Mayesbrook Park School

Barking and Dagenham Tuition Service Arden Crescent, Dagenham, Essex, RM9 6TJ

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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 Good 2

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This is a good school because:

 The teaching on each site is almost always good, and occasionally outstanding. Teachers have a good knowledge of their pupils’ needs and abilities.  Pupils make good progress and rates of progress have shown steady improvement since the previous inspection. This enables younger pupils in most cases to return quickly to mainstream schools and pupils in Years 10 and 11 to gain GCSE and other qualifications, which open the door to college education.  The pupils report that they enjoy the security and friendliness of the sites. They feel safe and most pupils attend regularly.  The pupils generally behave well and the different sites are calm and orderly. Pupils’ attitudes to their education improve rapidly when the pupils enter the provision as a result of patient teaching and a high proportion of skilled mentoring and support for each individual pupil.  The head of the service and the managers of the provisions or centres manage the provision

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This is a good school because:

well. They robustly monitor standards and ensure that teaching continues to improve. The management committee members are well informed about the strengths and weaknesses on each site and provide a good level of challenge and support to leaders.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough good or better teaching to enable a large majority of pupils to make outstanding progress.  Teachers do not always record in sufficient detail each small step in progress which pupils make. Because of this, sometimes they are unable to plan specifically for each pupil to enable them to achieve their best.  On a few occasions, pupils are not clearly told how to make their work better or how to reach their next learning target.  The recording and evaluation of pupils’ performance are made more difficult because of incompatibility in information technology systems across the sites.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 17 lessons, all of which were joint observations with senior staff.  Meetings were held with pupils, teachers, senior and middle managers, members of the management committee and with a senior representative of the local authority.  There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire for parents (Parent View) to be counted. Inspectors looked at records of meetings with parents and the many letters of support from parents for the work of the PRU. The 40 completed staff questionnaires were also looked at.  The inspection team observed the work on each site and looked at a range of documentation including self-review documents and development planning, details of the curriculum and management committee minutes. Records of pupils’ progress, behaviour and well-being were analysed, as well as monitoring reports on the quality of teaching. Attendance records were checked, as well as procedures relating to the safeguarding of pupils.

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Inspection team

Melvyn Blackband, Lead inspector Additional inspector Jackie Blount Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The service provides a range of alternative education for a larger than average number of pupils who do not access mainstream secondary schools for a variety of reasons. It is made up of separate facilities in different locations around the borough. Each part of the provision is led by a teacher in charge under the overall direction of the head of specialist alternative provision.  The Tuition Centre is a pupil referral unit (PRU) funded for up to 70 pupils. The centre provides full-time education for permanently excluded pupils, up to 30 places for Key Stage 3 pupils on half-termly respite placements, and pupils who have been excluded on a fixed-term basis for more than six days.  The Erkenwald Centre is a smaller provision, catering for up to 30 pupils aged 11 to 16 who have experienced significant difficulties in maintaining mainstream school attendance and require a more nurturing setting.  The Seabrook Centre is a specialist provision for up to 35 10- to 14-year-olds with challenging

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Information about this school

behavioural and emotional needs. Most of these pupils have statements of special educational needs.  The Home Tuition service provides education at home for pupils aged five to 16 who are too ill to attend school.  In addition, the service commissions alternative provision for Key Stage 4 pupils, such as the Lifeline Programme run by a voluntary sector partner and the Compass Programme, delivered by Barking and Dagenham College.  A greater than average number of pupils are eligible for pupil premium funding, which is allocated to those pupils who are entitled to free school meals or are in local authority care.  Most pupils are White British, with a small minority of other pupils from a variety of ethnic groups, reflecting the make up of the borough. A very small proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. There are currently no pupils at an early stage of learning English.  The current head of the service was appointed in 2012. Since she took up post, the various parts

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Information about this school

of the service have now been fully amalgamated’; this work had started following the 2011 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching still further, so that all groups make the best possible progress by:  ensuring teachers consistently record the small steps in learning which pupils make in order to plan more specifically for each individual in taking the next step  making sure that pupils fully understand how to improve their work further.  Improve the efficiency of computer systems throughout the provision to enable records of the pupils’ progress and performance to be more effectively collated.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils almost always enter the provision with significant gaps in their education due to a history of challenging behaviour or troubled relationships in their schools. Their attainment is generally lower than average. The pupils overwhelmingly make good progress once in the centres . Their attitudes to their education improve along with their behaviour, and the gap in their attainment narrows in comparison to pupils in mainstream schools.  There are high rates of success at the Tuition Centre in returning Key Stage 3 pupils to their schools at the end of respite provision and longer fixed-term exclusions. Most of the Key Stage 3 pupils who have been permanently excluded are successfully reintegrated into mainstream schools. Older pupils, in Key Stage 4, who are permanently excluded, almost all make rapid progress and leave with GCSE or Entry level qualifications in English and mathematics and with

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The achievement of pupils is good

recognised BTEC qualifications in their chosen vocational courses, such as construction or cookery. These pupils, in most cases, access the vocational courses at Barking and Dagenham College or on the Lifeline programme. A high proportion of pupils go on to further study at the college or other colleges and there have been few pupils over recent years who do not leave for further education, employment or training.  The more vulnerable pupils at the Erkenwald Centre make excellent progress. Most pupils gain a range of GCSE qualifications, in a growing minority of cases at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics. The pupils at the Seabrook Centre, which has been newly formed, are making good progress in adjusting to classroom rules and procedures and in forming appropriate relations with staff and other pupils. They benefit from the very high staffing levels and high levels of individual tuition and support and their attainment, including those pupils with special

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The achievement of pupils is good

educational needs, is rising. Pupils in the Home Tuition service make good progress as a result of well organised teaching.  The rate of progress at the Tuition Centre and Erkenwald has improved since the previous inspection. Pupils make good progress in literacy and numeracy skills, often as a result of intensive intervention on an individual basis. Pupil premium funding and Year 7 catch-up funding have been used successfully to fund significant extra support for those pupils entitled to the funding. This has resulted in most pupils making progress in reading, writing and number which is as good as, or better than, expected nationally in mainstream schools. Each site monitors pupils’ progress effectively and interventions are quickly put in place. The equal opportunity of pupils is a priority for all staff. There is no discrimination and all groups achieve equally well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has consistently improved over time at each centre as a result of effective and regular monitoring by senior staff. They closely observe lessons and scrutinise pupils’ work. As a result, teaching is almost always good, with occasional outstanding lessons. Pupils in all groups make good progress, including those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs. Achievement is not yet outstanding overall because not all pupils make the progress of which they are capable.  Lessons are generally carefully planned, they are taught briskly and this helps to maintain the pupils’ interest and concentration. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils’ success. They check pupils’ understanding regularly during lessons and adjust lessons to take account of each pupil’s ability and interest. On a few occasions, however, teachers do not accurately record the small steps in learning made by the pupils. As a result, they can miss opportunities to accelerate

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The quality of teaching is good

the progress of each pupil. The pupils do not always know how well they are doing or how to improve their work. This slows down the pace of learning.  The teaching of English and mathematics is effective. Specialist teachers prepare interesting activities and pupils respond well. The teachers organise their classrooms well. Support workers and mentors provide good individual support to those pupils who need extra help in reading or spelling. The pupils enjoy the extra support, they develop the confidence to make mistakes as they learn, and the teacher and support workers are skilled in stretching the pupils through effective questions and explanations. The pupils quickly settle to their work, they concentrate for relatively long periods and they are happy to receive praise and confirmation of their success at the end of lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 A rapid improvement takes place in the pupils’ attitudes to their learning when pupils enter the different parts of the provision. They quickly develop positive attitudes and good relations with staff and other pupils. Classrooms are almost always calm and free from tension. This contributes well to the pupils’ progress. Teachers and support staff are skilled in identifying when pupils are upset or finding difficulty, and they use well established and understood procedures to de-escalate problems through individual mentoring and support.  Behaviour management is well organised and effective. Staff are fully trained to deal with problems; the recording of incidents is very clear and links successfully to a range of strategies for helping pupils to cope with their behaviour and to take responsibility for it. There is a highly organised mentoring programme for all pupils which plays a significant part in supporting their

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

behaviour. When incidents occur, they are dealt with quickly and positively to help the pupil to learn from the episode and how better to deal with situations which cause anxiety or anger.  As a result of on-going training and clear procedures, pupils’ behaviour has generally continued to improve. The number of exclusions has dropped to zero as a result of a policy of not excluding pupils and the consequent strength of procedures to support the pupils and staff. Vulnerable pupils are equally well provided for by patient and careful mentoring and support.  Behaviour inside and outside classrooms is good. Pupils behave in positive ways, they are polite and considerate to others and they tolerate and respect each member of the community. This helps to foster a successful socially cohesive whole community. The pupils’ consideration for others, their obvious warmth towards other pupils and staff and their understanding and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

acceptance of the established standards of good behaviour demonstrate their good development of spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding.  Pupils report that they feel safe and secure. One pupil commented, ‘We are all students who’ve had troubles at school and we understand one another.’ There is very little bullying, including cyber bullying. The pupils, for example, willingly hand in their mobile phones each day. They have a good understanding of how to deal with bullying and how to inform staff. They develop their understanding of how to keep safe through the regular mentoring and their personal, social and health education lessons. Parents feel confident that their children are safe and free from discrimination or bullying and, in many letters and emails to the school, report the positive changes in their child. In most cases, the attendance of the pupils significantly and rapidly improves from that at their previous schools.

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The leadership and management is good

 The experience and expertise of the head of the service have enabled her to successfully merge and manage the centres while retaining the diversity of the service. She has been well supported by the managers of the centres and the head of the Home Tuition service. Together, they have consistently improved standards of teaching and thus the rates of pupils’ progress. The senior team insists on high standards throughout the provision and monitors teaching rigorously.  As a result of the monitoring and robust performance management of staff, teaching has continued to improve and is now good, and occasionally outstanding. Teachers are well supported through further training and coaching. Senior staff evaluate strengths and areas for development carefully and accurately and this is accompanied by detailed development planning. Leaders, for instance, are well aware of the occasional weaknesses in teaching and are working

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The leadership and management is good

to remedy these.  Leaders maintain a close eye on the achievement of pupils through good tracking procedures. There remain problems with coordination of the records of pupils from different sites because, as yet, computer programmes are not compatible across the whole service. Despite this, senior staff effectively manage the progress of pupils. Where any falling off in performance is noted, a clear and effective range of interventions can be employed to support the pupils’ academic progress, particularly in literacy. They can also deal with pupils’ social, emotional and behavioural difficulties through multi-agency support, including the Children and Adolescent Mental Health team and the valuable work of the mentors who work effectively with individual pupils.  There has been a good track record of improvement, especially since the service became amalgamated, led by the present head of service. The management committee is active and

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The leadership and management is good

informed and the local authority provides valuable support and challenge. There is a good capacity to maintain this improvement.  The curriculum is effective in meeting the needs of the pupils. In each centre, there is an emphasis on basic skills to enable pupils, in all groups, to catch up and to access the wider range of school subjects and college courses. This system is effective in enabling pupils to return successfully to mainstream schools or to progress to further education courses. Pupils are well supported by substantial personal development lessons and activities and individual counselling and mentoring. For instance, there are planned outward bound courses to help pupils develop independence and social skills further. These activities make a good contribution to the pupils’ behaviour and self-control in different situations and benefit their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. There is now a wide range of vocational courses available to pupils,

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The leadership and management is good

offsite at alternative providers, which are closely monitored by senior staff of the Barking and Dagenham Tuition Service. These inspire almost all pupils to go on to college courses when they leave.  There are very positive links with parents and with local mainstream schools who consistently report favourably on the improvements seen in pupils who have returned to them. Safeguarding arrangements are effective and meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  The management committee members are well informed about pupils’ progress, including performance data and how it compares with similar schools. They are well informed about the quality of teaching, salary arrangements for staff, and are involved in the decision making process in rewarding staff for good performance and in managing any underperformance. They maintain clear supervision of the Year 7 catch-up and pupil premium funding and its

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The leadership and management is good

impact on pupils’ progress and well-being. Members self-evaluate their own effectiveness and take part in relevant training events, for instance in child protection. They are well informed and up to date regarding the recruitment of staff and safeguarding arrangements for children.

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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 132816 Local authority Barking and Dagenham Inspection number 424477

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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 Pupil referral unit School category Pupil referral unit Age range of pupils 5–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 111 Appropriate authority The Management Committee Chair Jeanette Alexander Headteacher Janet Lewis Date of previous school inspection 2–3 March 2011 Telephone number 0208 270 6000 Fax number 0208 517 4949 Email address Janet.lewis@lbbd.gov.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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