Setting

Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0300 123 1231 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mr D Baldwin Headteacher Churchill Community College Churchill Street Wallsend Tyne and Wear NE28 7TN

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alternative provision

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff and students, during my visit on 4 and 5 February 2013 to look at the school’s use of alternative provision. During the visit I met with staff at the school and at the PALS (Personal Achievement through Learning Support) units, talked to students and analysed documentation. I also visited the following providers that your students attend: Barnado’s, Northumbria Youth Action (Motor Project) and Tyne Metropolitan College.

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alternative provision

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text without their consent.

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alternative provision

This letter briefly summarises our discussion at the end of the visit.

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Strengths of this aspect of the school’s work

 PALS is highly effective in supporting students who may not otherwise complete their education and allows schools to work collaboratively to ensure these students achieve well given their previous problems.

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Strengths of this aspect of the school’s work

 PALS works well with local training providers to offer a good range of activities for students to better prepare them for the world of work.

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Strengths of this aspect of the school’s work

 The flexibility within the curriculum means that students who attend alternative provision all gain a GCSE in English and mathematics and other appropriate courses. In 2012 85% of these students achieved 5 or more GCSE passes at C or better, with 18% achieving these including English and mathematics. Consequently the great majority continue in education or training or start a job. Many of those in training are extending their qualifications which they gained while attending alternative provision.

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Strengths of this aspect of the school’s work

 The providers are of a very high standard. The types of settings include construction, hair and beauty, car and vehicle maintenance and taster sessions to identify which area students may wish to take further when they leave the unit at the end of Year 11.

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Strengths of this aspect of the school’s work

 Placements lead to an appropriate qualification which provides a good basis for students to progress as well as developing confidence and maturity.

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Strengths of this aspect of the school’s work

 PALS provides a good range of information to providers, including any particular learning or social needs. Staff often accompany students to their placements and receive good feedback on how well they are developing. In some cases parents and carers are contacted each week to inform them how well their children are progressing.

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Strengths of this aspect of the school’s work

 Students report that they enjoy their placements. For some they enjoy the practical work and can see how this will help them gain suitable employment. Others have enjoyed the variety of different taster sessions so they able to choose or eliminate courses which they may have considered following when they leave the unit.

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Strengths of this aspect of the school’s work

 Students said that they are well cared for both within the unit and also on their placements. They confirmed that health and safety issues were always discussed and explained prior to them staring a new activity.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 working with the other schools who have students based in PALS to share and analyse progress information to identify how well students achieve.

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