Cambian Tyldesley School

School report Advanced Education – Tyldesley School Shuttle Street, Tyldesley, M29 8BS

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Overall effectiveness Good 2

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

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This school is good because

 Good leadership and management ensure that students achieve well and their behaviour, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development improves positively over time.  The headteacher and his team have ensured that teaching has remained of a high standard since the last inspection and the curriculum is still good.  As a result of good teaching, students achieve well including in English, mathematics and science.  Students’ needs and interests are closely met and they are well prepared for their future economic well-being.  Good provision for the welfare, health and safety of students ensures that students feel safe and able to concentrate on their studies.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Teachers do not always specify and communicate the learning outcomes they expect from students of all abilities in each lesson.  Although students’ behaviour in classrooms is consistently good, a small number of students are occasionally boisterous as they move around the school.  A small number of students are not fully aware of the dangers of smoking to people’s health.

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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 was carried out with one day’s notice.  The inspector observed six lessons taught by four different teachers. He scrutinised students’ work and held meetings with staff, leaders and students.  The school’s documentation was checked including schemes of work, teachers’ planning, records of students’ progress, self-evaluation and that relating to welfare, health and safety.  There were no Parent View responses. Questionnaire responses from staff were analysed.  A material change application to the school’s registration was assessed regarding the school’s accommodation and an increase to the number of students to a maximum of 34.

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Inspection team

Saleem Hussain, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school was formerly called Warrington School and opened in April 2008. Warrington School was registered as an independent, day, special school for up to 18 boys and girls aged between 11 and 18 years. It has now changed its name to Tyldesley School and relocated to a two-storey detached building in Wigan, Manchester. The school caters for students who have significant behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.  The school is owned by Advanced Childcare Limited which also owns a number of other schools in the North of England.  Currently, there are 10 students on roll aged between 11 and 16 years. All students are of White British heritage; a small number have a statement of special educational needs. All students are looked after by their local authority.  The school’s aim is to provide ‘excellence, equality and high achievement for all, by unconditional positive regard for everyone.’  The school uses alternative external provision for a small number of students.

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Information about this school

 The school last received a full inspection in June 2009 where all aspects of the school’s work were judged as being good. An emergency inspection took place in March 2013. Both inspections concluded that the school met all of the requirements for independent schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the quality of teaching improves to outstanding by requiring teachers to always specify and communicate the learning outcomes they expect from students of all abilities in each lesson.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that behaviour in and around school is at least good at all times by improving further the effectiveness of the school’s policy for promoting good behaviour.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all students are fully aware of the dangers of smoking to people’s health.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Achievement is good because teaching and the curriculum are good. All groups of students, including those with different special educational needs and abilities, achieve equally well. This also includes the least able who achieve in very small steps but their achievements are just as good as others. Students join school with a wide range of abilities and a range of special educational needs. Some stay at school for short periods and others for several years. All have significant, often severe behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Taking account of students’ starting points identified through good assessment on entry to the school, all acquire knowledge quickly and are secure in their understanding in different subjects. Most students, including those who attend off- site alternative provision, make good progress, achieving well over time. School records indicate that students are closing gaps in their education and catching up with their peers in other schools;

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Pupils’ achievement Good

they are taking advantage of the school’s good curriculum. Since the last inspection, most students achieved a good number of external accreditations including Entry Level in subjects such as English, mathematics, science, food technology and Preparation for Working Life. A good number of students gained good passes in the light of their starting points, at GCSE level.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Students are well motivated by teachers and take interest in a broad range of activities. They acquire knowledge at a good rate and gain a firm understanding in all academic areas, including reading, writing, communication skills and mathematics. Achievement in information and communication technology (ICT) is less good but students still gain a range of skills they need. These factors demonstrate that students develop and apply a wide range of skills so that they are well prepared for their future economic well-being.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

Students’ behaviour, attitudes and personal development are good overall. Students improve their attendance and punctuality quickly over time. Behaviour in lessons is good. This makes a strong contribution to learning. Students respond well to teachers’ expectations regarding good conduct and this ensures that they engage well in lessons and maintain their concentration. Disruption to lessons is unusual. However, a small number of students are boisterous as they move around the school and there is occasional swearing. Leaders are aware of this differential in behaviour and staff supervision is good in and around school. Incidents of serious misbehaviour reduce significantly over time because staff have made good progress in helping students manage their anger and anti-social behaviour. When students become angry, teachers help them to develop ways to overcome their frustration. Students say that they feel safe at school and that bullying is

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

rare. They have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying, including mobile phone- based and that which is computer-related.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

Provision for students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. There are many opportunities for personal development through personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE), assemblies, religious education and the Preparation for Working Life programme. Students improve in self-confidence through frequent praise and reward for their good work in lessons. They learn well about spirituality through different subjects. For example, work in science and art helps them to learn about the beauty of the natural world and the inspirational nature of human achievement. Moral development is good. Students consider issues such as bullying, stereotyping and different forms of discrimination in a moral context. They express laudable views about the need for community and racial harmony. PSHCE lessons enable students to learn well about the civil and criminal law. Social development is good. Students benefit from the

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

opportunities in school for group work, through team sports and educational visits which enable them to mix with people in the community. Students make a significant contribution to the community through fundraising for good causes. Cultural development is good. Students develop a good understanding of their own and other cultures through lessons and educational visits to art galleries, theatres, museums and different places of worship. Students respect others’ views and different cultures. They show good attitudes towards different people, regardless of race, gender, disability or sexual orientation. The school provides students with many opportunities to develop a general knowledge of public institutions and services in England. For example, they learn about how parliament works. The proprietor has ensured that partisan political views are not promoted in the teaching of any subject.

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Quality of teaching Good

Teaching is good. This ensures that all groups of students achieve well and make good progress over time. Teachers’ use their good subject knowledge to plan interesting and engaging activities for students. However, although lesson planning is generally good and meets regulatory requirements, teachers do not always specify and communicate the learning outcomes they expect from students of all abilities in each lesson. Consequently, students do not achieve outstandingly because they are not fully aware of what teachers expect from them. Teachers settle students down quickly at the start of each lesson and the pace of work is challenging for all abilities. Teachers question and prompt students well. For example, questions are frequently aimed at reluctant learners or less able students to make sure that they achieve as well as others and work just as hard. Teachers know students’ special educational needs well and work effectively to

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Quality of teaching Good

address specific issues. Basic skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening and mathematics are taught well. This results in students developing good skills for their future economic well-being. Teachers take every opportunity to encourage students to read aloud in lessons. For example, PSHCE lessons often focus on current affairs and students take turns to read newspaper articles to everyone. In a mathematics lesson observed, Year 11 students developed good methods to estimate the area of circles because of the teacher’s thorough attention to developing basic skills. Teachers manage students’ attitudes and behaviour well in lessons. Any disruptive behaviour is swiftly dealt with. Assessment is good. Students’ skills are accurately assessed when they join school and their performance is accurately tracked over time. Feedback to students ensures that students know how well they are doing and how to improve their work.

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Quality of curriculum Good

The curriculum is good and enables students to progress well. The school provides a broad range of opportunities for students to develop knowledge and understanding in all of the required areas of learning. The curriculum is well planned and organised. Progression routes are clearly set out, together with details regarding how students of all ages and abilities are to be taught. Students say that they enjoy lessons and other activities and this helps them to achieve well. Students make good progress in reading, writing, communication skills and mathematics because basic skills in these areas are taught thoroughly. The curriculum is carefully tailored to meet individual needs and interests. Alternative provision is made at colleges or training establishments in cases where this provides positive benefits for students. For example, provision is sometimes linked to the school’s Preparation for Working Life Programme. Students are encouraged to take a range of externally

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Quality of curriculum Good

accredited qualifications including GCSE, Entry Levels, BTEC and the AQA Unit Award Scheme. They receive careers advice from the company’s specialist careers teacher who attends the school very frequently to work with students. Provision for PSHCE is good. This ensures that students are well prepared for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. However, although the school meets all regulatory requirements regarding health education, a small number of students say that students’ smoking is a problem and that a few students do not fully appreciate the impact this can have on health. The curriculum is enriched with a good programme of activities. These include trips to sports centres for physical education (PE), many theatres and different museums.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

Provision for the welfare, health and safety of students is good and all of the independent school regulations for this standard are met. Staff are committed to providing high levels of day-to-day care and support for all students. All of the required policies are in place. These are regularly reviewed and kept up-to-date to ensure that they follow the latest national guidance. The designated persons for child protection and all staff have attended appropriate training at the required intervals. Arrangements for staff recruitment are of a high standard. The school carries out all of the required checks to ensure that all adults in school are suitable to work with children. Designated officers are fully trained to administer first aid and all staff have received a basic level of training. The school has a good level of fire safety; a detailed fire risk assessment is in place; all equipment is checked regularly and fire drills are recorded as required. Risk assessments for all

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

activities in and out of school, and for the premises include detailed guidance for staff regarding how to manage any risks. Arrangements to promote good behaviour are effective in lessons and result in a calm ethos for learning. Praise, encouragement and rewards are used well. The school acknowledges that the effectiveness of the school’s policy for promoting good behaviour must be further improved in order for behaviour to become outstanding. The school’s anti-bullying policy is effective. Most students are keen to achieve healthy lifestyles and to keep safe.

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Leadership and management Good

Leadership and management are good. Senior leaders communicate high ambition and expectations to staff and ensure that students achieve well. The effectiveness of good leadership can also be seen in the students’ good personal development including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Leaders are hugely respected by students; for example, students’ comments included ‘they are hard but always fair and that’s just what we need to get on in our lives’. Self-evaluation is good and the school knows its strengths and weaknesses. Leaders recognise that students’ behaviour around the school can occasionally become a little boisterous and good routines are developing to remedy this. The school has addressed the weaknesses identified at the time of the last inspection. Senior leaders have produced effective policies to ensure that students achieve well, including in literacy and numeracy through the provision of good

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Leadership and management Good

teaching. Arrangements for professional development are good and staff benefit from a high level of training. The curriculum is organised well and provides good opportunities for learning. Leaders are aware of the smoking issue and are already exploring different approaches that can be taken to remedy this. The school works well with parents, carers and other agencies to secure positive benefits for students. The proprietor and school leaders have ensured that all of the independent school standards are met. The school’s premises and accommodation are very well maintained. All of the requirements regarding complaints procedures and the provision of information for parents, carers and others are met.

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Leadership and management Good

The inspector assessed the school’s material change application regarding its new accommodation and also its wish to increase the maximum number of students it can provide for to 34. The inspector recommends to the Department for Education (DfE) that the change is approved. The current provisions, accommodation and other relevant arrangements have been considered by the inspector and were found to meet 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 135557 Inspection number 433582 DfE registration number 877/6009 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 Special school for students with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties School status Independent School Age range of pupils 11–18 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 10 Number of part time pupils 4 Proprietor Advanced Childcare Limited Chair Mr Riz Khan Headteacher Mr Tariq Verpalen Date of previous school inspection 19-20 January 2009 Annual fees (day pupils) £31,200 Telephone number 01942 877660 Fax number N/A Email address Tariq.verpalen@advancededucation.co.uk guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If

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School details

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School details

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School details

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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

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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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