Springhallow School

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 because

 Pupils are happy and relaxed because of skilled teaching and the high quality of care and support. As a result, their achievement is good.  The overwhelming majority of pupils make good progress, with a few making exceptional progress. Their progress has accelerated consistently since the previous inspection.  Teaching is good. Teachers have developed specialist skills and techniques to help pupils overcome barriers to learning and all staff display high levels of commitment and enthusiasm.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress in their communication and personal development as a result of good teaching and a well-planned curriculum.  The pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. They try hard to do their best and they show great respect for their teachers and each other . This is because they feel safe and secure and do interesting things. They enjoy school and this is confirmed by their above-average

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This is a good school because

attendance.  The senior team lead the school well, supported by a governing body that provides excellent levels of challenge and support. Together they have rigorously monitored and improved many aspects of the school’s provision since the previous inspection.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 On a few occasions teachers do not record every small step in each pupil’s learning. Some targets for individual pupils are thus less precise and this can slow down the pace of learning.  The role of middle leaders has not yet developed to the stage where they can provide effective focused monitoring of pupils’ progress and teachers’ performance.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 12 lessons or parts of lessons, all of which were joint observations with senior staff.  Meetings were held with teachers, senior and middle leaders, governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 10 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), the results of recent parent questionnaires issued by the school and a letter from a parent. The views expressed by 36 staff in returned questionnaires were also considered.  The inspection team observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation, including development planning and the school’s self-evaluation. The records of pupils’ progress and behaviour were analysed, as well as attendance information and procedures relating to the safeguarding of the children.

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Inspection team

Melvyn Blackband, Lead inspector Additional inspector Michael Buist Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school provides for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders, including those diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding, given for pupils entitled to free school meals or who are in local authority care, is above average.  Pupils come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, reflecting the make-up of the borough. A higher-than-average proportion speak English as an additional language.  Boys heavily outnumber girls.  The headteacher was in post at the time of the previous inspection.  The school does not make any alternative provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that each small step in pupils’ progress is fully recorded so that teachers are able to plan sharply focused daily and weekly targets to promote even faster progress.  Strengthen the roles and responsibilities of middle leaders to enable them to make a more effective contribution to monitoring both pupils’ progress and the standard of teaching.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although the overall attainment of pupils remains low because of their learning difficulties, their rate of learning has improved consistently since the previous inspection. The great majority of pupils make good progress and a few make outstanding progress, especially in English and mathematics.  Pupils make good progress in communication through sensitive and skilled teaching. The school makes good use of visual cues to support pupils, such as signing and symbols. As a result, children in the Early Years Foundation Stage who often arrive at school without any language get off to a good start in learning to respond to adults and children and to learn the first steps in language. This progress continues throughout the school and all pupils, including those for whom English is an additional language, make good gains in their ability to interact verbally with others.  Most pupils make good gains in literacy and numeracy because of the school’s well-organised

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The achievement of pupils is good

procedures. This, together with their progress in communication, gives the pupils confidence and motivates them to listen carefully and respond appropriately to others, and helps them make good progress.  The Year 7 catch-up and pupil premium has been used effectively to provide extra therapy and support for pupils entitled to free school meals, and a previous gap in their performance is narrowing consistently. The school makes every effort to encourage the good progress of every pupil and thus ensure their equal opportunity to get a ‘good deal’ out of their education.  Older pupils are consistently successful in gaining a range of qualifications at entry level and through ASDAN accreditation. They also study for basic vocational qualifications in part-time college placements. The pupils are well equipped through their gains in basic skills to proceed to the next stage in their education. All the pupils since the previous inspection have gone on to

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The achievement of pupils is good

further study at local colleges.  A very few pupils are exceptionally able. The school is very successful in stretching these pupils and in managing their re-integration into mainstream schools. Mainstream school records following transition confirm academic success for most of these pupils in GCSE examinations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 As a result of rigorous and constructive monitoring by senior staff, standards of teaching have risen continually and consistently since the previous inspection. The quality of teaching over time is good.  Lessons are interesting and well taught and a few lessons are outstanding. Pupils respond very well because activities are pitched well to their level of understanding. Activities usually challenge pupils to learn as well as they can. The pupils enjoy learning and are interested and engaged.  Adults in each class have a secure knowledge of their pupils’ learning needs and the barriers to understanding which their disability brings. Teachers and other staff record each little bit of progress meticulously and this enables teachers to plan tailored activities for each pupil. On the few occasions, however, where learning is not recorded as securely, teachers do not plan such focused learning targets and pupils make slower progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. The children’s individual needs are well provided for. Teachers use the Early Years curriculum appropriately to stimulate pupils and to promote their communication and personal skills.  The teaching of oral communication, reading and writing is effective throughout the school. Programmes are well planned, consistently implemented and taught effectively. Teachers shape questions to the ability and language needs of individual pupils and effectively encourage higher levels of understanding and improved speech patterns in return.  The staff are well trained in accepted methods of teaching pupils with autism and apply these consistently. Pupils learn in familiar situations and with familiar routines. As a result, they relax and are able to concentrate for relatively long periods. Adults give pupils a high degree of individual attention. This effectively promotes structured communication and learning at each

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The quality of teaching is good

pupil’s individual level and is a very important support for pupils. This was seen, for example, in well-organised personal skills lessons for older pupils where they discussed the influence of teenage gangs, firstly as a group and afterwards with individual adults. The adults gave them time to think and phrase answers and good learning took place.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have excellent attitudes to their work. Classrooms are almost always quiet, industrious places of learning. The pupils concentrate on their work; they try their best at all times and are proud of their achievements.  Their behaviour is outstanding because they are secure in routines and feel safe and because lessons are interesting and briskly taught. On the occasions when pupils become frustrated or agitated, the staff deal very quickly and calmly to reassure them. The pupils tolerate their classmates very well. They are gentle and courteous to each other and to adults and they demonstrate their care for others in smiles and kind words when friends do well.  Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their actions and their effect on others. The many opportunities for trips out of school to places of interest and beauty such as Kew Gardens and visitors of different cultures such as

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

African drummers and dancers reinforce their interest in the world and promote social and cultural understanding extremely well.  The pupils’ behaviour has improved consistently since the previous inspection. Records show negligible incidences of bullying of any kind or of deliberately challenging behaviour. There is an absence of discrimination. Behaviour is managed very successfully. The staff maintain comprehensive behaviour plans on pupils, which result in specific learning targets on individual education plans. These targets are monitored continually to promote appropriate language and conduct.  Pupils feel safe at school. This is emphatically confirmed by parents and carers and by staff. The pupils feel relaxed and confident and the school is a calm and harmonious, secure environment. Over time through specific teaching, the pupils develop a good sense of their own safety and how to avoid risk.

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The leadership and management are good

 The expertise and energy of the headteacher have enabled him to lead his senior team well in managing the improvements since the previous inspection. The headteacher has ensured that parents, carers and staff share the vision for continued progress. Morale is very high at the school. For instance, one staff member commented, ‘This is a very special place to work.’ School leaders maintain a good overview of teaching standards and pupils’ progress. The school’s self- evaluation is detailed and accurate and this leads to clear development planning which is regularly reviewed by senior staff and governors to ensure the school stays on track.  These factors suggest that there is a good capacity to maintain improvement. The local authority provides a good level of support but sees its input as ‘light touch’ supervision.  There are secure procedures for the performance management of teachers and other staff and

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The leadership and management are good

these, accompanied by regular staff training, have had a significant impact on standards and are effectively linked to teachers’ salary progression. The school is developing the role of middle leaders and is aware that at present the teachers concerned need more scope and experience in order to play a more positive role in ensuring school improvement.  Through careful monitoring, leaders make sure that pupils achieve well in aspects of communication, language and literacy. Teachers make every effort to promote equal opportunities for each pupil and to ensure there is no discrimination of any kind. The curriculum has been well adapted to meet the needs of each pupil. It is broad and balanced while maintaining an appropriate emphasis on the teaching of communication and other basic skills. This enables the school to successfully plan the re-integration of pupils into mainstream schools where this is appropriate. The school gives pupils the opportunity to gain social and

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The leadership and management are good

communication skills in a variety of situations through the many visitors to school and trips into the community, including residential experiences. Older pupils take part in work experience and study a range of vocational courses through part-time attendance at local colleges. These experiences prepare the pupils well for college life.  There are strong partnerships with a number of other schools to promote the pupils’ re- integration. The school has also developed effective links with local colleges and with a range of health and social care professionals who deliver appropriate therapy. Parents and carers express great satisfaction with the school’s work, particularly in procedures for letting them know about their child’s progress and well-being. They feel there is a genuine partnership with the school and its teachers.  The school’s safeguarding arrangements are exemplary.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors have a very clear grasp of the school’s work and consistently challenge the school to improve yet further. Governors are fully informed about performance management arrangements, how good teaching is rewarded and what is done to eradicate underperformance. The governing body receives regular updates on pupils’ performance and has a good understanding of how the school compares with schools locally and nationally. The governing body is active in seeking out relevant training for members. Nominated governors effectively monitor safeguarding and health and safety procedures and ensure that statutory requirements are met. They maintain a close interest in how pupil premium money is spent and how successfully the school has promoted the achievement of the pupils who receive it.

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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 101970 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 404792

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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 75 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mary Geddes Headteacher Andy Balmer Date of previous school inspection 7–8 July 2011 Telephone number 020 8998 2700 Fax number 020 8810 7610 Email address admin@springhallow.ealing.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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