Osborne School

Age group 11−19 Inspection date(s) 8−9 March 2012 Inspection number 379272 Osborne School Inspection report

p.1

Unique reference number 116511 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 379272 Inspection dates 7−9 March 2012 Lead inspector Bob Pugh

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection of residential provision was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

p.1

Type of school Special School category Community Age range of pupils 11−19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 144 Of which, number on roll in the sixth form 19 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sally Dace Headteacher Sonia O’Donnell Date of previous school inspection 29−30 September 2008 School address Athelston Road Winchester SO23 7GA Telephone number 01962 897000 Fax number 01962 849419 Email address admin@osborne.hants.sch.uk

p.1

Boarding/Residential provision Osborne House Social care unique reference number SC012457 Social care inspector Liz Driver You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

p.1

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.2

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in educa tion and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

p.2

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.2

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.2

Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Sixteen lessons taught by fifteen teachers were observed during the inspection, totalling six and a half hours of lesson observation time. Meetings were held with parents and carers, members of the governing body and staff, and with students in small groups and individually. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at the school’s development plan and its evaluation of its own work. Students’ workbooks and files were scrutinised as well as displays in classrooms and around the buildings. Responses in 40 questionnaires returned by parents and carers were considered. Inspectors also took account of questionnaires completed by staff and students.

p.3

Information about the school

Osborne School is a larger-than-average special school, and has a residence for up to 10 young people. All of the students have a statement of special educational needs. There are three times as many boys as girls on roll. Students come from all over Hampshire and are overwhelmingly from a White British background. None speaks English as an additional language. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The majority of students have complex learning difficulties including autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties, and profound and multiple learning difficulties. There is also a small group which has moderate learning difficulties. Five per cent of students are looked after children. All of the young people currently in the school’s residential provision are in the sixth form classes. The school meets the current floor standard. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

p.3

Information about the school

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.4

Key findings

 This is a good school where there have been many improvements since the last inspection. It is not outstanding because of inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and students’ progress. The residential provision is outstanding and recent improvements have been further extended. Collaboration between teaching and residential staff is very effective in raising standards for students who board. School leaders, staff, parents and carers are ambitious for and proud of their school and all want to do their best for students. The sixth form is good because effective teaching and support strengthens students’ independent learning skills.

p.4

Key findings

 Students achieve well. They develop good communication and numeracy skills and these prepare them well for the next stages in their lives.

p.4

Key findings

 Teaching is good. In most lessons, teachers have high expectations of students and use their detailed knowledge of students’ needs to plan interesting and challenging lessons. In a very few lessons, planning lacks a sufficiently sharp focus on individual needs and higher-attaining students do not receive clear advice on how to improve their work.

p.4

Key findings

 Students’ behaviour and safety are good in school and outstanding in the residential provision. Their behaviour improves during their time at school as a result of the high-quality guidance and support provided.

p.4

Key findings

 Senior leaders and managers and the governing body monitor the school’s work effectively, providing challenge and support in equal measure. This has led to rising standards in all areas. They have used performance management effectively to drive up standards of teaching and support. Monitoring of teaching by middle managers is not well established. Leadership and management of the residential facility are outstanding because they successfully promote excellent learning about self-care and the development of vital skills for future living. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.4

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By January 2013, raise the quality of teaching so that students make even better progress by  ensuring that all lesson planning focuses on the learning needs of individual students  ensuring that advice given to higher-attaining students through marking and annotation of their work always tells them what they need to do to make even better progress.

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By January 2013, increase the number of opportunities provided for middle leaders to monitor the impact of teaching and the amount of progress made in the subjects for which they have responsibility.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

The achievement of students is good. They make better progress than similar students nationally. Students make good progress irrespective of their disabilities or special educational needs. All do well in relation to their starting points at the school because assessment of their needs on entry to the school is accurate and leads to the setting of challenging, highly personalised targets. Different groups of students, including those with very complex needs and challenging behaviours, make similarly good progress. Most students are aware of their individual targets and what they need to do to improve further to achieve accreditation or examination passes at GCSE level. Sixth-form students develop a good understanding of how to use basic skills in real-life situations as they follow communication, literacy and numeracy programmes which help them to connect what they learn in the classroom with the challenges of everyday life in the wider community. The overwhelming majority of

p.5

Achievement of pupils

students at the school have gained accreditation for the work they have produced by the time they are ready to leave.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Students make equally good progress in English and in mathematics. Year 7 students demonstrated a real interest in the good range of reading books available in their classroom during an English lesson and made choices about what to read according to their individual tastes. They used the phonics skills relating to the sounds letters make that they had practised earlier in the lesson to help them as they enjoyed reading through their books. Similarly, during a recreation session in the lunch break in the sixth form, some students chose books and magazines to read while the next lesson was being prepared. When questioned, they communicated clearly their secure understanding of what was on each page. In a mathematics lesson, students showed how well they have learned to use calculators to help their understanding of number. In a physical education lesson, students demonstrated good mathematical understanding by accurately estimating distances and working out their field position

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.6

Achievement of pupils

in relation to others. In one lesson, students who have an autistic spectrum disorder learned to express preferences and place in order a list of learning activities according to how much they enjoyed them. They demonstrated that they know how to use the interactive whiteboard to good effect by making a selection from a range of photographs, and some followed this up by using a laptop to write a summary about the choice they had made. Parents and carers feel strongly that their children are making good progress, and inspection findings confirm this view.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Parents and carers believe that their children are well taught and the inspectors’ findings support that view. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school and has improved since the last inspection. In a very few lessons, teachers’ expectations are not high enough and too much reliance is placed on the same worksheet for all students in the class, regardless of ability. However, overall, teachers use their precise knowledge of each student’s level of understanding to plan tasks which encourage them to think, to discuss ideas with others and to work out solutions using the high-quality resources which are available to them. A strong feature of many lessons is the way in which teachers and their assistants use questions to challenge students to think about what they need to do to get answers and to make progress.

p.6

Quality of teaching

The curriculum is carefully planned to incorporate key skills. Important literacy, numeracy and communication skills are taught well in nearly all lessons. For example, in a very successful information and communication technology lesson, students were encouraged to film then to critically assess the performance of their classmates as they acted out ‘good’ or ‘bad’ job interviews. The teacher’s careful planning meant that students’ comments were constructive and accurate about how each ‘candidate’ was doing. This lesson also served to enhance students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development because of the time allowed for reflection and discussion. A particularly strong feature in a food technology lesson for students with more complex needs was the emphasis placed by the teacher on numeracy skills such as counting, as they prepared for the main task. In many lessons, teachers and their assistants were observed to be using highly effective communication methods,

p.6

Quality of teaching

depending on the needs of their students, including signing, symbols and using objects of reference to convey meaning and gain suitable responses from students.

p.6

Quality of teaching

In very effective lessons, verbal feedback is offered instantly. Written feedback is mostly helpful, although in a few instances it does not provide enough support for higher attainers on how to improve.

p.6

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour is generally good in lessons and around the school. Parents and carers, and students themselves, are very positive about behaviour and safety, and in discussions and through their questionnaires, they expressed their confidence that difficult behaviour was quickly and effectively dealt with by school staff. Students Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.6

Behaviour and safety of pupils

behave well because all the adults in the school provide very positive role models, treating each student with respect and dignity, and listening to their points of view. The school’s house system, based around Olympic themes, encourages a sense of participation, belonging and collaboration. A daily session in every class for reflection and review contributes well to students’ spiritual, moral and social development.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

The student support worker provides a highly valued meeting and listening point for students. Therapists were seen to be playing a vital role using specialist techniques to help one student to be calm on arrival at school, so that he could join his class and get on with learning in lessons.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

There are very few reports of bullying of any type in the school or in the boarding provision. There are no racist incidents recorded. Bullying incidents are appropriately logged and followed up according to school and local authority requirements. Very few fixed-term exclusions have occurred in the past year and just one student was permanently excluded from school after all the correct procedures were followed. Overall, school records confirm that behaviour over time is good. Attendance levels are above average. Behaviour in the boarding provision is consistently of a very high standard.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Those students who are able to are encouraged to participate actively in managing and monitoring their own behaviour, for example by attending meetings with their parents and carers, and professionals. The school can point to some conspicuous successes in helping students to overcome significant behaviour problems, remain at school and gain qualifications.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school site is secure with well-monitored entry and departure points. Students’ arrival and departure from the school is highly organised and efficient. A minor administrative error in the school’s safeguarding recording systems was quickly corrected during the inspection. All aspects of the arrangements for safety in the boarding provision are outstanding.

p.7

Leadership and management

There is strong evidence that school leaders and managers have worked effectively to improve the quality of its work since the last inspection, and that the school has good capacity to improve further. Their detailed improvement planning and well- organised monitoring of every aspect of the school, including the residence, has led to improvements in teaching and care, students’ achievements and their behaviour and safety.

p.7

Leadership and management

School leaders and managers have woven together the improvement issues highlighted in previous inspections with the professional development needs of teachers and other staff identified by means of performance management and supervision programmes. This has led them to create a robust school improvement programme which has at its core raising expectations and promoting good learning. They monitor work effectively, by spending time in class with teachers and providing Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.7

Leadership and management

them with detailed feedback. They have numerous ways of listening to the voices of students, including the school council and the daily review and reflection sessions. However, opportunities for teachers to monitor their subject leadership areas are not fully developed. The quality of monitoring in the residence is outstanding in every respect.

p.8

Leadership and management

The school works well with parents and carers, and values their contributions to individual target setting in annual review meetings, and it takes note of their views concerning the strategic development of the school.

p.8

Leadership and management

The curriculum is broad and balanced. Long-term curriculum plans demonstrate a vision and ambition that students will benefit from a wide range of experiences including theatre visits, work experience and vocational learning. The priority given to using all areas of the curriculum to promote good literacy, numeracy and communication skills is evident in these plans. The curriculum promotes students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well, with good opportunities for learning about other societies and cultures as well as lesson topics that encourage reflection and discussion. Students learn about life in other European countries and in developing countries, and have been involved in fund raising.

p.8

Leadership and management

An appropriate number of staff and governors have received training as designated persons for safeguarding, including the safer recruitment of staff. All staff undergo relevant child protection training on a regular basis. The school provides a very safe environment for students to live in and learn. All students have equal access to all of the school’s resources. The school has a robust policy on the promotion of equal opportunities and tackling discrimination, and through its well-planned teaching and caring programmes, it provides a positive role model for students and its wider community.

p.8

Leadership and management

Governors and school leaders have organised their resources well to create a safe and happy environment where students can enjoy learning and develop skills which will help them to become confident participants in society.

p.8

Boarding/residential provision

The school operates its residential provision to a very high standard. Residential pupils make outstanding progress in relation to their starting points. Clear targets are set, achieved and celebrated. Pupils enjoy a wide range of opportunities to learn independence and social skills, and are well supported by numerous professionals, including therapists. Residential pupils enjoy exceptionally good, positive relationships with staff and are respectful of each other. Their behaviour is outstanding. Pupils are happy and feel safe at the school. Their views are taken seriously by staff and changes are made as a result of their suggestions at school council and house meetings. A range of effective communication methods are used well which means that each individual pupil is able to have a voice. A very well- organised transition programme enables pupils to be prepared as much as possible for the next stage of their lives. The school's health care arrangements are highly

p.9

Boarding/residential provision

effective in promoting and maintaining physical and emotional health. The quality of pastoral care is outstanding. Induction of pupils into the residence is carefully planned and delivered to enable a smooth transition. Much support is given to parents and carers at this time and throughout their child's time at the school. Intimate care needs are very sensitively handled. Resident students benefit from a nutritious and varied diet, and food is plentiful. Special diets are catered for in an unobtrusive way.

p.9

Boarding/residential provision

Comprehensive risk assessments identify strategies for managing identified risks associated with individual students and the activities they undertake on and off site. The premises are inspected daily and provide a safe environment with excellent security arrangements. Provision for fire safety is extremely good with all staff completing on-line training, and all tests and checks of fire safety equipment being carried out as required. Practice evacuations take place regularly, with personal evacuation plans in place where necessary for some students.

p.9

Boarding/residential provision

Leadership in the residence is very strong. There are consistently high expectations to provide the very best for pupils. Well-established systems also provide for very effective overall monitoring of the provision by school leaders. A development plan for the residential provision is in place and places emphasis on continuing to improve the services the school provides for its residential students. School governors carry out regular monitoring visits. Complaints are very low in number and are dealt with very effectively. The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. The one recommendation made at the last inspection has been addressed; reports of monitoring visits carried out by members of the governing body are in accordance with the recommended standards.

p.9

National minimum standards

 The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools. These are the grades for the residential provision

p.9

National minimum standards

Overall effectiveness of the residential experience 1

p.10

National minimum standards

Quality of residential provision and care 1

p.10

National minimum standards

Leadership and management of the residential provision 1

p.10

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

p.11

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

p.11

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

p.11

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

p.11

Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

p.12

Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

p.12

Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

p.12

Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

p.12

Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

p.12

Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

p.12

Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

p.12

Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

p.12

Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

p.12

Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons, and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

p.12

carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

p.13

Inspection of Osborne School, Winchester SO23 7GA

Thank you for the welcome you gave us when we visited your school recently. We really enjoyed meeting you and looking at your work. Special thanks to those of you who came to meet us to talk about your progress and to give us your views about the school. You told us that you particularly like the school’s links with college, and you enjoy playing in the school band and taking part in shows and performances.

p.13

Inspection of Osborne School, Winchester SO23 7GA

We think that your school has improved in many ways since the last inspection. It is a good school, where you are taught well and you achieve well. There are many interesting activities for you to take part in and you enjoy your time at school. The level of care which those of you who stay in the residence receive is outstanding. We were pleased to note that your behaviour around the school site, including in the residence, is of a high standard, and you respect each other’s views and particular needs.

p.13

Inspection of Osborne School, Winchester SO23 7GA

Your headteacher and staff, along with the school governors, have worked hard to improve your school and I have asked them to do two things to make the school even better.

p.13

Inspection of Osborne School, Winchester SO23 7GA

 Ensure that all teaching is of the very highest quality, and that your work books and files are always well marked and give you good advice about how to improve further.

p.13

Inspection of Osborne School, Winchester SO23 7GA

 Provide more time for teachers to check on how well the subjects they lead are being taught and how much progress each of you is making in each subject.

p.13

Inspection of Osborne School, Winchester SO23 7GA

I wish you every success for the future.

p.13

Inspection of Osborne School, Winchester SO23 7GA

Bob Pugh Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.13