Chaigeley School

Chaigeley School Lymm Road, Thelwall, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 2TE

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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 Overall effectiveness of the residential experience Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Achievement is good. Pupils frequently arrive at the school at times other than the start of the school year. Some have been out of education for significant periods of time. As a result of these gaps, standards are often low.  Once settled into the routines of school, pupils make good and better progress in English and mathematics and leave with attainment closer to national standards. This represents good achievement.  Teaching is nearly always good with some which is outstanding.  Teaching is engaging and enjoyable. This enables pupils to learn quickly, as was evidenced by the good quality of work seen in pupils’ books and folders.  Pupils’ behaviour when they first arrive is often challenging but improves very quickly for the majority of pupils.  Despite high levels of need, many pupils show good attitudes to learning which contribute to their good achievement. Pupils say they feel

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

safe because of the caring attitudes of both education and care staff.  The headteacher and senior leaders have worked closely with the governing body to sustain and build on the school’s good performance and raise both the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement since the previous inspection.  The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Attainment in English in Key Stage 4 is not as good as in other subjects because pupils do not write at length often enough.  There are a few policies and plans to be reviewed in order to further improve the boarding provision.  The marking of pupils’ work does not always give sufficient guidance to pupils on how to improve their work.  Teaching assistants spend too much time monitoring behaviour and too little time supporting pupils’ learning.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out by one additional inspector and one social care inspector.  The 10 lessons and parts of lessons observed were taught by eight different members of staff. A joint lesson observation and a scrutiny of pupils’ work from across the school were undertaken with the headteacher.  The inspection team observed the school’s work including meal time arrangements, the residential facility and break and lunchtime activities.  The team held meetings and had discussions with pupils, the headteacher, senior leaders from the school and the care team, members of the school and care staff and two members of the governing body. They also held a telephone conversation with a speech and language therapist who works within the school.  Because only four parents responded to the online questionnaire (Parent view) the inspection team took into account the views of four parents contacted by telephone during the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team studied health and safety documentation in relation to both the school and boarding facilities. They looked at teachers’ curriculum planning, documents relating to the procedures to check the performance of staff and the school’s system for checking pupils’ progress. In addition they checked information relating to care, guidance and support given to pupils who board at the school.

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Inspection team

Marian Thomas, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Anne Bannister Social Care Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is run by a charitable foundation and makes provision for up to 75 pupils aged between eight and 16 years. Boarding provision is also offered for up to 24 pupils.  The school is divided into two units, lower school, which is predominantly for Key Stage 2 pupils, and upper school, which is predominantly for Key Stage 4 students. Key Stage 3 students are split between both units.  Currently there are 36 pupils on roll of whom five are resident at the school. Thirty-three are boys and three are girls.  All pupils who attend have a statement of special educational need for behavioural, social and emotional difficulties. Some pupils also have additional needs, for example, autistic spectrum disorder.  No pupils have special educational needs supported through school action.  The vast majority of pupils who attend come from families of White British heritage with a very small number from other ethnic groups.

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Information about this school

 A much higher-than-average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those in the care of the local authority and those from service families.  Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed who took up post in September 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching by: - ensuring the marking of pupils’ work always gives clear guidance on how pupils can improve their work - increasing the time teaching assistants spend supporting pupils’ learning and reducing the time spent checking on pupils’ behaviour

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve attainment in Key Stage 4 English by increasing opportunities for students to write longer pieces of work in order to improve their skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Follow good practice recommendations for the boarding provision by: - providing evidence of the effectiveness of the school’s strategy to reduce smoking - reviewing the policy of the use of close circuit television surveillance in residential areas to ensure it conforms to human rights legislation - developing care planning so that plans include all documentation and fully demonstrate how residential pupils’ unique needs are recognised and addressed.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Over the last three years standards reached by students leaving at the end of Year 11 have continued to improve and are moving closer to those expected nationally. Current school data suggest that this trend in rising attainment is continuing despite a rise in the numbers of pupils entering the school late in their academic career with lower attainment. This represents good achievement overall.  Key Stage 2 pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics often from low starting points. Pupils settle quickly when they arrive and this enables staff to assess pupils’ levels of achievement and provide work which is closely tailored to their needs. One pupil’s comment summed up the feelings of others: ‘I really love it here. Teachers understand my problems and have helped me to work hard and be proud of the work I do.’  Key Stage 3 students also make good progress because the curriculum is carefully matched to

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The achievement of pupils is good

their individual needs.  Students often arrive in Year 11 or in the last term of Year 10. School staff work hard with these students to enable them to engage quickly with learning and offer a range of both academic and vocational courses which ensure they all leave with as many qualifications and accreditations as possible in the short time available.  Although students in Key Stage 4 make good progress overall, their progress in English is not as good as in other curriculum areas. This is because, in some classes, there is an over-reliance on using work sheets, which reduces students’ opportunities for writing longer pieces of work that increase their writing skills.  School is justifiably proud of its increased reading scores thanks to the current focus on improving reading. Pupils with whom inspectors spoke were clear that the extra sessions organised to improve reading had been successful and, as one pupil commented, ‘Practising

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading to residential staff after school has helped my reading to get better.’ Others said they enjoyed reading adventure stories which were borrowed from the school’s library.  Pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals make equally good progress despite school’s lack of access to extra funding. Last year attainment for this group was equal to their peers in school. The school’s current data show few or no gaps in the attainment of this group and others in the school. This is due to the effective extra support which school has put in place to boost pupils’ achievement. For example, extra sessions from a speech and language therapist are beginning to improve pupils’ communication skills.  Although all pupils who attend have a statement of special educational needs, those with additional needs and disabled pupils, the most able, and those from minority ethnic backgrounds make equally good progress as their peers and achieve well. The well-targeted support and

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The achievement of pupils is good

guidance provided by staff ensure their needs are effectively met and clearly demonstrate how the school promotes equality of opportunity for all pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good overall. That observed during the inspection was good and some was outstanding. Evidence seen in pupils’ books and the school’s records further supports the view that the quality of teaching is good over time.  Information about how well pupils are doing is used effectively to plan lessons. As a result, work set accurately meets the needs of pupils, including the most able, and enables all groups to make good progress.  Pupils find learning enjoyable. The words of one pupil sums up the views of others: ‘I like it here because teachers make learning interesting and that makes me want to learn and not just muck about in class.’  This approach could clearly be seen in an exciting and innovative Key Stage 4 information and communication technology lesson in which students were at the beginning of a BTEC level 2 course. The objective of the lesson was to identify the different components in a computer. The

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The quality of teaching is good

teacher approached this task from a very practical angle giving students access to a computer and helping them to dismantle it and remove the components. Students demonstrated a range of different levels of knowledge and worked enthusiastically as a team. The teacher skilfully directed the most able students to support less confident peers. His excellent subject knowledge ensured that students of all abilities increased their knowledge and understanding. This was demonstrated in the fast and accurate re–assembly of the machine.  Though teachers and support assistants work closely together and effective working partnerships are evident across the school, in a small number of lessons teaching assistants spend too much time controlling pupils’ behaviour and not enough time supporting learning. At these times, pupils’ progress slows.  Pupils are often proud of their work. Teachers recognise this and often display pupils’ work

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The quality of teaching is good

effectively in classrooms and corridors. Pupils’ work is marked diligently but in a small number of lessons, marking does not make clear what pupils need to do to improve their work. This slows their progress.  Lessons in art and design, religious education and personal and social education promote pupils’ good levels of spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Despite their very high levels of need, pupils often demonstrate good and sometimes outstanding attitudes to learning. Many show caring and friendly attitudes to each other, staff and visitors.  The behaviour of pupils is good. At break times corridors are usually calm places where staff and pupils meet and chat and often exchange friendly banter. Walls are free from graffiti and corridors are free from litter because pupils show respect for their environment.  Parents spoken to during the inspection held the view that school had helped their children to improve their behaviour and make a new start in a safe and happy environment.  School logs show that incidents of difficult behaviour are reducing because of the effective use of the behaviour policy, which is now consistently applied across the school.  Levels of attendance have improved and although not yet at the national average they are moving closer at a pleasing rate. For example, last term four per cent of pupils increased their

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

attendance to 100 per cent. This continued improvement is due to the headteacher’s strong and relentless focus on improving attendance and punctuality.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils spoken to showed a clear understanding about the different forms that bullying can take. They feel incidents happen infrequently because staff ensure pupils are made aware of how to keep safe and where to turn should an incident happen inside or outside school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The newly appointed headteacher has brought about much change in a very short space of time. He has already developed a good understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement in the school. The good standards identified in the previous inspection have been maintained and built upon and a clear vision for the future has already been translated into an effective development plan for the school.  The quality of teaching has improved, as evidenced by the rise in achievement at the end of Year 11 and the improving standards reached by pupils in the end of Key Stage 2 assessments.  Middle leaders, including curriculum coordinators, are now checking the quality of pupils’ work in their subjects effectively and this has contributed to improvements in the monitoring of pupils’ achievement.  School leaders have recently introduced an improved system for checking the performance of staff which ensures their performance targets link directly to pupils’ achievement. Checks on the

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The leadership and management are good

performance of staff are undertaken and the headteacher uses this information to make decisions on teachers’ pay.  The school’s curriculum is well organised and links between subjects are clear. Imaginative opportunities for whole-school working have recently been introduced which increase pupils’ enjoyment and participation. For example, a whole-school literacy lesson observed during the inspection saw pupils and staff working together in house teams, competing against one another to write a short story about a superhero. Even the most reluctant of writers were motivated by the possibility of earning house points and prizes and the resultant finished pieces were of good quality from the majority of pupils.  Residential trips to a variety of locations as part of the school’s highly successful Duke of Edinburgh scheme increase pupils’ understanding of team work and self-reliance and contribute well to their good levels of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils enjoy the many and varied opportunities for developing new sports skills, though the school does not receive the primary sports funding. School sports leaders teach high quality lessons for pupils. These promote the health and well-being of pupils.  The governance of the school: - The school governors are also members of the school’s board of trustees. They bring a range of skills and experience to the governing body. They update and improve these skills through undertaking further training. As a result they are developing a better understanding of pupils’ achievement and offer senior leaders good levels of support and challenge to improve standards of achievement. In partnership with senior leaders, governors have developed an effective system for checking the performance of all staff that rewards good teaching and addresses underperformance. They regularly visit the school and fulfil their duties by carrying

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The leadership and management are good

out required checks in the school’s residential area. School leaders and governors ensure the small amount of pupil premium funding received is used to good effect. Safeguarding procedures and policies are thorough and effective and governors have ensured they meet current requirements.

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is good

 The overall effectiveness of the boarding provision is good. This is because residential pupils receive a consistently high standard of care which fully meets national minimum standards. Areas for improvement raised at the last inspection have all been addressed.  The residential units contain single occupancy bedrooms, which are personalised to suit the taste and interests of pupils. The general quality of the furnishings, fittings, equipment and décor in the living units has improved since the last inspection. Closed circuit television cameras are in place throughout the site to promote the safety and welfare of pupils. The policy on their use in residential units, however, has not been reviewed in light of changes in Human Rights Act legislation.  The school’s provision to safeguard residential pupils is good. The school responds well to residential pupils’ high level of vulnerability, ensuring their protection is a priority. A range of risk

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is good

assessments that identify hazards both in and away from the school campus are in place and checks to maintain a safe environment are regularly undertaken. Pupils’ individual risk assessments, coupled with agreed coping strategies unique to individual pupils, promote a safe environment for all.  Flexible packages of residential care, designed to meet pupils’ individual needs coupled with high levels of support provided by staff are appreciated by both residential pupils and their families. One pupil commented, ‘Staff here look after us proper well.’ A parent commented, ‘The staff are exceptional and my child’s behaviour has improved significantly. He is learning to take responsibility for his behaviour and understands the consequences of choices he makes. He has learnt so much. Our family couldn’t have managed without the support they give both him and us.’  The physical and emotional health of residential pupils is promoted well. They receive good

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is good

support so that they have access to a range of health services for treatment or guidance depending on their individual needs. However, despite the availability of smoking cessation programmes a number of pupils continue to smoke and, as a result, continue to place their health at risk. While residential staff report that the frequency of such behaviour has reduced, there is insufficient documented evidence to explain how this judgement has been reached.  The diverse needs of residential pupils are fully understood by the knowledgeable, well-qualified, experienced and fully committed team of residential care staff. The care given ensures residential pupils are helped to develop good social and independent living skills, as well as problem-solving abilities, good emotional well-being and the ability to think independently. However, the content of placement plans does not reflect fully enough the high standards and

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is good

individualised care that the residential pupils receive.

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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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Grade Judgement Description

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

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School details

Unique reference number 111498 Social care unique reference number SC027019 Local authority Warrington Inspection number 439459

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection of boarding provision was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for boarding schools.

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School details

Type of school Special School category Non-maintained special Age range of pupils 8–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 36 Number of boarders on roll 5 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Michael Hennessey Headteacher Antonio Munoz-Bailey Date of previous school inspection 6 July 2011 Telephone number 01925 752357 Fax number 01925 757983 Email address admin@chaigeley.org.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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