Sheringham Woodfields School

Sheringham Woodfields School Holt Road, Sheringham, NR26 8ND

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Children in the Early Years Foundation settle into their routines quickly and make good progress in all areas of learning.  Most pupils throughout the school make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Progress at Key Stage 1 is outstanding.  All groups of pupils make outstanding progress in personal, social and health education.  The sixth form is good. Students in the sixth form make good progress overall and outstanding progress in work-related learning, which prepares them exceptionally well for the next stage of their lives.  Pupils with more complex learning needs, such as profound and multiple learning difficulties, make outstanding progress.  The impact of teaching on pupils’ learning over time is good. Teachers maintain excellent relationships with pupils and manage behaviour well. They make good use of practical resources and provide activities to stimulate pupils’ learning.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Behaviour and safety are outstanding. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. Older pupils and sixth form students stay very safe when attending the Den, the Patch and college.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership and direction for the school. They have ensured that teaching is good, enabling pupils to make good progress.  Governors contribute effectively to school improvement and hold the school to account for its work.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, pupils’ thinking is not extended sufficiently.  It is not always possible to track the progress pupils are making in their books because staff do not consistently record their small gains in learning over time.  Subject leaders are not checking the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning rigorously enough within their subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 15 lessons and saw most of the teachers. Ten of these were joint observations with senior leaders.  Inspectors heard pupils read, looked at samples of their work with senior leaders and looked at children’s work in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Meetings were held with two different groups of pupils and informal discussion took place with sixth form students and other pupils at break time and lunchtime. Other meetings were held with governors, a local authority representative, senior leaders, subject leaders, the Early Years Foundation Stage co-ordinator and the sixth form leader.  Inspectors spoke to eight parents who brought their children to school and looked at the school’s recent parents’ survey. There were no responses to the online questionnaire Parent View.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation including the school’s summary self-evaluation, safeguarding policies and procedures, risk assessments for

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Information about this inspection

students attending The Patch, The Den and Great Yarmouth College, attendance figures, records of behaviour, the destinations of students leaving school, information about the progress of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and about pupils’ progress over time.

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Inspection team

Declan McCarthy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Linda Bartlett Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school caters for pupils with severe and complex learning difficulties, including profound and multiple learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders.  The school has Early Years Foundation Stage provision for four children, most of whom have complex learning difficulties.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs for learning and cognition.  Most pupils are White British and very few are from families where English is not the first language.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding is above average. (This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after.)  The school has its own charity shop, The Den, in town, where older pupils work for one or more sessions and it has access to the local community smallholding, known as the Patch where older

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Information about this school

students grow vegetables. Sixth form students also run a lunchtime sandwich bar and a healthy snack trolley. Very few students attend Great Yarmouth College for one session per week.  There have been a number of changes since the previous inspection. A new headteacher and deputy headteacher took up post in January 2013. In July 2013, the school changed its legal status from a community special school to a foundation special school, becoming part of Trust Norfolk SEN in partnership with other local special schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Eliminate the few remaining weaknesses in teaching, increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and raise achievement by making sure that:  pupils’ thinking is always extended  the small gains in learning pupils make in their books are always recorded by teachers and teaching assistants so that pupils’ progress over time can be measured  subject leaders rigorously check the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning over time within their subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Evidence from pupils’ books, learning seen in lessons and school data show that pupils make good progress from their very low starting points on entry.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress in all areas of learning as a result of strong teamwork by staff and close links with parents. The few pupils at Key Stage 1 build on this and make outstanding progress, particularly in communication and literacy. They make rapid progress in reading because phonics (the sounds that letters make) and more visual methods for teaching reading are consistently well taught.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils throughout the school make outstanding progress in personal, social and health education. Most pupils are making at least the expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics and almost a third are making more than expected progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The significant number of pupils with more complex learning needs, such as those with profound and multiple learning difficulties, make outstanding progress. This is because signing, symbols and communication aids are used consistently well to ensure they engage with learning and develop their communication skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Other groups of pupils, including those eligible for the pupil premium and the most-able pupils, make good progress over time in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who were previously uninterested in sports are now engaging in soft play and yoga in after-school clubs as a result of good use of primary sport funding to buy soft play resources and fund the training of a teacher in yoga.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils in Year 7 are catching up quickly with their learning as a result of good use of Year 7 catch-up funding.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Older students make good progress towards their examination courses and outstanding progress in work-related learning. As a result, in the last three years all students have successfully transferred to college or day care centres and most have sustained their places one year on.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The sixth form records of progress in work-related learning activities and students’ coursework for the Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) awards show that they make outstanding progress. They do exceptionally well in work-related learning, in communication, in using and applying mathematics and independence skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students in the sixth form carry out stock-taking, sort items for sale and deposit daily takings in the bank when working at the Den. They read the lists of sandwiches ordered by staff at lunchtime and ensure they make the correct number, collecting payments and giving change. They sustain their places in further education or in day care centres when they leave school. Academic progress in the sixth form is not always good, especially in mathematics, although students make outstanding progress in using and applying mathematics in work-related learning. Students at Great Yarmouth College make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The impact of teaching on pupils’ learning over time is good overall. The school’s data and evidence from pupils work shows that some teaching is outstanding and in a few instances, teaching requires improvement.  A key strength in teaching is the good use of resources and practical activities to stimulate learning. For example, in the sensory room, pupils were using electronic tablets to explore features of the environment and others were manipulating cars on a toy racing track looking at which one would come first.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the sixth form is consistently good and sometimes outstanding. This is because students are provided with stimulating and practical activities which enable them to use and apply their communication, literacy and numeracy skills in a real-life context. The sixth form leader monitors and reviews progress of students regularly. Clear targets are set in relation to their individual study programmes. As a result of good, accurate and regular feedback, students understand how to improve their learning within each of their programmes of work. This was very clear in their books.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teamwork is good between all adults working in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They make good use of practical resources to enable the children to enjoy their learning and make good progress in all areas of learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils increase their communication, literacy and numeracy skills rapidly because all staff make consistently good use of signing, symbols, soft toys, computers and real objects to aid communication. This is particularly strong for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders and those with profound and multiple learning difficulties.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are keen to learn and try their best and show a love for learning because staff maintain excellent relationships with their pupils and always manage their behaviour well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants nearly always provide good support for pupils’ learning by using a variety of well-chosen resources such as electronic switches and methods to facilitate communication, awareness and understanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Assessment is generally good and used well to set clear targets for pupils to achieve. Occasionally, however, teachers and teaching assistants miss the opportunity to record the small steps of progress pupils make in their work. This makes it difficult for others to determine how much progress pupils make over time.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In a few examples of work in pupils’ books, there were missed opportunities to extend pupils’ thinking. This was also confirmed by the school’s data which showed small pockets of underachievement over time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They respond extremely well to the school’s discipline policy and the staff’s consistent use of rewards and sanctions to shape behaviour and provide predictable and dependable classroom routines. As a result, the few pupils with more challenging behaviours associated with autistic spectrum disorders learn self-control and make rapid progress in their behaviour throughout their time in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 All pupils are polite and courteous to visitors and take great pride in their school and in their achievements. In discussion, all parents said how eager their children are to come to school and how much they enjoy learning. This has a very positive impact on their learning and progress over time.  Students in the sixth form take pride in their achievements and benefit from good advice and support to enable them to make successful choices in further education when leaving school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children in the early Years Foundation Stage settle into their routines quickly, and respond well to their learning because staff work effectively together and engage parents fully in supporting their children’s learning at home.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 In discussion, different pupils said there is no bullying and if it did occur, it would be dealt with effectively by teachers. This was also confirmed in discussion with parents.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. All potential risks are thoroughly assessed and the school does all it can to minimise potential risks, continually updating its practice. Potential risks of students attending college courses, attending the Path and the Den are thoroughly assessed and records are up to date. Pupils handle computers safely and always move safely from one area of the school to another.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Sixth form students always adopt health and safety procedures through, for example, wearing protective clothing and handling kitchen utensils safely when preparing sandwiches for lunch.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 In discussion and in the school’s survey, parents said that their children are safe in school. All pupils said they feel safe in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Most pupils, with the exception of those requiring regular therapy or hospitalisation, attend school on a regular basis.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new headteacher and deputy headteacher work very effectively together to raise achievement and improve the quality of teaching. Good improvement in provision for personal, social and health education has led to better progress since the last inspection.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good systems are in place to manage the performance of teachers and teaching assistants. These include the regular checking of the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning in lessons, on pupils’ work and whole school data. Strengths and development points are identified, with support provided where needed. Induction arrangements for newly qualified teachers are effective and have led to improved practice over time. However, subject leaders are not checking the impact of teaching over time rigorously enough within their subjects.

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The leadership and management are good

 The Early Years Foundation Stage and the sixth form are well managed. This ensures that children get off to a good start when entering the Nursery and the oldest students successfully move into college or day care provision when they leave school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The sixth form curriculum is well-thought out, with outstanding provision for work-related learning which is highly personalised to meet each student’s needs. They receive regular impartial advice before moving on to college placements and this has led to highly successful placements at college which are sustained over time. Key features of this success are the close and effective partnerships with the careers adviser and good links with colleges.

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The leadership and management are good

 There is strong emphasis on developing pupils’ communication, literacy and numeracy skills, together with excellent opportunities to promote their personal, social and health education throughout the school. These are impacting most positively on pupils’ personal development, especially their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils’ self-esteem and confidence are continuously enhanced through rewards, encouragement, learning to take turns, share and work together through, for example, outdoor learning experiences. Pupils learn to appreciate different cultures by preparing different foods and come to appreciate different religions through the celebration of various festivals.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good use is made of pupil premium funding to enable eligible pupils to participate fully in all that the school offers. The purchase of additional resources, funding school trips and providing additional support for learning all help to build pupils’ confidence so they achieve as well as their classmates.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school makes good use of its primary sport funding to provide extra training for staff in yoga and dance and to purchase additional soft play materials. This has led to increased participation by pupils in these areas and an increase in their health and well-being.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has an accurate view of the school’s effectiveness and has maintained oversight of its work through regular visits and presentations of updated practice at the Trust Partnership Norfolk, which the headteacher finds valuable.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body have a good understanding of its strengths and areas for development as a result of a recent audit of governors’ skills. They are holding the school to account for its additional spending of pupil premium, Year 7 catch-up and primary sport funding to ensure value for money. Governors have a good awareness of data and are using this effectively to challenge the school and influence whole school priorities for development. Governors have a good knowledge of the quality of teaching from their regular visits to school and receiving headteacher reports. They are overseeing the management of the headteachers’ performance well and ensuing that any salary increases for staff relate to their good performance. Governors make sure that safeguarding meets all legal requirements. They robustly review all safeguarding policies and procedures. They ensure that all potential risks are thoroughly

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The leadership and management are good

assessed and additional measures are put in place to protect all pupils.

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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 121258 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 443747

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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 Foundation special Age range of pupils 3–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 92 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 27 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Carole Fields Headteacher James Stanbrook Date of previous school inspection 24 March 2011 Telephone number 01263 820520 Fax number 01263 820521 Email address head@sheringhamwoodfields.norfolk.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 and 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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