Applebee Wood Community Specialist School

Lostock Hall Moor Hey School Far Croft, Lostock Hall, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 5SS

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  All students’ standards are below those expected of their ages because of their special educational needs. However, most make good progress in their lessons.  Many students learn to read and write. They succeed in public examinations. They gain skills in literacy and numeracy that help them take part in a wide range of learning.  Most of the teaching is good. Some is outstanding. Lessons are usually very stimulating so students want to learn.  Students behave well in classes and around the school. Some behaviour is outstanding.  Students report they feel safe and free from bullying and harassment in school and when at alternative educational provision.  School managers have improved the school since the last inspection so that teaching and learning are now mainly good.  The headteacher has implemented new systems to help staff manage behaviour effectively, so all now feel safe in school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school has been well supported throughout a difficult period by the experienced and stable governing body.  Managers have benefitted from the help and expertise of the local authority. It has provided sound advice and resources for the training of staff in the development of school management systems.  Leaders at all levels share a determination that the school will become even better.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching requires improvement in the lessons provided by temporary and unqualified staff.  Teachers take less account than they should of students’ previous achievements when planning their lessons, so students are not always individually challenged.  The lack of consistency by non-specialist staff hinders students’ literacy development.  Managers do not yet know enough about how students make progress over very short periods of time because the systems used by managers to capture details about students’ previous learning are not yet robust enough.  The resources for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage do not provide sufficient opportunities for them to learn and play.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spent almost five hours in classrooms observing lessons taught by 11 permanent and temporary teachers, and teaching assistants. They undertook some additional very short visits to classrooms, observed students leaving school, and saw them at break times and at lunch.  Students’ work and their records were looked at; inspectors listened to students read in the course of their classwork and watched them undertake activities designed to prepare them for the early stages of reading and writing.  Inspectors spoke with students informally, for example, during lessons, on the playground and when learning off site.  An inspector visited one of the alternative education provision sites to check the arrangements for students’ welfare, health and safety. The inspector also investigated how the school knows about students’ progress when in alternative education provision.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, other school managers and the school adviser who

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Information about this inspection

represented the local authority. The Chair of the Governing Body was interviewed.  The views of parents were considered through viewing the three responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View) and one emailed letter sent to the inspectors by a parent.  The views of staff were taken into account through talking with them and by studying their questionnaires.  The work of the school was observed and documents concerning planning, finance, self- evaluation, safeguarding, attendance and students’ progress were scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Terry McKenzie, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jane Holmes Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school admits students from ages four to 16 and they can arrive here at any stage of their school career. All have a statement of special educational needs.  Around 80% of students are in the secondary department. Most experience moderate learning difficulties but some have other and additional learning difficulties and disabilities that include behavioural, social and emotional difficulties, specific learning difficulties and autistic spectrum conditions.  Most are of White British background. Around one third of students are known to be eligible for the pupil-premium funding; this is high compared to most other schools nationally. About one third of all students are girls.  The catchment of the school is large and some students travel for up to an hour to attend.  There are no formal partnerships with other education providers but currently a very few students attend a nearby secondary school to receive science tuition. Alternative education

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Information about this school

provision is organised for students when it is deemed appropriate. A wide range of providers are used but during the inspection students were attending at eight, one of which was visited.  Since the last inspection, changes to the management structure of the school have occurred. A previous senior teacher has been promoted to deputy headteacher and other appointments have been made in the middle management team.  Since the last inspection the school has received a great deal of support from the local authority.  The alternative educational providers used by the service are: Eric Wright Learning Federation (Leyland); Runshaw College (Leyland); Kensington Nursery School (Penwortham); Busy Bodies Nursery (Leyland); Rathbone (Chorley); South Ribble Tennis Club (Bamber Bridge); Sound Skills (Preston); Wellfield Image Academy (Leyland); CSV (Preston); and EYS (Lancaster).

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide a wider range of resources for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage so that they can play and learn more effectively both indoors and outside.  Managers must enable students to have the best possible chances to make progress in all lessons by ensuring that:  any teaching done by temporary and non-qualified staff is at least good  information about students’ learning is gathered more efficiently so that staff can understand better about how students make progress over very short periods of time  all teachers use the information about students’ previous achievements to set individual targets for learning in lessons  staff are consistent in their support for students’ literacy and reading developments throughout the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students’ achievement is good because, despite their low starting points, their progress is good. This includes all age groups including the Early Years Foundation Stage and those educated off site and in alternative educational provision. Students learn well because of the high quality support they receive from the adults.  Progress is particularly good in the lessons of permanent teachers. Here, students engage readily, enjoy tasks, behave well and value the good relationships.  In some lessons students show great enthusiasm for learning because teachers make the work interesting. This was observed in a lesson where students were totally absorbed in using the computers to learn about spreadsheets.  There is no difference in the progress of the different groups within the school: boys, girls, minority ethnic groups and those with differing special educational needs.  Students who are known to be entitled to pupil-premium funding also make good progress. This

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The achievement of pupils is good

is noticeable in the development they make in literacy and numeracy.  Where progress is slow it is in lessons taught by non-qualified and temporary staff where students are sometimes under occupied and have too little to do to move their learning forward.  The children in the Early Years Foundation Stage receive some good teaching. However, the resources provided for them overall are too limited and this puts restrictions on their learning and play in the classroom and outside.  In some lessons students’ progress is inhibited by teachers’ lack of attention to previous attainments. Consequently, students are not always challenged with individual targets for learning. Furthermore, their reading and literacy development is slower than it could be because staff who are not English specialists do not always use the same methods to support students.  Nevertheless, in the main, students enjoy their learning and achieve well. The number of

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The achievement of pupils is good

examination passes gained by Year 11 students has increased every year since the last inspection. Last year all students who left school went on to further education, training or employment and this reflects the good guidance provided by the staff.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching ranges from inadequate to outstanding but overall is good and improving rapidly. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection and a reflection of the good work of managers.  Where teaching still requires improvement it is because temporary and non-qualified staff have not yet gained the skills of the permanent teachers in providing lessons for this complex group of students.  Teachers track students’ progress over time. This was observed by inspectors particularly for older students in school and at alternative provision. Their progress through examination courses is carefully recorded step-by-step. However, the previous achievements of younger students are not always properly taken into account by teachers. Consequently, too few individual targets are set for students in lessons and they do not make as much progress as they could.  Teachers and students develop strong relationships and this supports students’ learning,

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The quality of teaching is good

behaviour and personal development. Teachers provide interesting activities and there is usually plenty to do. In most lessons students are enthusiastic. They enjoy lessons and achieve well.  In both primary and secondary there is a strong focus is on the development of basic skills. English and mathematics are taught well so that students make good progress in gaining basic skills. However, staff who are not specialists in these areas have not yet been fully trained to support students’ reading and writing. Indeed, teachers sometimes give these important aspects of learning low priority in their planning. Consequently, students’ progress in developing literacy skills is not yet as good as it could be.  Most teachers manage their classrooms well. Teaching assistants are effective in their support for students. Resources such as computers and interactive whiteboards aid students’ learning. In some classrooms teachers have different ‘study zones’ for group and independent work. In these

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The quality of teaching is good

classrooms the high quality organisation encourages good learning and students’ responses are very positive.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of students in lessons is good. In some lessons where it is possible to detect an infectious enthusiasm for learning, behaviour is outstanding. Behaviour is also outstanding when students attend alternative provision. This good or better behaviour is instrumental in enabling good learning to occur.  At break, lunchtimes and around the school behaviour is generally good. Sometimes, however, behaviour becomes erratic and is not always immediately dealt with appropriately by staff. This is because they occasionally react to poor behaviour rather than anticipating that it might occur and then intervening in a timely fashion. In the main however, the behaviour-management systems are understood by students and properly used by staff.  Students report that they feel safe in school, that there is very little bullying or harassment and that staff deal quickly and effectively with any issues. This is supported by the views of staff and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

parents, and is how it was observed by the inspectors.  When asked by an inspector what the school was like, one older student who had spent many years here reported, ‘It is so much better than it used to be. Students behave well now and the teachers are able to get on with helping us learn.’ This view is supported by the records kept by managers that show a decreasing number of incidents such as restraints and exclusions.  The average levels of students’ attendance are in excess of those expected for all special schools nationally and close to the averages for all primary and secondary schools. When asked if they enjoy school, those questioned stated they did. One parent reported that her child is so keen to attend, despite his long journey, that he is the first sibling to be ready for school each day.  Throughout their time in the school students make great gains in their personal development.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

They learn how to get on with others and cooperate so that class group work and out-of-school activities are productive. They build strong relationships with one another and with staff. They want to do well and please the adults.  Students generally understand the rules of the school and this is instrumental in aiding their good behaviour. They learn about right and wrong and respecting other people. They engage with others in the community, for example, by going on trips and visits such as to the theatre. In assembly and in classrooms they learn about people from other places and that being different is something to celebrate.  Students’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is good and in some respects outstanding, such as was demonstrated by the students at alternative provision. Here, their behaviour, attitudes to learning and relationships with adults and each other were faultless.

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The leadership and management are good

 Managers have developed their skills since the last inspection and improved teaching so that students’ achievement is now good.  The headteacher knows that more must still be done to provide students with the best possible teaching, for example, in providing training for staff to ensure consistent support for students’ reading development. Nevertheless, she has laid a firm foundation from which the school can move forward. The morale of staff is high and there is now a common sense of purpose.  Leaders and managers know the school well. They understand the strengths and weaknesses as shown in their school reviews. Their planning shows that priorities are clearly based on evidence gathered through performance-management processes and information about students’ achievement.  The local authority has provided good support for the school through its advice to managers and training for staff. They have helped managers to develop systems in school that ensure a

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The leadership and management are good

generally good quality of teaching. They have aided the development of methods to collect information about students’ progress and attainment. The ‘middle’ management team has been strengthened so that the burdens of management are more equally shared.  Plans are in place to further develop school systems but at the time of the inspection the information available about students’ previous learning was collected and examined too infrequently. Consequently, it is not clear to staff how students are learning and making progress throughout very short periods of time and this affects the quality of teachers’ planning.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has successfully supported school managers through a period of change. For example, the recruitment of suitable teachers has been problematic but they have restructured the staffing so there is a better balance of teachers and teaching assistants. They

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The leadership and management are good

ensure that all requirements for safeguarding are met and funding is allocated sensibly. Members oversee the arrangements for staff performance management, including the headteacher. They are aware that the next round must be concerned with further improving teaching through tackling any staff underperformance so that students can make even better progress. The Chair of the Governing Body visits regularly and provides support and challenge to the headteacher. Governors regularly review records to ensure that students, including those entitled to the pupil-premium funding, are making the expected degrees of progress.

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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 119880 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 401882

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Special School category Community special Age range of pupils 4–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 66 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Wooldridge Headteacher Helen McLenahan Date of previous school inspection 12 May 2010 Telephone number 01772 336976 Fax number 01772 696670 Email address head@moorhey.lancs.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 .

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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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