Keelman's Way School

Keelman's Way School Campbell Park Road, Hebburn, Tyne, NE31 1QY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils are happy, learn well and staff ensure that they are safe.  The vast majority of pupils make good progress from their individual starting points. Some pupils make outstanding progress. This is in all subjects, including reading, writing, communication and mathematics.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage develop well. It provides a good basis to their school life.  The sixth form (post-16) provision is good. As in the rest of the school, some students make good and some make outstanding progress.  The majority of teaching is good and sometimes better. The quality of support provided by the vast majority of teaching assistants is exemplary.  Focused and frequent professional training, which has a direct impact on teaching and learning, is a key feature of this school.  Pupils’ behaviour is typically good and there are examples of outstanding behaviour. Relationships with staff are friendly but firmly

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

fixed on learning.  Staff have a united drive to make their newly established school the very best it can be for all pupils.  A strong headteacher and a knowledgeable and proactive senior leadership team, including governors, have successfully secured the amalgamation of two schools. Since its opening, the drive for improvement is apparent. At Keelman’s Way, there is an unrelenting focus on ensuring only the best opportunities and outcomes for all pupils.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Leaders and managers do not make best use of assessment data to check precisely the performance of the most-able pupils.  The most-able pupils are not always stretched to do their best.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 12 lessons. There were two joint lesson observations with inspectors, one with the headteacher and one with a deputy head. A joint learning walk was completed with the headteacher. Inspectors also made a number of other short visits to classrooms and other areas of learning.  Discussions were held with members of the governing body, pupils, senior leaders, staff and a representative of the local authority.  A range of school documents was examined including the school improvement plan, the school’s data on pupils’ achievement, records relating to behaviour, safeguarding, attendance and the minutes of the governing body.  There were 15 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) which were considered along with parental survey information from the school. There were 53 responses to the staff questionnaire which were also taken into account by inspectors.

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Inspection team

Michele Crichton, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Angela James Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Keelman's Way School is a Trust school which opened in September 2012 into a brand new building.  The trust members are South Tyneside College, the local authority, the local NHS Trust and the Coop Schools Group.  It is located on a site which includes a children’s services centre, an Early Excellence Centre and two nursery schools.  The opening of the school in September 2012 was the result of the closure of two former special schools, Oakleigh Gardens and Greenfields.  The majority of staff was appointed from the pool of existing staff from these two schools.  The school provides predominantly for pupils with severe learning difficulties. The remainder has profound and multiple learning difficulties.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs.  There are more boys than girls, with approximately 60% boys currently.  The majority of pupils is from White British backgrounds. The proportions of pupils from minority

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Information about this school

ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language are well below those found nationally.  The percentage of pupils that are eligible for support through the pupil premium is above the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after.  The school does not use any alternative educational provision for its secondary and sixth-form pupils.  The school works with Castle Hill School, Huddersfield, whose headteacher is a national leader of education.  This is the school’s first inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management further by increasing the precision of tracking of individual pupils at each key stage, especially for those who are the most able.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that a greater proportion of teaching is outstanding by ensuring that even more activities and lessons stretch pupils fully, especially the most able.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All pupils start school with skills which are well below those typically expected for their age due to their disabilities and special educational needs. Good, and for some pupils outstanding progress is made from their individual starting points.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress and some make outstanding progress. Adults communicate constantly with children who thrive because staff make learning fun and enjoyable.  Students in post-16 provision make at least good progress because staff expect much of them. There are many practical and valuable opportunities for them to learn and practise their skills. Students go on to further their learning at colleges or residential educational provision.  Communication, reading, writing and mathematics are systematically developed throughout the school. A variety of resources and technical aids is used by all staff for all pupils to underpin good

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The achievement of pupils is good

learning.  Reading and writing activities are developed well throughout the school to be meaningful, enjoyable and appropriate to the needs of each individual. Much is done to develop pre-reading and pre-writing skills so that a secure foundation is laid for future development. Mathematics is developed, for example, through practical activities and games.  The school has a strong commitment to equal opportunities. The progress and achievements of every individual pupil is checked and also different pupil groups such as those known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium and those who may speak English as an additional language. This ensures that all achieve equally well. The progress of the most-able pupils is also checked but often without the precision to enable staff to set even higher learning targets for them to be stretched just that much further.  The school uses its Year 7 catch-up money and the extra funding from the pupil premium well to

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The achievement of pupils is good

provide eligible pupils with additional opportunities to develop their communication, reading and writing skills. This ensures that they make progress similar to that of their peers.  Primary school sport funding is used well to widen participation for pupils. For example, learning journeys record Early Years Foundation Stage children’s first experiences of judo well. This establishes the importance of physical well-being and the enjoyment of being active from an early age.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils benefit from an interesting and engaging learning environment that develops their personal and learning needs well. Lessons start promptly, good communication is a key focus of every lesson and all pupils are expected to contribute to their own learning. Good use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) both by pupils and by staff to aid pupils’ learning.  When supporting learning of the highest quality, teachers’ planning, questioning to pupils, choice of resources and activities mean that all ability levels and pupil groups develop exceptionally well. However, this is not a feature in all lessons, where sometimes tasks are too easy, especially for the most-able pupils.  The quality of support provided by teaching assistants is usually exemplary. They are highly skilled at ensuring that pupils’ responses are accurate and that pupils understand what they are learning. There is a strong team spirit in classrooms and pupils thrive and respond well to the

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The quality of teaching is good

high expectations adults set.  Communication, reading, writing and mathematics are developed well individually and across different subject areas. Every opportunity is made to link different subjects together to underpin learning. For example, pupils practise reading during science or music lessons. Teachers and teaching assistants make regular checks on pupils’ learning during lessons, but sometimes miss opportunities to extend learning further for the most-able pupils.  Pupils’ work books reflect their overall good progress. Their work is regularly marked and shows a wide variety of activities from which pupils enjoy learning. Teachers’ comments for next steps in learning are made in all subjects and key stages.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils enjoy learning and this is reflected in their above average attendance.  Behaviour in lessons is good and sometimes it is outstanding. The overwhelming majority of pupils engages readily with the breadth of activities provided for them. Any pupils who have difficulty in managing their own behaviour do not disturb the learning of others because they are supported well by staff and issues are dealt with quickly.  Pupils are great advocates of their school and enjoy the many curriculum activities they have available to them. Some spoke enthusiastically about a stand they were holding at the city’s shopping centre to sell items that they had made as part of their enterprise activities. During the inspection, there were examples of pupils throughout the school being openly supportive, caring and helpful to each other, without prompts from any adult.  The very positive relationships that staff and pupils have mean that good humour and fun are

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

keenly evident in the school. Lunch times and break times are sociable occasions with many conversations being instigated by pupils to staff.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Safeguarding arrangements are rigorous and well-managed. Comprehensive policies and procedures are in place, although the cycle of the renewal for some of these is not always within the date or time span the school sets itself.  There are clear records of training in place covering, for example, first aid, child protection and food hygiene. Risk management is comprehensive and the school is a safe environment for staff, pupils and visitors.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the school has opened, the headteacher has focused on securing a cohesive, successful school and has a strong strategic drive to develop further. This is shared equally by senior leaders, governors and by all staff. The school is calm, relaxed but very purposeful and the school is in a good position to improve even further.  A key aspect of this school is the high importance and value placed on professional development and its effect on pupil outcomes. For example, leaders ensure that pay increases for staff are linked clearly to their performance and the progress their pupils make.  There is a positive spiral of learning within the school and staff readily share their expertise with others. Coaching and support in school as well as links with other schools have enabled the quality of teaching to improve. There are many courses that are held at Keelman’s available for other schools or parents to attend, for example, on signing and communication.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is good. It provides a range of opportunities for pupils both in and after school as well as beyond the school site. Its focus is on communication and providing learning experiences that are relevant to the needs of the individual. For example, this might be through the school’s sensory learning environments, promoting reading through use of symbols, attending Saturday morning clubs (which parents help to run) or accessing off-site sporting activities such as indoor climbing.  Although data analysis and the tracking of pupils throughout the school are securely in place, the focus on improving the progress of the most-able pupils is not sharp enough.  The curriculum is linked closely to the strong emphasis on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, in a music lesson, some pupils sensitively stroked a harp and appreciated its tone and lightness of sound. Others gained pleasure in musical rhythm by

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The leadership and management are good

bouncing up and down on a trampoline in time to its beat.  Primary school sport funding is used well to widen participation for pupils. For example, learning journeys for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage record their first experiences of judo well. These were previously accessed by more senior pupils.  The local authority has provided a variety of different types of support as needed to launch a new school. The headteacher, senior leaders, including governors have appreciated this wide- ranging provision and staff and pupils have settled well into the new building.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements.  The vast majority of parents is very supportive of the school. Leaders and managers promote many opportunities for parents to be involved with their children in the life of the school. Along with the fairs, social events, regular coffee morning sessions and pupil review meetings, there

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The leadership and management are good

are also open learning sessions for parents to learn and participate with their children and many courses for parents to attend.  The governance of the school:  There is a quiet but steely resolution in the governing body to develop the school so it is the best it can possibly be. Its members have a wealth of experience on which to draw; they use this well both to support and also to challenge the school. Governors are as determined as the staff in the continuous drive for school development and see the link between teachers’ performance and pay progression as part of this.  Governors have a clear view of the school’s current strengths and weaknesses and also the next steps that are needed. This is because, for example, they visit regularly and challenge documentation presented to them. In discussion and in governing body minutes, it is clear that they request further evidence if they feel they require any deeper knowledge and

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The leadership and management are good

understanding of any issue. They are aware fully of the quality of teaching within the school, how this has come about and why this is important to pupils’ progress, including those pupils known to eligible for support through the pupil premium funding.

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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 136252 Local authority South Tyneside Inspection number 430658

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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 Foundation special Age range of pupils 2–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 102 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 24 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Phil Johnson Headteacher Paula Selby Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 0191 4897480 Fax number 0191 4837390 Email address pselby@keelmanswayschool.co.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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