St Giles' School

Unique Reference Number 113045 Local Authority Derby Inspection number 357250 Inspection dates 12–13 July 2011 Reporting inspector David Muir HMI

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Special School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 84 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Katy Elliott Headteacher Pamela Thomas Date of previous school inspection 17 March 2008 School address Hampshire Road Chaddesden, Derby DE21 6BT Telephone number 01332 343039 Fax number 01332 207321 Email address admin@stgiles.derby.sch.uk

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Age group 4–11 Inspection dates 12–13 July 2011 Inspection number 357250 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education 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.

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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 telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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 documentation 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'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and one additional inspector. Inspectors observed ten lessons and ten teachers were seen. Meetings were held with: a group of pupils; the Chair of the Governing Body and three other members of the governing body; and a range of staff, including the headteacher, deputy headteacher and three newly qualified teachers. The inspectors observed the school's work and looked at a wide range of documentation, including the school development plan and monitoring and evaluation documents. Inspectors analysed questionnaires returned by 41 parents and carers. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  The accuracy of the school's monitoring of pupils' progress across all areas and keys stages of the school.  How well the recent changes to the curriculum in all key stages meet the needs of

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Introduction

the pupils and engage them in learning.  How well the leadership has managed the recent changes and whether it has raised expectations and aspirations across the school.  How well the teaching meets the needs of all pupils taking into account their special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the school

St Giles' is an average-sized special school for pupils aged 4-11 years, which caters for pupils with severe learning difficulties (SLD), moderate learning difficulties (MLD) with complex needs, and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). About three quarters of its pupils come from White British backgrounds; the rest come from a range of other ethnic groups, the largest group being from Pakistani backgrounds. Eleven pupils have English as an additional language. Over a half of the pupils are entitled to free school meals. Pupils come from across the city of Derby and most are brought to school by local authority transport. The school holds several awards, including: National Healthy Schools status; the physical education Active award; and the Eco-schools award. The headteacher has been in post since January 2010.

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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

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Main findings

St Giles' is a good school which has undergone many changes and improvements since the previous inspection. Some aspects of its work are outstanding. A particularly impressive area is how improvements have been led by the headteacher and leadership team. They have a clear and coherent view of how the school can further improve its performance. Community cohesion is outstanding as leaders know and understand the school's context to a very detailed level. Through rigorous analysis they are aware of the impact of school's work on the wider community. Although in its early days, the introduction of a new curriculum based on a thematic approach has engaged pupils. Many were previously at risk of disengagement from school as they were not sufficiently challenged in their lessons. The quality of teaching overall is good. There are examples of outstanding teaching where pupils make impressive gains in their learning through a range of exciting activities, linked to the curricular theme. The

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Main findings

support of teaching assistants is generally of a high quality as it is extremely well targeted. In the best examples, the ongoing assessment of pupils' progress throughout the lesson provides valuable support and feedback for their learning. Attendance is average, but individual pupils show significant improvements in how regularly they attend school due to the way their enjoyment has increased in lessons. There are several examples evident of pupils who are now desperate to stay in their lessons, when previously the opposite was true. New ways of working have been introduced in the Early Years Foundation Stage class for children with autistic spectrum disorders. This has had a significant impact on starting to improve the socialisation and communication among this cohort of children. However, more time is needed to demonstrate the sustained impact of the new methods on the children's outcomes. Systems for recording and monitoring pupil progress have recently been reviewed and

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Main findings

amended. Although in their early days and not yet fully established, they build on previous evidence and show that pupils make good progress in all key stages, including the Early Years Foundation Stage. The school monitors the progress of different groups of pupils closely and the data shows that there is no significant difference in the progress of different groups. This analysis, along with the school's promotion of equal opportunities and including the high quality support given to families who have English as an additional language, demonstrates outstanding work in this area. The school has a wide range of partnerships to support learning and well-being. The school promotes the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well with particular strengths in social and cultural development. This particularly shows in pupils' awareness of other cultures and their improving ability to socialise and interact during their time in the school.

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Main findings

The positive response by a large majority parents and carers to the inspection questionnaire shows that they value the work of the school in maintaining, and improving

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

on, the good quality education for their children. A very small minority of parents said that they were concerned by the employment of inexperienced teachers in the school. Lesson observations by inspectors found that the recently appointed staff, including newly qualified teachers, have brought strengths to the school which have had a significant impact on improving the quality of teaching and learning. Leaders have also been skilful in providing high quality training, mentoring and support to ensure that their skills and understanding of the special educational needs and/or disabilities within the school are enhanced to meet the needs of pupils extremely effectively. Leaders are also aware of the benefit of using the outstanding skills of some teachers to disseminate the best teaching throughout the school. The governing body plays its part in monitoring and evaluating the school's performance and knows the school well. The impressive drive and the enthusiasm provided by the

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

headteacher and the well-established senior leadership team provide motivation, passion and vision for the majority of staff. Leaders are well supported by the staff, all of whom have the success of the pupils as the central focus of their work. Most staff are enthusiastic and excited about the opportunities they are given to contribute to the development of the school. They relish the chance to contribute to the development of the new curriculum and the opportunities that this provides for their own professional development. Leaders know where improvements are needed and are aware of the strengths of the school. Due to the improvements in provision and outcomes and the clear plans for further improvement, the school demonstrates a good capacity for sustained improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the overall quality of teaching from good to outstanding by identifying and sharing the best practice available in the school. Ensure that the systems for monitoring and tracking progress are effective and comprehensive by reviewing these and ensuring that they are accurate and robust over time. Improve the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage by monitoring the changes in this area to ensure that all children are having their distinct Early Years Foundation Stage needs met, especially with regard to developing their social skills.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

As a result of their special educational needs and/or disabilities, pupils' attainment is significantly below levels expected for their ages. The recently improved monitoring of pupils' learning shows that all pupils make at least good progress. The good learning and progress made by pupils in lessons, including those seen during the inspection, is the result of the good and sometimes outstanding teaching in all key stages. The teaching seen during the inspection and the school's data support the judgement that pupils' achievement overall during their time in the school is good. The school is a warm and welcoming community and behaviour is good. Pupils improve significantly in their attitudes to learning and in their personal development. This is seen through their engagement and behaviour during lessons. In the best lessons seen during

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

the inspection, behaviour was outstanding as pupils were fully engaged, excited and keen to contribute as much as possible to their own learning. Pupils feel very safe in the school and parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire agree. This is shown in the increased attendance for individuals as they grow to see the school as a safe and positive environment where they can enjoy their learning. Pupils develop a sense of right and wrong and are given ample opportunities to develop awareness of themselves, and through increasing opportunities for collaboration, their peers and others. This is particularly evident, although in its early stages, in the recent changes in the Early Years Foundation Stage autistic spectrum disorder class. The school works actively to promote cultural awareness by increasing pupils' knowledge of other countries, cultures and backgrounds to a high level.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹ *

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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2

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

is low * In some special schools inspectors do not make a judgement about attainment in relation to expectations of the pupils' age.

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How effective is the provision?

The majority of teaching seen during the inspection was at least good, and a significant amount was outstanding. This agrees with the school's own monitoring of the quality of teaching and joint observations of lessons during the inspection confirmed that leaders have an accurate view of the quality of teaching. In the best lessons, support is extremely well focused and directed by the class teacher to allow it to be targeted effectively to

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

increase learning. The exciting and relevant teaching and associated activities make learning thoroughly enjoyable. A particular example of this was an imaginary class trip to the seaside during a mathematics lessons; pupils went through the process of deciding what to pack in their suitcase and then travelling on a 'bus' to the seaside. During the bus trip, it was clear that pupils were fully engaged in the journey as they were singing songs at waving at 'passers-by' as their excitement grew as they reached their journey's end. They were then involved in a range of sorting activities to promote their mathematical skills outstandingly. Pupils were also provided with high quality feedback at particular times in the lesson, based on the observations of the teaching assistants, related to communication and their learning. Pupils were proud of the feedback and how much they had learnt and were keen to share and discuss it with the inspector, without prompting.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The improvements in teaching are supported by the changes to the curriculum. The gradual introduction of the new approach through the use of themes, such as the Tudors, the World Cup and the Lion King together with the current piloting by some teachers of a themed approach to the curriculum, has had a big impact on pupils' enjoyment of their learning. This has led to all pupils being given opportunities to be included in whole-school activities where previously this was not always the case. This has promoted the introduction of a fully inclusive ethos, which is based on breaking down obstacles to learning and of finding ways around any barriers to inclusion for pupils. This new approach to the curriculum has also resulted in increased collaboration between staff in planning and delivering the topics. Care, guidance and support are good overall as they promote pupils' good personal development. Good use is made of multi-agency support, including strong partnerships

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

with disability support services. Support and advice provided for families, including workshops on particular topics, are strong. The school makes successful efforts to reach out to families who have previously not been fully engaged in their children's education. Good quality transition work ensures that pupils are well prepared for the move to the next stage of their education.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 2

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The outstanding senior leadership team has established and built on a clear vision and climate for success which is shared, promoted and valued by most members of the school community. This has led to increasingly high expectations for all pupils. Managers monitor progress well and are developing assessment schemes so that pupils can be assessed closely and any at risk of underachievement can be identified early and supported

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

appropriately. The school already has evidence of how this approach has worked to improve the progress of pupils who were identified for additional support. School staff and the leadership have worked effectively to improve the quality of teaching. The recent appointment of several newly qualified teachers was a bold step which has paid off in improved standards of teaching and learning. Senior leaders and other staff have a good understanding of the strengths within the school and have clear plans for further improvement. The redistribution of responsibilities among staff has been well received by most staff. Their willingness to update their skills and knowledge base has been an important factor in the improved outcomes evident during this inspection. The majority of staff have taken on their new challenges with gusto and a determination that they can have an impact on improving standards in the school. Safeguarding procedures

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

and policies, including child protection, are good and show that all adults working with pupils are appropriately recruited and vetted. The range of policies and procedures rigorously cover all aspects of child protection and safety.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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1

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The good quality of the provision, reflected in the consistently good teaching and a recently improved curriculum, meets the needs of all children well, resulting in good progress being made. Planning and assessment are of a good quality and meet the needs of the children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Several schemes are used to ensure that all aspects of learning and development are well monitored. Plans are in place to increase collaborative working between the teachers of the two classes, so that learning activities can be jointly planned and a consistency in approach established. This has not yet impacted on the quality of provision so far as these approaches are in their early days.

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The Early Years Foundation Stage is well led and managed. The teachers and other staff have a good understanding of children of this age who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. A recent review of provision resulted in some significant changes and improvements to the ethos of the department, so that there is now more focus on the learning and personal needs of each individual child. The recent changes in the environment and the curriculum in one of the classes has resulted in improved personal outcomes for children and in increased opportunities for socialisation and play with their peers. Partnerships with other professionals are well planned, contributing very well to the quality of the provision and the outcomes for the children.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Approximately half of parents and carers responded to the questionnaire. The responses and positive comments reflected the inspectors' judgements. Some positive comments from parents and carers about their children's education were: 'I feel St Giles' School is an fantastic school that takes into account the children's needs as a top priority but also makes it fun for the children'; 'Overall, the school is excellent and pleased with progress and support my child gets' and 'We are very happy with my child's progress. The teachers are very kind and caring they do a brilliant job.' A very small number of parents raised concerns about the recent changes in the school and the newly appointed teachers. Inspectors looked in detail in to these areas and found that, on the contrary, the changes mentioned have improved the quality of education in the school and that the recently appointed teachers are promoting learning to good and outstanding levels.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at St Giles' School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspectors received 41 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 84 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 27 68 9 23 2 5 1 3 The school keeps my child safe 31 78 8 20 0 0 1 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 27 66 11 27 1 2 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 27 66 11 27 2 5 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 31 76 7 17 3 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 30 73 6 15 4 10 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 27 66 11 27 3 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 23 56 14 34 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 29 71 9 22 1 2 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 23 56 14 34 1 2 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 22 54 14 34 2 5 2 5

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 22 54 12 29 3 7 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 28 68 10 24 1 2 2 5

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 December 2010 and 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. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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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.

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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. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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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.

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of St Giles' School, Derby, DE21 6BT

On behalf of the inspectors who visited your school recently, I would like to thank you very much for making our visit extremely interesting and enjoyable. We found that St Giles' is a good school. The headteacher and staff all work very hard to make sure that you have a positive experience in school so that you can be successful during your time there. Your personal development is generally good and you feel very safe. We found a lot of evidence to show that your behaviour and attendance improve well when you are in school. You all work hard in your lessons and the progress you make is good. The care, guidance and support which you receive are also good and help you get ready for your move to your next school. Your increasingly positive attitudes to learning and how everybody in the school contributes to making it so successful were inspiring to see. Your contribution to the school's work is strong and is a key element in making the

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Inspection of St Giles' School, Derby, DE21 6BT

school the success. During our time in the school, we identified some areas which need to be improved to make the school better. There are the things I have asked the headteacher to do. Make teaching outstanding by sharing ideas between the teachers. Check that the school leaders know how well you are doing in your work. Help the Early Years Foundation Stage to become even better by making sure that the recent changes are working well. You can help the school to improve by suggesting to the staff ways that they can improve the areas above. Once again, thank you very much for the time you spent with us during the visit and we would like to wish you well for the future.

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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 .

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