The Beacon Primary Pupil Referral Unit

Age group 7–12 Inspection date(s) 19–20 June 2012 Inspection number 381286 The Beacon Primary Short Stay School Inspection report

p.1

Unique reference number 130987 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 381286 Inspection dates 19–20 June 2012 Lead inspector Frank Price

p.1

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

p.1

Type of school Pupil referral unit School category Pupil referral unit Age range of pupils 7–12 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 12 Appropriate authority The local authority Headteacher Roger Satterthwaite Date of previous school inspection 13 February 2009 School address Longdon Close Woodrow South Redditch B98 7UZ Telephone number 01527 514068 Fax number 01527 529820 Email address office@thebeacon.worcs.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 other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

p.1

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’.

p.2

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.

p.2

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

Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Approximately four hours were spent observing eight lessons or part lessons taught by four teachers. Six joint lesson observations were carried out with three different members of the school’s senior management team. Discussions took place with a range of pupils, members of staff and the chair of the management committee and a representative from the local authority. The inspector observed the school’s work, and looked at its self-evaluation documentation and improvement plans. The inspector took account of three parental questionnaires, as well as questionnaires completed by staff and students.

p.3

Information about the school

The Beacon Primary short stay school, is a smaller-than-average sized pupil referral unit. It caters for pupils who have been excluded, or who are at risk of exclusion from their school, in the north-eastern region of Worcestershire. However, at the time of the inspection, some pupils attended from further afield due to the closure of a pupil referral unit in another part of the county. The school caters for both boys and girls, who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, but at the time of the inspection, all pupils were boys. Increasingly, pupils admitted to the school are presenting with more complex needs including attention, attachment and autistic spectrum disorders, communication and learning difficulties and mental health issues. Three pupils have a statement of special educational needs for behaviour, social and emotional difficulties, but nearly all have some form of special educational

p.3

Information about the school

needs. A few pupils are dual registered. They have a period of shorter intervention, usually six weeks, and remain on the roll of their original school. The proportion of pupils who are known to be entitled to free school meals is average. A temporary executive headteacher, who is also the headteacher of a secondary-aged pupil referral unit, took up the role in September 2011. 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.3

Key findings

 The Beacon Primary Short Stay School is satisfactory. It is improving rapidly. It is not yet good because not enough teaching is good or outstanding and the progress of pupils in lessons is not always as good as it could be. Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

p.4

Key findings

 Pupils’ attainment is usually low on entry to the school because of previous disruption to their education. Their achievement is satisfactory when progress from their individual starting points is measured. Some pupils make good and rapid progress. The analysis and use of pupils’ progress assessment information, for those pupils who are permanently excluded and stay longer at the school, is too limited.

p.4

Key findings

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. They develop positive attitudes to learning and to each other. They make improvements in their attendance and they learn how to manage their feelings in a more mature fashion. They learn how to cooperate together and this contributes to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.4

Key findings

 Both internal and external monitoring of teaching indicate that the overall quality is satisfactory but improving well and inspection findings endorse this view. There are numerous strengths to teaching, but the lack of pace to some lessons, and insufficient challenge when learning is not personalised enough, prevents teaching from being good overall.

p.4

Key findings

 The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. However, the executive headteacher, in conjunction with senior leaders, has provided a clear vision. This has enabled the school to adapt to significant changes to staffing and pupils, and promoted good staff morale . However, strategies for the management committee to check the effectiveness of the work of the school are too limited. 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?

 Increase the amount of good and outstanding teaching by:  improving the challenge of learning, ensuring learning objectives in lessons are defined for each pupil and any misunderstandings are picked up and addressed promptly  ensuring the pace of learning is brisker to maintain pupils’ attention and motivation

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sharpen and use the analysis of pupil assessment data to identify more clearly areas to accelerate pupils’ progress.

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop clear measures so that the management committee can evaluate the work of the school more easily.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Pupils who are dual registered attend the school for a six-week intervention programme for three days a week. During this short time they make significant progress in their academic skills and personal, social and emotional development, which is often the reason for their referral. This intervention often prevents their permanent exclusion from mainstream schools.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

For pupils who have been permanently excluded, there is an upward and improving trend of progress in English and mathematics. Their starting points in English are often lower than those in mathematics. Assessment data indicate improved progress in writing, more recently. However, assessment data have not been analysed sharply to pinpoint where progress needs to be further accelerated. Progress in lessons is satisfactory. On occasions, learning slows. For example, sometimes pupils’ misunderstandings are not picked up and addressed sufficiently promptly. The small number of parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire were mostly satisfied with the progress they see their children make. There is no marked variation in the progress made by pupils with differing needs or backgrounds. The average length of stay for permanently excluded pupils is approximately between two and four terms. The lack of suitable alternative provision

p.5

Achievement of pupils

sometimes prevents speedier reintegration to mainstream schools.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Pupils read well-matched texts and read on a daily basis. Three pupils read to the inspector and they showed increased confidence and fluency in their reading. Pupils tackled words and self-corrected where needed. Less confident readers decoded words by breaking down the words into smaller segments. All had a good 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.5

Achievement of pupils

understanding of what they had read and one pupil named a range of novels by his favourite author. Some pupils said they did not read for pleasure outside of school.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Teaching is satisfactory, although there are numerous strengths. Teachers are very skilled in their management of behaviour to reduce disruption to learning and establish positive and supportive relationships with pupils. This helps the pupils to settle quickly into the school and to start to thrive. Praise and encouragement are strong features which permeate the school and promote a positive and uplifting learning environment for pupils. Teachers use background information, although sometimes this is limited, and baseline assessments to identify the next steps in learning. Pupils know their academic and behaviour targets through the use of learning journals, which they review each morning, and receive individual mentoring support.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Staff know pupils well and build up a detailed picture of individual needs to provide them with the support they need. Assessment of pupils’ learning takes place at the end of lessons, often through self and peer assessment. At the end of each day pupils also reflect on what has gone well and what could be improved and this makes a strong contribution to their spiritual, moral and social development. The marking of pupils’ work is good and identifies what they need to do to improve further.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Learning is at its best when teaching is lively and engages pupils in practical activities. In a mathematics lesson, pupils learned how to use protractors to measure angles accurately and the following day they measured angles of various lines in the playground. Where teaching is weaker, learning outcomes are not specific enough to individual pupils’ needs in lessons and at times this leads to insufficient challenge, as work is not matched closely enough to their different levels of ability. In some lessons, the pace of learning is not always quick enough and on occasions pupils lose their focus.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Literacy skills are taught regularly and in a variety of ways. Teachers are skilled at using pupils’ interest to spark their imagination. For example, some pupils enjoyed making stories, using multi-media such as photographs, internet research and audio, on topics such as the Antarctic and outdoor experiences. Most parents and carers recognise that their children are taught at least satisfactorily.

p.6

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils make good improvements in their behaviour while at the school and they generally behave well. A noticeable feature is how well pupils learn self-managing and coping strategies to improve their behaviour. Pupils use ‘emotional thermometers’ to gauge their feelings and can detect when they are in danger of not being able to cope. Staff are always very calm and sensitive in their management of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are systematically encouraged to put things right when 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

there has been an incident and they learn positive and constructive ways of how to conduct themselves. The improvements in their emotional, social and behaviour development are important factors in helping them to re-engage in education.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

The attendance of most pupils is broadly average, but there are one or two pupils who do not attend often enough, despite the best efforts of the school. Most pupils who responded to the questionnaire stated they felt safe at school. A few pupils perceived a lack of safety, even though the school is a calm, orderly and well- supervised environment and is extremely safe. The promotion of pupils’ social and moral development is good and permeates all aspects of the school’s work. Parents rightly feel that the school is safe and deals with bullying effectively. The recorded incidents of racist or bullying behaviour are very rare and discussions with pupils revealed that they feel bullying of any nature is not an issue at the school.

p.7

Leadership and management

There have been significant changes in leadership and management at the school since the last inspection, with changes in headship and interim arrangements for one assistant head teacher. The future role of the Beacon is under review. However, these changes and uncertainties, although unsettling, have been managed well. There is good staff morale and cohesive teamwork is evident. The senior leadership team has provided consistent leadership and management in a changing and uncertain context.

p.7

Leadership and management

The management committee is committed and supportive, but is not yet able to challenge and hold the school fully to account, because there are limited measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the work of the school. The local authority has carried out a quality assurance review of the school and this has acted as a catalyst for further improvement and for accelerating pupils’ progress and improving teaching and learning. The priorities identified are sensible and achievable and set out the path for continued improvement. Given the effective improvement plans, leadership, vision and ambition to develop the work of the school, it has the capacity to secure and sustain further improvement.

p.7

Leadership and management

The school provides substantial support to a large number of other schools in the county, which is highly valued. This is well managed and helps to keep pupils in mainstream schools, by providing pupils and schools with better strategies to mange behaviour and thereby reduce the number of exclusions.

p.7

Leadership and management

Effective continuing professional development, performance management of staff and regular monitoring of teaching have ensured that teaching is improving strongly. Teachers are able to improve their practice by visits to other schools and through training in areas such as therapeutic approaches and literacy. The curriculum is well suited to the needs of pupils focusing on core subjects, but supplemented with a strong emphasis on personal, social and emotional development. For example, the use of ‘forest school’, supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school is vigilant in ensuring that its arrangements for promoting 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

the safeguarding of pupils are secure. Incidents that involve the physical management of pupils are meticulously recorded. The equality of pupils is ensured as outcomes for all groups are measured and any areas of underperformance and barriers to learning are addressed quickly .

p.8

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.9

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

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

p.9

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.10

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.10

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.10

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.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.10

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.10

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.10

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.10

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.10

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.10

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

p.11

Inspection of The Beacon Primary Short Stay School, Redditch, B98 7UZ

I am writing to thank you for the welcome you gave me during my recent inspection of your school. I enjoyed meeting with many of you and hearing some of you read. Some of you told me what you thought of your school. Thank you for contributing to the inspection through the returned questionnaires.

p.11

Inspection of The Beacon Primary Short Stay School, Redditch, B98 7UZ

Your school provides you with a satisfactory but improving education. Most of you make satisfactory progress during your various periods of time at school and some of you make good progress. The school prepares you well to go back into other schools. You make good improvements in your behaviour and this is important for you as you return to school. You enjoy your lessons and many of you like the ‘forest school’ and outdoor activities you can participate in. The teaching you receive is satisfactory. Staff get to know you well and help you to settle quickly. I particularly liked how you can review your targets in the morning and at the end of each day. The executive headteacher and staff are working hard to improve your school. To make it even better, I have asked those leading your school to:

p.11

Inspection of The Beacon Primary Short Stay School, Redditch, B98 7UZ

 increase the amount of good and outstanding teaching by ensuring that you have individual learning objectives in lessons and that some lessons are brisker in their pace to keep your attention

p.11

Inspection of The Beacon Primary Short Stay School, Redditch, B98 7UZ

 improve the way information about how well you do in subjects is used so that you make faster progress

p.11

Inspection of The Beacon Primary Short Stay School, Redditch, B98 7UZ

 improve the way the work of the school is checked, by those people who are responsible for your school.

p.11

Inspection of The Beacon Primary Short Stay School, Redditch, B98 7UZ

You can help to improve your school by continuing to work hard and trying your best. I wish you well for the future.

p.11

Inspection of The Beacon Primary Short Stay School, Redditch, B98 7UZ

Frank Price 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.11