weaknesses in the recording and monitoring of safeguarding concerns.

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Safeguarding

The school now has clarity over safeguarding cases that remain active and those where no further action is required. The proprietor has recently increased the capacity of staff to work on safeguarding by training an extra designated safeguarding leader. The school has also welcomed the support of the local authority in strengthening its safeguarding procedures. However, these arrangements have not been in place for long enough to see the impact. Safeguarding records do not consistently follow the relevant guidance. Some lack the appropriate detail needed so that senior leaders cannot supervise safeguarding cases.

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Safeguarding

The proprietor has not ensured that these standards are met.

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Risk assessment

At the previous inspection, the proprietor had not ensured at a risk assessment policy and risk assessments were in place.

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Risk assessment

Leaders have now established a risk assessment policy. They have also undertaken a wide range of risk assessments. These risk assessments are appropriate because they are specific to the school and cover the physical site and building and all of the activities that take place in and around it.

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Risk assessment

The proprietor has ensured that these standards are met. Rodenhurst School, 2 July 2026 4

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The school’s accessibility plan

At the previous inspection, the school did not have an accessibility plan. Leaders have developed an appropriate accessibility plan, which outlines how the school will improve access to the premises, curriculum and information.

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The school’s accessibility plan

The proprietor has ensured that this requirement is met.

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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

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

This inspection was carried out without notice.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with pupils, staff, leaders, the chair of the proprietor board and the local authority during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Inspectors also considered the school’s safeguarding arrangements, including the single central record of pre-employment checks and whether the school’s safeguarding policy is available to parents and carers. These requirements of the ISS are met.

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About this inspection

The preceding inspection was an additional inspection in January 2026. Following that inspection, the Department for Education required the school to complete a statutory action plan. Ofsted evaluated this action plan on 26 March 2026.The Department for Education rejected this action plan.

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About this inspection

The previous standard inspection was in May 2024. This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection.

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Lead inspector

Dan Owen His Majesty’s Inspector Rodenhurst School, 2 July 2026 5

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About this school

Rodenhurst School operates from Rodenhurst Business Park, Rodenhurst Lane, Roddington, Shropshire SY4 4QU.

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About this school

Rodenhurst School is part of the Family Care Group. The school provides full-time education for pupils aged 6 to 16 years, who have social, emotional and mental health difficulties, trauma, anxiety, autism and associated conditions. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.

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About this school

The school uses no alternative provision.

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About this school

The school is registered to admit 15 pupils.

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proprietor body

Headteacher Mr Mathew Barnett Type of school Other independent special school Capacity 15

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compulsory school age on roll

Age range of pupils 6 to 16 Gender of pupils Mixed Annual fees for day pupils £48,520 to £96,944 Email address rodenhurst.school@family-care.co.uk

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 2(1)(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 – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work- – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and Rodenhurst School, 2 July 2026 6  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(b) fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; – 3(f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress;

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) 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- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- Rodenhurst School, 2 July 2026 7 – 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 32(1)(c) particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request; Rodenhurst School, 2 July 2026 8 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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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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