Cicely Haughton School

Cicely Haughton School Westwood Manor, Mill Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, ST9 0BX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Overall effectiveness of the residential experience Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  The school has maintained the high standards noted in its previous education and care inspections.  The professional nurturing approach throughout the school and residence helps pupils to transform their behaviour and personal development.  Behaviour and safety are outstanding. Classes are calm and pupils nearly always have excellent attitudes to learning.  The staff manage pupils’ behaviour very well. Pupils enjoy school, their attendance is above average and they say they feel safe.  Many pupils return to mainstream school, very effectively supported by the transition team.  The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools. The residential provision is outstanding in all areas.  Pupils say they enjoy staying the night at school with their friends, and all the activities that are provided.  Achievement in reading and writing has improved rapidly due to the school’s excellent

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

approach to teaching it.  The quality of teaching is outstanding. Class staff work very well together, and lessons are fun and interesting so pupils enjoy them.  Staff and senior leaders check on pupils’ achievement closely. They provide extra support if pupils are falling behind.  Teaching is closely checked and senior leaders have a clear view of individuals’ strengths.  Pupils are given a very good range of interesting and relevant subjects and activities.  The work of the school and as a Key Learning Centre is highly valued by the local authority, other schools and parents and carers.  The school is very well led and managed. Senior leaders understand its strengths and areas for development and are working very well to improve it further.  The governing body is very well informed about the school. Members are enthusiastic about the new federation and clear about the benefits it will bring to both schools.

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Information about this inspection

 Eight teachers and two teaching assistants were observed teaching 10 lessons. Most of these were observed jointly with the deputy headteacher or assistant headteacher.  Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, head of care, administrative staff, transition coordinator and other members of staff. Discussions were held with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body. Informal discussions were held with pupils during school and residential time, and a telephone conversation took place with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors reviewed many documents, including those relating to pupils’ academic and social progress, school self-evaluation, curriculum and lesson planning, pupils’ residential experience, and keeping pupils safe.  Inspectors took account of inspection questionnaires returned by 27 members of staff together with the school’s own surveys of the views of pupils, parents and carers, and staff. There were

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Information about this inspection

insufficient responses to Parent View (the online questionnaire for parents) to be shown.

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Inspection team

Judith Charlesworth, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rosemary Mackenzie Additional Inspector Julian Parker Social Care Inspector

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Information about this school

 Cicely Haughton School provides for pupils aged four to 11 years with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. It offers residential accommodation as part of its educational provision.  The school is a Staffordshire Key Learning Centre which supports pupils in mainstream primary school with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, and their staff.  All pupils have complex needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and very challenging behaviour. Many experience other difficulties and social circumstances which affect their ability to trust adults and learn.  Almost all pupils have a statement of special educational needs, and the very large majority are boys.  About half of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium. This is well above the national average. The pupil premium is an additional sum of money provided by the government to

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Information about this school

support the achievement of certain groups of pupils, such as those who are looked after and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds and none speak English as an additional language.  The school has high levels of pupil mobility. Pupils join at any time in their primary school years, and often in Years 5 and 6. Each year, a number return to mainstream school before they reach Year 6.  Most pupils stay in the residential accommodation for up to three nights a week to supplement day-time education. The school also offers after-school extended day, weekend and holiday activities.  The school became federated with Loxley Hall school, a day and residential school for pupils age 11 to 16 years with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, on 1 May 2013. The governing body and executive headteacher are responsible for both schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Introduce the planned new system for checking on and improving teaching, in order that more teaching is consistently outstanding.  Review and improve the planning of activities in the school day, so that it is clearer how they fit into the subject plans.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Outstanding provision for pupils’ personal development, combined with excellent teaching aimed at rapidly improving their basic academic skills, result in outstanding progress. Records show that pupils almost always make much more progress from their starting points than is typical for their age and ability in reading, writing and mathematics. This prepares them very well for returning to mainstream education, or for moving on to secondary school.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils’ attainment when they join the school is typically below that expected for their age. Their reading and writing skills, in particular, are often at a very low level. This contributes to their low self-esteem, difficulties in learning and challenging behaviour.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils are carefully assessed on entry to the school. Their difficulties are identified and supported, and they are set demanding targets based on the expectation that they will make faster academic progress than average for their age.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils’ progress is checked carefully. Any individual who is not making the progress expected of them, taking all their circumstances into consideration, is provided with extra support. This can be academic support or additional support for their personal development or difficulties they are experiencing out of school.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Comparisons with national information over the last three years show that pupils often reach the levels expected nationally at the end of each key stage. Detailed tracking shows that the longer they attend Cicely Haughton, the faster their progress.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 In the most recent national tests, three quarters of pupils reached the expected level (Level 2) in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1. Almost all of these pupils joined the school working significantly below Level 1. About half the pupils reached the levels expected of them (Level 4) in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6. Many of these pupils had not been at Cicely Haughton throughout their primary years, and were almost always significantly behind in these subjects when they first joined.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Throughout the school, pupils achieve exceptionally well in personal, social and health education which helps to put them in a much better frame of mind for learning. A strong focus is placed on helping them to listen carefully and have the confidence to express their opinions sensibly.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils’ achievement in reading and writing is outstanding due to expert teaching and the grouping of pupils according to their skill-levels for literacy lessons. Many pupils quickly become fluent readers who enjoy reading in front of an audience, for example, in assembly. They use their reading and writing skills effectively in all subjects. Pupils’ progress in mathematics is also outstanding. Gaps in their knowledge and understanding are quickly closed, and most pupils develop mathematical skills in line with their mainstream peers.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The school’s analysis of pupils’ achievements shows that all groups make equivalent progress. No gaps in performance were identified for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or those who are looked after. Nevertheless, the extra money derived from the pupil premium is used to fund initiatives to support their overall progress and well-being. These include a counselling service for individuals, extra support during break and residential times, and a wider range of engaging enrichment activities. As a result, these pupils continue to make at least similar progress to their peers, and often do even better.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Pupils’ outstanding achievement is very well supported by exceptional relationships with staff, the excellent provision for personal development that is woven through every lesson and the nurturing approach. It is strongly supported by their residential and enrichment experiences.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 In all lessons, every pupil is welcomed individually. On some occasions, pupils were so keen to get to class that they ran to get there more quickly. Teachers and other adults work together closely and very effectively to support pupils’ learning and behaviour. In almost all lessons, pupils’ behaviour and willingness to engage, cooperate and learn were exemplary.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers have a number of strategies that help lessons run smoothly. The start of lessons is often a quick ‘calm down’ activity, such as a short passage from a story or a few minutes handwriting practice. This helps to calm pupils after their transition from break time or from one lesson to another, which can be difficult times for them. Suitable social behaviour is actively taught through specific lessons such as ‘the social use of language’ and throughout other lessons, for example, by reminders about the appropriate pitch and tone of voice.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Lessons proceed quickly so that pupils do not have time to lose concentration. Most work is done individually, but they are encouraged to discuss things with one another and sometimes to work in pairs or as a whole group which supports their social development. Staff know exactly what each pupil should learn next and what their target levels are. They provide constant reassurance and feedback to let pupils know how close they are to achieving their goals.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Staff use questioning very effectively to assess pupils’ understanding, reinforce it and correct misunderstandings if necessary. They make frequent reference to previous targets, usually through praise. On one occasion, for example, a teacher said: ‘Well done for getting your b’s and d’s round the right way; that was yesterday’s target, wasn’t it?’ Pupils are rewarded for their achievements in lessons, and points to remember for next time are written on their work. This helps maintain the constant drive for improvement.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The school’s magnificent grounds provide ample opportunities for teaching and learning and contribute strongly to pupils’ spiritual development. For example, a science lesson on rocks and soils ended with a practical session outside. Many enrichment activities and those that support out-of-school activities and subjects, such as physical education and design and technology, take place in the ‘Secret City’, a beautiful, natural woodland area scattered with sculptures, seating and willow-woven structures.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school has invested a great deal over the years in establishing professional ‘nurturing’ practice. A keystone of its work is recognition that pupils’ emotional and social well-being is central to their academic achievement. Staff are specifically trained in the nurturing approach. This is based on establishing parent-like relationships with pupils, so they learn to trust adults and benefit from what is provided for them. This is clearly evident throughout both the day and residential provision.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 While there is one specific nurture group which supports the youngest pupils through activities such as role play and domestic play more typical of younger children, the principles are used in all lessons and activities in and out of school time. Consequently, relationships and mutual trust between staff and pupils throughout the school are outstanding. Pupils are mostly friendly and sociable with one another. They listen to each other in class, applaud each other’s successes, and with support, eat and play sociably together at break times.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour is almost always excellent in class. They understand the reward system and appreciate the constant guidance given to help them stay calm and behave appropriately. Pupils generally very much enjoy their lessons and are keen to succeed and earn praise and reward. Occasionally, pupils show that their satisfaction in good work is enough without any reward, as seen on one occasion when an older pupil gave his ‘golden ticket’ to his friend.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour, social and emotional development are carefully assessed by various means on entry to the school. Each pupil has an individual behaviour plan which outlines their difficulties and strategies to support them. These are consistently implemented, regularly reviewed and contribute to decisions about individuals’ readiness for transition back into mainstream school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Almost all pupils join the school with very challenging behaviour, but records show that these reduce quickly. Any incidents are immediately and successfully dealt with. Behaviours exhibited in pupils’ previous schools die out rapidly and are rarely seen at Cicely Haughton.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s own surveys of the views of parents, carers, staff and pupils show that all groups are happy with pupils’ behaviour and its management. This was confirmed by inspection observations in the school and residence and by responses to the staff inspection questionnaire.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ attendance is above average, and exclusions are rare. Deliberately anti-social incidents are infrequent. Keeping safe, being kind to one another and anti-bullying are frequent topics in the strong provision for personal, social and health education. The emphasis on appropriate social skills and behaviour is supported through the after-school, weekend and residential activities. Pupils’ outstanding improvement in behaviour and personal development prepares them very well for the next stage in their educational lives.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school has maintained its outstanding provision and outcomes since the previous education inspection, and over the course of several social care inspections. The leadership and management of both the day and residential provision are outstanding. This success is underpinned by the whole school community’s work to provide all pupils with equal opportunities for making a success of their lives by improving their personal and academic development.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school is currently at an exciting stage of its development. The new federation, following years of close working partnership with Loxley Hall school, is set to bring together the very best systems and practices from both schools. A very good start has already been made, for example, in sharing staff expertise and implementing improved systems and practices taken from both schools. Senior leaders and the governing body feel the federation will provide increased security and continuity for pupils, and so help them to achieve even more.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Parents, carers, staff and pupils are regularly consulted and are happy with the school’s work. Partnerships with families are strong. The excellent work of the transition team includes working with families to help their child’s move from Cicely Haughton to be a success, for example, by helping their children to get to school on time, in the right uniform and with the necessary equipment. Partnerships with external organisations such as Barnardo’s and the NSPCC are also extensive and bring many benefits to the school and individual pupils.  The school is very highly regarded by the local authority, not only because of its success in transforming pupils’ lives, but also because of its contribution back. Senior leaders sit on various panels and committees which plan and make decisions about individuals and special education in the authority. The local authority has provided a rigorous training programme for the governing

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The leadership and management are outstanding

body. This has been very well received and has helped to improve members’ skills and understanding, a need noted in the previous inspection. The work of the school as a Key Learning Centre helps many pupils to remain in their mainstream schools.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 School self-evaluation is extensive and accurate, and appropriate areas for development have been identified. The senior leaders are now setting good new plans for development and improvement across the federation. The quality of teaching and pupils’ learning are effectively monitored, and the school has an accurate view of their strengths. A new, more rigorous system for monitoring and supporting the quality of teaching is about to be introduced which is intended to help ensure that even more teaching is outstanding.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school puts suitable emphasis on improving pupils’ literacy, numeracy and personal development to help them learn to enjoy learning and catch up. It provides a rich, engaging range of activities and subjects, both in school and during residential and out-of-school times. This makes excellent provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Many activities are aimed at helping pupils to learn outdoors, for example, in bush craft and grass sledging. However, during school time, the subject-base of such activities is not always clear which prevents accurate monitoring of the breadth and time spent on different subjects.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  A new governing body was formed on 1 May, composed of members from both schools in the federation. The Chair and Vice-Chair were both on the previous Cicely Haughton governing body. They know the school very well and share wholeheartedly in the senior leaders’ vision for its strategic development. Members are now visiting both schools to get first-hand knowledge about their work.  The governing body has always been well informed by wide-ranging reports from the headteacher and school staff, for example, on the quality of teaching, pupils’ achievement in different subjects and the achievement of pupils in receipt of the pupil premium. Members clearly challenge this information if necessary. They use it robustly to inform decisions about staff appointments, promotions and discussions about any individual’s difficulties, under- performance or strengths.  All statutory duties are met, including those to safeguard pupils. Finances are well controlled

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The leadership and management are outstanding

and administered, and the financial and office management of both schools are in the process of being streamlined.

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is outstanding

 The impact of pupils’ residential experience on their educational, social and health outcomes is outstanding.

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is outstanding

 Pupils are exceptionally well behaved. They show each other consideration, respect and friendship. The residence’s nurturing approach supports pupils’ emotional resilience and development. Good behaviour is praised and rewarded and as a result, there is little need for sanctions or intervention. Pupils very much enjoy their regular stays, and demonstrate this by being cooperative, settled and happy. Their welfare is strongly promoted by effective advice and guidance which supports their growing ability to manage life outside the school more easily.  The pupils enjoy staying in accommodation that is welcoming and comfortable. Dormitories provide areas of privacy that are personalised and welcome each pupil as a unique individual. Pupils say they enjoy the experience of staying with friends and taking part in the broad range of activities provided.

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is outstanding

 The school welcomes the views of pupils and their families. Pupils have a clear say in the work of the residence. They participate in staff interviews, comment on the wording of documents and take part in other discussions, such as changes to the way menus are organised.

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is outstanding

 Close, cooperative work with other school professionals helps residential staff to contribute to the development of smooth-running programmes of education and care. This collaborative approach is of maximum benefit to the pupils and supports the school’s 24-hour approach to their development. Effective communication with parents and carers means that each child’s stay is positive, and is also supportive to families.

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is outstanding

 The care provided by residential staff is of a high standard. They are experienced and appropriately qualified and have various opportunities for enhancing their skills and competence through regular training. Supervision and support are professional, effective and focused on pupils’ welfare. The staff’s clear understanding of the children for whom they care is confirmed by the child-friendly placement plans which implement agreed objectives and reflect the individuals’ diverse needs. These underpin excellent practice, based upon imaginative engagement with pupils that supports their development and well-being.

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is outstanding

 The rigorous through-school approach to keeping pupils safe is very effective. Lessons learned from the accessible and effective complaints procedure influence the quality of care provided. Easy access to advocacy and independent listening services make sure that all pupils’ voices can be heard. Regular staff training makes child protection a priority. The safeguarding policy highlights statutory responsibilities, and makes this clear to parents and other stakeholders. Robust staff recruitment procedures underpin safe employment practices throughout the school.

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is outstanding

 The outstanding management of the residence and pupils’ behaviour helps pupils to experience reasonable risk in a safe, controlled way. This is an important part of their growth and development and helps them learn to manage risks more effectively when they are away from the school. The clear placement plans and well-established safe practice reduce potential hazards and ensure that pupils are engaged and safe throughout their stay.

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is outstanding

 The residential provision is very well managed and organised. Information from a range of sources, including the local authority, independent visitors, inspections and staff suggestions are used to underpin continual improvement. Senior leaders, the governing body, parents and carers consider the residential experience to be a highly important factor in the school’s success in transforming pupils’ lives.

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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 124499 Social care unique reference number SC038731 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 403804

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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

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 6–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 51 Number of boarders on roll 42 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Christina Pearson Headteacher Richard Redgate Date of previous school inspection 11 November 2009 Telephone number 01782 550202 Fax number 01782 550202 Email address headteacher@cicelyhaughton.staffs.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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