Woodfield School

P R O T E C T – I N S P E C T I O N School report

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Woodfield School Malmes Croft, Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8RL

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Students make good progress over time, particularly in English and mathematics. In addition, they make significant strides in improving their communication skills.  Children attending the Early Years Foundation Stage make excellent progress. This prepares them for learning and enables them to move on successfully to the next stage of their education.  The sixth form is good. All students are prepared very well for the next stage of their lives beyond school.  Teaching is good. Teachers make sure the work is hard enough and at the right level of difficulty for each student. This means that students make good progress towards their individual targets.  Students’ behaviour is outstanding. This is as a result of the highly effective care and support that staff provide. In all lessons, students are highly motivated and want to do their best.  Students say they feel safe and happy at the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school, as well as at the off-site provision they attend weekly. This is confirmed by their parents and carers and the school’s own records.  Leadership and management are good. The headteacher and her senior leadership team have improved teaching and students’ achievement.  The governing body is highly supportive of the school, knows it very well and understands what is needed to improve it further.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is insufficient sharing of good practice in lessons in order to make all learning creative and exciting.  The checking of how well students are learning in lessons is inconsistent.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 12 lessons, taught by nine different teachers and one lesson taught by a teaching assistant. Five of the lessons were observed jointly with either the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  A meeting was held with a small group of sixth form students. Meetings were also held with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, others with posts of responsibility and the Chair of the Governing Body. A telephone conversation was held with a representative of the local authority.  The lead inspector took account of 20 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View, the school’s own recent parents and carers’ questionnaire, 28 responses to the staff questionnaire and the recent school council’s student questionnaire.  Inspectors observed the school’s practice and looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s checks on how well it is doing and its improvement planning, information on pupils’

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Information about this inspection

progress, documents used by senior leaders to check the school’s work, governing body documentation, and records relating to attendance, behaviour and safeguarding. An inspector attended the weekly parents’ coffee morning and listened to three pupils read.

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Inspection team

James Bowden, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lynne Thorogood Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Woodfield School provides for students with severe learning difficulties. Many have additional complex needs including autistic spectrum disorders, epilepsy, physical and sensory impairments. Many also need regular medical intervention.  Currently there are twice as many boys as girls. The majority of students are of White British background, with a minority of Pakistani or Asian British background. A few are from families where English is not the home language. All students have a statement of their special educational needs. A very few are children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The majority of students are either in Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 or post-16. Younger students join at different times during the year.  The proportion of students at Woodfield eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children in local

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Information about this school

authority care and children from service families, is above the national average. Currently there are very few in local authority care.  The school uses alternative off-site provision for one half-day per week at West Herts College Dacorum campus for small groups of Key Stage 4 and post-16 students.  In 2012, the school achieved Autism accreditation.  A new headteacher was appointed in September 2012.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistency of the quality of teaching and make it all as good as the best by making sure that:  there is effective sharing of good practice in lessons in order to make all learning creative and exciting  there is greater consistency in checking effectively how well students are learning in lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment on entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 1 is low as a result of children’s complex needs. Attainment remains below average in all year groups. However, in relation to their starting points, students, including those from minority ethnic backgrounds, make good progress and achieve well, whatever their abilities, in the main school and the sixth form.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Effective support for all students means there are no significant differences in the rates of progress made by those with different levels of learning difficulties, boys and girls, the few who speak English as an additional language or those supported by pupil premium funding. Students known to be eligible for free school meals and the very few looked after by local authorities achieve as well as others. Extra support and resources helps these students make good progress, in line with their peers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good progress is made in the key skills of literacy and numeracy, which are reinforced successfully in lessons. Students make significant strides in their communication skills, as a result of the consistent approach by staff use of visual communication symbols. A few of the older more-able students know how to sound out letters and groups of letters to help them in their reading. In addition, students make good progress in information and communication technology skills, particularly in Key Stage 3, as well as in their physical development throughout the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 At the end of Year 11, all students continue their education in the school sixth form. For the past two years, all sixth form students have attended further education colleges when leaving and have maintained their placements. The achievement of older students is supported well by work- experience placements, the weekly courses they follow at West Herts College and the school courses in enterprise and independence skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, staff check carefully the needs and difficulties of children when they arrive. Individual targets are then set for learning and development and, the excellent progress they make, prepares them well for moving on to Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In all lessons, progress is at least good, which confirms the school’s judgement based on detailed checking on how well pupils are doing over time. In a geography lesson, students made good progress in understanding the differences between the local area compared to that of central Hemel Hempstead.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching throughout the school promotes good learning for all. Teaching in English and mathematics is effective. Teachers plan their lessons well and make sure there is strong focus on the key skills of literacy and numeracy, as well as on improving students’ progress in communication skills. In an Early Years Foundation Stage lesson, children showed developing understanding of managing their day as they moved visual activity cards to the ‘happening now’ chart before moving to their outdoor play session.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and other adults supporting in lessons work highly effectively together. They use praise and encouragement very appropriately, which, despite the difficulties many have, keeps students motivated and on task throughout the lesson. This was particularly effective in a mathematics lesson where students were exploring two and three-dimensional shapes. The teacher moved around the class checking that all were making progress in relation to the targets they had been set.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Students are asked questions to test their understanding. On occasion, however, when checking progress being made, some staff do not give students sufficient time to respond before being moved on to the next task.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lessons include a range of lively activities that are used to interest and motivate students and set a positive tone for learning. In a music lesson, students were provided with a range of items so they were able to make good progress in understanding the differences in ‘shake, strike and rub or shake’ when learning to make sounds. There was an effective focus throughout on improving students’ communication skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In a sixth form young enterprise group lesson, well-planned and resourced activities ensured the work was matched closely to students’ abilities. This enabled all to make good progress towards their individual targets as well as improving their literacy and numeracy skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Parents and carers are overwhelmingly pleased with the progress their children make. Students say teachers help them learn much in lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour in and around the school is outstanding because of the consistent routines and high levels of sensitive staff supervision. Staff respect students’ dignity, well-being and their developing independence. Highly effective relationships between all adults and students result in enjoyable, purposeful and safe learning throughout the whole school day.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Typically, behaviour over time has been outstanding. There have been no permanent exclusions or instances where students have not been allowed to go to school for short periods of time because of poor behaviour. Since the last inspection, there have been no recorded instances of racism or homophobia and there have been no other instances of bullying. Management of students’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is consistently excellent.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Older students say the school is a safe place to be and that they get along well together. They say there is no bullying and they know about the importance of e-safety. In addition, students say that they feel safe and supported well at the off-site alternative provision they attend.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance, regardless of students’ circumstances, is average and punctuality to school is not an issue. Students arrive happily in the morning, remain positive and friendly throughout the day and leave cheerfully at the end following the daily celebratory whole-school assemblies.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Students’ attitudes to learning are very positive. In lessons, they work alone or together in pairs or small groups. In a physical education lesson, highly effective organisation allowed students to work as small groups as well as having individual adult support.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Without exception, parents’ and carers’ responses to Parent View show they are happy with the school’s care for their children. This is also confirmed by the school’s own parent and carer questionnaires.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s drive and ambition have led to improvements, particularly in students’ progress and achievement over the last year. In this she is supported effectively by her deputy, senior leaders and governors. All staff are highly committed and want the best outcomes possible for all students. The Early Years Foundation Stage and sixth form provision are well led.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and her deputy regularly and carefully check the quality of teaching, setting teachers targets to improve the quality of their work and making recommendations regarding additional responsibilities and training. Senior leaders are aware of inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and the steps needed for improvement, including the need for effective sharing of good practice across the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 As a result of the school’s strong commitment to equality, it ensures there is no discrimination of any kind. All students, regardless of circumstances or needs, make good progress in relation to their starting points in their learning and personal development. All receive good advice and guidance for when they leave the sixth form.

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The leadership and management are good

 The subjects and topics students study mirror those in mainstream schools. Because they are tailored to match fully the abilities and individual needs of all students, all have equal opportunity to succeed. The strong focus on preparing students for the next stage of their education through personal and social education and improvements in communication skills develops their independence. This contributes significantly to their strong all-round personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Physical education has a high profile and all students benefit from regular swimming lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works highly effectively with other professionals both locally and across the local authority, as well as with its own team of therapists to support pupils’ wide-ranging learning needs. It also works closely with parents and carers.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the last inspection, the local authority has provided minimal support to this good school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The highly effective Chair leads an improving and confident governing body which is prepared to challenge senior leaders. Governors undertake appropriate training to support them in their delegated roles. They recognise the importance of high quality teaching and how it might be improved. Governors check the work of the headteacher and other staff, which is helping them to make decisions about how well they are working, any action that needs to be taken, training opportunities and pay. They take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously, ensuring that the school is a safe place in which to work and learn. The finance committee is diligent in making sure the school’s finances are balanced and overseeing the use and impact of pupil premium funding. Current funding is being used to provide extra support to ensure that all students, regardless of their circumstances, make the best possible progress in English,

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The leadership and management are good

mathematics and communication skills. Although the use and impact of the funding for the support of primary physical education and school sport has been considered, this money has not yet been received by the school.

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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 117682 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 425180

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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 3–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 57 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 17 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kate Worden Headteacher Gill Waceba Date of previous school inspection 7 October 2010 Telephone number 01442 253476 Fax number 01442 232619 Email address admin@woodfield.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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