West Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre

West Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre 4 Town Street, Stanningley, Pudsey, LS28 6HL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  All pupils achieve well in English and mathematics.  All pupils achieve well in communication and personal development.  Good quality teaching and support ensure that all pupils achieve at least the progress expected of them.  Behaviour is good in and out of classrooms, and attendance is improving.  Pupils say they feel safe and their parents agree.  High quality care and support ensures that all pupils are included in the school’s activities.  The very strong leadership of the principal has moved the school from strength to strength.  As a result of determined leadership at all levels, the school is improving at a fast rate.  The highly skilled and knowledgeable governing body spends money well to benefit all pupils.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding.  In a few lessons, teachers do not ensure that, where possible, pupils work independently.  Teachers do not always ensure the resources used interest all learners, including when they are learning to read.  Communication with parents is not yet fully effective.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 22 lessons, some jointly with the senior leaders. In addition, the inspectors listened to some pupils read and spoke to different groups of pupils.  Inspectors took account of the 10 responses to the online survey (Parent View) and to the school’s own recent survey of parent views. They also took account of the 85 responses to the staff inspection questionnaire.  Meetings were held with the Principal, senior leaders and managers, other staff, members of the governing body, a local authority representative and the headteachers and staff of some of the schools where pupils are based.  The inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at a number of documents, including safeguarding information, the school’s information about pupils’ progress, monitoring documents and pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Henry Moreton, Lead inspector Additional Inspector John Ellwood Additional Inspector Keith Massett Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a large special school which caters for pupils with a very wide range of special educational need. All pupils have a statement of special educational needs for their moderate, severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties.  A large minority of pupils have autism spectrum disorders. A smaller minority have physical disabilities or challenging behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.  The vast majority of pupils are White British and few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals, those looked after by the local authority and those from service families) is above average.  The school makes provision for children from the Early Years Foundation Stage through to students in the sixth form.  Approximately one half of pupils are educated on the main site at Milestone. The remaining half

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Information about this school

is educated at one of four other partner institutions.  Provision for some of the younger pupils with moderate learning needs and some others with complex and multiple learning needs is at Hollybush Primary School.  Provision for some of the older pupils with moderate learning difficulties is at Priesthorpe Specialist Sports College.  Provision for some of the pupils of all ages with complex and multiple learning needs is at Farnley Academy.  Provision for some of the sixth form students is at Leeds City College.  The provision at all of these institutions was visited by inspectors, as well as the distinct areas of provision at the main site.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that more of it is outstanding by ensuring all teachers:  always provide resources that interest pupils of all abilities  manage learning so that too much support is not given to pupils, especially the more able.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve communication with parents by ensuring:  timely information is given about the progress their children make  information is provided about the work the school does to tackle bullying  the school’s website includes all the relevant information.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A typical parental comment is that, ‘Milestone is a safe haven in a sometimes confusing world for our son. He is happy to go to school each day and return full of smiles’.  All pupils make expected or better than expected progress. Parents are rightly pleased with their children’s progress.  Pupils’ progress in English and mathematics is good. Progress in communications and in personal development is particularly good and it is sometimes outstanding. There is no difference in the achievement in different groups of pupils because of the good quality teaching, care and support that they receive. This reflects the school’s excellent work in ensuring every pupil has an equal opportunity.  Pupils’ progress in reading is good because teachers work diligently to develop pupils’ confidence and there is an effective approach to teaching pupils how letters and sounds link together. Some of the more able pupils read very well and this is also reflected in their high quality written work,

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The achievement of pupils is good

including accurate spelling and punctuation.  Pupils achieve well in mathematics. For instance, older pupils work well together on a range of mathematical challenges. The more able pupils can identify coins up to one pound and shapes such as squares, triangles and circles.  Pupils develop communication skills quickly. Pupils with autistic spectrum disorders learn to use visual prompts to manage their learning. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties learn to use a range of communication aids to respond and make choices.  Pupils’ personal development is very good. They are involved in assessing their own progress and sometimes in evaluating their learning. They also have a say in changes in the school’s provision.  Children achieve well in the Early Years Foundation Stage and tasks are well matched to their individual learning needs. This is because of effective arrangements to assess their starting

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The achievement of pupils is good

points and their ongoing progress.  Sixth form students work well and many achieve external accreditation and move on to further education and training. This prepares them well for their futures.  Those eligible for the pupil premium achieve as well as others because the extra funding is used well to provide for their needs. The achievement of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is similar to that of the other pupils in their class and ability groups.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good for all groups of pupils and is sometimes outstanding. Very little requires improvement. The quality of learning is improving.  Accurate assessment of the needs of every pupil ensures that work set is neither too easy nor too hard. This means that pupils of all abilities move forward at a good pace.  High-quality relationships and good support ensure that most lessons are calm and good learning takes place without disruption. Pupils know what is expected of them.  Those pupils with challenging behaviour make good progress because teachers and support staff are consistent in their use of the appropriate strategies. Pupils with autism benefit from good use of symbols and pictures and well established class routines.  In all classes, pupils are able to learn because the staff know them well, and treat them as individuals. They give them space and time when appropriate, and are firm and fair when

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The quality of teaching is good

necessary.  Communication skills are well promoted with teachers making effective use of the different approaches to meet individual needs.  Where teaching is outstanding teachers set tasks that are precisely matched to each pupil’s needs and abilities and use resources well so that all pupils make fast progress.  On a few occasions, opportunities are missed to give pupils more independence, especially the more able. Sometimes the resources used, including the texts selected to develop reading, do not always interest pupils as much as they might.  Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. They encourage pupils by asking the right questions, for example, when listening to them read, and they record their progress. Occasionally opportunities are missed to let pupils do or find out things for themselves.  Significant initiatives to improve provision including ‘restorative practice’ are beginning to

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The quality of teaching is good

develop across the school. Other developments, such as ‘intensive interaction’ are well established and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ attendance is improving and is now in line with most special schools. The school works very hard with a few parents to improve the attendance of the falling number of persistent absentees.  Pupils told inspectors that they know how to stay safe in school. They get on well together.  Behaviour in lessons is almost always good and some is outstanding. They also have good attitudes to learning. This is reflected well in the positive comments from parents, pupils and staff. There are no exclusions, demonstrating an ever improving picture of behaviour.  Pupils respond very well to the school’s reward systems. Older pupils and students with emotional and behavioural learning needs, for instance, benefited from a relaxed but purposeful start when they each took turns to talk about their expectations for the day. Another class were justifiably rewarded with an educational visit because they had achieved 100% attendance.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 No evidence of bullying was seen during the inspection. Pupils and staff all say there is very little bullying of any kind, and when it does occur staff deal with it quickly. While parents have no concerns about bullying, the school does not do enough to let parents know about what the school does to ensure that bullying is not tolerated in any of its forms.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through the subjects they study and the visits they make. Pupils develop a good understanding of the wider world. This is particularly well evidenced by the significant number of pupils who benefit greatly from working alongside their peers at one of the school’s partner institutions.  Pupils of all abilities respond well to the activities planned for them. They particularly enjoy the many sporting and dramatic activities, and the educational visits.  High quality school and college links help to prepare pupils of all ages very well for their futures.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 This complex organisation is led and managed by its Principal in an exemplary way. As a result, provision for all pupils has improved and continues to do so at a hastening pace. The Principal is ably supported by a very strong team.  School leaders have improved the quality of teaching and achievement since the previous inspection. They have improved the use of data to allow the school to set challenging targets for each pupil. They have also improved the learning environment for sixth form students.  The senior leaders have an accurate view of how well the school is doing. They know there is still some improvement in teaching and learning needed. They make effective use of performance data to improve teachers’ skills to improve learning and achievement. Teachers are given detailed reports on their teaching, which includes guidance on how they can improve.  Leadership responsibilities have developed markedly since the previous inspection and leaders

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The leadership and management are outstanding

throughout the school are now involved in checking the quality of teaching and improving it along with how well pupils learn. This is on-going across the whole school. All staff are aspirational and steps are being taken to further improve the quality of the curriculum so that pupils are even more fully engaged and supported in their learning.  Staff are well trained in keeping pupils safe and in developing their skills, knowledge and understanding on how to improve pupils’ communication skills. Teamwork is developing well across the school and staff are eager to learn from each other.  Very effective links with all of the partner institutions is making a significant impact on pupils’ learning and well-being. Some parents would welcome more timely information about the progress their children are making. The school has very recently made changes to its website although a few easily remedied omissions remain.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The relationship between the school and the local authority is very positive. Its direct support is ’light touch’ but it brokers an external consultant, well versed in the context of the school’s work.  The governance of the school:  Governors are ambitious for the school to be outstanding. They know the school well and understand in detail the nature of provision for all the additional learning needs. They have experience appropriate to the school’s needs and the skills to match. They offer challenge to the school’s leaders and are involved in checking and measuring the success of the school’s work. Finances are particularly well managed and, over time, significant improvements have been made to the learning environment. Further developments to the outside play areas are planned and imminent. Governors ensure there is a close link between salary increases for staff and their performance in the classroom. They see that the money allocated for those

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The leadership and management are outstanding

eligible for the pupil premium is spent for the benefit of those pupils. Governors ensure that statutory duties, including for safeguarding pupils, are met.

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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 134884 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 402649

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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 2–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 175 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 44 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sue Morgan Principal Michelle Wilman Date of previous school inspection 3 December 2009 Telephone number 0113 386 2450 Fax number 0113 255 9162 Email address contact@westsilc.co.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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