Chase House School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 27 February 2024

Pupils are well cared for here. Despite the significant challenges that pupils have faced in their lives before joining the school, pupils quickly settle when they get here. They contribute positively to the calm and nurturing environment that is a hallmark of the school. The care and attention that leaders and staff give to pupils help pupils to gradually overcome their past experiences and re-engage with education. Relationships are at the heart of this work, and a sense of community is clear to see. Pupils build strong positive relationships with their peers and staff during their time here. Pupils value these. They know who to turn to if they have a concern. Pupils are confident that any concerns will be resolved quickly. Leaders' ambition for pupils is clear. They know that pupils have often, in the past, struggled to communicate their feelings in an appropriate way. They have a deep understanding of pupils' past trauma. Leaders do not use this as an excuse. They set clear expectations for pupils' behaviour and seek to modify the negative behaviours that pupils have previously shown. When pupils misbehave, staff challenge this in a calm, caring way, taking account of pupils' individual needs. Pupils' ability to communicate their feelings, and consequently their behaviour, improves well during their time at the school.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have not set out the precise knowledge they want pupils to learn in some subjects. This means that in some subjects, teachers are at times unclear about precisely what to teach and when. Consequently, pupils' learning does not always build successfully on the things they have been taught before. This sometimes holds pupils back. Leaders should ensure that curriculum planning is equally well developed across all subjects so that the key knowledge to be taught is carefully laid out.
• In a small number of subjects, teachers' subject knowledge is not secure. As a result, they do not always select appropriate activities or deliver subject content with accuracy. This leads to misconceptions and limits the progress that pupils make. Leaders should ensure that they continue to support staff to develop their subject-specific knowledge so that teachers deliver the curriculum with fidelity and precision.
• On admission to the school, the therapeutic interventions that pupils receive are not always as well matched to their specific SEMH needs as they might be. At times, this prolongs the time it takes for some pupils to settle and begin to regulate their emotions effectively. Leaders should continue their work to embed their intervention programme and develop their understanding of pupils' needs quickly when they join the school so that the school can provide highly focused support to meet these needs.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)