Hayfield School

Hayfield School Manor Drive, Upton, Wirral, Merseyside, CH49 4LN

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  This wonderful school has continued to grow and improve since the previous inspection. Senior leaders and managers and all of the staff share the highest expectations for pupils.  Pupils make exceptional progress from low starting points in all areas of their learning. Their progress in reading, writing and mathematics is outstanding. Rates of progress in literacy and communication are even more pronounced than in mathematics.  The quality of teaching is at least consistently good and a great deal of it is outstanding. Teachers plan exceptionally well for the individual needs of their pupils.  Pupils feel safe in this happy school. Any difficulties with behaviour are managed kindly but firmly. Staff aim to help pupils become able to express their needs and wishes. As a result, pupils learn to cope better in stressful situations.  Parents are partners in their child’s learning

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and the school involves whole families as much as possible in activities and events.  Senior leaders and managers, including the governing body, are ambitious for the school. They constantly review their own effectiveness. Monitoring of the provision and outcomes for pupils ensure that teaching and learning are of the very highest standard.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons taught by 14 teachers.  Three of the lessons were observed jointly with members of the senior leadership team.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the deputy headteachers and other members of staff, a representative from the local authority, members of the governing body and a group of pupils. The inspectors also talked informally with pupils and staff around the school.  Many documents were reviewed including those relating to safeguarding, pupils’ progress, the school’s evaluation of its own performance and improvement planning, behaviour management of pupils and performance management arrangements for staff.  The inspectors took account of the school’s surveys of parents’ and pupils’ views and the 19 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).

p.2

Inspection team

Hilary Ward, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Paul Edmondson Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Hayfield provides for pupils who have social communication difficulties, the majority of whom have autism spectrum conditions and for pupils who have moderate learning difficulties usually associated with additional special educational needs. The school’s recognition by Autism Accreditation through the National Autistic Society has been recently renewed.  The proportion of pupils with social communication difficulties/autism has increased since the previous inspection.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs.  Almost half of the pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding). This is well above the national average.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  Pupils often join the school at other than the usual times, usually transferring from mainstream primary schools. Some pupils may have had many previous placements.  Some pupils experience activities in other primary schools, often in their local neighbourhood

p.3

Information about this school

school. Hayfield also has partnerships with Overchurch Junior School and St Ann’s Primary School which offer inclusion opportunities to Hayfield pupils and shared projects.  Hayfield School has an outreach role, providing advice and support for pupils with special educational needs and training to staff in other schools on request.  The school holds a number of awards including Autism Accreditation through the National Autistic Society, full International Schools Award, Basic Skills Quality Mark, Artsmark Gold, Activemark and a number of local awards for inclusion and health promotion.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ achievement in mathematics even further by checking and analysing the impact of the mathematics recovery scheme which has been recently introduced.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The school sets challenging targets for pupils to achieve. A large majority of pupils makes at least good progress and most make outstanding progress towards national expectations from low and sometimes, very low starting points.  Progress is consistently high for all groups of pupils across all key stages. The small numbers of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught alongside Key Stage 1 pupils. When they start school, the youngest children have not yet developed the skills they need to begin to learn. The excellent attention to routines and to helping children begin to communicate, get them off to a flying start.  Pupils who are eligible for additional funding through the pupil premium make the same outstanding progress as that of other pupils. Although progress in reading, writing and mathematics is outstanding and has improved year on year, the rate of progress is not as strongly marked in mathematics. The school has recognised this and has put in place a

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

mathematics recovery programme which is beginning to show further improvement in the development of pupils’ mathematical skills.  Staff have continued to develop their knowledge and skills in working with the increasing number of pupils with autism conditions. As a result of the expertise of the staff, these pupils settle quickly when they join the school and make rapid strides in their personal, social and emotional development. Once they become familiar with routines, their anxieties reduce and they begin to make excellent progress in their learning.  The school uses modern technology to encourage pupils to investigate and find out things for themselves. More-able pupils are set particularly challenging targets and more difficult tasks. For example, in a mathematics lesson on 3D shapes, all pupils could identify the features of their shapes but higher-ability pupils wrote descriptions, too.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching is mainly outstanding and never less than good because teachers assess pupils’ learning accurately and prepare lessons which challenge each of them to move on as quickly as they can.  Teachers and teaching assistants work together in highly effective teams. They share knowledge and a good mix of skills which enable pupils to succeed, both in their academic work and in their personal development.  All staff share high expectations for their pupils. For example, in an outstanding literacy lesson, the teacher worked with a small group on early recognition of letter sounds, while another group were writing words and sounding them out and the highest-ability pupils in the class were making simple sentences following a drama activity. Teaching assistants were used highly effectively to ensure that the tasks given to pupils were neither too hard nor too easy.  Teachers constantly check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons by asking probing

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

questions. Where necessary they adapt their teaching to go over work in different ways to be sure that outstanding learning has taken place.  Lessons move quickly and are fun. Teachers and teaching assistants use imaginative resources, such as puppets, to capture their pupils’ interests. Many lessons involve providing sensory experiences to support learning. For instance, a science lesson on light took place in the sensory room where younger pupils wore blindfolds and sunglasses and understood about the importance of light from real experience.  Staff use sign and symbols consistently to support learning and the development of communication. High priority is given to helping pupils use essential social skills such as sharing, turn-taking, waiting and good manners at snack and lunchtimes.  Learning begins from the moment pupils arrive at school in the morning, at breakfast club, the wake-up shake-up, in the sensory physical activities on equipment in the hall, or in classrooms.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

No time is wasted.  An appropriate emphasis is placed on developing literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum and this is often achieved through topics which capture pupils’ imagination and creativity. During the inspection a ‘Victorian’ visitor was in school and pupils experienced what it might have been like to be at school in that period. They asked lots of questions to put into their writing.  Teachers use praise and reward systems highly effectively to encourage reluctant learners. Feedback gives pupils clear advice on how to improve their work.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Hayfield School is a very safe environment where pupils can test boundaries safely and know they will be supported if they are having difficulties. As one pupil said ‘Teachers are kind and they don’t give up on us.’  Lots of opportunities are provided for pupils to let off steam if they become stressed. They enjoy riding bikes on the cycle track and the range of physical activities on offer at lunch and break times.  Pupils understand the reward systems in school - ‘If you’re in trouble you lose golden time at the end of the day.’ They want to please and show very positive attitudes to their learning so that behaviour rarely interrupts lessons.  On the rare occasions when pupils experience difficulties, their behaviour is managed well. The whole school ethos and the highly positive relationships pupils enjoy with staff and each other effectively support pupils in managing their own behaviour. Mutual respect is clearly a feature of

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

school life.  Pupils and parents say that bullying is rare and that staff stop it. A great deal of work takes place through personal, social education and in other aspects of the curriculum, to promote pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. As a result it is evident that pupils develop resilience and self-esteem as they progress through the school.

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school was judged to be outstanding at its previous inspection and has continued to grow and improve to meet the challenges of the increasingly complex needs of the pupils.  The new headteacher and her team manage all aspects of the school’s work exceptionally well and share a vision for continuous improvement. There are highly effective systems in place to analyse and check pupil progress, as a result of which there have been year-on-year improvements. Areas requiring improvement are quickly identified and tackled.  Similarly the senior leadership team checks the quality of teaching extremely well, to be sure that teaching is maintained at the highest standard and improves achievement. Teachers are set their own challenging targets which are linked well to school improvement planning, pupil progress and their own professional development as well as to pay progression.  Senior leaders and managers, including the governing body, are very secure in their evaluation

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

of their own strengths and areas for development. Recent moves to extend responsibilities to middle managers and subject teams help all staff to feel involved in improvement planning.  The curriculum is constantly under review. There is a host of opportunities for pupils to make visits out of school, to experience practical activities on topics which interest and enthuse them and meet their individual needs, such as horse-riding and trips to museums and galleries.  Through its outreach work, which is highly valued, Hayfield has developed excellent relationships with other schools which benefit Hayfield pupils. Where appropriate, individuals have opportunities to take part in lessons in partner schools, joining in shared events and activities such as sports.  The school is harmonious and meets the needs of all its pupils. Staff and pupils feel valued and equal opportunities for all are of the greatest importance. Pupils develop an understanding of

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

other cultures. They enjoy e-mailing their friends in a school in Ghana and fundraising for ‘Send Our Child to School’. They learn about the importance of sustainability and recycling, taking key responsibility for this in Years 4 and 5.  Links with parents are very strong. Parents’ views are regularly surveyed and responses demonstrate they are extremely positive about their child’s experiences in school and feel well- informed about how well their child is doing and what they are learning.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are very involved in finding out for themselves about the day- to-day work of the school. As a result, they are well-informed to question the headteacher about pupil achievement and performance management of teaching and learning. They monitor finances, including the spending of the pupil premium funding to ensure that it is effective. This has contributed effectively to improvements in the quality of teaching and pupil

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

performance. The governing body covers its statutory duties responsibly and members are involved in safeguarding including safer recruitment of staff. Governors share the ambition of the senior leadership team to continue to drive the school forward.

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 105128 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 402964

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Special School category Community special Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 108 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nigel Cooper Headteacher Sheena Drake Date of previous school inspection 6 March 2008 Telephone number 0151 6779303 Fax number 0151 6773981 Email address headteacher@hayfield.wirral.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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.8

School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

p.9

School details

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.9

School details

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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

p.9

School details

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.9

School details

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

p.9