Hedgewood School

Hedgewood School Weymouth Road, Hayes, UB4 8NF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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This is a good school

 Pupils make good progress and achieve well. They make particularly good progress in developing their skills in communication and excellent progress in their physical development.  Much of the teaching is good with some examples of excellent practice. Teachers plan effectively to meet pupils’ needs and use signs and symbols as well as spoken language very effectively to help pupils express their views.  Pupils of all ages feel safe in school. They show excellent improvements in their behaviour, and their confidence and independence greatly improve from when they first start.  The headteacher, with strong support from senior staff, has shown determination in checking the quality of teaching to ensure that it has improved since the previous inspection to meet the increasing complexity of pupils’ needs.  Governors challenge the school effectively. They play a very active part in helping to improve the quality of provision.

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This is a good school

 The school is highly successful in engaging parents and carers as partners in supporting their children’s education.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a few lessons, teachers do not make best use of teaching assistants, notably in whole class situations, to ensure that learning is of the highest quality for all pupils.  The school has not fully implemented plans to develop the skills of staff in charge of different age groups in using lesson observations to check the quality of teaching.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 lessons and two of these were carried out jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors joined pupils at lunchtimes, talked to them in class and heard some of them read.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body and school staff, including senior staff.  Inspectors took account of 20 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as the school’s annual survey of the views of parents and carers. One inspector was invited to an informal regular meeting that the school holds for parents and carers where they were able to find out more about their views. Account was taken of 59 questionnaires from staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation. This included the school’s self-evaluation and its development plan, arrangements for safeguarding, curriculum planning, assessment records, minutes of the governing body and the school’s

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Inspection team

Kathleen (Kay) Charlton, Lead inspector Additional inspector Bob Coburn Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Hedgewood caters for pupils with a wide range of special educational needs. Many have speech, language and communication difficulties, about two thirds are on the autistic spectrum and an increasing proportion have complex needs. All have a statement of special educational needs.  The school roll has increased by a third since the previous inspection. Most of these pupils joined the school in September 2012.  Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. The largest group is of White British heritage, although about one fifth come from homes where English is not the main language.  The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is slightly above average.  Twenty five pupils received the pupil premium (extra funding provided by the government for pupils eligible for free school meals, pupils in local authority care and those who are from service families) in the financial year ending March 2012.

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Information about this school

 In the current financial year the school has received no pupil premium funding.  The senior staff, known as the senior leadership team, consists of the headteacher and two assistant headteachers.  Not long after the previous inspection, learning managers took on the role of managing subject areas. Very recently team managers have taken up responsibility for different age groups: one to oversee the Early Years Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2; two for Years 3 and 4; and the fourth for Years 5 and 6.  There have been some significant changes in staffing since the last inspection, notably to take account of the increased number of pupils on roll, many of whom need extra support. Two new teachers and over one third of teaching assistants have been appointed since September 2012.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that in all lessons, teachers make best use of teaching assistants, particularly in whole- class situations, to ensure high-quality learning for all pupils.  Implement plans to develop the skills of staff in charge of different age groups in using lesson observations to check teaching and thereby ensure that all pupils do as well as they can.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All groups of pupils, including those with complex needs and those who have recently joined the school, make good progress from their generally low starting points.  Pupils learn to express themselves well, either verbally or through the use of signs and symbols. This has a marked impact on developing their independence both in school and at home.  The youngest children in the Early Years Foundation Stage respond very well to the structure and expectations of the classroom situation and show confidence in following the daily routines.  By age seven, many pupils learn to recognise words and sounds. Some can read simple text. They learn to recognise numbers and develop basic number concepts.  By age 11, pupils express views about the books they enjoy and some read fluently, with expression and for enjoyment. Most apply basic numerical skills well in everyday situations.  In physical education, pupils make excellent progress. They enjoy their lessons and all

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The achievement of pupils is good

participate extremely well. The outdoor structured play areas make a significant contribution to the progress they make in physical development.  Pupils on the autistic spectrum make good progress in developing social skills and interacting with each other, as seen very clearly in their active participation in an assembly about being kind to others.  As a result of the high level of individual attention they receive and their growing confidence and independence, all pupils are well prepared for secondary school.  Parents and carers report that their children make good progress. In particular, they value the way the school involves them fully in agreeing targets for their children.  In a few lessons pupils are not fully challenged to achieve their best because teachers do not make best use of teaching assistants, notably when working in whole-class groups.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is usually good and there are examples of outstanding practice in all parts of the school, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Teachers place a high emphasis on developing pupils’ skills in communication. They use spoken language, signs and symbols very effectively along with very good use of interactive whiteboards, in order to give pupils the confidence to make their views known.  Teachers plan well for the development of literacy, making effective use of high-quality resources, which leads to pupils developing their enjoyment of books and reading as they progress through the school.  Opportunities to develop pupils’ skills in mathematics are used to advantage, as seen in a music lesson with older pupils which gave a good emphasis to the development of numeracy.  Teachers and teaching assistants have excellent relationships with pupils. They use behaviour management techniques skilfully to improve pupils’ behaviour. They listen carefully

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The quality of teaching is good

to pupils and create a positive climate for learning. This contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Assessment has improved and teachers assess pupils’ progress regularly and accurately. They ensure pupils know what they need to do to improve, with effective use made of pupils’ individual targets.  Some outstanding teaching was seen in physical education. Lessons taught by members of the senior staff also set an excellent model for others to follow. In these lessons pupils’ achievements are at the very highest level because of the consistent way that the whole staff team challenges each pupil at their own level. Teaching of this quality, however, is not consistent across the school.  Occasionally, teachers do not use teaching assistants to advantage and then the assistants tend to become too involved in behaviour management rather than in challenging learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour around the school and over time is outstanding. All pupils, even those very new to the school, make rapid improvements in learning to manage their own behaviour. This means that they are able to engage safely in activities, for example using bicycles in the playground, showing excellent awareness of others and clear attention to the safety rules.  Pupils very quickly develop extremely positive attitudes to learning because their participation in lessons is recognised and celebrated very effectively.  Close collaborative work with speech and language therapists and occupational therapists ensures that pupils are taught to communicate in a way that best suits their needs. This has a noticeable impact on pupils’ attitudes and on their ability to manage their own behaviour.  Staff receive high-quality training in behaviour management and use the behaviour management policy extremely effectively ensuring that pupils feel safe and secure. There are

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

no exclusions and parents and carers affirm significant improvements in pupils’ behaviour across the school.  Pupils indicate that there is no bullying and know what to do should any incidents occur. They really appreciate the Happy Hedgehogs Rewards and work hard to achieve these.  Extra-curricular activities in drama, play skills and in learning how to be a cheerleader have a significant impact on developing pupils’ confidence, independence and behaviour.  Pupils are very keen to come to school and attendance is above average.  The advice for parents and carers, including the regular workshops, helps them use a consistent approach to managing behaviour. They make very positive remarks such as, ‘This school provides a happy and structured environment where all the pupils are very happy in their tasks.’

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the previous inspection, the headteacher and senior team have ensured the school has improved with a strong emphasis on ensuring that individual pupils’ needs, including those with complex needs, are met. They have succeeded in integrating many new pupils very well into school.  By instilling a belief that each pupil can achieve well, whatever their difficulties, pupils make good progress, particularly in the development of their ability to communicate and be independent.  The school has equality of opportunity as a guiding principle and tackles any discrimination so that there is a very harmonious working atmosphere. Pupils with specific needs are targeted effectively with a range of specialist teaching programmes so that all groups make good progress.  The school makes good use of training for all staff. Everyone, including teaching assistants and governors, is keen to develop their skills further.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and senior team have a continuous focus on improving teaching and learning. This includes making sure that staff set challenging targets for pupils based on an accurate assessment of their needs. This focus ensures that the school is well placed to improve further.  Those staff who lead subject developments, known as learning managers, have helped develop well-thought-out policies and schemes of work in their subjects that ensure pupils make good progress, for example in literacy and numeracy.  The recently appointed team managers have not yet developed their skills in using observations of teaching to help make sure all pupils are achieving as well as they can. Plans are underway to give them training and some flexibility in their timetables to support this development.  Performance management procedures have been made more rigorous and are used well to support an upward trend in the quality of teaching. The school is clear that there is still

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The leadership and management are good

further to go in ensuring that all lessons are of the highest quality.  Whole-school self-evaluation is much improved and actions are carefully planned and effective. A good example of this is the way the school has ensured improvements in science.  Safeguarding is taken seriously by all. Policies and procedures meet all requirements. They are monitored very carefully.  The local authority has helped the school set up a rigorous system to track pupils’ progress.  The school has highly effective strategies, including home visits, coffee afternoons, weekend training sessions and a wide range of extra clubs that parents and carers really appreciate. These support them very well in becoming partners in their children’s learning.  The governance of the school:  Governors contribute very positively to the school’s drive for improvement. They have good systems in place to check how well the school is doing, which are refreshed through regular

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The leadership and management are good

training updates. They ask challenging questions, for example about how well pupils are achieving. The governing body is fully aware of how the performance of staff is checked, how effective teaching is financially rewarded and how identified weaknesses are addressed. Governors use salary progression well to support school improvement. They monitor financial affairs closely. In the year that the school received the pupil premium they ensured these funds were used to good effect by providing extra targeted teaching for the identified pupils so that their progress improved. Even though the school has not received the pupil premium this year, it is continuing this work because it was so successful.

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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

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 102465 Local authority Hillingdon Inspection number 400547

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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 120 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Wayne King Headteacher John Goddard Date of previous school inspection 1 December 2009 Telephone number 020 884 56756 Fax number 020 884 13549 Email address hedgewood@hillingdongrid.org 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 .

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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.

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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

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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

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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’.

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School details

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

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