Purbeck View School

Purbeck View School Northbrook Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1PR

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Overall effectiveness Good 2

Pupils’ achievement Outstanding 1 Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Quality of curriculum Outstanding 1 Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Adequate 3 Leadership and management Good 2

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This school is good because

 Students make outstanding progress in managing the barriers to learning posed by their autism.  Students’ spiritual, moral, social, cultural and personal development is outstanding. They make huge strides in improving their behaviour and in relating to other people.  The school’s leaders and managers set high expectations and have sustained the previous high quality of teaching, learning and achievement.  Teaching is outstanding because it is vibrant and staff work together well to ensure learning is stimulating. Very occasionally, the pace of some activities is not quick enough to hold students’ attention which can slow their progress.  The school provides a rich and varied curriculum which meets the needs of students exceptionally well.  The residential provision makes a strong contribution to students’ overall development and learning and they are well cared for.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some procedures for reporting concerns in relation to safeguarding are not always rigorously implemented.  The policy and procedures to equip students to deal with cyber bullying are not fully developed.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets schedule 1 of The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, as amended by The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection took place with one day’s notice.  The inspector observed 10 lessons taught by 10 different teachers, looked at students’ work and held discussions with the headteacher, senior leaders and informally with students. All lesson observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders.  The school’s documentation was examined, including information relating to the range of planning for subjects, records of students’ progress and the welfare and safeguarding of students. The inspector checked the school’s compliance with the regulations for independent schools.  The views of staff were gained through the scrutiny of 47 questionnaires. There were 24 responses to the online Parent View survey. A school-based survey of parents’ and carers’ views was also considered.  The inspection of the residential provision took place at the same time as the education inspection and a separate report on this provision is published on the Ofsted website.

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Inspection team

Frank Price, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Purbeck View School is an independent residential school which is also registered as a  children’s home for children aged from eight to 19 years of age, who have autistic spectrum disorders.  The school provides a mix of residential care and education ranging from 38 to 52 weeks per year.  There are 49 students on roll, 13 of whom are girls and four students are in the care of local authorities.  Three students attend the school from abroad, but most are referred by local authorities across the country.  All students, apart from international students, have a statement of special educational needs and all are residential.  The school was last inspected in October 2010 and the residential provision received an interim inspection in March 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that there is an even more rigorous system for reporting any concerns relating to safeguarding.  Further develop the amount of outstanding teaching by ensuring the pace of activities is brisk enough to maintain students’ attention and increase their progress in lessons.  Develop a more detailed policy and procedures to better help students deal with potential cyber bullying.

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Pupils’ achievement Outstanding

Students’ achievement, given their complex learning needs, is outstanding due to a rich curriculum, together with very effective teaching which enable students to make remarkable progress from their low starting points. Many students make significant gains in dealing with aspects of their autism, such as improved communication through the use of signing and symbols and in becoming less ritualistic in their routines. For example, some students when they start school, find attending a class lesson very difficult. However, fairly quickly, they cope with attending lessons for longer periods of time, so that they can begin to cooperate with each other and learn more effectively. Assessment information over the last three years indicates that a very high percentage of students make better than expected progress in English, mathematics and science. The school analyses students’ progress carefully to make sure that all students, irrespective of their background, gender

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Pupils’ achievement Outstanding

or ethnicity, achieve as well as possible. Older students have achieved an increased number and range of accredited awards. Many of these awards help them in developing functional skills to apply their knowledge and skills in real-life situations.

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Pupils’ achievement Outstanding

Students’ literacy and numeracy skills are developed outstandingly well. In a mathematics lesson for example, students were able to identify shapes found in Islamic art and using symbols read their work out to the whole class. More-able students read with confidence although sometimes their expressive ability is ahead of their comprehension.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

Students’ behaviour and personal development are outstanding. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. These elements add variety, richness and superb opportunities for students to be involved in their local community, to support their learning. For example, one student learned how to operate a digger on a local farm and gained an award for this. Students’ social development is encouraged through whole-class and group work as well as individual activities. Some students with challenging behaviour worked well together in an art group session and this development of social skills and making relationships is a milestone of achievement for many. The whole-school assemblies which take place in the chapel are excellent and allow students to celebrate achievements, reflect on deeper experiences such as Remembrance Day, as well as providing great enjoyment in singing and music.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

Students’ moral development is strongly promoted and they start to learn the consequences of their actions. Nearly all students make huge gains in improved behaviour. For some students being in a room with other people was difficult when they started at school, but gradually they have learned how to be part of a group for longer periods of time. Students’ cultural development is encouraged through aspects of the curriculum such as music, making samosas in cookery lessons and visiting places of local interest and places of worship. The impact of the strong emphasis on their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is evident in students’ improved self-esteem and independence. Students enjoy the appreciation of new experiences and the school is a harmonious and vibrant community. Students learn about public institutions and services through trips, for example, to the lifeboat station and visits from both police and fire services. The school

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

council is organised in a meaningful ways for students. The agenda is in symbol form and action points from meetings are also in the same format. Students have made suggestions for different types of food, playground equipment and possible trips to places of interest such as London. The school ensures that no partisan political views are advanced.

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Quality of teaching Outstanding

The quality of teaching is outstanding as it is lively and stimulating and has a strong and positive impact on students’ achievement. Skilled teaching engages students extremely well. Their behaviour is managed exceptionally well. In one lesson a student concentrated on a piece of work for 20 minutes and when the teacher recognised signs of agitation, changed the activity to calm him down. Signs, symbols and photographs are used consistently and exceptionally well to improve students’ communication skills. Information and communication technology is used routinely to enhance lessons. Students have individualised learning targets for each lesson, which are in symbol format and this ensures that learning is precise and clear for students. Learning is often fast paced, practical and active. For example, in a lesson celebrating Diwali, students looked at photographs, enjoyed lighting a candle and then made their own candle holders out of

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Quality of teaching Outstanding

Support staff work very well with teachers and provide very effective support for students by working closely with them to help improve their learning and behaviour. There are good arrangements to ensure that care and education staff work collaboratively to provide consistent approaches for students across the school and residential provision. Students’ achievements are assessed regularly and this information is used well by staff to identify specific issues that may need addressing for individual students. Accurate assessment helps the school to create a clear picture of outstanding progress over time. Very occasionally the pace of some activities is not quick enough and this means that they can lose interest quickly.

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Quality of curriculum Outstanding

The school has developed an outstanding curriculum to meet the needs of students with autism very effectively and which enables them to achieve exceptionally well. The range of subjects and opportunities provided for students is rich and varied and this provision meets their needs exceptionally well. The curriculum is based on five strands to promote students’ communication and social skills, their wider understanding, life skills and sensory and physical development. This ensures that students receive plenty of practice in improving their communication skills, making relationships and using skills in different situations. The strong emphasis on community activity such as delivering newspapers and cleaning the local church gives excellent opportunities for students to use their skills in context. Planning is very clear and thorough and builds in opportunities which are relevant to individual students. This, together with clear and personalised

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Quality of curriculum Outstanding

learning in lessons, helps students to make outstanding progress, for example, in developing their verbal communication or in understanding concepts such as colour. Students’ routines are clear and well organised and the methods to promote students’ communication are well established.

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Quality of curriculum Outstanding

There is a strong collaborative approach to meeting the needs of students and there are regular multi-disciplinary meetings to review students’ progress. Students benefit from a wide range of therapeutic input, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy and music psychotherapy to help them overcome their difficulties. There are excellent opportunities for students to be involved in a wide range of activities outside of school such as sports, art and crafts, visits to places of interest and local beaches. The residential provision helps students to be prepared for learning and consistent methods of communication and behaviour management span education and care. Careers and education guidance is suitably provided which meets the needs of students.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Adequate

Students’ welfare, health and safety are adequate. Although all the regulations are met and students are safe, there are minor weaknesses in the systems for reporting concerns in relation to safeguarding. They are not as rigorous as they might be.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Adequate

The school has a range of well-thought-out policies to keep students safe; some of these are company policies and some have been adapted to suit the specific needs of the school. However, although the anti-bullying policy is adequate, it does not set out in depth how cyber bullying is to be addressed for students who may have access to mobile phones or the internet at some point in the future, when they may receive less supervision. However, students reported that they feel safe in school and that they enjoy school a great deal. The online Parent View questionnaire responses also indicate that parents and carers are happy with the school and that their children are safe and well looked after.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Adequate

The school has worked hard to improve both its practice and recording of restraint procedures and has introduced a new method of improved restraint training for staff to reduce the level of physical management required for dealing with some students’ challenging behaviour; the school has made good progress in this area. Both care and education staff establish positive and supportive relationships with students and this does much to lead to substantial improvements in their behaviour and well-being. The school is vigilant in carrying out all the appropriate checks on the suitability of staff before they are appointed. The school has recruited a number of care staff from abroad, but all relevant checks are carried out and these are recorded on the school’s single central register. Staff receive effective training in safeguarding. Regular checks are made on fire equipment and there are regular evacuation drills.

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Leadership and management Good

The leadership and management of the school are good. Senior leaders for education have ensured that through regular checking and support for staff, the outstanding quality of teaching has been sustained. This in turn has ensured that students’ progress continues to be outstanding. The headteacher has ensured that all regulations for independent schools are met. The areas for improvement from the last inspection have been addressed well and some students use mobile technology more effectively to help them communicate. Training for staff is of high quality and the performance of staff is regularly appraised.

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Leadership and management Good

The school’s self-evaluation is thorough and supported by external audits to bring extra challenge and validation to its work. The school improvement plan identifies suitable areas for further improvement and development. An overwhelming number of parents and carers who responded to the online Parent View survey are positive about the school and that their children are settled, happy and safe at school. Placing authorities are similarly positive about placing pupils at the school. Most staff enjoy working at the school, although some staff feel that the provision for their professional development could be improved.

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Leadership and management Good

The quality of the residential and school accommodation is good and meets the needs of students well. There is ample outside space and equipment for students to enjoy. All of the required information is provided or made available to parents, carers and local authorities through its written information or the website. The complaints procedures meet regulatory requirements.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding A school which provides an exceptional quality of education and significantly exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 2 Good A school which provides a high quality of education that exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 3 Adequate A school which meets minimum requirements but needs to improve the quality of education it provides. Grade 4 Inadequate A school where minimum requirements are not met and/or the quality of education has serious weaknesses.

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School details

Unique reference number 113950 Social care unique reference number SC065261 Inspection number 422705 DfE registration number 835/6016 This inspection was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. Type of school Independent School status Residential special school Age range of pupils 8–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 49 Number of part time pupils 0 Number of boarders on roll 49 Proprietor Cambian Education Group Headteacher Susan Harvey Date of previous school inspection October 2010 Annual fees (boarders) 38 weeks: £136,000 52 weeks: £186,000 Telephone number 01929 422760 Fax number 01929 427627 Email address susanharvey@cambiangroup.com guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If

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School details

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.

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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

inspects to 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,

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School details

please 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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