Doucecroft School

Doucecroft School, 10 September 2026 1 Doucecroft School Abbotts Lane, Eight Ash Green, Colchester, Essex, CO6 3QL

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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 (ISS) 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 ISS 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 ISS first. Under part 8, the proprietor is required to ensure that the school meets all of the ISS 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

Over the past 2 years, there has been significant turbulence within both the leadership and wider staffing teams. This meant that leaders did not have the capacity to improve the school. There were many changes of staff at all levels, which had an impact on how well pupils were known by staff and able to meet their individual needs.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Since the previous monitoring inspection, the school has made significant progress with improving the quality of education provided.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The current headteacher has now been in post for nearly 2 terms. The senior leadership team has been stabilised and has the time and capacity to monitor, support and further improve teaching across the school. The action plan submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) is being followed precisely. The impact of leaders’ actions is clearly Doucecroft School, 10 September 2026 2 positive in what pupils experience. This gives confidence that senior leaders are choosing the right actions in the right order to improve the school.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The action plan (matching what was seen on inspection) noted that some improvements would not be in place until September, because of the shape and timing of the school year. This means that at this point many of the improvements to the school are very new and the impact of them has only been shown for a very short time. As a result, the requirements for leaders to ensure the independent school standards are met consistently are still not met.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Leaders are also improving other aspects of the school. They are streamlining processes such as risk assessment, so that the important information is quickly understood by staff who need to know. They have improved the staffing arrangements so that pupils are supervised by adults familiar to them more of the time. This is also enhancing staff welfare by having predictable breaks at sensible times. Staff feel very well supported and are positive about the changes that have been made.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Leaders have increased the number of staff members to ensure that annual reviews are correctly organised and to check that pupils are having the support needed to meet their education, health and care plan objectives. The proprietor body has invested financially in the site, improving classrooms and the standard of grounds maintenance.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The proprietor body has further improved the oversight of the school, with a small sub- committee of the main trustees having a high focus on the school’s performance and progress against their action plans. This ensures challenge and support for senior leaders. The proprietor body is in the process of appointing a trustee with a professional education background. Senior leaders of the proprietor body have undertaken additional safeguarding training focused on education to enable them to further develop their understanding of this vital work.

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Curriculum

The school has substantially improved its curriculum plans.

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Curriculum

Previously, the related standards were not met as the curriculum plans were not fully developed. The organisation of classes also meant that the delivery of the curriculum plans was difficult, with teachers trying to follow different plans for different pupils.

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Curriculum

Leaders have streamlined the curriculum plans, focusing on 2 clear pathways (semi-formal and formal) rather than multiple ones. They have ensured that the planning for older pupils working on early developmental skills focuses on texts and activities suitable for their age, rather than repeating those aimed at very young children. Leaders have ensured Doucecroft School, 10 September 2026 3 that there is a rolling programme of learning over several years, so that pupils do not repeat topics unnecessarily.

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Curriculum

This programme includes those students in the post-16 provision. The key stage 4 curriculum has a high focus on pupils gaining relevant qualifications. Most pupils leave at the end of Year 11. Last year, around half of these pupils were able to progress directly to Level 1 or 2 college and/or training placements. The small number who stay for Year 12 are those who are not quite ready to move on to other further education provision. They remain within the key stage 4 classes, continuing to work on gaining qualifications and confidence ready for the next stage of education, employment or training.

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Curriculum

The key stage 4 and post-16 curriculum has a high focus on careers and preparedness for adult life. Both key stage 4 pupils and post-16 students spend time visiting colleges and practising independent travel skills.

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Teaching

Previously, teaching was not effective. Pupils were not taught the knowledge needed before they were asked to complete activities. The organisation of the school day was vague. Lesson time was not always used well. Pupils did not read enough and staff knowledge of how to teach phonics was limited.

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Teaching

Leaders have led training to improve the quality of teaching. They have used high-quality resources and materials to do this. This has had a positive impact on the effectiveness of teaching. Teachers model what they want pupils to do. They scaffold support and resources so that every pupil can access appropriate learning. Pupils are expected to listen to, and join in with, whole-class teaching. Staff use a variety of visual and other cues to help pupils know what is going to happen and in what order. The quality of pupils’ written work, where appropriate, has improved.

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Teaching

There have been very recent appointments made to enhance the staff team, with more subject specialists in place for the secondary and post-16 classes. Pupils’ work and lesson visits show that they are engaging in learning. For example, pupils enthusiastically took part in a physical education lesson. Their written work in English shows that they have thought carefully about difficult concepts.

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Teaching

All pupils are reading or engaging in reading-type activities (for example sharing stories with sensory input or actions) much more often than in the past. It is a daily part of the school day. Staff have made sure that the books pupils read are both well matched to their reading stage and their age. Books are more visible around the school than in the past and clearly used by pupils. A phonics leader has started in post who will implement the remaining parts of the action plan around further upskilling staff in teaching phonics and comprehension. Doucecroft School, 10 September 2026 4 The improvements to teaching are at an early stage of implementation. Leaders intend to monitor teaching and learning to ensure that the changes are embedded over time.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are kept safe. Several members of staff, and those from the proprietor body, are trained as a designated person for safeguarding. The safeguarding team in school meet regularly and discuss actions taken, which ensures that they are reflective and consider actions taken. The school has started doing longer ‘case reviews’ to reflect further on how safeguarding could be even more improved.

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Safeguarding

Staff across the school are well trained and new colleagues supported well by others to understand the approaches used to help pupils regulate and stay safe.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are further improving their systems by streamlining some of the record-keeping so that key information needed to keep pupils safe is easily found and shared.

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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.

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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

The inspection was conducted without notice.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with members of the leadership team, teachers and support staff, pupils and the chief executive officer as the proprietor’s representative.

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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. Doucecroft School, 10 September 2026 5 The previous standard inspection, at which the school was judged to not comply with the independent school standards, took place in February 2025. The standards were also not met at the progress monitoring inspection in March 2026. The action plan submitted to the DfE in June 2026 was considered acceptable.

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About this inspection

The inspector confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school is registered for 3- to 19-year-olds. However, there are currently only 6- to 17- year-olds on the school’s roll.

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About this school

Chair of the proprietor body Andrew Beevers

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About this school

Type of school Other independent special school

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education, health and care plan

Annual fees for day pupils £65,607 to £95,610

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education, health and care plan

Email address doucecroft@autism-anglia.org.uk

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education, health and care plan

Telephone 01206 771234 Doucecroft School, 10 September 2026 6 Website doucecroft.org.uk Doucecroft School, 10 September 2026 7

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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.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if-  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(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. Doucecroft School, 10 September 2026 8 education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

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