£120,000 a year private school rated 'inadequate' by Ofsted

An independent school in Frome where fees can be over £120,000 a year has been rated 'Inadequate' by Ofsted. North Hill House, a special needs school where annual fees range between £93,637 to £120,150, was strongly criticised by inspectors.

The report read: "The quality of education pupils receive is not good enough. The members of the newly established leadership team have started to tackle the weaknesses in the curriculum.

"However, too much is in the very early stages and is yet to have the necessary impact. Consequently, pupils’ curriculum experiences are not considered or designed well enough. Learning is disjointed and does not build successfully on what pupils already know."

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A spokesperson for North Hill House said: “We recognise that the pupils at North Hill House School deserve the very best education possible. The school has made significant progress to implement changes focused on improving the quality of education and the curriculum model, with a new Head Teacher and newly-established senior leadership team now in place and over 27 new staff joining the school this year.

"A focus on raising standards is at the forefront of our work and all our staff teams are working extremely hard to implement the changes. We are confident this will significantly improve our provision and ensure a high quality educational experience for all our pupils in future."

But inspectors identified "high staff turnover" as an issue preventing the school from meeting its goals. The report continued: "The school’s ambition for pupils is not realised.

"Recent plans for improving provision are yet to be communicated or are too early in their implementation to make a noticeable difference. High staff turnover and a required focus on meeting previously unmet standards have had a significant impact on what the school has been able to introduce.

Inspectors noted that there was a "clear vision" for the curriculum, but that in practice it "lacks coherence and structure". The report explained: "The school’s curriculum and checks on provision are in the very early stages of development.

"The curriculum, particularly for younger pupils, lacks coherence and structure. The school has a clear vision for what it wants pupils to learn and how to help them, but this has not been established.

"The school’s checks on pupils’ learning are limited and in its infancy. Consequently, the school does not know how effective its work is."

Assessments at North Hill House were also challenged: "The use of assessment is not effective. The school’s effective processes for identifying each pupil’s academic, social and emotional needs are not sustained or built on after they start at the school."

Inspectors also raised concerns about students sometimes relying on adults too much: "Staff do not make use of the most accurate information about the pupils they teach on an ongoing basis. Consequently, staff do not ensure that pupils receive the required support when demands are made of them or when they face a challenging situation.

"At times, there is too much reliance on adults, which limits steps towards increasing pupils’ independence."

However, the report did highlight some positives: "The school recognises the importance of preparing pupils for life beyond North Hill House. Pupils experience opportunities to increase their awareness of the world around them.

"The school links with the local community well. Pupils have timetabled sessions to practise life skills and nurture their interests."

Inspectors also praised the school for encouraging pupils to express their views: "The school has recently introduced an approach which encourages pupils to express their opinions on different viewpoints and situations. This is beginning to increase pupils’ ability to advocate for themselves."

North Hill House has been on a turbulent journey with Ofsted. In 2013, they were rated 'Outstanding'. In 2017 they were rated 'Good', then 'Inadequate' in 2020. In 2022, Ofsted found that the school 'Requires Improvement'.

North Hill House is an independent mixed-gender school that teaches pupils between the ages of six and 19.