The school wants to open at Clifton Rugby Club
The school wants to open at Clifton Rugby Club(Image: Google Maps)
The owners of a proposed independent special school in Bristol have been blocked from opening after Ofsted inspectors ruled it was unlikely to meet necessary standards.
The school would occupy a building in the grounds of Clifton Rugby Club for up to 50 pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) aged seven to 16.
But a pre-registration inspection report by Ofsted says the organisation that would run it, Meliorate Institute Education and Training (MIET), is far from ready and will miss a long list of requirements, so it needs to go back to the drawing board.
It means the Department for Education (DfE) will almost certainly refuse to let it open until these are met.
MIET, an established provider of apprenticeships, community education and training, says it understands where its submission needs more work and would reapply to open the school at the site in Station Road, Henbury, when this is completed.
Ofsted’s report said: “The proprietor is committed to providing inclusive education for pupils with SEMH needs.
“Along with other leaders, it shares the same moral imperative to enhance the life chances of vulnerable pupils and give them hope for future success.
“The headteacher brings many years of experience in leading provision for pupils with SEND.
“Nevertheless, the proprietor has not ensured that the proposed school is ready to open.
“There are weaknesses in the proprietor’s understanding of the independent school standards and other statutory responsibilities.
“It does not demonstrate that the standards would be met securely and consistently over time.”
The report said MIET was at an early stage of forming a board of governors, which had yet to meet, and there was currently “no coherent plan for how the proprietor will fully hold school leaders accountable for the quality of education at the proposed school”.
It said: “The proprietor is committed to training all staff to ensure that there is an open culture of safeguarding and a focus on pupils’ wellbeing.
“However, gaps in the single central record, the absence of an external fire risk assessment and issues with the current site’s security could compromise pupils’ safety and wellbeing.
“The external fire risk assessment is for the whole rugby club, including the proposed school building.
“However, the risk assessment does not consider the change of use from offices to a school.
“Currently, the school has not completed its own health and safety checks of the premises.
“The school has produced a first-aid policy.
“However, the required first-aid equipment was not present on the school’s site for inspection.
“For example, there are no first-aid boxes belonging to the school and no lockable cabinet to store medication if needed.
“The admissions register template does not include all of the required information about pupils on roll.
“For example, it omits the name and address of the last school any pupils attended.
“The proprietor has a risk assessment for the school’s premises.
“This sets out control measures to reduce the likelihood and severity of any potential incidents.
“However, the site risk assessment is not fit for purpose.
“For example, the control measures if a pupil absconds from the site are not specific to the school.
“Furthermore, risk assessments for planned activities have not been completed.”
The report said the school’s curriculum policy lacked detail, such as how it intended to teach it, and that plans for many subjects did “not specify the most essential knowledge that pupils need to learn”.
It said: “The proprietor has already appointed some staff with expertise in supporting pupils with SEND.
“However, classrooms have not been set up.
“They are not equipped with age-appropriate furniture or resources.
“Therefore, lessons are unlikely to be effective enough to meet the full range of pupils’ needs and abilities on a day-to-day basis.
“The internal and external spaces are suitable for educating the proposed number of pupils.
“Presently, however, the proprietor has not taken over the building’s lease.
“Local businesses currently occupy the proposed eight classrooms as office space.
“Some of the existing outside spaces pose a trip hazard.
“Furthermore, the proprietor has not finalised a suitable option to enhance security at the main entrance.
“Presently, members of the public can gain access to the outdoor space where pupils play.”
But the report said the school would meet many other requirements, including setting out a broad curriculum, promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development, organising visits to museums and other places, developing behaviour and anti-bullying policies, and ensuring relationships between staff and pupils were built on mutual respect and tolerance.
The DfE’s guidance says an application to open a school is likely to be rejected by the Secretary of State if Ofsted deems it unlikely to meet the required standards.
A school then has the chance to submit a fresh application which starts the process from the beginning, including a new Ofsted inspection.
It is a criminal offence for an independent school to operate before it has approval to open.
An MIET spokesperson said: “We have understood the areas where our submission needs further work and are reapplying to open the school for learners with SEMH as soon as we feel the standards will be met.”
The school hopes to open in either May or September.