Progress Schools - Northamptonshire

School report Education & Youth Services, Northampton 8 Notre Dame Mews, Northampton, NN1 2BG

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Overall effectiveness Good 2

Pupils’ achievement Good 2 Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Quality of curriculum Good 2 Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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This school is good because

 Leadership and management are good. The headteacher, with support from the proprietor, has successfully led improvements in all areas of provision since the last inspection. This has brought about good improvements in the achievement and behaviour of the students, and the quality of the teaching.  The students make good progress in all their courses, especially in view of their previous disrupted experience at school.  Behaviour in the school is good. This means that there is an effective and business-like learning environment which the students enjoy and from which they benefit  Teaching is good. Effective assessments and suitably high expectations enable students to make good gains in their learning.  Good arrangements are made to safeguard students’ welfare, health and safety. Students feel safe and secure and are free from intimidation and harassment.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Not all premises and accommodation regulations are met. Facilities for students to shower are not provided on the school site.  Some lessons do not fully engage the interest of all students.  The attendance of a small number of students needs to improve further.  Sharing some lessons with the older learners from the other on-site provision run by the school’s proprietor means that, occasionally, students do not get the level of attention from teachers that they need.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school requires improvement and must take action to meet schedule 1 of The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, as amended by The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out with half a day’s notice.  The inspector observed four lessons taught by two teachers during the school day. The inspector also looked at students’ work, and held meetings with the representatives of the proprietor, staff and students.  The inspector looked at the school’s documentation, including schemes of work, teachers’ planning, records of students’ progress, monitoring reports of teaching and learning, and staff training records.  Eight questionnaire responses from staff members were taken into account, but no parents or carers, students or local authority representatives had responded to the on-line Ofsted questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

John Gush, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Education & Youth Services, Northampton is located in former office premises in the centre of the city of Northampton. It was registered in May 2008 as alternative education for students aged 14 to 16 years of age who are disengaged from education or are at risk of being excluded from education as a result of behavioural difficulties or non-attendance. There are currently four students on roll, of whom one attends full time and three part time. None of the students currently on roll has a statement of special educational needs. One student is in local authority care.  The part-time students remain on the roll of their referring school, with aspects of their curriculum provided by those schools.  Education & Youth Services, Northampton makes use of alternative provision provided by Moulton College to extend the range of vocational practical skills courses it offers.  The school shares its premises with Foundation Learning provision for 16 to 19 years olds,

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Information about this school

operated by the same proprietor. The same staff group operates both provisions and some of the school’s lessons include students from both provisions. The proprietor maintains admission and attendance registers, recording information about all of the students on the premises.  The school aims to offer accredited qualifications and to support young people with the necessary tools to succeed in life by building self-esteem; raising aspirations; promoting the development of personal and social skills; and preparing young people for further education, training or employment beyond Year 11.  The school was last inspected in November 2009.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The school should ensure that learning activities are suitably matched to students’ interests so that students have the best possible opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills.  The school should ensure that students only share lessons with the Foundation Learning students when they will actively benefit from the additional learning opportunities provided and from the availability of effective role models.  The school should ensure that continued efforts are made to support individual students to improve their attendance.  The school must meet the following independent school standards:  The proprietor must ensure that suitable changing accommodation and showers are provided for pupils aged 11 years or over at the start of the school year who receive physical education (paragraph 23A(1)(c)).

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Students’ achievement is good as a result of effective teaching and the successful efforts made by staff to enable individuals to re-engage successfully with education, and to make up ground lost arising from their previous disrupted education. Their achievement is not outstanding because there continues to be room for some students to improve their attendance and their level of engagement during lessons. Very effective encouragement and support from teachers and learning support workers, together with good use of a flexible and responsive curriculum, enable all students to make good gains in learning over time and to improve their attitude to learning and their behaviour. The students acquire a broad range of knowledge, skills and understanding in all of the subjects taught, particularly literacy and numeracy, where they achieve well.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Students report that they enjoy the lessons and the vocational training activities, and this is reflected in the high quality of the presentation of their work. Well-presented books and portfolios show careful and thoughtful work as well as evidence of practical work, for example in the beauty salon and the recording studio. In addition, well-soldered pipework and useful carpentry projects demonstrate some of the valuable skills that the students who attend the alternative provision have recently acquired. These achievements enable a very large proportion of the students to make good progression into further education when they leave school.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

The good progress that students make in academic subjects represents a significant achievement, given their low starting point on entry to the school. Students do well in nationally recognised accreditation, including the Entry Level Certificates and Functional Skills Awards, and many students gain passes in BTEC vocational qualifications. The provision is making a good impact on developing students’ personal skills and qualities, particularly their motivation, confidence and ability to form good relationships with staff and their peers.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

Students’ behaviour and the outcomes from pastoral work are good. Appropriate behaviour in lessons and around the school enables learning to take place in an efficient and business-like atmosphere. Behaviour is not outstanding because on a very few occasions there are instances of poor behaviour and there is room for improvement in the attendance of some students. Staff adopt consistent behaviour management strategies and students know what is expected of them. Consequently, most of the time learning is conducted in a positive climate. Students who attend the alternative provision enjoy the vocational element of their learning and take pride in the work they do there.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

Staff provide effective support and encouragement and, as a result, students improve their relationships and social interactions with staff, their classmates and the other students at the centre. For the great majority of students, attendance is very much improved on their previous school attendance rate. Most attend school regularly and on time. School records indicate an overall improvement in the behaviour of the vast majority of students and a marked improvement in their self-esteem and self-confidence. Students say that they feel safe and secure, and that they are well supported by the staff. They say bullying is rare and that they are free from intimidation and harassment. When incidents of inappropriate behaviour occur, they are dealt with quickly and effectively.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

The school makes good provision for students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Staff consistently model respectful relationships and follow the school’s behaviour policy and, as a result, students learn how to respond appropriately when they experience social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Effective use is made of external agencies who work in close collaboration with the school to provide effective support in relation to issues such as substance misuse and sexual health. This, together with regular visits from the local police liaison team and from the education officer from the local prison, helps the students to develop an improved awareness of right and wrong and to be aware of the impact of their behaviour on themselves and on others. Projects on world religions and visits to local places of worship, including mosques and churches, help students gain an understanding of their own and other cultures represented in the local

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

community. This provision promotes an attitude of respect and tolerance of cultural and religious difference. Litter picking days, charity fundraising activities and support for a local elderly peoples’ home, for whom the school recently arranged an afternoon tea shop, all provide opportunities for the students to make a positive contribution to their local communities. Students also develop good relationships with their local community through regular use of shops, libraries and leisure centres. This helps them acquire a suitable understanding of public services and institutions in the locality. The school is vigilant in ensuring that balanced political messages are promoted.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

Students’ effort and attainment are recorded every day. The announcement of the ‘student of the week’, together with other rewards, help them to be more aware of their personal successes and areas for development. This provides a valuable incentive for further academic and personal development. A monthly student council meeting provides good opportunities for students to learn to express their views, to take responsibility, and be involved in decision making in school.

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Quality of teaching Good

The quality of teaching is good and it enables students to make good progress in their lessons and over time. It is not outstanding because, although lessons are well planned and take account of students’ capabilities, some lessons do not fully engage the interest of all students. On some occasions, this is partly due to the students sharing lessons, and thus teacher time, with older learners at the centre. Teachers regularly demonstrate appropriate expectations as to what students must achieve and they manage individuals’ behaviour very well. Teachers are good at helping students overcome specific barriers to learning, particularly improving the low self- confidence and poor self-esteem that most experience when they start at the school.

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Quality of teaching Good

Students’ abilities are assessed at the beginning of their placement and regularly thereafter. These assessments are used to monitor progress and also to prepare effective and useful individual education and development plans for all students. Activities are well matched to the specific objectives outlined in their plans. Plans take account of personal development as well as academic targets, and most students achieve the targets set for them.

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Quality of teaching Good

Teachers make good use of their subject knowledge to enthuse and inspire students. They mark students’ work regularly using a consistent marking policy that praises effort and reinforces the learning achieved. Teachers at the Moulton College alternative provision use their vocational expertise and skill well to motivate students and to help them to achieve their learning and development goals. Teachers make excellent use of enthusiastic learning support workers, whose tasks are effectively directed in lessons. Some learning support workers have previously been students at the school and are now working under apprenticeship or trainee schemes. This enables them not only to work with empathy for the students but also to function as excellent and effective role models. Support workers often take the initiative to help the students engage in learning and to move students’ learning on at a good rate so that lesson objectives are achieved.

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Quality of curriculum Good

The school has developed a good curriculum that effectively motivates the students through its mix of academic subjects and vocational training opportunities. This enables students to achieve nationally accredited qualifications in English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT) in addition to qualifications in work skills and from a range of vocational options, including hair and beauty, music technology, health and social care, and sport and active leisure. The curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and covers all of the required areas of learning, including religious education. Use of the Entry Level Certificate and the Functional Skills awards ensure that all students have opportunities to develop their basic skills in a way that suits them best. Effective use is made of alternative provision to extend the range of opportunities for some students and includes activities such as plumbing, carpentry and construction. The curriculum and

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Quality of curriculum Good

the way it is implemented ensures that, should students have a statement of special educational needs, the curriculum requirements would be fully met.

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Quality of curriculum Good

Physical education takes place at local leisure centres and is supplemented by other outdoor education activities, such as football in the local park which students thoroughly enjoy. The provision has a good impact on improving individuals’ health and fitness. Regular outings, such as to museums and local places of interest, extend the students’ knowledge and interest in their locality and in the world at large.

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Quality of curriculum Good

Students learn how to keep safe and to recognise threats and dangers through the well-designed personal, social and health education programme. Cross-curricular links support learning well and make it more meaningful. For example, during a lesson where students had the opportunity to experiment with henna body art they learned about the dangers and legal requirements associated with the use of tattoos.

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Quality of curriculum Good

Students benefit from the wide range of work experience that the school provides. The experiences that they gain, coupled to the very effective careers advice provided, ensure that all students follow appropriate courses that are linked to their aspirations, when they leave the school.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

Provision for students’ welfare, health and safety is good. It is characterised by a high level of commitment to students’ well-being and care. A range of effective health and safety policies has been produced and they are consistently well implemented. For example, the behaviour management and anti-bullying policies are clear, and their implementation ensures that students are free from harassment and are generally well behaved. Bullying is uncommon because of the consistent and effective support and guidance provided by the staff.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

With the valuable assistance of head office staff, staff recruitment is carried out in a thorough and careful manner, and the required single central register is correctly maintained. Staff training in child protection and first aid is thorough, and is regularly updated within the recommended timescales. This includes suitable training, at the appropriate higher level, for both of the designated safeguarding officers. Fire safety is good. Fire drills are routinely carried out and fire- fighting equipment is subject to regular inspection. Portable equipment is suitably checked by a competent person and outcomes of the checks are formally recorded.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

Students report that they feel very safe in school and that they receive very good support and guidance, which they value. Supervision in school is provided in a good-humoured manner, which students appreciate. This is demonstrated in the respectful relationships between students and staff, and in the confidence the students have in the support and guidance that they receive. The staff maintain close links with students’ mainstream schools and the alternative provision. Risk assessments, including those for visits outside school, are thorough. Results are formally recorded and action taken where necessary.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

Students are very well supported to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This covers not only an awareness of the importance of eating and exercising well but also sex and relationships education, together with the importance of keeping safe when using social networking sites. The independent school standards are met.

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Leadership and management Good

Leadership and management are good. They are not outstanding because outcomes are not outstanding and one of the regulatory requirements is not met. The vision of high expectations and ambition for the development and improvement of students’ outcomes is strongly promoted by the school’s leaders, and is thoroughly shared throughout the school community. This is confirmed by conversations with staff and the responses to the staff questionnaire. Representatives of the proprietor visit the school regularly and provide effective and valued support for the headteacher and her team.

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Leadership and management Good

Effective self-evaluation carried out by the headteacher is backed up by annual quality assurance visits from the proprietor, which together inform effective school improvement and development planning. This has enabled the school to continue to improve student outcomes, despite recent uncertainty about continuity of referrals and a reduction in numbers of placements.

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Leadership and management Good

Performance management of staff, and in particular the effective observation of teaching and learning, has been central to improving student performance. University postgraduate training undertaken by of a number of staff in conjunction with the school enhances their teaching skills. The safe operation and the effectiveness of the alternative provision placement are carefully monitored by the school’s leaders.

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Leadership and management Good

All students, including those who are looked after by the local authority, benefit from a very effective schedule of meetings with local authorities, parents and carers, and other relevant agencies where issues concerning students’ progress and well-being are carefully considered. The meetings are productive and beneficial.

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Leadership and management Good

The proprietor has recently upgraded the school’s accommodation and, although it does not currently provide showering facilities, the proprietor is aware of the requirement to make these available and plans to remedy this shortcoming. The building provides excellent facilities and classrooms which are light and airy, and are well resourced. They are well cared for and maintained. Well-designed displays show inspiring examples of students’ work and contribute to providing an effective and stimulating learning environment.

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Leadership and management Good

All of the required information is provided or is made available to parents, carers and others through the proprietor’s website and the school’s extensive parent information pack. The complaints procedure meets regulatory requirements and is correctly implemented.

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Grade Judgement Description

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

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School details

Unique reference number 135754 Inspection number 408745 DfE registration number 928/6070 This inspection was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Type of school Special school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 14–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 4 Number of part time pupils 3 Proprietor Education and Youth Services Ltd Chair Amin Amiri Headteacher Charlotte Barton Date of previous school inspection November 2009 Annual fees (day pupils) £40 per day (£70 per day for students with a statement of special educational needs)

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School details

Telephone number 01604 639555 Email address c.barton@eys.org.uk guidance 'Complaining about inspections', 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.

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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

inspects to 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,

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School details

please 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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