Baginton Fields School

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

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Baginton Fields School Sedgemoor Road, Coventry, CV3 4EA

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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. Select

 Students achieve well in English, mathematics and their personal and social development.  Students in Year 11 attain a good range of qualifications in English and mathematics as well as work-related qualifications in areas such as horticulture and construction.  The sixth form is good and students make good progress in a wide range of courses, including a number of work related opportunities, which prepare them well for their future lives.  Teaching is good. Some is outstanding where work fully meets the individual needs and abilities of each student and they make rapid progress. Teachers make very good use of questions to extend students’ skills.  Behaviour in school is good, due to the positive care and support provided by all staff. Students have a positive attitude to school and want to do their best.  Students say they feel safe and happy at school, and when they attend courses at other schools, colleges and places of work. This is

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This is a good school. Select

confirmed by their parents and the school’s own records.  Leadership and management are good. The headteacher, supported by his senior and middle leadership teams, has a strong focus on developing and improving all aspects of the school.  The governing body is challenging and supportive of the school and leadership team.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Tasks are not always fully matched to the needs of all the students.  Other adults who support learning are not always fully aware of the needs of all students.  Opportunities are missed to note the progress students make.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 16 lessons, 13 of which were with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. In addition, inspectors listened to a few students read.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior staff, members of the governing body, some students and a telephone conversation took place with a representative from the local authority.  The inspection team observed the work of the school and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information about students’ progress, planning and monitoring documents, safeguarding information and some students’ work.  As there were insufficient replies to the online survey Parent View to provide any information, inspectors took account of the 42 replies in a recent school survey to provide a picture of parents’ views of the school.  Inspectors also took account of the 15 replies to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Ronald Hall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Joseph Skivington Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 All of the students have statements of special educational needs, the majority for severe learning difficulties. An increasing number of students enter the school with profound and multiple learning difficulties. A few students have medical conditions, some of which are acute.  The range of special educational needs and/or disabilities in the sixth form is the same as that in the rest of the school.  A number of Year 11 and post-16 students attend part-time courses at The Alice Stevens School, the Coventry Building Workshop, the Herbert Art Gallery and the Belgrade Theatre as well as Henley College. These are all in the Coventry area.  The majority of students are White British but the percentage of students from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language is well above average.  The percentage of students eligible for the pupil premium is well above average. This additional

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Information about this school

funding is for students known to be eligible for free school meals, looked-after children and those from service families.  Students are taught in mixed-aged classes across the school due to the varying numbers in each year group and their needs.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the proportion of outstanding teaching by making sure that:  all teachers match work accurately to the needs of all learners  all adults who support learning are fully aware of the needs of all the students.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve assessment by making sure that all staff note how well students are doing in order to provide a more accurate picture of students’ progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students’ attainment on entry to Baginton Fields School is well below average for their age because of their severe and often profound learning difficulties, which create barriers to their learning. Due to positive relationships students settle quickly into the school and develop their social and personal skills well. The high quality support that they receive from both teachers and the other adults who support their learning, results in them achieving well in all the subjects they are taught.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All students regardless of their backgrounds make similar progress in both English and mathematics. Those from minority ethnic backgrounds and those with autistic spectrum disorders, speech, language and communication disorders and those who receive pupil premium funding all achieve well and make progress in line with their peers in school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 This year, the Year 7 catch-up government funding is being used to provide extra support and resources for a Year 7 class which has a broader than usual range of barriers to learning. Although progress is increasing, there has not yet been enough time for these students to fully benefit from this funding.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 More-able students make particularly good progress in English due to the concerted focus the school has had on developing students reading skills. This has resulted in students in Yr11 being able to write extended pieces for a variety of audiences. Due to their good progress, students achieve well and some gain various qualifications in English by the time they leave.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In one outstanding lesson, for example, students in the sixth form improved their confidence in speaking aloud as they planned and ran a school snack shop. The challenging activity was exceptionally well planned to meet all the needs and abilities of the students in the class, resulting in very successful outcomes.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The majority of students achieve well in mathematics and science and enjoy the practical manner in which the subject is presented. In a good mathematics lesson students were developing their counting skills. A good range of resources and appropriate tasks linked to their everyday lives encouraged them to achieve well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students in the sixth form make good progress in all areas of their learning. They enjoy their work-related courses which provide them with good opportunities for their lives after school. All of those students for whom it was appropriate, left the school last year to go into further education or work related training.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students eligible for the pupil premium funding make progress that is similar to their classmates in English, mathematics, information and communication technology and science. A number exceed the progress made by their peers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In a few lessons, students do not make as much progress because work is not planned well enough to meet their individual needs and abilities. This occasionally leads to students not always receiving the attention they require because other adults who support learning are not always fully aware of what they are to be taught.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although assessment of students’ progress is good and used to plan future learning, opportunities are often missed to note the progress students make in lessons, as all adults do not routinely record these instances.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching across the school provides a solid foundation for all students’ learning. Teaching in English and mathematics is very effective. Teachers generally plan their lessons well and make sure there is strong link with the key skills of literacy and numeracy. In a science lesson, key words were presented and students were encouraged throughout to assess one another through verbal communication on their understanding of the science knowledge taught. In an English lesson, there was a strong focus throughout on identifying key words and breaking these down into sounds, when necessary, to improve students’ reading and writing skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lessons include a range of interesting and fun activities that are used to stimulate students’ learning and inquisitiveness. In all lessons there is a strong multi-sensory approach and staff use a wide range of electrical, symbolic and signing communication aids to help develop general communication skills. This results in students developing confidence and self-esteem and in turn making increasingly rapid progress in their social and personal skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the majority of lessons resources are used well to match the students’ abilities and learning needs. In a small number of lessons, however, the work set for students is not always matched to the needs and abilities of the students, especially the more-able.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teacher’s use of questioning throughout lessons provides them with clear information on how well the students are progressing. This is effectively linked with student self-assessment to explore how well students have done during a lesson, resulting in students having a good understanding of their progress and how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and other adults supporting in lessons work well together. They check students’ understanding and use praise and encouragement appropriately, which, despite the varying difficulties the students have, keeps them motivated and eager to do their best throughout the lesson. However, where teaching is not at its best, all the adults who support learning are not always aware of what individual students are to learn and this occasionally results in students not being given the attention and support they should.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Parents feel their children are taught well. Students say teachers make learning fun and engaging. They also say that all staff support them if they need assistance or do not understand their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour both in lessons and around the school is good. Students are polite and helpful and regularly support each other. They say that they enjoy school, which is clearly shown by their improving attendance and low rates of exclusions.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students say they feel safe at school and have a good understanding of e-safety both in and outside of the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Students in the sixth form and in the school told the inspectors that there is no bullying at the school and any such situations would be dealt with quickly by staff. Observations around the school and scrutiny of school records showed this to be the case. Their good behaviour is developed well by the good use of the school grounds which also provide a broad range of opportunities for learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Just occasionally the behaviour of a very few students with emotional difficulties disturbs the learning of others, but this is very well managed by staff through the school’s consistently effective behaviour management system.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The promotion of students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The wide range of trips and visits to the community assists in preparing them for their lives after leaving the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 As students progress through the school many develop outstanding personal skills and clearly appreciate all the school provides for them. In Year 11 and the sixth form they benefit from extensive work-related opportunities. For example, they have good opportunities to learn about construction, horticulture, arts and drama.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s ambitions for the school have successfully led to a sustained period of continual improvement, especially in students’ progress and achievement. This vision of improvement is shared by all senior leaders, staff and governors. All staff have high aspirations and are committed to achieving the best outcomes possible for all students. Middle leaders lead the key stages effectively and each builds on the progress of the one before.

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The leadership and management are good

 There is a regular and careful check on the quality of teaching by all senior leaders. They set teachers’ targets to improve the quality of their work and make recommendations regarding additional responsibilities and training opportunities. Senior leaders are aware of inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and are taking effective steps to address these through coaching, mentoring and further training.

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The leadership and management are good

 This approach makes sure that everyone in the school is treated equally and that there is no discrimination of any kind. All students, regardless of backgrounds or needs, make good progress in relation to their starting points in both their learning and personal development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The subjects and topics students study are similar to those in mainstream schools. The range of courses provided, both academic and vocational, is suitably matched to the abilities and aspirations of each student and provides all with an equal opportunity to succeed. This is a key factor in their good achievement and progress. Students develop strong all-round personal and social skills and have high aspirations.

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The leadership and management are good

 As a result of the school’s effective links with a number of other schools, community groups and agencies, students’ learning about other countries, religions and cultures is good.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works highly effectively with other professionals both locally and the wider community. In addition, its own team of specialists support the students’ wide-ranging learning needs and disabilities and is highly effective in supporting their good achievement. The work of its nurses for example, is greatly appreciated by both the students and parents. Parents state they appreciate the work and support given by the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The senior leadership team is effective in making sure all aspects of safeguarding meet requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school uses The school uses schools in a sub-regional partnership including Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull and a number of local schools to moderate its work at all levels and this supports its continuing improvements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority knows the school well and offers a light touch, but effective, approach to continuing improvements in this good school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body provides good support and challenge to the school and its leadership team. Governors monitor all aspects of the provision effectively. They check teaching, behaviour and the progress made by students. They have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, including a good knowledge of published performance data and of the quality of teaching. Governors use their own personal skills to the benefit of the school. Effective management of finances means that money is well spent to support students' learning, including the funding allocated for students eligible for pupil premium funding. This money is used well to provide additional speech and language therapy, support and experiences for these students, enabling them to make similar progress to their classmates. They are aware that the Year 7 catch-up funding has been used to support a

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The leadership and management are good

particularly challenging class of Year 7 students, but the provision put into place to support these students has not as yet had time to demonstrate improvements in student progress. Governors know about performance management and work to make sure that the best teachers and staff are rewarded through promotion. They are aware of where underperformance has been tackled in the past. All statutory elements meet requirements.

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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 103765 Local authority Coventry Inspection number 426916

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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 11-19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 95 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 34 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair James Moore Headteacher Simon Grant Date of previous school inspection 4 October 2010 Telephone number 02476 303854 Fax number 02476 304247 Email address headteacher@baginton fields.coventry.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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