Pathway Schools Limited

Pathway Schools Limited

Address: Impact House, Coldnose Road, Rotherwas, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR2 6JL Unique reference number (URN): 151740

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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 Expected standard

On the whole, pupils are supported well so that they are ready for their next stage of learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils join the school with disrupted experiences of education. Most have significant gaps in their learning. The school quickly sets about preparing pupils for life after school, making sure that they have the personal, social and emotional resources to go on to their next phase of learning. The therapeutic curriculum enables pupils to manage their behaviours and emotions. In this area of the curriculum, pupils achieve well. Some pupils follow a more formal curriculum. Here, in most subjects, pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

All pupils at the school have an education, health and care plan for social and emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. In the past, this has had an impact on their attendance at school. The school works tirelessly with pupils to understand the barriers to their good attendance. They put individual strategies in place to help overcome these barriers, and for most pupils attendance improves rapidly. A number of young people have significant barriers to attending school. The school works with these pupils and parents to address the SEMH needs that affect regular attendance. Pupils respond well to this careful support and, over time, their attendance improves from their starting points.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Through the high levels of adult support and the carefully developed curriculum, pupils learn to manage their emotions and behaviours. They learn to ask for help, or to find ways of approaching the difficulties they may have. Pupils treat each other with high levels of understanding and respect. As a result, bullying is rare and is dealt with well by staff. Pupils' communication in and out of school is respectful and kind. Where falling out happens, pupils receive help from staff to put things right.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have developed a ‘pathways approach' to the curriculum that is designed to meet and address the social, emotional and mental health needs of their pupils. Leaders refine and develop this curriculum model to reflect the changing needs of pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school prioritises English and mathematics. Staff quickly identity gaps in pupils’ foundational knowledge and tailor pupils' work accordingly. Pupils are supported to secure their mathematical knowledge and understanding well. The school's work to ensure pupils secure reading and writing is not as well developed so it has not yet had the impact leaders intend.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have a high level of expertise. They deliver the curriculum consistently well. They demonstrate secure knowledge of the needs of pupils and use this knowledge to make appropriate adaptations in their learning. In the main, the subject curriculum is well planned and sequenced. In some foundation subjects, the curriculum does not consistently identify the important knowledge that pupils should learn across each pathway. This limits teachers’ ability to routinely build on prior learning. Some pupils follow individual curriculum pathways that are designed to build on their needs and interests. This helps them to engage positively with learning. However, for this small group of pupils, the curriculum is not always closely aligned to their education, health and care plan outcomes. As a result, teachers are not able to monitor pupils' progress towards these outcomes as precisely as they could.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Inclusion is at the heart of Pathway School. Leaders have made careful choices about the design of the building, the development of the curriculum and the expected behaviour of staff to make sure that all pupils are able to access learning on site, or through the provision of carefully tailored off-site learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

When pupils join the school, leaders take care to observe and understand pupils' needs. Leaders use carefully designed baseline tests to identify the barriers and gaps that pupils may have in mathematics and English so that staff can adapt the curriculum. All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan for social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Leaders use pupils' EHC plans to guide the provision in the school. However, leaders do not use individual pupils' EHC plans to guide the curriculum as well as they could. This makes it more difficult for leaders to evaluate pupils' outcomes as effectively as they might.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders are skilful in addressing the barriers to learning and/or wellbeing that pupils' SEMH and other needs present. They use a number of effective strategies to support pupils to be ready for their next stage in learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know the school well. They identify the strengths and the areas of the school that need developing. In the main, the school makes the right changes quickly. At times, school leaders' involvement in all aspects of the day-to-day running of the school hinders their strategic oversight. Although this has ensured that pupils benefit from a consistent approach to their learning and wellbeing, leaders' strategic oversight of pupils' performance is more limited.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The proprietors set the vision and ethos of the school. They are fully involved in all aspects of the school's work. Proprietors have prioritised making sure that the right resources are available to school leaders so that their educational vision is realised. However, at times, the proprietors do not focus sufficiently well on the educational outcomes of pupils. This limits their ability to hold leaders to account as well as they could.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school works closely with parents, who are fully involved in the education choices that are made for pupils. Many parents comment on how much the school has improved the learning and wellbeing of their children. The proprietors have developed a good relationship with the local authority. They share information well. This supports pupils when they join the school. Staff say they feel supported by leaders. They enjoy working at the school. An extended induction for all new staff means that staff are trained well in the school's 'pathways approach'. In turn, leaders act as positive role models for staff. This results in consistently high expectations of all staff and pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school prioritises pupils' personal development. It is woven into all aspects of the school’s life. Leaders ensure that pupils develop positive relationships with adults and with their peers to prepare them for their next steps. Pupils who follow individual curriculums have carefully planned interactions with school staff to support them to be prepared for their next stage in learning.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils on the school-based pathways learn about the world around them, healthy relationships, and how to keep themselves safe online and in the community. Pupils learn how to understand themselves and others. They are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. There is a thoughtful careers programme. Leaders have provided some tailored opportunities for pupils to learn about different career pathways. Mostly, pupils on individual curriculums follow an appropriate personal development curriculum. However, there is still work to do to make sure that these pupils develop a secure, age-appropriate understanding of the school's personal, social and health education curriculum.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral support is a strength of the school. Staff know their pupils well so they step in quickly to support pupils when it is needed. Pupils know that staff respect them and do not judge them. Pupils ask for help when they need it. They understand that other pupils may need help at times.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff adapt the curriculum well to develop pupils' talents and interests. Pupils with a particular interest in history or a sport, for example, use this to support their learning. Pupils benefit from extensive learning outside the classroom. They learn to tend to the school garden, walk with the school dogs and participate in community activities. Pupils go on visits to the local museum and library. These, and a wide range of other activities, prepare pupils to be able to participate in life beyond school.

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

Pupils’ respectful and trusting relationships with each other and with staff underpin all aspects of life in this nurturing school. Every pupil is known, valued and encouraged to express themselves, confident that their views will be heard. Staff create a calm, caring environment where pupils feel safe and supported.

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

Pupils learn to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour well. They appreciate the highly effective support they receive from skilled staff to help them through any difficulties. Relationships between pupils are very positive, and unkind behaviour is uncommon. When incidents do occur, staff respond promptly and effectively. Many pupils who attend this school have experienced significant disruption to their learning and wellbeing. Pupils benefit from a curriculum that is closely tailored to their individual needs and circumstances. They are empowered to make meaningful choices about what and how they learn. Through the care, encouragement and expertise of staff, pupils quickly gain the confidence to engage in learning, take up new opportunities and believe in their ability to succeed. Pupils develop greater independence and self-esteem. They are motivated to attend school regularly and engage positively in school life.

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

Pupils participate in many opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom. These experiences are carefully selected to enrich pupils’ learning and to help overcome their barriers to learning and wellbeing. Pupils learn about and take part in local sporting and leisure opportunities, and visit local places of interest to enhance their learning. This helps prepare pupils for adult life.

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

Pupils value the education they receive at Pathway School. They are proud of their educational successes and the progress they make.

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Next steps

Leaders should make sure that the curriculum and wider provision consistently support all pupils, including those that follow individual curriculum pathways to make progress towards the outcomes identified in their education, health and care plans. Leaders should strengthen the curriculum so that each pathway identifies the important knowledge pupils should learn and remember in every subject, including those who access the curriculum at home. The proprietors should strengthen their oversight of the school's educational performance by evaluating more closely the impact of leaders' work on pupils' achievement.

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About this inspection

The executive headteacher is Rebecca Kenny.

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About this inspection

The proprietor is Pathway Schools Limited.

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About this inspection

The chair of the proprietor body is Ian Saunders.

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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 (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. Inspectors spoke with the chair of the proprietor body, the executive headteacher, headteacher and other leaders of the school.

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Independent school standards

The school makes use of one unregistered alternative provision.

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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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25

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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25

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

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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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