Independent Ashby school gets second damning Ofsted report in as many years

An independent Ashby school has received its second damning Ofsted report in as many years. Inspectors believed that a “poor” and “limited” curriculum meant that many students did not “learn as well as they should”, with the school saying it has taken “great strides” to improve.

The verdict came in Ofsted’s latest review of the Lewis Charlton Learning Centre. The independent school, which has students aged between 5 and 19 all with Special Educational Needs (SEND), is based over five sites within Ashby, but inspectors believed provisions on offer were poor across the board - giving the school an ‘Inadequate’ rating - the lowest mark possible.

It is the second time in as many years the school, which teaches 45 pupils, has received an ‘Inadequate’ rating, with the latest review finding the quality of education on offer poor. Inspectors said teachers and the school itself “did not understand” the needs of its pupils, with staff not taking into account SEND students’ additional needs when putting together the curriculum.

READ MORE: Previously 'outstanding' primary school sees rating plummet

The curriculum was also harshly criticised by inspectors over their two-day inspection which was carried out in November last year. It claimed the offering at the Lewis Charlton Learning Centre was “limited in its ambition”, while subjects themselves were “poorly planned”, with “little thought” given to how pupils will learn over time.

The “disjointed” differences in support at the school’s various sites was also questioned by Ofsted. It found students' learning at the ‘lower school’ in Ashby's North Street was not “built on” for those at the ‘upper school’ in the town's South Street, contributing to what it said was “fragmented” subjects which limited potential and achievement.

Leadership of the independent school was also highly questioned throughout the report, finding those in charge did not work in “an effective way” to assess what SEND students were capable of. Inspectors said: “The school has a limited understanding of the gaps in pupils’ knowledge and what they need to learn. Staff do not consistently check pupils’ understanding. Some staff do not adapt their teaching when pupils find work too easy or too difficult. Some pupils are left confused, and others disengage from their learning.”

However, despite many problems, Ofsted did find that pupils’ personal development and their behaviours were ranked as ‘Requires Improvement’ - the second lowest grade possible, but an improvement on the teaching on offer. It found that Lewis Charlton Learning Centre pupils felt safe at the school and that “most enjoyed attending”, while they benefited from the “high numbers” of staff who provided support.

Inspectors also praised the school’s personal development provisions which it said were “well planned”. It found that pupils benefited from “caring pastoral support”, while older students were given both careers and education guidance to lead them onto the next steps. Ofsted also found that younger pupils learned to “respect people who have views, beliefs and opinions that are different from their own”.

In its conclusions, Ofsted said the Lewis Charlton Learning Centre did not meet the independent schools standard. It called on leaders to ensure all staff have the “necessary insight” going forward to ensure standards are met and maintained.

A Lewis Charlton Learning Centre spokesperson told LeicestershireLive that the school was “taking every opportunity” to learn from the report and had made a raft of changes. Among these was the appointment of a curriculum coordinator which the school said had “introduced new learning pathways” to better students’ learning. More specially-trained staff have also been recruited at the school, with more support in place to support every pupil’s “personalised learning journey”.

The spokesperson said: “We have taken great strides since the November 2023 inspection and we’re committed to developing our staff to address the evolving student needs. We have also engaged a key lead Ofsted consultant who is guiding us on new action plans and to ensure quality assurance. We are confident that these developments, along with several other transformation initiatives, put the school on a path for greater, more enriching learning experiences for teachers and students.”