Westfield School

Westfield School Highfield Road, Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, SL8 5BE

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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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The headteacher and the recently appointed deputy headteacher have ensured that all staff share their considerable and relentless ambition to improve the school. Governors, leaders and managers have been successful in driving improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement.  The rate of progress in the last three years is good and is improving rapidly in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils make good progress in their listening, language and communication skills because of the collaborative work of the school and external professionals such as speech and language therapists.  The few pupils with complex special educational needs educated in the ‘specialist provision’ are making outstanding progress.  All groups of pupils including those supported by the pupil premium are making good progress. Teaching in the last three years has been consistently good and is responsible for pupils’ raised achievements.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Staff use a well-planned, consistent behaviour process that stresses ‘cause and effect’ which helps the teaching and management of behaviour in the school. As a result, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and pupils feel safe.  Pupils’ social, moral, cultural and spiritual development is driven through a clear focus on opportunities for pupils to ‘organise and manage themselves’ in order to uphold the school’s ethos. This is a strength of the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some teaching by temporary teachers is not as strong as that of other staff.  Marking of pupils’ work is not letting them know how well they have achieved and what to do next to improve their work.  Pupils are not writing frequently enough and for different purposes or using problem- solving skills in a range of subjects.  The school’s expectations of a few more able pupils are not high enough.  New subject leaders are not yet effective in their roles in developing the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress in their subject areas.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed seven lessons all of which were observed jointly with either the headteacher or deputy headteacher. The inspector also looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with staff, pupils, a representative from the local authority, a school improvement partner and two members of the governing body including the Chair.  The inspector took account of interviews with two parents, a letter from a parent, the school’s parent and pupil survey records and 10 questionnaires completed by staff. Too few parents responded to the online questionnaire (Parent View) so results could not be viewed.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation including nationally published information on pupils’ achievement and the school’s own data, the school’s self-evaluation document and improvement plans, safeguarding policies and records as well as documents relating to the

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Inspection team

Justina Ilochi, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Westfield School is a 4–11 special school for pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties many of whom, in addition, have complex needs such as autistic spectrum disorders and speech, language and communication difficulties.  Currently, all pupils in the school are in Key Stage 2 and only two are girls.  Almost 90% of pupils joined the school at times other than the start of Year 1 and the rate of mobility is typically very high.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs.  Since the previous inspection, the school has experienced a period of turbulence with major changes, especially this academic year. The deputy headteacher was appointed substantively to her post in September 2013. Almost 40% of teachers have been in the school for less than a year and two classes are taught by temporary teachers. All governors except the Chair of the Governing Body and one other governor are new.

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Information about this school

 An above average number of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Very few speak English as an additional language.  Almost half of pupils are supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and children of service families).. The school has also received additional funding to support sporting activities.  The school works collaboratively with several professionals, especially the speech and language therapist (SALT) and others such as professionals from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, occupational therapists, family resilience teams and Educational Psychology Service.  The school manages a specialist provision for pupils with complex special educational needs. This specialist provision can cater for a maximum of four pupils at a time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that more teaching is outstanding by making sure that:  marking consistently leads to improvement  pupils are writing frequently enough and for different purposes in lessons other than English lessons  pupils make more use of their mathematical problem-solving skills  more able pupils are always given challenging and more demanding targets in all subjects.   Improve leadership and management by ensuring that:  the school’s strategies to improve the teaching of temporary teachers is more effective  the development of newly appointed subject leaders continues to be supported so they become more effective in their role of closely checking the quality of teaching and its impact on the progress of pupils in their subjects

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most pupils enter the school with skills and knowledge that are lower than expected for their age, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. They learn well as a result of the consistently good teaching they receive so that when they leave in Year 6 a good number of them reach standards that are broadly in line with others of similar age in mainstream. This is a remarkable achievement, given the very high proportion of pupils that join the school at times other than in Year 1.  Achievement of pupils in the specialist provision is outstanding because of the excellent support they receive.  School data show that, in the last three years, progress at the end of Key Stage 2 has improved rapidly and pupils now make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. For example, in Year 6 in 2012 and 2013, with the exception of a few pupils with extreme complex medical and social needs, all pupils met the expectations of the school, and some exceeded them. This trend

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The achievement of pupils is good

is set to continue this year because pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and they are highly motivated.  Pupils’ speaking, listening and communication skills are improving rapidly because of the strong focus of the school on promoting good language and communication skills through its collaborative work with speech and language therapists. Teachers are encouraged to use strategies planned by professionals in their lessons.  Pupils progress well in reading throughout the school. School data on reading ages show that reading is improving and most pupils are becoming secure readers before they leave in Year 6. The minority of pupils who still struggle with reading, especially those with complex speech, language and communication difficulties or who are on the autistic spectrum are making good progress in reading as a result of the good phonics (sounds that letters make) programme in place, as well as the contribution of the speech, language and communication therapists.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 School records show that there is no gap in the achievement between pupils supported by the pupil premium funding and other pupils in English and mathematics. This is because the school uses the funding it receives for training staff to provide precise support to individuals and small groups. In 2012, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals were at least four months behind those not eligible in reading, writing and mathematics but in 2013 gaps had closed. School data show this is set to continue this year for pupils in all year groups.  The school actively promotes equal opportunities and tackles discrimination by ensuring pupils who are not making sufficient progress are given extra help to achieve well. Regular checks on pupils’ progress mean that anyone who needs extra help is quickly identified and provided with specific one-to-one or small group teaching. Consequently, most pupils, including pupils who join

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The achievement of pupils is good

the school at different times, those from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language make similarly good progress to other pupils.  Currently, pupils’ writing and mathematics are improving but not as rapidly as their reading. This is because pupils are not encouraged to apply problem-solving skills or write at length and for different purposes often enough in lessons other than English or mathematics. As a result, work is sometimes too easy for the few more able pupils and their progress is slower in writing and mathematics compared to reading.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Consistently good teaching over time has brought about the acceleration of pupils’ progress in English and mathematics over the past three years for almost all pupils.  Teachers create a positive and welcoming environment which promotes good relationships and high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement. There are effective systems to ensure that the school’s planned behaviour topics are used consistently by everyone. For example, in an English lesson on story writing where less-able pupils were planning their story while more-able pupils were editing, the teacher found ways of exploring pupils’ feelings about their stories. As a result, most pupils were developing good moral judgements and engaging well with their learning.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong and staff know and understand individual pupils well. Consequently, the pace of learning is right in most classrooms. This is particularly true about

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The quality of teaching is good

lessons in the specialist provision. Pupils are taught exceptionally well in one-to-one individual lessons on thinking skills, working memory, attention, inhibition, emotional regulation and response as well as a range of National Curriculum subjects. This ‘integrated’ way of learning encouraged within the provision and supported effectively by professionals from organisations outside the school has led to outstanding progress for the few pupils attending this provision who are either on the autistic spectrum or have child mental health issues. This way of learning is embedding in other parts of the school.  Improvement in pupils’ mathematical knowledge and understanding results from the range of resources used by teachers to make mathematics more exciting and to plug the gaps in pupils’ learning. For example in a lesson on conversion of kilograms to grams in mathematics, the teacher enabled pupils to use a scale to weigh different objects around the room so pupils could

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The quality of teaching is good

experience the effect of ‘weighing’. As a result, pupils asked relevant questions and made progress.  Teachers offer verbal feedback frequently during lessons through effective interactions with pupils that focus on helping them to improve their knowledge and skills. However, the marking and assessment of pupils’ work in their books does not always show how pupils can make further progress. As a result a few pupils do not know how well they are progressing towards their goals and how they can improve their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are friendly and welcoming to visitors. Most pupils behave in a respectful way to each other and other adults both in class and around the school. This is because of how the school promotes positive relationships and teachers’ consistent application of school behaviour strategies.  Staff recognise the role of good behaviour and attitudes in the continued progress of pupils and use every opportunity to direct and teach the right attitudes to learning. Assemblies are used effectively by the school to teach and stress acceptable behaviour. For example, in an assembly led by the headteacher one pupil was reminded several times, ‘you are not managing your feet’, to focus the pupil’s attention on ‘body language’ and how this is connected to good listening and speaking.  A unified approach to rewarding good behaviour and attendance and for managing minor misdemeanours is embedded across the school and pupils are able to talk confidently about it.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

They are excited about the Friday behaviour and learning awards assemblies which demonstrate their keenness to work hard in their lessons.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. This is confirmed by the views of staff, parents and pupils. Pupils are fully aware about different forms of bullying and know about internet safety. During this inspection, the inspector witnessed first hand the calm and effective methods used by staff to manage the extreme behaviour of a few pupils including the use of ‘safe’ rooms equipped with computer monitoring devices.  The school carefully monitors and tracks improvement in attendance. As a result attendance has improved rapidly in the last three years and is now broadly in line with the national average.  The behaviour of pupils with complex special educational needs is good. For example, the school has identified the needs of pupils on the autistic spectrum and placed them in special classes

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

with teachers and other adults who understand their needs well. As a result these pupils generally respond quickly to staff instructions and settle down to work in lessons right from the start, demonstrating their good attitudes to learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The ambitious leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher is shown in their constant drive to secure improvements in pupils’ achievement by ensuring that teachers are using the innovative ‘behaviour curriculum’ in all lessons. Overall, therefore, pupils’ behaviour is remarkably good and currently there are no fixed-term exclusions and for a long time there have been no permanent exclusions.  The school has ensured that it can support the progress of all pupils through working collaboratively with a range of professionals from external sources such as a speech and language therapist, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, occupational therapists, family resilience teams and the Educational Psychologists Service. This has provided valuable training for staff on dealing with complex needs.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher have a clear view of the strengths and weaknesses of

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The leadership and management are good

the school. Priorities for development and training for staff are geared towards maximising the impact of the school's work on pupils' progress. Most pupils are set challenging but realistic individual yearly targets that are in line with national expectations. This has ensured that the rapid improvement in English and mathematics has continued. However, occasionally, expectations are too low for a few more-able pupils.  The school’s systems for managing staff performance are good. The school has a clear management structure that is linked to pay and progression which has rightly identified the development of middle leaders as a focus. This is because the subject leaders of English, mathematics and science are still training to take up the role of monitoring of teaching and its impact on progress in their subjects.  The themed topics of work are well planned and provide positive experiences with rich

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The leadership and management are good

opportunities for learning for all pupils. Provision is broadened by a variety of enrichment activities, clubs and visits. The school currently makes use of the small additional government funding they get for sport to buy in coaching and support to train and develop school staff. The school is planning how to measure the impact of this funding on sport in the school and the difference it is making.  The school plans and reviews its actions to promote pupils’ social, moral, cultural and spiritual development exceptionally well. Pupils are reminded of the school’s ethos centred on developing organising and helpful skills in several ways including through displays in their classrooms and corridors, focus on charity events and their links to schools both nationally and internationally.  The school continues to encourage parents to work collaboratively with the school. It has actively asked for parent contributions through surveys at ‘annual reviews’ and other times.

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The leadership and management are good

Comments from parents show that most parents are happy with the work of the school to support their children and value the work of professionals from outside the school. This confirmed the positive view of the few parents interviewed by the inspector.  Pupils build well on earlier learning and their rates of progress improve the longer they stay at the school. However, the progress of a small percentage of pupils currently in the school is slower than for the rest. This is because the learning of these pupils taught by temporary teachers is not yet strong enough.  The school has continually worked in a very positive way with the local authority, welcoming the high quality expertise and support it receives. Especially important to the school is the school improvement service report which reviewed the school’s work and helped to sharpen its focus. The school has followed closely the recommendations of this last report.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  There is a new governing body in place following a period of extreme turbulence that culminated in the resignation of all except two members of the last governing body.  The new Chair of the Governing Body is an experienced governor of the school and has already identified and set the right priorities for the future work of the members of the governing body. For instance, he has supervised the recruitment of three governors and is actively searching for the right skill set to fill the last two parent governor positions on the governing body. Training plans for members of the governing body are already in place.  The Chair of the Governing Body has a good understanding of the school’s data and from this is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and the position of its finances. He knows the difference the school is making to pupils’ lives especially the pupils supported by

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The leadership and management are good

the pupil premium. Governors are aware of performance management of staff and how pay is linked to performance. They understand where the strongest teaching is and what needs to be done to strengthen teaching further.  Governors are aware of the statutory duties of the governing body and ensure that safeguarding arrangements meet statutory 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 131933 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 432052

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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 5 – 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 32 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Roper Headteacher Geoff Allen Date of previous school inspection 19 – 20 May 2011 Telephone number 01628 533125 Fax number 01628 523345 Email address office@westfield.bucks.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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