Totnes Progressive School

Totnes Progressive School is an independent co-educational day school that caters to pupils aged between nine and sixteen. Established in 2013, the school is owned and managed by a limited company with two directors, one of whom is the proprietor. The school is located in Totnes, Devon, and serves a diverse student body, primarily from families within a 15-mile radius. The school has a total enrollment of 121 pupils, with 12 in the foundation stage and 109 in the senior years. This report marks the school's first inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), following a previous inspection by Ofsted in January 2018.

The school aims to foster academic tenacity, self-reliance, responsibility, resourcefulness, and conscientiousness among its pupils. It strives to create a supportive learning environment that encourages students to enjoy learning and achieve their best. The guiding principles of the school are love, acceptance, respect, and safety, promoting a non-punitive culture that encourages kindness and consideration among pupils.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the school was closed from March to August 2020, except for children of key workers and a small number of pupils with special educational needs. During this period, remote learning materials were provided to all pupils. The school also offered remote learning during the lockdown from January to March 2021. Public examinations were not held in 2020, and centre-assessed grades were awarded to pupils who would have taken these exams.

The ISI inspection focused on the school's compliance with the Independent School Standards Regulations 2014. The inspection was conducted partly remotely and partly on-site to adhere to infection control measures. The report highlights several key findings regarding the school's compliance with the required standards.

In terms of the quality of education provided, the school was found to enable pupils to make good progress, particularly in the junior school. The curriculum is documented and covers the required breadth of material, supported by appropriate plans and resources. However, the school did not consult parents before publishing its policy on relationships and sex education, which is a requirement. While the standards related to the quality of education were generally met, the specific standard regarding relationships and sex education was not met, necessitating immediate action to consult parents.

The spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of pupils was positively noted, with principles and values actively promoted to facilitate personal development as responsible citizens. The school met the standard in this area.

Regarding the welfare, health, and safety of pupils, the school promotes good behavior and has measures in place to prevent bullying. However, the safeguarding policy does not fully reflect current statutory guidance, and the proprietor has not conducted an annual review of the school's safeguarding policies and procedures. Additionally, procedures to check staff suitability have not always been completed before staff begin work, leading to non-compliance with safeguarding standards.

The inspection also revealed issues related to the suitability of staff. While the suitability of the proprietor was confirmed, the school has not consistently carried out checks on other staff members as required. Many checks were completed only after staff commenced work, and some staff members lacked the necessary medical fitness checks and verification of their right to work in the UK.

The premises and accommodation at the school were found to be suitable, with adequate facilities for pupils' needs. The school has maintained appropriate health and safety standards, including fire safety and first aid provisions.

In terms of the provision of information, the school publishes a range of information for parents and inspectors, including details about the proprietor, the school's ethos, and its curriculum. However, at the time of the inspection, the school had not made available information regarding its provision for pupils with education, health, and care plans or those with English as an additional language. This lack of transparency resulted in non-compliance with the relevant standards.

The handling of complaints at the school follows a three-stage process, but there have been instances where complaints referred to a panel hearing were not managed according to the required procedures. Some panel members had direct involvement in the matters being complained about, and the school does not maintain a clear written record of complaints as required.

The quality of leadership and management at the school was found to be lacking, with the proprietor and senior leaders not demonstrating a full understanding of the Independent School Standards Regulations. This has resulted in several areas of non-compliance, including the failure to consult parents on the relationships and sex education policy, weaknesses in safeguarding procedures, and shortcomings in staff suitability checks.

Overall, the inspection report indicates that Totnes Progressive School does not meet all the required standards set out in the Independent School Standards Regulations. The school is required to take immediate action to address the deficiencies identified in the report, particularly in the areas of safeguarding, staff suitability, provision of information, and the handling of complaints. The leadership and management must develop a comprehensive understanding of the regulations to ensure that the school consistently meets the required standards and actively promotes the well-being of its pupils.