Glenwood School

Age group 3–19 Inspection date(s) 10–11 May 2012 Inspection number 379079 Glenwood School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 115469 Local authority Essex Inspection number 379079 Inspection dates 10–11 May 2012 Lead inspector Judith Charlesworth

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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 special Age range of pupils 3–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 111 Of which, number on roll in the sixth form 18 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sheridan Leigh Headteacher Judith Salter Date of previous school inspection 26 February 2009 School address Rushbottom Lane Benfleet SS7 4LW Telephone number 01268 792575 Fax number 01268 750907 Email address admin1@glenwood.essex.sch.uk 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

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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 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’.

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

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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

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Introduction

Judith Charlesworth Additional Inspector

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Introduction

Janev Mehmet-Christofides Additional Inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Eleven lessons were observed taught by eleven teachers together with their staff teams. Meetings were held with representatives of the governing body and staff, including therapy staff. Informal discussions took place with pupils throughout the inspection. Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation including: safeguarding policies, procedures and records; records of pupils’ progress; curriculum planning and initiatives; documents concerning the management of staff and school performance, and a variety of information relating to pupils’ personal development. Eighty-four inspection questionnaires returned by parents and carers were analysed, along with those returned by staff and pupils.

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Information about the school

Glenwood School provides for pupils with complex needs. About three quarters have severe learning difficulties and one quarter have profound and multiple learning difficulties. Forty percent of the pupils have autistic spectrum disorder, and this proportion is increasing steadily. All pupils have a statement of their special educational needs, or, if very young, are currently going through the process of obtaining one. There are twice as many boys as girls, which is typical for schools of this type. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds with very small numbers from each of a range of other heritages. Eight pupils currently speak English as an additional language. An above-average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. There are 11 children in the Early Years Foundation Stage who are taught in two mixed-age classes. Students in Years 12 to 14 are taught in a separate sixth form department. The school is due to be relocated to newly built

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Information about the school

premises, together with a county secondary school, in 2015. 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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Key findings

 This is an outstanding school. It has improved in several ways since the previous inspection. The school combines very high quality education and care with a relaxed atmosphere of warmth and fun. Pupils enjoy school, feel safe and well cared for, and achieve exceptionally well. Many parents and carers returned the inspection questionnaire and all indicated that they are completely satisfied with every aspect of the school.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management are outstanding. Senior leaders are committed to empowering staff to take responsibility for pupils’ achievement and to share their skills and expertise. Rigorous self-evaluation and effective systems monitor, evaluate and develop all aspects of the school’s work, resulting in continual improvement. Governance is now rigorous in holding the school to account for its performance. The school supports other schools and pupils in the community, but does not yet have a remit to do this formally.

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Key findings

 Achievement is outstanding for all groups, regardless of age, ability or ethnicity. A significant number of pupils make more than the best progress expected for their age and ability. Learning and progress are carefully tracked by staff to inform planning for individuals and groups. However, the system does not allow the higher attaining pupils’ progress to be as clearly demonstrated as that of lower attaining pupils, which prevents easy analysis.

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Key findings

 The sixth form is outstanding, as it was found to be in the previous inspection. Students’ achievement is excellent and they are very well prepared for the next stage in their lives.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching is outstanding. It is underpinned by an excellent, very broad curriculum and exemplary planning to promote each pupil’s progress. Performance management is very effectively focused on improving learning through continual improvement to teaching. 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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Key findings

 Pupils’ behaviour and safety are outstanding. Their behaviour, attitudes to learning and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are excellent.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Refine the system for tracking and recording pupils’ attainment and progress so that the progress made by higher attaining pupils working within the National Curriculum levels is as clearly and immediately demonstrable as that made by pupils who are working at the lower ‘P’ levels.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In line with the school’s scheduled relocation and provision of better physical facilities, develop ways of increasing and formalising the support and advice given to other schools and pupils in the community.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is low. Understandably, attainment remains low in comparison with age-related expectations, but pupils’ progress is outstanding. Careful analysis of the progress of different groups shows no differences. Such groups include boys and girls, those from minority ethnic groups, those who are known to be eligible for free school meals, and those with autistic spectrum disorder. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and students in the sixth form make outstanding progress. The few exceptions to this generally relate to individuals’ particular circumstances, including degenerative conditions. These pupils are quickly identified and rigorously supported to minimise the impact of such circumstances.

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Achievement of pupils

Parents and carers are very pleased with their children’s achievement. All pupils are very well prepared for the next stage in their lives, socially, emotionally and academically. The school places great emphasis on literacy and communication, and pupils make outstanding progress in the development of these skills. Pupils learn to communicate through symbols, signing and the use of photographs which are used to support learning in all areas. Daily participation in early reading programmes and literacy lessons ensures that, where possible, pupils learn to read and write. Pupils’ outstanding achievement promotes their confidence, pride and ability to contribute to a wide range of activities.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ enjoyment of school is clearly evident. The youngest children learn to communicate, conform and enjoy school, and so they quickly settle and make rapid progress. Older students apply their well-developed skills to tasks and challenges that prepare them effectively for work or college, such as designing and making items from wood using real tools. Pupils’ persistence and determination to succeed was clearly demonstrated on one particular occasion when those with profound and multiple learning difficulties were encouraged to show their classmates how they could pick up an object and release it into a container. Their joy at their own success 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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Achievement of pupils

was evidence of their understanding of this task, and the struggle they had to achieve it.

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Quality of teaching

Many parents and carers commented specifically on the quality and effectiveness of teaching. Its high quality is underpinned by rigorous performance management based on improving learning by improving teaching. It is further supported by a relevant and interesting curriculum and excellent planning which is sharply focused on learning.

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Quality of teaching

There are numerous strengths in teaching. Among these are the professionalism, quality and high expectations of learning and behaviour of all staff. Detailed planning in each lesson provides for four broad levels of ability. These are further personalised by meshing with each pupil’s personal learning targets, derived from rigorous assessment of their developing skills. Staff teamwork is outstanding. All members completely understand their particular roles, and work with initiative and sensitivity to pupils’ needs and to unforeseen circumstances. This was seen in an exemplary end-of-lesson session for a mixed-ability group which the teacher led like a conductor of an orchestra. Each pupil’s progress towards targets was noted and celebrated; pupils were asked to demonstrate their special skills, which they very much enjoyed, and targets were encouragingly set for the next session.

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Quality of teaching

Therapy staff work exceptionally well in conjunction with school staff, both in the classrooms and in dedicated multi-sensory sessions. They support class staff in the implementation of sensory techniques to help calm behaviour and, overall, behaviour is very well managed. Excellent, personalised, photo-based books clearly illustrate the various regimes required for certain individuals. Reading, pre-reading and numeracy skills are successfully reinforced from the Early Years Foundation Stage onwards. Some of these children, for example, were learning to write numbers, while others in the group were learning to ‘take one away’ from a number line, while all were enjoying animated nursery rhymes. The school is currently running a communication enhancement project in conjunction with a specialist speech and language therapist to ensure that all opportunities for promoting communication are fully used. Where teaching falls short of outstanding, it is mostly due to ragged

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Quality of teaching

transition times between activities or end-of-lesson sessions that do not have a clear purpose.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well promoted by teaching. Pupils are placed in small groups for much of their work which effectively supports their social and communication skills. They are given praise and recognition for their successes and are encouraged to be as independent as possible.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school’s policies and practices to safeguard pupils’ health, safety and well-being are very robust and carefully implemented and monitored. Behaviour is outstanding, 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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Behaviour and safety of pupils

partly because staff try their utmost to ensure that the triggers that might lead to pupils’ challenging behaviour are fully identified. Any such behaviour is usually avoided by carefully planned support and intervention, such as short periods of ‘bouncing’ or counting down from five until the pupil is calm. Very well-written behaviour support plans help staff to know precisely how to address these difficulties by supporting pupils’ positive behaviours and attributes. Consequently, pupils’ behaviour is usually calm and their attitudes to learning and to each other are exemplary.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are keen to do well and to receive recognition from the staff. They thrive on success – both their own and that of their friends, which makes a significant contribution to their learning. On one such occasion, a class of pupils very much enjoyed each others’ comments and recordings of animal sounds in response to an illustrated story. This helped them concentrate, complete tasks and answer questions. Parents and carers say unanimously that behaviour is good and that their children feel safe in school. A number commented that they had never been aware of any bullying. There have been no recent exclusions or racial incidents. Nevertheless, the school is vigilant to any harassment. Keeping safe, including being aware of internet safety and how to deal with unwanted attention or bullying, is included in the taught curriculum and everyday work of the school.

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Leadership and management

The school’s excellence stems from outstanding leadership and management. It is successfully focused on eradicating discrimination, promoting equality and improving pupils’ achievement, well-being and life chances. Improvement has been continuous since the previous inspection, and the school has ample capacity to improve further. Well-considered decisions based on rigorous self-evaluation inform developments and refinements to provision. They ensure that pupils’ current and future needs are met and that the best possible outcomes are achieved. The curriculum is now outstanding. It provides a firm basis for activities and teaching that meet the needs and interests of all age and ability groups, including those requiring a very high degree of structure or a sensory approach to learning . W eaknesses in provision and accreditation at Key Stage 4 have been rectified. The school considers the curriculum

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Leadership and management

to be everything that it provides, and places as much importance on supporting personal development and well-being as it does on academic achievement. Pupils’ academic outcomes are now outstanding, and their excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has been maintained.

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Leadership and management

The very effective, long-standing partnership between the headteacher and deputy headteacher provides an outstanding model of supportive, collaborative working. All staff who answered the inspection questionnaire are completely happy with all aspects of the school. They are encouraged to lead, manage and review pupils’ achievement themselves, and to support their own and each other’s performance through the work of departmental ‘learning teams’ and cross-school ‘excellence teams’. The performance of every group of pupils and each individual is rigorously analysed in relation to national guidance and other comparators. Where any pupil 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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Leadership and management

makes less than expected progress, reasons are sought and interventions introduced to ensure that all have equal opportunities for learning.

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Leadership and management

Performance management is robust. Careful induction, professional development, mentoring and coaching have resulted in the eradication of inadequate teaching and the achievement of higher standards of learning and teaching since the previous inspection. Governance, too, has strengthened. Members of the governing body are knowledgeable and professional, and working practices are robust, based on rigorous discussion and well-organised visits that link to development priorities. Safeguarding arrangements are effective and meet current government requirements .

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Leadership and management

The school has many links with outside professionals, organisations, schools and colleges, and pupils benefit from partnerships and joint working with mainstream schools. These partnerships enhance and support the curriculum and pupils’ academic and personal development. They also effectively support other schools’ practice and their pupils’ development, although such links are not yet formalised. Partnership with parents and carers, and their satisfaction with the school, are outstanding. Sixty percent of the high number of inspection questionnaires returned included additional, favourable comments about the school’s leaders and staff, the progress made by their children and the positive impact the school has on their family’s and children’s lives.

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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 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 6

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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 to 31 December 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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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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

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

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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.

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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.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Floor standards: the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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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.

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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.

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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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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.

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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 Glenwood School, Benfleet, SS7 4LW

Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking to you and watching you learn and have fun in lessons. We came to school to see how well you were all doing and how happy you were. We found that Glenwood is an outstanding school and has a great many strengths. We know from the questionnaires that you, and your parents and carers, agree with this. Some of Glenwood’s best aspects are:

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Inspection of Glenwood School, Benfleet, SS7 4LW

 the warm and supportive atmosphere in the school, that helps you feel safe, calm and enjoy your work  your very positive attitudes to learning and the way you always try hard  your outstanding progress in both your personal development and your academic subjects  the school’s strong commitment to helping you learn from all that you do and experience  the school’s excellent work to improve your communication and literacy skills  the outstanding quality of teaching, and the way that school and therapy staff work together to help you  the curriculum, which includes everything that the school provides for your personal and academic development  the outstanding leadership and management of the school, which is helping to improve it all the time  the whole staff’s commitment to improving the school and to helping you and your families.

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Inspection of Glenwood School, Benfleet, SS7 4LW

We have asked the school to improve the system it uses for recording your progress, and to work out how it can increase the help and support it gives to other schools and pupils in the community.

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Inspection of Glenwood School, Benfleet, SS7 4LW

You can all help, too, by continuing to behave well and trying hard in all that you do.

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Inspection of Glenwood School, Benfleet, SS7 4LW

Judith Charlesworth 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 .

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