Hailey Hall School

Hailey Hall School Hailey Lane, , Hertford, SG13 7PB

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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 Overall effectiveness of the residential experience Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Students throughout the school make good progress in English and mathematics. Older students do well in their examination courses and are well prepared for further education.  Residential provision and care are good and all the national minimum standards are met.  Teaching is good and sometimes it is outstanding. Students make good progress in lessons because teachers have high expectations for learning and behaviour, they provide well-chosen resources and varied activities, and maintain good relationships with students.  Good management of staff performance is supported well with good opportunities for professional development.  Students’ behaviour is good in the school and in the residential provision. They stay safe in school and their safety in the residential provision is outstanding. They quickly re- engage with learning as they make good progress in behaviour and attendance.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Good leadership and management across the school and in the residential provision, with good support from the governing body, has led to good improvement since the last inspection in the quality of teaching and in students’ achievement and shows a strong capacity for further improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding and teaching does not always promote literacy and numeracy skills in different subjects.  Activities are not always set at the right level for students’ different learning needs.  Students are not always informed of how to improve their work when it is marked.  The approach to the independent-living skills programme for residential students is not coherent enough. For example it does not fully record the small steps of progress students make towards becoming more independent.  The views of residential students are not usually recorded in logs of their daily meetings with staff.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 15 lessons where teaching was observed. Nine observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  All aspects of the residential provision were looked at by the social care inspector.  Inspectors heard students read in lessons and looked at samples of their work with the deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with students, governors, an independent consultant approved by the local authority and staff. Informal discussions also took place with students and parents. A telephone discussion was held with the local authority representative.  The school’s recent survey of the views of parents and carers was taken into account as there were not enough responses to the online survey, Parent View. Inspectors also spoke with some parents and carers informally.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation including the self-evaluation summary and school improvement plan, policies and procedures for

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding, attendance figures, records of incidents and physical restraint, and information about students’ progress.

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Inspection team

Declan McCarthy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Cheryl Jackson Additional Inspector Tola Akinde Hummel Social Care Inspector

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Information about this school

 Hailey Hall is a residential special school for boys from all parts of Hertfordshire, who have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD). All students have a statement of special educational needs for BESD and related difficulties. The needs of students are becoming increasingly complex and approximately one third of them have mental health issues.  Approximately one third of students are resident for four nights per week.  The majority of students are White British. Approximately one half of students are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals, in local authority care or from families with a parent in the armed forces). Approximately a third of these students are in local authority care and none are from families in the armed forces.  The proportion of students who join or leave the school at times other than the usual times of

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Information about this school

admission or leaving is high.  The school uses no other outside establishments to provide education for its students.  Residential students take part in an independent-living skills programme to help them become more independent with daily domestic tasks.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by consistently:  promoting students’ literacy and numeracy skills in different subjects  setting work at the right level for individual students’ needs  making sure marking of students’ books informs them how to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Adopt a more coherent approach to the independent-living skills programme for residential students.  Make sure that the views of residential students are recorded in logs of their daily meetings with staff.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students’ attainment on entry to school is low, given the nature of their BESD, their previous experiences of disruption to their education, their poor attendance and their disaffection with schooling. They make good progress during their time in school, leaving at the end of Year 11 with a range of examination courses including GCSE, well prepared for entry into further education and training. All students pursue a range of courses in local colleges on leaving school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school’s accurate information clearly shows a year-on-year increase in the number and range of qualifications where students have been successful. For example, the proportion of students gaining five or more A* to C grades increased to 71% in 2012 form 25% in 2011 and the proportion of current students on course to achieve five or more A* to C grades or BTEC equivalent including English and mathematics has increased form 14% in 2012 to 60% in 2013.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students make good progress in English and at least good and some outstanding progress in mathematics as a result of consistently good teaching with some examples. They make good progress in reading as seen, for example, when they read their own writing in lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students at both Key Stages 3 and 4, known to be eligible for free school meals, who received additional support through pupil-premium funding made the same progress as their classmates and better progress than expected nationally in 2012, from their low starting points in English and mathematics. The school’s accurate information shows that currently these students are making the same progress as their classmates and their attainment is the same as their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school’s records of its pupil premium spending shows that in 2012, these students made significant progress in English and mathematics from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4. The very small number of looked-after children did the same as their classmates, although performed below all students nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students with additional special educational needs, such as mental health issues, and those who arrive at other than the usual times of admission, make equally good progress as their classmates because good additional support is provided for their learning to enable them to catch up.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection from satisfactory to good as a direct result of close and regular monitoring of the impact of teaching on students’ learning. Weaknesses in teaching have been addressed so that some teaching has moved from good to outstanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In all lessons seen, teachers had high expectations and made good use of well-chosen resources and varied activities to stimulate learning. For example, in a mathematics lesson, the teacher made excellent use of the interactive whiteboard to provide an example of how to calculate algebraic expressions. Students were then given a tailor-made worksheet and were challenged to do the same working in pairs, before continuing to complete the task individually. As a result, they all made rapid progress in solving algebraic expressions.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Students remain focused on learning and listen carefully to teachers because all adults maintain good relationships with students and manage their behaviour consistently well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mainly use the information about students’ prior learning well to make sure that learning tasks are set at the right level for different levels of abilities. However, students’ books show that occasionally the level of challenge is too great. For example, in a writing task, a few students who have difficulties with writing were given the same task as average writers and found the task too difficult.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers usually inform students of next steps in learning when their books are marked, although occasionally this is inconsistent, so that some students are not sure how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The basic skills of communication, literacy and numeracy are well taught, enabling all students to make equally good progress. However, progress in these areas is not yet outstanding because literacy and numeracy skills are not always taught rigorously enough in other subjects apart from English and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants provide good support for students’ learning, breaking tasks down into smaller achievable steps and clarifying the meaning of any technical language through demonstration, or by using the student’s own way of speaking as a reference point. Teaching assistants often provide opportunities for their students to work independently from them in lessons, by focusing on supporting the learning of others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students make good and sometimes outstanding progress in their behaviour and safety during their time in school because all staff manage behaviour consistently well using a well thought- out points system to reward good behaviour. As a result, disruption in lessons is rare and students achieve well over time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students stay safe around the school, and in the residential provision their safety is outstanding. Students use the internet safely, move safely from one area to the next and handle equipment safely, as seen in food technology, art and science lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In discussion and from the school’s survey, nearly all parents and carers said that behaviour and safety are good and that any rare occasions of bullying are tackled effectively. Students also agreed that bullying is dealt with effectively and they said they felt very safe in school. Students have a clear awareness of the different types of bullying and how to prevent this. They know that discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance has risen rapidly since the last inspection form below average to broadly average, reflecting the excellent progress most students make in attendance, and their growing enjoyment of coming to school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The senior leadership team has a strong drive for improvement and has generated a shared commitment to school improvement among all staff. As a result, staff morale is high and team work is strong. The school knows its strengths well and what it must do to become an outstanding school. This accurate information is used well to identify clear priorities in improvement plans to bring this about.  The outcomes of rigorous and systematic checking of teaching, and its impact on students’ learning and progress, have been used well to give teachers clear targets for improving their performance. Effective training and support have eliminated weak teaching and have led to good teaching, with now an increasing proportion that is outstanding.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff targets are closely linked to the headteacher’s performance targets. These are based on whole-school priorities for development and give a shared direction for improving teaching and students’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Students work towards a range of examination courses such as BTEC and GCSE, including English and mathematics, which prepares them well for further education and training. Wide- ranging opportunities to enrich learning in school and in the residential provision, such as outdoor and adventurous activities and visits to leisure centres, have a positive impact on students’ learning and enjoyment. The school promotes equal opportunities for all.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school promotes students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. This includes strong team building and the development of leadership skills through sports. There are many opportunities for students to work in pairs and the consideration of moral dilemmas such as the use of gas bombs in the First World War increases their awareness of different points of view. Through topics in art, music and geography students learn about diversity and to appreciate other cultures.

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The leadership and management are good

 Most parents and carers praised the good information they receive from the school about their child’s progress and their involvement in the review of their child’s needs. These good links with parents and carers have enabled most students to make good progress in learning and in their personal development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors visit the school regularly to gain a first-hand view of provision. They have an accurate view of the quality of teaching when visiting classrooms and through examining regular detailed reports. They effectively use the information about the progress students are making to compare their performance with other similar special schools. They know how the performance of all staff is managed and, for example, how the best teachers are financially rewarded. They also know what is being done to tackle any underperformance. Governors make sure all statutory requirements are met, especially for safeguarding, where they monitor the school’s policies and procedures to protect the interests and welfare of students rigorously. Governors check that pupil-premium funding is spent appropriately to achieve value for money. They look at the progress of different groups of students and compare their progress

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is good

 Outcomes for residential students are good. Students enjoy an environment where they can thrive. They develop essential social skills and grow in confidence. Residential students develop trusting relationships with staff and establish friendships within the residential environment. They are encouraged to broaden their knowledge, their involvement in the community and increase their awareness of the needs of others and the environment. Students are proud of the school and said, ‘You get loads of opportunities here, staff really help you.’

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is good

 The quality of residential provision and care is good. Residential students receive assistance from staff who show interest in each student’s welfare. Significant information is shared between day and residential staff. Detailed support plans guide staff to respond to students appropriately. Students’ behaviour is managed effectively through the well-developed system of individual crisis management and the daily-reward points system. As a consequence, students respond positively and adopt more acceptable ways of behaving. Consultation with residential students takes place daily, although logs of daily meetings do not record students’ views. Residential students benefit from well-conceived policies for the administration of medicine and first aid, which are carried out effectively.

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is good

 The safety of residential students is outstanding. The whole school team works extremely well together to secure the well-being of all students. Staff benefit from regular updated training in safeguarding and have a good understanding of the role of the designated person. The designated senior person is highly effective in identifying and responding to any safeguarding concerns raised by staff, working closely with external professionals to address these. Meticulous records are kept of all action taken and any emerging trends. Detailed information about students is used to identify additional training for staff and to tailor support for parents. Highly effective ‘risk-action management plans’ address the safety of all students. Recruitment practice to promote the safety and well-being of students is thorough and robust.

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is good

 Leadership and management of the residential provision are good with some areas of outstanding practice. The monitoring of care practice by the head of care is excellent. Residential care staff are highly motivated and are strongly supported by effective training and supervision. Students work towards achieving independence in key areas of their life through the independent –living skills programme. Although this work is not fully developed, students and staff are keen to improve it. New activities have recently been introduced to promote independence, such as students helping with washing clothes, budgeting, organising the salad bar and cooking for others in their dormitory. However, these have not been developed into a coherent plan with assessments to show individual student’s progress against each independence skill which they are working towards. Governors offer support and suggestions, through regular visits. Recommendations from the previous inspection have been addressed and

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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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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding A school which provides an exceptional quality of care and significantly exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 2 Good A school which provides a high quality of care that exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 3 Adequate A school which meets minimum requirements but needs to improve the quality of care it provides. Grade 4 Inadequate A school where minimum requirements are not met and the quality of care has serious weaknesses.

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School details

Unique reference number 117673 Social care unique reference number SC056397 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 401679

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection of residential provision was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

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School details

Type of school Special School category Community special Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Boys Number of pupils on the school roll 65 Number of boarders on roll 20 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Steve Dickson Headteacher Heather Boardman Date of previous school inspection 2 March 2010 Telephone number 01992 465208 Fax number 01992 460 851 Email address admin@haileyhall.herts.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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