Seabrook College

Seabrook College Burr Hill Chase, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6PE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Too few pupils have made good progress over time, especially in literacy, mathematics and science.  Teaching over time has not yet led to pupils making consistently good progress. Observations of teaching by school leaders do not focus sufficiently on how well pupils are learning.  The marking of work does not contribute enough to helping pupils learn better.  Information about improvements in pupils’ behaviour does not yet show these gains have been sustained. Some occasions of poor behaviour are not dealt with effectively.  Too many pupils attend school poorly, and punctuality at the start of the day is too variable.  The school does not involve parents enough in their children’s education.

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The school has the following strengths

 Many pupils have made good progress in their personal and social development, including their growing self-confidence that they can succeed.  Most pupils now behave well in lessons and around school and work well with one another.  Most lessons are interesting and teachers use information about what pupils can already do to set high expectations.  Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.  Pupils’ achievements are increasingly recognised through qualifications and awards.  The pupils contribute well, through their council, to improving the school.  Pupils feel safe and know who to speak to if they have any worries.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  The new headteacher and executive headteacher show high expectations and a calm, determined and knowledgeable approach.  The interim executive board challenges and supports the school’s leaders and managers

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 11 lessons; five were observed jointly with the headteacher. The inspectors heard some pupils read during their lessons.  The management of pupils’ behaviour was observed before school started, and at break and lunchtimes and when pupils were moving around the school to their next lesson.  Discussions were held with pupils from the school council, members of staff, and representatives of the interim executive board and from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents including information on pupils’ progress, attainment and target setting data, the results of examinations and other qualifications, the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plan, its monitoring of the quality of teaching, and information on safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors took into account the views expressed by parents in the survey carried out by the school. There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to provide a

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Inspection team

Charlie Henry, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Michelle Winter Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this school

 This is a small special school for pupils who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.  A very high proportion of pupils are eligible for pupil premium funding. This is additional government funding for those most at risk of underachieving, including those who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are in the care of the local authority.  Pupils attend the school from across the borough of Southend and from the neighbouring county of Essex. The majority of pupils are White British.  The school is part of the Seabrook College federation. The school, includes a vocational centre and a virtual school, and, along with the Shoebury Centre, is part of the Seabrook College federation. The federation was formed on 1 October 2013.  At the time of the inspection the governance of the school was undertaken by an interim executive board. This board is also a sub-committee of the governing body of the Seabrook

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Information about this school

College federation.  Three pupils attend alternative provision at Circles Farm.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ progress in literacy, science and mathematics by:  carrying out a detailed assessment of the literacy skills of each pupil who is working below age expected levels  using the assessments to plan individualised literacy programmes  implementing these programmes consistently and with high quality in all lessons  regularly reviewing each pupil’s progress to develop further the effectiveness of their programmes, and to inform staff development  ensuring teaching is consistently good or better  making sure teachers’ feedback to pupils and their marking of work provides guidance on what pupils need to do to improve, and checking that pupils follow this guidance.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve behaviour by:  gathering detailed information about any interruptions in pupils’ learning  systematically analysing and using this information to show gains that have been made over time and where further improvements are needed  using this analysis to improve the effectiveness of the strategies for individual pupils, staff skills and the whole-school approach to behaviour management.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve attendance and punctuality by:  increasing work with parents and carers  using the evaluation of current support to improve its effectiveness and to develop new strategies.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress has improved as a result of improvements in their behaviour and in quality of teaching. Although not consistent, pupils’ learning in individual lessons is now frequently good.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The assessment of pupils’ attainments has improved and is robust and accurate. Another school within the Seabrook Academy Federation and a local mainstream secondary school are involved in checking the accuracy of the levels pupils are assessed at. The results provide an effective way for ambitious targets to be set for each pupil. The school’s tracking of pupils’ progress towards their targets has shown significant gains have been made since the autumn term. Many pupils have made expected or above expected progress from their different starting points over this time. Longer-term assessments of progress are unreliable due to previous weaknesses that have now been addressed.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 School leaders have accurately identified areas where not all pupils make sufficient progress. These areas of learning include literacy, mathematics and science.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are now making substantial gains in their personal and social development. They are growing in confidence in their ability to learn and, as a result, their self-esteem is flourishing. For example, pupils managed really well in a controlled assessment about Romeo and Juliet in an English lesson that previously they would have found very difficult. In another lesson pupils worked together as a team to provide an excellent analysis of why young people smoke. As one pupil wrote the group’s answers on the whiteboard several attempted to spell ‘ostentatious’, with one pupil checking the spelling in a dictionary.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 An increasing number of pupils are taking more external examinations and awards at GCSE and Entry level that will give them wider options when they leave school. All pupils will leave school with external awards to acknowledge their success. This is a significant improvement.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 A few pupils gain valuable work-related experience from the time they spend at the college’s vocational centre or at an alternative provider where their studies include construction and mechanics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Most pupils have plans to go to a further education college to follow work-related courses that will help them to progress towards a chosen career.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The different groups of pupils, for example boys compared with girls, do as well as one another. Additional funding received for pupils who are at risk of underachievement, including those who are eligible for free school meals and those who are in the care of the local authority, has been used to provide individual support. The effectiveness of this funding is monitored carefully and demonstrates that these pupils make at least as much progress as others, including in English and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although teaching requires improvement, the overall quality of teaching is strengthening as a result of clearer, more appropriate expectations of what pupils can learn and more effective management of their behaviour.  Most teaching observed during the inspection promoted good learning and progress. However, information about the effectiveness of teaching over a longer timescale is not clear, due to the lack of robust data about how well pupils are making progress over time and insufficient detail about pupils’ learning in records of the school’s own observations of teaching.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where teaching is most effective, teachers very quickly capture their pupils’ interest and establish what they already know. This helps pupils to have self-confidence and provides a firm base for building on their learning.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers make good use of pupils’ targets, set from their starting points, to plan lessons that meet the needs of the pupils and ensure that work is pitched at the right level. The school’s much improved behaviour management system is used effectively to reward pupils who meet their expectations to behave well and to work hard.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers’ and teaching assistants’ questioning has also improved and links well to the improved planning. This success is the result of training following from the school’s identification of this area for improvement.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants make a very good contribution to the quality of teaching. They support teachers effectively and encourage pupils to try hard and do as they are asked.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Learning is least effective when planning and behaviour management are least successful. For example, when pupils find the work too difficult, staff then do too much for the pupils, pupils lose motivation and behaviour deteriorates. Occasionally teachers do not call on the support from others when pupils are not meeting their expectations and refuse to cooperate.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Literacy is not taught well across the curriculum and, as a result, pupils with weak skills in this important area do not make the progress they are capable of.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers’ marking still requires further improvement and has been identified as such by school leaders. Marking does not help pupils to know what they need to do improve, and even when such pointers are noted on a piece of work, teachers do not routinely check that their guidance is followed.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. It is improving but not consistently good. The standards of behaviour observed during the inspection were good. Pupils were generally courteous and showed respect for one another and for staff. The school premises are also treated well; no damage, graffiti or litter were observed. In most lessons pupils were eager to learn and their attitudes were good. Substantially fewer disruptions to lessons due to poor behaviour were observed. Change times between lessons, as well as break and lunch times, were calm and well ordered.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils who have attended the school for some time commented that they thought the standard of behaviour had improved, although there were still times when incidents occurred. A significant proportion of the parents who responded to the school’s survey said that they thought behaviour was not yet good enough.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils have responded well to the improved behaviour system, termed Attitudes to Learning (A2L), where they can build up points and exchange these for rewards if they meet staff’s expectations for behaviour and learning. This information has not been analysed in sufficient detail to demonstrate how successful and consistent improvements have been. Pupils have also responded positively to the increased range of activities available at the breakfast club, and at break and lunch times. The school council’s suggestions have contributed well to his development.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The incidents when pupils leave their lessons due to their behaviour and attitudes are logged. However, these records do not show if a pupil misses a short or lengthy period of their lesson, so there is no clear picture of the quality of behaviour and whether improvements are being made over time. There has been a decrease in the use of exclusion.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Attendance shows a slight improvement as a result of intensive and individualised efforts to get poorly attending pupils into school. The school’s efforts, including input from other agencies, show promising signs of success and a number of pupils have improved their attendance from a very low starting point. Pupils value the awards and rewards that are given for attendance and punctuality. The current overall attendance at 70%, however, remains too low. Much of this absence is accounted for by a group of persistent absentees. Punctuality at the start of the school day is also not good enough.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe. They said that bullying is infrequent and when it does occur they are confident that it would be dealt with effectively if they spoke to a member of staff. Records of homophobic, racist and other discriminatory language and behaviour indicate that these are infrequent occurrences.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils recognise the commitment of the school’s leaders towards making changes that will mean they will do well. They value, for example, the increased role given to the school council and see that they themselves are contributing to improving the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management are not yet good, because too many inconsistencies persist in the quality of teaching and the management of pupils’ behaviour. Nonetheless, since taking up post in September 2013, the new headteacher and executive headteacher have already made a substantial impact on the rate of improvement of the school. Their focus on high expectations and their calm, determined and knowledgeable approach have ensured staff are gaining confidence in the changes being introduced.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Significant improvements have been made in monitoring key aspects of the school, including pupils’ progress and their behaviour. There are regular observations of the teaching and scrutinies of marking. However, these checks do not focus sufficiently on the quality of pupils’ learning and the impact of teaching and marking on the progress that pupils make.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school’s evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses has identified the main areas requiring further improvement; these are subsequently included in the development plan. This plan includes some measurable targets against which the effectiveness of actions taken can be assessed. However, the targets for other areas for development are not sufficiently specific to enable effective monitoring to take place.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The curriculum matches pupils’ needs and provides a broad range of learning opportunities. The school is extending the work-related learning opportunities that are currently only taken up by a small number of the oldest pupils. This is a sensible development. All Year 11 pupils have received guidance about their opportunities after leaving school and have a planned transition for when they leave.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well, for example through a wide range of visitors who talk to pupils during assembly and the regular charity events in which the pupils and staff take part.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Child protection training for staff is updated routinely and the school works well with other agencies to ensure that pupils are safe. Staff carry out regular visits to pupils attending the alternative provision. They have a thorough approach to checking pupils’ attendance when they are not studying on the school site, including when they are working at home.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 A recent survey of parents’ views by the school has provided positive feedback. Parents are provided with information about their children’s work and the developments in the school. However, parents are not involved sufficiently in supporting their children’s education in order to improve their progress, and where appropriate, their attendance.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has provided a high level of effective support for the school during its period of improvement, including ongoing guidance from a specialist adviser and close contact from a senior officer.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The interim executive board has been successful in challenging and supporting the school though the period since it was judged to require special measures. During the time of significant changes in school leadership the strong commitment and continuity of the board have proved to be a crucial to the journey of improvement. Board members visit the school to gain a first-hand understanding of its day-to-day working and use this knowledge alongside feedback from senior leaders to monitor the effectiveness of improvements. The board is now working with the governing body of the newly federated Seabrook College to ensure a smooth transition once its role has been fulfilled. Board members have effectively supported the headteacher and executive headteacher in improving the quality of teaching and in ensuring that the management of teachers’ and leaders’ performance takes pupils’

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The leadership and management requires improvement

progress into account. They have a good understanding of the progress that pupils are expected to make, based on national expectations. They use this knowledge to help them understand how well different groups of pupils do and apply this to decisions about budget priorities, for example the funding for underachieving pupils and pupils eligible for free school meals. Statutory responsibilities are met regarding child protection and safeguarding, and required staff recruitment checks are undertaken.

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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 115443 Local authority Southend-on-Sea Inspection number 432717

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Special School category Community special Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 38 Appropriate authority The interim executive board Chair Andrew Baker Headteacher Tawanda Madhlangobe Date of previous school inspection 28 June 2012 Telephone number 01702 347490 Fax number 01702 432164 Email address tmadhlangobe@seabrook.southend.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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