Opal Education

Opal Education

Address: Unit 12, Holland Business Park, Riverdane Road, Congleton, CW12 1PN Unique reference number (URN): 151766

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

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.

p.1

Inclusion Expected standard

All pupils at this school have education, health and care plans to support their special education needs and/or disabilities. Pupils join the school having had significant disruption to their education and prolonged periods of non-attendance at other schools. Leaders swiftly and accurately identify pupils' needs. Staff build secure and trusting relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to become confident to share their needs and concerns. Leaders use their deep knowledge of pupils and their families to shape support that is highly effective in addressing the barriers to wellbeing that many pupils face. Staff use their positive relationships with pupils to help them develop a sense of belonging. Pupils swiftly become ready to re-engage with learning as a result of this effective support.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff skilfully design experiences that help ignite pupils' curiosity. All pupils benefit from a rich range of activities that are adjusted for their interests. This helps pupils to become ready for more formal learning.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders are vocal advocates for pupils. They work very effectively with families and with other agencies that provide help. Leaders use their relationships with families and other agencies to make sure that pupils receive the support that they need.

p.2

Achievement Needs attention

Sometimes, pupils' achievement is limited because leaders have not identified the important learning that pupils need for future success. This makes it difficult for staff to ensure that pupils build their knowledge as well as they could. When pupils become ready for academic learning, their achievement is also hindered by the large gaps in their prior knowledge. The school does not address these precisely enough, and so the gaps persist.

p.2

Achievement Needs attention

Most pupils are not ready to participate in national examinations. For those who are, leaders provide expert tutors so that these pupils achieve well. In addition, pupils experience many moments of success in their social and emotional development. These include pupils leaving their home to visit somewhere for the first time, or beginning to engage with more formal learning in a classroom. Expert staff help pupils to achieve these important milestones in their progress. From their starting points, pupils become ready for the next steps in their education.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders do not have sufficient oversight of behaviour or attendance. While pupils do typically receive effective support, leaders do not check its impact carefully enough. Leaders are beginning to develop systems to help them to undertake these checks. However, these improvements are in their infancy and have not had time to impact on leaders' work. Most pupils join the school having had long periods of absence. Staff build positive relationships with pupils that help them to attend more often. Most pupils begin to attend school more regularly. Some pupils make significant gains in their attendance as a result of leaders' actions. However, leaders sometimes do not know which actions make the greatest difference to pupils' attendance over time.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Most pupils need extra support to help them to manage their behaviour. Typically, staff provide effective support that helps pupils to control their emotions and engage in learning. Leaders identify individual strategies to support each pupil. Staff use these strategies well. Pupils make considerable progress in managing their own behaviour as a result. Bullying almost never happens. Leaders ensure that discrimination and bullying is never tolerated and always addressed if it occurs. However, leaders have not made clear which behaviours should be reported and recorded. The school's records about behaviour do not provide useful information to help leaders to check the impact of their work to improve pupils' behaviour over time.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have made sure that a curriculum is in place for pupils to learn. However, leaders have only just begun to set out the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to acquire when they become ready for more formal learning. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders are in the very early stages of making sure that the curriculum is adapted to meet the learning needs of pupils with SEND. Although pupils do learn and make progress, pupils do not benefit from precise activities to help them to learn as securely as they should.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Most pupils who join the school have had a disrupted education and have significant gaps in their learning. Generally, teachers do not check or address the gaps in pupils' prior knowledge precisely enough. In some areas such as phonics, there is a different picture. Leaders have made sure that pupils benefit from a well-taught programme that addresses gaps in pupils' phonics knowledge to help them to read successfully. Some pupils are ready to study for exams. When this is the case, leaders provide high-quality tuition that helps pupils to be successful. Leaders and staff skilfully design experiences that spark pupils' interest. Staff use the rich range of experiences that leaders provide to gradually help pupils to secure some of the important knowledge that they need. For instance, pupils receive a social and emotional curriculum of carefully planned experiences designed around their individual SEND.

p.3

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Over time, the proprietor has not made sure that leaders have the knowledge and skills needed to make sure that the independent school standards are consistently and securely met. Leaders have identified the school's shortcomings accurately and taken the right action to address inconsistencies in its provision. These actions are in the early stages of development and have not had time to impact on the school's work. For instance, the curriculum is not adapted precisely enough to meet the needs that some pupils have or to address gaps in pupils' prior knowledge. In addition, leaders' checks on behaviour and attendance lack clarity and limit leaders' ability to check the impact of their work. Added to this, pupils do not learn enough about the different careers available to them. Furthermore, leaders have not made sure to undertake regular fire evacuation practice.

p.3

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have established a vision for the school to help pupils discover the desire to learn and to re-engage with their education. This vision inspires staff in their positive relationships with pupils. Leaders have created a culture that helps every pupil to know that they belong. Leaders make sure that their actions are in the best interests of pupils' wellbeing. Leaders work closely with families and other support services in this regard. These relationships are instrumental in securing the help and support that pupils and their families need.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff benefit from professional learning that helps them to support pupils' behaviour and wellbeing. Staff value the support that they receive from leaders for their own wellbeing. They are proud to work in this school.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have put in place a suitable personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum, alongside a relationships and sex education (RSE) curriculum. Staff skilfully respond to pupils' individual needs as they arise and provide important PSHE and RSE teaching to address these needs. However, leaders have not made sure that the important knowledge that pupils need is taught consistently. This means that pupils do not build this knowledge in a systematic way.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have carefully designed a range of activities that successfully promote pupils' social, moral and cultural development. Pupils visit many places of interest, including museums, wildlife parks and art galleries. These experiences help pupils to connect with the world around them and become ready for future learning. However, some pupils miss out on important PSHE and RSE learning. This limits their readiness for their future lives.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders make sure that pupils learn important life skills that help them to become more independent over time. For instance, pupils learn about financial literacy. Pupils also receive independent advice to support their future education and careers. A very small number of pupils benefit from work experience, but for most pupils this is not the case. Leaders have not made sure that pupils have sufficient opportunities to learn about different careers and further education opportunities. Some pupils move on to further study or work. When this is the case, leaders make sure that they receive high-quality support to help them to settle into their new environments. However, some pupils are not as well informed as they should be about future learning or work. This limits pupils' ability to make well-informed decisions.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders make sure that pupils are exposed to fundamental British values and are taught about equality and diversity. Most pupils need support to manage their wellbeing. Staff make sure that this support is of a high quality and adapted to each pupil's needs and circumstances. This aspect of pupils' personal development is particularly successful.

p.4

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

Leaders have established a school culture that helps pupils to re-engage with learning following periods of disruption and prolonged absence. All pupils in the school have an education, health and care plan to support their special educational needs and/or disabilities. School leaders and staff use their expertise to build trusting relationships with pupils. Pupils gain confidence and begin to engage in activities that are carefully designed for them. Some learn important mathematics knowledge through geocaching, while others explore language through building a loudspeaker. Some visit a café as a relaxed environment to learn phonics. Overall, pupils successfully restart their education. Skilled staff spot and address the barriers that pupils face to their wellbeing and future learning. Over time, pupils begin to attend more regularly.

p.5

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

Leaders have begun to set out the important knowledge and skills that pupils should acquire. However, this work is in the earliest stages of development. When pupils become ready for formal learning, the knowledge and skills that staff teach are not set out precisely enough or matched closely enough to pupils' needs. This limits the achievement of some pupils.

p.5

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

Leaders set an impressive example of positive relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils benefit from very secure connections with the adults in school. This helps pupils to develop a sense of belonging and learn how to manage their emotions and behaviour. Some pupils face many barriers in their lives. When pupils feel overwhelmed by these barriers, expert staff wrap support around them that helps pupils to regain their composure. However, leaders have not made sure that there are accurate records of pupils' behaviour. This makes it difficult for leaders to check the impact of staff's actions to help pupils to improve their behaviour over time.

p.5

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

Leaders make sure that pupils are kept safe. Staff listen carefully to pupils. Increasingly, pupils become confident to share things that worry them. Staff provide very effective support to help pupils manage these worries and challenges.

p.5

Next steps

Leaders should clearly identify the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to acquire so that pupils can build up their learning securely. Leaders should make sure that teachers use assessment strategies consistently well to check for gaps in pupils' prior knowledge and address these gaps more precisely. Leaders should make sure that personal, social, health and economic education is taught consistently so that pupils secure the important knowledge that they need. Leaders should improve the rigour of their checks to make sure that the independent school standards are consistently and securely met. Leaders should improve their strategic oversight of attendance and behaviour so that they can check the impact of their actions in these areas.

p.5

Independent school standards

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

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

About this inspection

The school was registered by the Department for Education in June 2025. This is the first standard inspection since the school was registered.

p.6

About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, who is also the chair of the proprietor body, and the deputy headteacher. Inspectors also spoke with groups of staff, pupils, parents and carers during the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

p.6

About this inspection

The school does not make use of alternative provision.

p.6

About this inspection

The name of the proprietor is OPAL Independent School for Education. The chair of the proprietor body is Paul Sperring.

p.6

About this inspection

The school is registered to admit 10 pupils, all of whom have education, health and care plans for their social, emotional and mental health needs.

p.6

About this inspection

The fees currently charged are £97,750 to £117,000 annually.

p.6

About this inspection

The email address of the school is paul@opalindependentschool.co.uk

p.6

About this inspection

1. Quality of education provided Standards not met

p.6

About this inspection

The following standards have not been met:

p.6

About this inspection

The standard in this paragraph is met if–

p.6

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

p.6

About this inspection

(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work– (i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and

p.7

About this inspection

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

p.7

About this inspection

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

p.7

About this inspection

(g) where the school has pupils above compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their needs;

p.7

About this inspection

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school–

p.7

About this inspection

(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; (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;

p.7

About this inspection

2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Standards met

p.7

About this inspection

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards not met

p.7

About this inspection

The following standards have not been met:

p.7

About this inspection

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that–

p.7

About this inspection

(a) a written behaviour policy is drawn up that, amongst other matters, sets out the sanctions to be adopted in the event of pupil misbehaviour; (b) the policy is implemented effectively; and (c) a record is kept of the sanctions imposed upon pupils for serious misbehaviour.

p.7

About this inspection

The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005[1].

p.8

About this inspection

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

p.8

About this inspection

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

p.8

About this inspection

6. Provision of information Standards met

p.8

About this inspection

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

p.8

About this inspection

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

p.8

About this inspection

The following standards have not been met:

p.8

About this inspection

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–

p.8

About this inspection

(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently;

p.8

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.9

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it. (b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and

p.9

Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.10

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.

p.10

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.10

Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

Insufficient evidence

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

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 .

p.10

Insufficient evidence

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

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

p.10