Head: Fiona Pocock
T 01604 239995
F 01604 239 996
An independent school for boys and girls aged from 13 to 22.
Boarding: Yes
Local authority: Northamptonshire
Pupils: 282
Religion: None
Bosworth Independent College
About the school
Bosworth Independent CollegeNazareth HouseLeicester ParadeBarrack RoadNorthamptonNorthamptonshireNN2 6AF
ISI Report
Independent Schools Inspectorate
BOSWORTH INDEPENDENT COLLEGE
Nazareth House, Leicester Parade, Barrack Road, Northampton, NN2 6AF
26 JANUARY 2018
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL
Bosworth Independent College is an independent day and boarding college for boys and girls aged between 14 and 19 years. The school was established as an international tutorial college in 1977. It has been owned and governed by members of the Broadway family for over ten years, supported by an advisory board. The current principal has been in post since 2014. At the time of the visit there were 281 students on roll, 163 boys and 118 girls, of whom 197 were boarders. Over two-thirds of the students are from abroad, representing more than thirty countries. The college has identified 20 students as having special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), which include dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and ADHD, all of whom receive additional specialist help. No student in the college has an education, health and care (EHC) plan or a statement of special educational needs. English is an additional language (EAL) for 194 students; of these 134 receive support.
Weekly or full boarders are accommodated in six houses all within walking distance of the academic college buildings. Older students aged over 18, who have college and parental consent, can become part of a senior house whose students live semi-independently in nearby houses, in groups of four to six.
PURPOSE OF THE VISIT
This was an unannounced visit at the request of the Department for Education to check that the school has fully implemented the action plan submitted following the unannounced regulatory compliance inspection on September 21 2017. The focus of the visit was on safeguarding, suitability of staff; leadership and management; and boarders' medical care.
INSPECTION FINDINGS
Welfare, health and safety of pupils - safeguarding [ISSR Part 3, paragraphs 7 (a) and (b) & 8 (a) and (b); NMS 11]; Provision of information to parents [ISSR Part 6, paragraph 32 (1) (c)]
The school meets the Regulations.
The school meets the requirements for providing information relating to safeguarding to parents. Particulars of the arrangements for safeguarding are published on the school's website.
The school has an appropriate policy for safeguarding which provides suitable arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of students at the school. It has due regard to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) (September 2016) and is appropriate for the specific needs of the school. The associated whistleblowing and safe recruitment policies, and the staff code of conduct, also meet current requirements and meet students' needs. Staff have received the most recent copy of Part 1 of the revised guidance, and relevant staff have been issued with Annex A. They have signed to confirm that they have received and read the documents, and the school has taken steps to ensure that staff understand them through staff meetings and assessment tasks.
The principal and school's designated safeguarding lead (DSL) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their roles and are fulfilling their responsibilities effectively so that the relevant standards are met consistently. The DSL is a now a member of the senior leadership team of the school and therefore has appropriate authority to fulfil the role. She is establishing effective practice with colleagues, advising, supporting, training and monitoring appropriately regarding all safeguarding matters. The DSL is working effectively in close liaison with the designated safeguarding governor and together they will present the next annual audit of safeguarding procedures to the full board of governors for their consideration. Accurate records of monitoring of safeguarding are maintained. The higher-level training for the DSL and deputy DSL, carried out through the local safeguarding children's board and other appropriate providers, is up to date, and the DSL is aware of local referral thresholds. Induction training for new staff includes the issue of all the required documents. In addition, staff have taken part in a range of additional training opportunities, covering aspects such as awareness of extremism, radicalisation and child sexual exploitation. Staff displayed an acceptable understanding and awareness of safeguarding procedures. The DSL has a clear intention and planned programme of further engagement with staff to strengthen their confidence and expertise in safeguarding.
On-line safety is a priority and suitable guidance and training for staff and students indicates an appropriate focus on both the safeguarding and technological aspects of the use and misuse of digital media, and suitable filtering systems are in place.
Welfare concerns raised by staff are efficiently logged by the DSL. Students interviewed confirmed that they know who to turn to if they have any concerns and would do so. There are suitable arrangements in place to enable effective daily liaison between the boarding and day staff concerning all aspects of students' welfare, health and safety. Supervision of students on-site, and on visits locally and further away, is effective.
Boarders' health and well-being [NMS 3.4 and 3.5]
The school meets the Regulations.
The school has implemented effective procedures to ensure that boarders' competence to self-medicate is accurately assessed with reference to their age and responsibility. The qualified and appropriately experienced school nurse interviews and evaluates individual boarder's competence in this respect, reviews the pertinent medical advice, and liaises with boarding staff to supervise and monitor approved arrangements for students' self-medication. Boarders assessed to be competent to self-medicate are permitted to keep medication securely in their rooms. Alternative arrangements are in place for those who require medication to be kept on their behalf in locked but readily accessible medicine safes, supervised by suitably qualified staff.
Suitability of staff and supply staff [ISSR Part 4, paragraphs 18 (2)(c)(ii), (d) and(f); 19(2) (a) to (d); 21(3)(a)(i), (ii), (iv) and (v), 21(3)(b) (5) and NMS 14.1]
The school meets the Regulations.
The school ensures that enhanced criminal record checks and a check on medical fitness are carried out on all staff, including supply staff, and that all checks are recorded accurately on the single central register of appointments, including the dates on which checks were seen. The DSL, together with the principal, monitors the maintenance of the SCR, which is overseen by the nominated safeguarding governor, who reports to the board of governors which reviews safeguarding half-termly.
Leadership and management [ISSR Part 8, paragraphs 34(a) and (b) and NMS 13.3 and 13.4]
The school meets the Regulations.
The proprietor ensures that all persons with leadership and management responsibilities including of boarding, demonstrate sufficient skills and knowledge to fulfil their responsibilities effectively to ensure the independent school standards are met consistently.
REGULATORY ACTION POINTS
The school meets all of the relevant requirements of the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools 2015.
3
January 2018
© Independent Schools Inspectorate
Progress Monitoring Visit- Bosworth Independent College