Shepwell Short Stay School (PRU-Medical)

Age group 11–16 Inspection date(s) 29–30 September 2011 Inspection number 381376 Shepwell Short Stay School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 131619 Local Authority Walsall Inspection number 381376 Inspection dates 29–30 September 2011 Reporting inspector Dave Smith

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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 Pupil Referral Unit School category Community Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 9 Appropriate authority The local authority Chair Peter Farmer Headteacher Stephen Pritchard-Jones Date of previous school inspection 18 March 2009 School address Bilston Lane Willenhall Walsall WV13 2QJ Telephone number 01902 632719 Fax number 01902 608081 Email address Stephen.pritchard-jones@walsallcs.serco.com 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

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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 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 sch ool inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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 an additional inspector. He observed teaching and learning in six lesssons, taught by six teachers. The inspector held meetings with members of the management committee, representatives from a range of agencies and staff. The inspector also had conversations with students, parents and carers. He observed the centre’s work, looked at records of students’ progress, policies, safeguarding documentation and the centre development plan. Nine questionnaires from parents and carers were analysed. Replies to questionnaires from staff and students were also looked at.

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Introduction

The inspector reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. He looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 The impact of the collection, evaluation and use of data on the students’ learning and progress.  The level of challenge and pace of learning for each of the students.  The centre’s capacity for sustained improvement including the contribution of the management committee.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support and the safeguarding of students.

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Information about the school

Shepwell Centre is a medical pupil referral unit (PRU) for students that have a variety of medical, emotional and psychological difficulties as well as, occasionally, for pregnant schoolgirls. Approximately half of the students are known to be eligible for free school meals. Almost all of the students are White British and a very small minority are Black British. A very small minority of the students are in public care. All students are dual-registered with their mainstream school with a view to eventual reintegration. The centre also offers services to students that are on the roll of mainstream schools, including home and hospital tuition and in-school support to students who might otherwise refuse to go to school. The centre has achieved a range of awards including Healthy School status, Sportsmark and the Arts Award.

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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

The overall effectiveness of the centre is good. The students access an excellent curriculum with the highest levels of support and quickly re-engage with their learning and achieve well. This prepares the students well, whatever their needs, for their return to a mainstream school. Self-evaluation is good and clearly identifies strengths and areas for improvement. The headteacher provides a clear vision for continual improvement and works well with the cohesive staff team to help raise the students’ attainment. They provide the highest levels of care, support and guidance which help to boost the students’ attendance to above average. The management committee makes a good contribution to the centre’s leadership and management. However, there is no deputy headteacher which restricts the headteacher’s opportunities to delegate responsibilities and limits the centre’s capacity for continual improvement to good.

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Main findings

The centre tracks the progress of all groups of students, which is a good improvement since its previous inspection. The data show that there is no variation in the achievement of groups of students such as those in public care. The students make good progress in a wide range of courses and have every opportunity to study challenging courses which lead to external accreditation. There are examples of students making outstanding progress with GCSE results that compare very well with the attainment of their mainstream peers. A small minority of students have little confidence in their writing and this slows down their progress in this aspect of their literacy. The art displays around the school reflect the high standards and variety of the students’ work.

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Main findings

The students feel very safe at the centre which places the students’ safety and well- being at the heart of its work. Behaviour is exemplary and students display the highest levels of respect for each other and the staff. The centre’s outstanding partnerships with a wide range of agencies help, for example, to provide the students with an excellent equality of opportunity. Also, most parents and carers are very positive about the centre and acknowledge that the centre helps to transform their children’s attitude to learning. The students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding and this helps to give them the confidence to return to mainstream schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the writing of the small minority of students who lack confidence in

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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

their writing by:  ensuring that every opportunity is provided for the students to improve the quality and quantity of their writing through, for example, limiting the use of worksheets  developing innovative and imaginative ways of building the students’ confidence through celebrating their success in writing  placing writing as a major focus in the meetings with parents and carers to help encourage the students to increase their writing for pleasure.

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

 Provide more opportunities for distributed leadership across the centre by:  building a leadership team that can take a greater share of responsibility and accountability across the centre for aspects such as self-review and strategic planning.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Students enter the centre with low attainment but they respond extremely well to the centre’s excellent ethos and attractive and stimulating learning environment. Consequently, they make good progress which lifts their attainment to average and, as a result, they enjoy their education and achieve well. They become more confident and more willing to take responsibility for their own learning. The students make more than expected progress during their time in the centre. Progress is particularly good in mathematics and science. Progress in English is also good and students of all abilities, needs and backgrounds make very good progress in their reading and speaking and listening. However, a small minority have little confidence in their writing and, as a result, make slower progress in this aspect of their English.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

A minority of the Year 11 students in 2010/11 remained at the centre to the end of Key Stage 4. They made excellent progress and, as a result, their attainment of five or more A* to C grades at GCSE including English and mathematics was high compared to their peers in mainstream schools. In an art and design lesson observed during the inspection, Year 10 students thoroughly enjoyed their learning and made good progress in developing their printing skills. Year 11 students successfully calculated the perimeters of a range of shapes in a mathematics lesson. In a Year 8 lesson the students extended their understanding of the safe use of computers. Behaviour was excellent and they were keen to answer challenging questions about the risks of inappropriate access to sites on the computer. Enthusiastic and challenging teaching helped Year 11 students work very well together to help develop their confidence and communication skills.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Students settle quickly and thoroughly enjoy their time in the centre but are aware that reintegration into mainstream schools is the prime focus. Most of the students were low or non-attenders at their previous school and there is a dramatic improvement in their attendance at the centre, leading to good overall attendance. This is a reflection of the excellent relationships and the impact of the centre’s

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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

outstanding links with other agencies, parents and carers. The students’ behaviour is excellent and they are confident that they feel safe in the centre. A large majority of the students adopt healthy lifestyles including participation in a good range of physical activities. The students make a good contribution to the school and wider community as they take on responsibilities but too few of them initiate or promote community-linked activities. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. This is very evident in the school assemblies where students have the confidence to make a mature and considered contribution to a wide range of stimulating topics. Also, the link with a school in Tanzania helps to promote the students’ cultural development.

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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

Taking into account: Pupils’ attainment 1 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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contribute to their future economic well-being

Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1

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How effective is the provision?

The quality of teaching and learning in the centre is good. The staff team quickly establish excellent relationships with the students and provides them with the consistency and security to achieve well. Typically, lessons have a purposeful start, which builds on previous learning and tackles the gaps in the students’ knowledge, skills and understanding. New technology is used effectively to stimulate the students and fully engages them in their learning. Good subject expertise and specialist resources, for example in science and art and design, help the students to make good progress in a wide range of external accreditation. Students are aware of their targets and current attainment levels and high quality marking helps to ensure that they are aware of how to improve their work. Teaching assistants are effectively deployed and provide a balance of support and challenge which contributes to the students’ good progress. Very occasionally learning is too teacher-led which slows

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How effective is the provision?

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

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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 pace of learning and, as a result, students sometimes make satisfactory rather than good progress.

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

The excellent curriculum is very effectively tailored to meet the needs of individuals and groups of students. The centre is flexible and the staff work very hard to personalise the students’ learning and raise their attainment. There is a sharp focus on developing the students’ literacy and numeracy skills. Also, information and communication technology is used extensively to boost learning in all subjects. The students’ learning is enriched and extended by a wealth of activities in the centre and the local area. This has helped them to gain awards in art and design, sport and the care of the environment. The Key Stage 3 students thoroughly enjoy clearing part of the centre’s grounds to develop a garden area.

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

Outstanding care, support and guidance are at the very heart of the centre’s work. The staff team is particularly skilled at providing a supportive yet challenging learning environment. An extensive range of strategies are in place to support the learning of the groups of students whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable. Excellent links with mainstream schools and colleges make a positive contribution to the students’ curriculum and effectively prepare them for the next stage of their education. The centre has an impressive record of placing students back into mainstream schools and supports them while they settle in. Members of staff work extremely well with a wide range of agencies to promote significant improvements in the students’ attendance which helps the students to make such good progress.

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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

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher and staff team work well together and encourage a high level of ambition across the centre. They have a shared vision and are constantly exploring ways to improve. All staff, including the teacher that provides education in the hospital, access good training opportunities. The centre is proactive in ensuring that it has a positive impact on providing education for students whose circumstances may make them vulnerable across the local authority. English and mathematics are well led and managed and this helps to raise attainment. Self-review and strategic planning are good, but no better, because the headteacher is the only member of the leadership team and, as a result, there are too few opportunities for distributed leadership. Members of the management committee are aware of the centre’s

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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

strengths and areas for development and provide a blend of support and challenge to the headteacher and staff. The centre works exceptionally well with key agencies and partners which helps to facilitate equality of opportunity for the students. There is no difference between the academic progress of groups and all make excellent gains in their personal qualities. Discrimination in any form is not tolerated. These links also help to promote excellent safeguarding arrangements which permeate all aspects of the centre’s life and focus on the needs of individual students. Excellent partnerships ensure that parents and carers work very closely with the centre in their children’s best interest. The promotion of community cohesion is good and is based on clear, rather than incisive, evaluation and planning. The value for money provided by the centre is good.

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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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driving improvement

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

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Views of parents and carers

The number of parents and carers that returned the questionnaires matched the number of students on roll which is a very high rate of response. The vast majority of responses indicated satisfaction with the centre in almost all of the statements. All parents and carers agreed that the centre keeps their children safe. Just over half of the parents and carers indicated that their child does not like school. However, conversations with parents and carers confirmed that their children are far more positive about life in the centre compared to their time in school and that their responses to the questionnaire were linked to life in school and not the centre. A parent commented that their child enjoys the centre because, ‘the staff are more understanding and care more’. This positive view was also confirmed in a large majority of the responses to the students’ questionnaires.

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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 Shepwell Short Stay 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 inspector received nine completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are nine pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 2 22 2 22 5 56 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 4 44 5 56 0 0 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 3 33 5 56 1 11 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 2 22 6 67 0 0 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 3 33 5 56 0 0 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 3 33 5 56 0 0 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 1 11 7 78 0 0 1 11 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) 2 22 6 67 0 0 1 11

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 3 33 5 56 0 0 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 4 44 5 56 0 0 0 0 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 2 22 5 56 0 0 1 11

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 3 33 6 67 0 0 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 3 33 5 56 1 11 0 0

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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. 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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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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 08 April 2011 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.  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 Shepwell Short Stay School, Walsall WV13 2QJ

I mentioned in the assembly that I would write a letter about my visit to your centre and the headteacher agreed to read it to you in a future assembly. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to your centre, talking with you and looking at your work. Your responses in the questionnaires were very positive. I decided that the overall effectiveness of your centre is good. Your excellent curriculum is taught well and, as a result, you make good progress during your time at the centre. The displays of your artwork are of a very high quality. The staff team is well led and they work hard to ensure that you are provided with excellent care and are kept safe in the centre. Relationships are excellent which helps to promote your very positive behaviour. I was impressed with the way that you contributed to the discussions in the school assembly. Also, the hard work of the younger students in the new garden is making

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Inspection of Shepwell Short Stay School, Walsall WV13 2QJ

a positive contribution to your surroundings.

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Inspection of Shepwell Short Stay School, Walsall WV13 2QJ

I have asked your headteacher, staff and management committee to focus on ensuring that you have every opportunity to develop your writing. This will help you to make even better progress in all of your subjects. I have also asked the management committee to consider extending membership of the leadership team. You can help to improve the centre by ensuring that you attend whenever possible, work hard and maintain your positive attitudes.

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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 .

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