ALP Sittingbourne

ALP Sittingbourne

Address: 60, Bell, Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 4HE Unique reference number (URN): 149202

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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 Strong standard

Pupils make sustained progress from their wide range of starting points. The curriculum helps them to build the knowledge and skills they may have missed in their earlier education. Pupils leave school having secured accreditation in a range of subjects. Pupils develop a secure basis of knowledge in English and mathematics. They become increasingly accurate and fluent readers and use their phonics knowledge well to support with spelling and early writing.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils’ personal development is an integral element of their achievement. Many join the school having experienced significant periods out of education and find it difficult to be part of a classroom or work with others. The highly effective transition process and supportive culture that permeates the school supports pupils to flourish. Pupils leave the school very well prepared for their next stage of education and adulthood. They become confident and positive learners with the necessary skills to work effectively with others.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders are determined in their work to ensure that all pupils attend school as much as possible and therefore benefit from the opportunities provided. Clear processes are followed and leaders support pupils to attend school more. Leaders have a detailed understanding of the barriers facing each individual pupil and the causes of poor attendance. Their work has improved attendance quickly and sustained it for the majority of pupils.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The school is a highly calm and positive place to be. Staff know the pupils very well. Highly effective routines provide pupils with a focused start to each day. Positive routines and high expectations help pupils to regulate their behaviour effectively throughout the day. Staff have warm and caring relationships with pupils. Older pupils are positive role models for younger peers. During social times, pupils play well together. Pupils learn to manage their behaviours and communicate how they are feeling. They feel that bullying is very rare and are confident that staff will help them to address any friendship issues. Pupils enjoy and benefit from the positive behaviour in the school. They feel happy and safe in school, often for the first time in their experience of education.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have a detailed and accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching in the school. They constantly refine the curriculum and the quality of teaching to ensure they remain impactful for the changing cohorts. Leaders ensure there is a high level of consistency in the quality of teaching. Teachers use their knowledge and expertise to explain learning clearly. They select appropriate activities that are matched carefully to pupils’ individual needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that is highly appropriate for their pupils’ needs. The curriculum is logically sequenced and allows pupils to build on prior learning. Leaders have identified the skills and knowledge they want pupils to learn, and have ensured appropriate and ambitious end points that are supported by a number of carefully considered qualifications.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Pupils at the early stages of developing reading, writing and mathematical skills receive the support they need to fill gaps in learning. Phonics is taught consistently well across the school. Older pupils have similarly effective support to become increasingly confident and fluent readers. Well-designed interventions support pupils effectively to address any gaps in learning and provide pupils with the skills they need to access the wider curriculum with confidence.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school has a highly inclusive culture that is matched carefully to the school values. This is shared clearly with staff and they have a thorough understanding of how to implement the well-developed systems and processes that are in place. Leaders ensure that pupils’ needs are identified quickly and accurately through highly robust admission processes. They build a detailed picture of pupils’ needs through a broad range of assessments. The school has an ambitious training programme to ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge they need to support pupils. Close work with families and professionals supports this process.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The carefully designed curriculum meets the needs identified in pupils’ education, health and care plans. Teachers take careful account of pupils’ plans when designing learning tasks, ensuring provision is closely matched to individual needs. Leaders know the barriers to learning and closely monitor the impact of their strategies. They have a detailed understanding of the additional barriers faced by different groups of pupils and work closely with wider agencies to support the needs of all pupils. The school’s work has a profound impact for many pupils. They very effectively overcome historic and current barriers, which enables pupils to return to education and to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are role models of aspiration, ambition and high expectations. Leaders, staff and the proprietor body know their school well and are passionate that pupils achieve highly. The proprietor body uses a range of systems and resources to assure itself of the impact of the school’s work. Together with leaders, they ensure the school consistently meets the independent school standards. They have ensured a collaborative approach to development across the whole team. Leaders implement changes in a timely and purposeful way, and these improvements have a positive impact on pupils who attend the school.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff are very positive about their work in the school. They benefit from high-quality, carefully considered training and use this learning effectively. They feel that leaders make careful decisions that support them in managing their workload and wellbeing. Staff feel that their views are important and that leaders value their opinions. They share the same high ambition as leaders and work collectively in the best interests of pupils.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have forged highly cooperative and effective relationships with the local authorities they work with. They also develop and maintain constructive relationships with parents and carers, wider agencies and professionals. They are proud of their work supporting the local authority and other schools. Parents speak incredibly highly of the school’s work and recognise the difference it makes to their children and their families.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The proprietor body applied for a material change to the school's registration to increase the maximum number of pupils from 40 to 52 and also increase the age range from 7 to 19 to include those aged 6. This was considered during this standard inspection. The proprietor body intends to continue with the current curriculum offer for these additional pupils which is appropriate for the increased age range. The site has enough space to accommodate 12 extra pupils and and leaders have considered carefully how to support existing pupils to adapt to this change. Leaders have appropriate plans to recruit the additional staff required were the increased number and age range of pupils be granted. Therefore, all aspects of the requirements of the independent school standards are likely to be met if the proposed changes are approved.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school provides a personal development programme that extends far beyond the classroom. Leaders have created a suitable curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education. This is well sequenced and builds on pupils’ knowledge over time. It helps pupils to develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of how to stay safe and what it means to live in modern Britain. The school enhances this with a clearly planned programme of events that support pupils’ knowledge in key concepts such as financial responsibility and democracy. These activities are matched carefully to pupils' needs. Pupils show high levels of respect for difference and diversity. All pupils benefit from a well- developed and coherent approach to careers. Older pupils benefit from a vocational offer which allows them to develop a broad range of skills that prepares them well for their next steps.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school ensures that pupils develop crucial skills of independence through well-designed trips and visits. Pupils also have access to forest and beach school activities led by a skilled member of staff. Pupils also develop key skills for adult life through enterprise activities and residential trips. This work is matched carefully to pupils’ individual needs and provides all pupils with clear opportunities to develop attributes such as confidence and resilience.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils have a range of opportunities to share their talents and interests, for example the popular annual talent show. This is deeply inclusive and all pupils have opportunities to demonstrate their abilities. Pupils are proud to celebrate their successes in joyful celebration assemblies. Older pupils receive well-designed preparation for adulthood activities. Pupils develop key skills through a range of leadership roles. Pupils enjoy these opportunities and are proud to act as role models for others. Pupils at the school are very well prepared for adulthood.

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

Pupils thrive as individuals at ALP Sittingbourne and know they are valued members of their school community. From the moment pupils start at the school, leaders and staff take great care to understand their individual interests and barriers to learning. Pupils feel safe and know adults will really listen to them. Relationships between pupils and staff are built on firm foundations of care, trust and respect. Leaders develop positive and constructive relationships with parents and carers. These positive relationships across all members of the school community underpin the work of the school. Parents say that the school feels like a family.

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

Pupils have access to a curriculum that is broad but also focused on the most important knowledge and skills they will need. Pupils have opportunities to study in areas that are of particular interest to them. They progress well through the carefully considered curriculum because barriers to learning and wellbeing are significantly reduced. Pupils recall prior learning well and build on it successfully as they move through the school. Careers education supports pupils well to make informed choices about the opportunities available when they leave the school. Pupils are provided with the support that they need to be very well prepared for their next steps and adulthood.

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

Pupils behave very well across the school and meet the high expectations leaders and staff have for them. Bullying is rare and dealt with quickly and effectively when it does occur. Learning proceeds uninterrupted across the school. Pupils move around the school in a calm and orderly manner. Break times are a happy and harmonious time that provide opportunities to socialise and build friendships. This makes for a friendly and relaxed environment. Pupils feel they belong and they can achieve well in this nurturing environment. Pupils benefit highly from the school’s work to achieve its mission of ‘Empowering success through holistic and individualised learning’.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to refine and embed their identified priorities for improvement across all areas of the school’s work in order to drive a transformational impact for all pupils.

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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

This standard inspection was combined with a material change inspection. As a result, alongside the standard inspection activities, inspectors also sought to ascertain whether the school had the capacity to increase its pupil numbers from 40 to 52 pupils and increase the age range to admit pupils aged 6. It was determined that the school was likely to meet the standards related to the material change request. This was the school's first material change inspection.

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Independent school standards

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

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the executive headteacher, other senior leaders in school and the chair of the proprietary body during the inspection.

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Independent school standards

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Independent school standards

All pupils have an education, health and care plan. The school specifically caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and autism.

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Independent school standards

The name of the proprietor is ALP Schools Ltd.

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Independent school standards

The chair of the proprietor body is Gemma Gosden.

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Independent school standards

The fees currently charged are between £56,842.50 and £89,017.50.

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Independent school standards

The email address for the school is sittingbourne@alpschools.org.

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Independent school standards

The school does not use alternative provision.

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Independent school standards

The school address is ALP Sittingbourne, 60 Bell Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 4HE.

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Independent school standards

The school is registered to admit 40 pupils, with 40 pupils currently on roll.

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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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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. All standards have been met.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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

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Facts and figures used on inspection

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

6. Provision of information Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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

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Facts and figures used on inspection

All standards have been met. This data is from 14 July 2026

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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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