Tunmarsh School

New Tunmarsh Centre, Tunmarsh Lane, London, E13 9NB

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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 school meets its core aim of valuing all views and enabling students to make positive choices regarding their learning and their interactions with others. Their achievement is good as a result.  Students in Key Stage 3 make good progress in relation to their starting points. All were successfully reintegrated into mainstream schools last year.  Students in Key Stage 4 who remain at the school successfully complete a number of GCSE courses and other nationally accredited courses. The proportion of students achieving higher-level passes at GCSE is increasing steadily, including in English and mathematics.  Students say the school is a safe place to learn and that the ‘search’ procedure at the start of the day is helpful in this respect.  Students’ behaviour in and around the school and at The Coborn Centre for Adolescent Mental Health is good. Their attitudes to learning are good. This is underpinned by very

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

effective adult and student working relationships.  The headteacher, her senior leadership team and others with posts of responsibility provide good leadership and management of the school. Consequently, improvements in the quality of learning and achievement are being sustained.  The management committee is becoming increasingly more effective, active and supportive of the school. It is highly committed to holding the school to account to make sure it meets its core aims.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There is some inconsistency across the differing provisions in the quality of students’ learning. This means that some students are not making the best possible progress of which they are capable.  The quality of teachers’ marking is variable. Not all students are told clearly what the next steps in their learning should be. In addition, not all teachers check students have responded to the comments they make.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors undertook seven formal classroom observations of learning featuring seven different teachers. One formal joint observation was undertaken with the headteacher. Other evidence relating to teaching and learning was scrutinised, including looking at a sample of students’ books and other sources of written work and artwork produced by students. In addition, inspectors visited three of the music workshops led by professional musicians throughout the first day of the inspection. The lead inspector visited three of the safeguarding-themed workshops led by specialist professionals during the morning of the second day of the inspection.  Meetings were held with secondary-aged students at Tunmarsh, as well as at The Coborn Centre for Adolescent Mental Health. Meetings were also held with the headteacher and her senior leadership team, others with posts of responsibility, the chair of the management committee,

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Information about this inspection

and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 10 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and 34 responses to the school’s most recent parent and carer questionnaire. In addition, inspectors took into account the 55 responses to the school’s most recent staff questionnaire and the 83 responses to the most recent student questionnaire.  Inspectors observed the school’s practice and looked at a range of documentation, including its checks on how well it is doing, improvement planning, information on students’ progress, documents used by senior leaders to check the school’s work, management committee documentation, and records relating to attendance, behaviour and safeguarding.  The impact of the use of additional funding made available through the pupil premium was also evaluated by inspectors.

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Inspection team

James Bowden, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Joanna Jones Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Officially registered as a pupil referral unit (PRU), Tunmarsh School provides a range of educational programmes for students with a wide variety of needs and who are unable to attend mainstream school. Some have been permanently excluded from mainstream school or are at risk of permanent exclusion. Key Stage 3 students usually spend two terms at the school before they return to newly allocated mainstream schools. Students who arrive during the latter stages of Key Stage 4 can choose to stay on and take their GCSE examinations at Tunmarsh.  A number of students have been referred by a medical professional. For a variety of reasons they may have found it difficult to cope in mainstream school. A very few have a statement of special educational needs, with the school named as the educational provision.  A team of staff also works with a group of up to 12 Key Stage 4 students with complex needs. This specialist provision provides students with an individualised bespoke education that meets

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Information about this school

their educational, recreational and social needs thus preparing them for life beyond the school.  The Outreach Team delivers home tuition to students who are unable to attend mainstream school for medical or mental health reasons.  In addition, there are Tunmarsh teachers based at The Coborn Centre for Adolescent Mental Health at Newham University Hospital. This is an in-patient and day-patient service for adolescents between 11 and18 years with severe and enduring mental health needs. Young people come from a range of referral agencies including the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), the National Health Service and the police service.  Currently, the large majority of students at Tunmarsh are boys. A small minority are of White British background. There are also small minorities of Bangladeshi origin and Any Other Black backgrounds. Nineteen other different ethnic groups make up the remainder of the student

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Information about this school

population. A few are from homes where English is not the home language.  The proportion of pupils at the school eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding to support those known to be eligible for free school meals and children in local authority care, is well above the national average. Currently, there are very few students in local authority care.  Students new to the school are usually admitted in September but there are also admissions throughout the year.  As a result of local authority restructuring of alternative provision, a new headteacher was appointed in June 2012.  The school commissions the Newham Additional Provision programme of alternative curriculum provision and work experience placements. These courses are overseen and checked by the school. Some students are enabled to access extended placements throughout the year.  Year 11 students are allowed to enter early entry GCSE examinations in November.

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Information about this school

 The school does not receive Year 7 literacy catch-up funding.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide greater consistency in the quality of marking across the provisions to ensure all students make the best progress possible by:  making clear to students what their next steps in learning should be  following up and checking that students take action about the comments made about their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 For almost all Key Stage 4 students, attainment on entry to the school is well below that of their classmates in mainstream schools. Many have been underachieving. This is as a result of disaffection with mainstream education and, for many, their social, emotional and medical issues, as well as other complex needs. Most choose to stay at the school to complete a range of GCSE courses and other nationally recognised accreditations. Having rekindled their interest in learning, they are keen to do well.  All students are tested on entry to the school, particularly in relation to their capabilities in English and mathematics. All students now follow at least five GCSE courses, including art, information and communication technology and science. In addition, they follow a range of other nationally accredited courses. The proportion of students achieving GCSE passes is increasing, particularly in English and mathematics. There are very few students not in education,

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The achievement of pupils is good

employment or training when they leave school at the end of Year 11.  Students can now take early entry examinations in the autumn term in English and mathematics. This has motivated them further as they realise they are capable of achieving a pass grade and want to improve their grades in the summer term. This has resulted in more students achieving higher grade passes in English and mathematics.  Students attending The Coborn Centre for Adolescent Mental Health are enabled to keep up with the work they are doing at their home schools. Those supported by the Outreach Service also follow successfully examination courses in Key Stage 4.  Key Stage 3 students have usually been excluded from mainstream schools or are at risk of exclusion. Typically, they spend two terms at the school. Currently, the school has a 100% success rate of reintegrating Key Stage 3 students to mainstream schools.  As a result of good quality learning and effective support for individuals, achievement is good

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The achievement of pupils is good

across the school, irrespective of individual circumstances or social, emotional and medical needs. The most able students make good progress because teachers set targets that are attainable yet at the same time hard enough. There are no particular differences in the rates of progress made by boys and girls, students from different ethnic backgrounds, those few from homes where English is not the home language and those very few children looked after by local authorities.  The progress of students eligible for support from pupil premium funding is in line with that of their classmates in literacy and numeracy skills across the school. As with their classmates, their attainment levels in English and mathematics at the end of Year 11 differ considerably because of the wide variation in their starting points.  In almost all lessons, students’ progress is typically good. In a Key Stage 3 food technology

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The achievement of pupils is good

lesson, students successfully produced dishes of apple crumble prior to working independently to write about the process and self-assess how well they felt they had done. Excellent teacher- student working relationships made sure students were involved throughout in learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good learning is the norm as a result of good teaching and interesting activities, particularly in English and mathematics. In a Key Stage 3 mathematics lesson, the teacher used appropriate mathematical language and provided good models of how students could solve or attempt a range of problems.  In a Key Stage 4 English lesson, where students were to complete a piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience, the text was very suitable for students’ ages. As a result there was a positive discussion about how to make responsible decisions about the use of drugs. In addition, students listened carefully to each other’s views.  In a music workshop, students had a different experience as they were able to demonstrate and perform their own compositions to a professional recording artist. The feedback he provided was detailed and personalised and highly valued by students.  Work is generally hard enough thus helping students stay on task. In addition, teachers and

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The quality of teaching is good

other adults working in the room have high expectations of students’ attitudes and behaviour. As a result, students remain interested and make good progress. In a personal, social, health education lesson, students improved their knowledge and understanding of both positive and negative aspects of using social networking sites.  The quality of teachers’ marking is inconsistent across the school. Some written comments are provided but they are often too brief. It is not being made clear to students what it is exactly they need to do improve the quality of their work. In addition, when comments are made, teachers are inconsistent in checking if the students respond to their comments.  The very large majority of parents and carers who responded to Parent View consider their child is taught well. Students who spoke with the inspectors said they thought lessons were interesting and teachers helpful. A few older students felt marking was unhelpful and that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of students is good. This is because the school is a well-managed community with high levels of adult support and consistent routines throughout the day. Students know exactly what is expected of them in terms of their behaviour, including at alternative curriculum provision and work experience placements.  Good relationships between all adults and students result in a purposeful and safe atmosphere throughout the whole school day. Students respect the fabric of the building and its surroundings. Displays are appreciated as are opportunities to attend extra-curricular events. The latter included a series of music workshops provided on the first day of the inspection and the half-day safeguarding-themed workshops on the morning of the second day.  Throughout both these events, students’ attitudes and behaviour were excellent. They were keen to participate and asked thoughtful questions of the specialist professionals when

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

opportunities arose. A particular strength was how well students listened to one another’s comments and questions and joined in discussions lead by the specialist professionals.  Attitudes to learning in lessons are positive because most teachers are adept at ensuring the work is interesting and pitched at an appropriate level.  Typically, behaviour over time improves for many. There are now many fewer instances, especially when students start at the school, where students have not been allowed to go to school for short periods of time because of poor behaviour. Fewer school days have been lost and fewer students are involved. The very few who are repeat offenders receive high levels of support, which results in good improvement in their attitudes and behaviour. There have been no permanent exclusions in recent years.  The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is good. This is the case across all areas of

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

the provision both on site and off site and is overseen by the management committee. There is now a member with responsibility for this aspect of the school’s work. Internet safety has a high priority with access denied to social networking sites and other inappropriate sites. Students told inspectors the school is a safe place to be. They say there are a few instances of bullying but that the school deals promptly with this.  The school’s effectiveness in improving levels of attendance, including working hard to improve the attendance of a few persistent absentees, has meant overall attendance rates for many students have improved considerably when compared to those in their mainstream schools. Improving punctuality at the start of the day is now a key focus of the school and is improving.  Most parents and carers feel their child is well looked after and safe at the school. Older students told inspectors that most get on well together and that staff are very supportive and

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s strong drive and ambition for school improvement, particularly in learning and teaching, is shared by staff and the management committee. The impact of recent staffing changes has yet to be fully assessed, including making decisions about how well teachers are working, planning for training opportunities and recommending any additional responsibilities. In addition, new initiatives and policies that have been introduced have yet to be fully assessed. The school’s capacity for further improvement is good.  As a result of the school’s effective self-evaluation and improvement planning, the quality of learning has improved since the previous inspection. Students’ motivation and achievement have also improved. Senior leaders recognise there are some remaining inconsistencies in the quality of teachers’ marking of students’ work.  The school provides equal opportunities for all to succeed. Extra support and guidance support

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The leadership and management are good

students’ good all-round personal development, including their strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This is underpinned by the breadth and balance of learning provided by the curriculum across the school. Regardless of their circumstances, all students make good progress and are prepared well for the next stage of their education.  The school has highly effective partnerships with other schools, as well as with a wide range of outside specialist agencies and other professionals.  The local authority provides good support to this good school.  The governance of the school:  The experienced members of the new management committee, led by an experienced local secondary headteacher, provide an effective contribution to the governance of the school under the new regulations for PRUs introduced in April, 2013. The full management committee and sub-committees meet regularly and have ensured a balanced budget. The management

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The leadership and management are good

committee has been highly supportive of the new music provision instigated by one of its members, an ex-student at the school. It has a good understanding of performance data and the quality of learning in the school. It is effective in challenging school leaders to ensure improvements through performance management of teachers. It has been effective in seeing through and implementing the recent staffing changes needed as a result of local authority changes in budgets.  The management committee ensures that safeguarding procedures and protocols are robust and effective. In addition it monitors the allocation and impact of the use of pupil premium funding. This is currently being used to provide extra support to ensure students, regardless of their circumstances, make the best possible progress in English and mathematics, as well as their all-round personal development and well-being.

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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 102708 Local authority Newham Inspection number 439595

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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 Pupil referral unit School category Pupil referral unit Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 150 Appropriate authority The local authority Headteacher Jackie Hewison Date of previous school inspection 24–25 June 2011 Telephone number 020 3373 0392 Fax number 020 3373 1447 Email address info@tunmarsh.newham.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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