Moor House School & College

School report Moor House School and College Mill Lane, Hurst Green, Oxted, RH8 9AQ

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  All students achieve exceptionally well throughout the school and make significant gains in improving their reading, writing, communication and mathematics skills.  Teaching is excellent because all staff are highly skilled in the use of signing and communication aids.  Students behave exceptionally well in lessons and are highly enthusiastic to learn. They enjoy school and this is reflected in their good attendance.  The sixth form is outstanding and prepares students exceptionally well for the next stage in their adult lives.  The very wide range of subjects and topics engages pupils extremely well and contributes to their strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Students eligible for additional government funding make similar progress to their classmates in English and mathematics.  The work the school does to keep the students safe and secure is excellent. Staff, students

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and parents and carers feel that the school is a very safe place to learn.  The inspirational headteacher and senior leaders have sustained outstanding achievement and teaching through accurate checking of the school’s work.  Governors are very well informed about the schools’ performance and teaching standards. They provide a strong level of challenge and support to the school’s leaders.  The school makes excellent use of current research to rapidly improve students’ speech and language skills.  Links with parents and carers and with a variety of agencies are exceptionally strong. As a result, the school provides excellent care and support for students.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 17 episodes of teaching. All were jointly observed with the headteacher and other senior leaders  Meetings were held with students, the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors, different groups of staff including senior leaders, and the school improvement consultant. The inspectors also talked informally to pupils and staff around the school.  A meeting took place with parents and carers at the end of the school day.  There were 52 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. The inspectors took into account the school’s own surveys. The inspector took account of the school’s own surveys of parents and carers and the 50 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspectors scrutinised examples of students’ past and present work and looked at various documents. These included the school’s self-evaluation and planning, information on students’ academic progress and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Sonja Joseph, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Fiona Robinson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Moor House School and College provides for students mainly with speech, language and communication needs. There is a growing number of students with additional complex needs. Some students have an autism spectrum condition. All students have a statement of special educational needs.  The majority of students are White British boys. The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds is very low, and there are no students new to speaking English.  The proportion of students for whom the school receives additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, is well below average. This funding is for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after.  Most students board during the week and go home at weekends. Each boarder has a personalised package of time and support in the residential provision. This is subject to a separate inspection.

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Information about this school

 A small proportion of students benefit from additional Year 7 catch-up funding.  Students were admitted into the sixth form ‘Moor House College’ in September 2012.  The school and college is a registered charity and the governing body are the Trustees.  The school does not enter students early for examinations.  Students undertake work-related learning opportunities in Hadlow College, K College and Bore Place Farm as well as businesses in the local community.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure all teachers’ written comments show students clearly how to improve their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students make excellent progress in all subjects, irrespective of their special educational needs or difficulties, because teaching is outstanding. Many students make extremely rapid progress from low starting points.  In 2013, almost all students gained a range of qualifications, including in English and mathematics, at GCSE grades A to G. An increasing proportion gain good quality GCSE passes.  Students’ progress in communication is excellent because all staff consistently use a range of communication aids highly effectively to support students’ learning. Students use pictures, symbols and signing as well as spoken words with increased confidence. This enables them to understand and explain clearly what they know and can do.  Students with complex learning needs make outstanding progress because of skilled teaching and the regular checks on their progress.  Those students who have a diagnosis of autism make rapid gains in their learning because tasks

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

are set at the right level in order to reduce their levels of anxiety.  Expert and consistent teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) ensures the most able students read with fluency and are confident to read words of increasing difficulty. Less able students use symbols to help them read text and, where appropriate, students use sign language to read simple phrases. All staff use every opportunity to reinforce reading skills across all subjects.  Students’ skills in mathematics are developed highly effectively across all subjects by the focus on practical activities. This encourages students to use their number skills to solve problems, for example by working out the cost of shopping or weighing ingredients in food technology.  Students at Key Stage 4 and those in the sixth form, who spend part of their timetable studying offsite, make excellent progress. This is because arrangements for checking their work,

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

attendance, punctuality and behaviour are highly effective.  There are no differences in the rates of progress made by different groups including boys, girls and day and residential students.  Students eligible for additional government funding also make outstanding progress and achieve GCSE grades in English and mathematics in line with or above those of their classmates. This reflects the school’s commitment to equality of opportunity for all, where discrimination is not tolerated.  Year 7 catch-up funding is used highly effectively to help individual students to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. This enables any student falling behind the others to rapidly make up lost ground and make excellent progress.  Students make significant gains in physical education because all take part in a wide range of competitive sports and physical exercise, which promotes their physical and mental well-being.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Sixth form students make excellent progress, and achieve outstandingly well. They gain a good range of qualifications and work-related learning awards, which are carefully matched to their levels of ability. This prepares them exceptionally well for the next stage of their adult lives.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers provide activities that stretch and fully engage students in learning and inspire their interests. Outstanding teaching is evident across the school.  The teaching of communication is outstanding. This is because teaching and therapeutic staff have expert knowledge in developing students’ ability to explain what they know and can do through the use of symbols, signing and technological aids. This promotes exceptionally well students’ understanding across all subjects.  Teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve, by matching carefully the requirements of examination courses. This was particularly evident in a Key Stage 4 art session, where students were enthusiastically working on individual activities where they were required to achieve a specific GCSE grade.  Teachers develop students’ speaking and listening skills well by providing opportunities for them to discuss their ideas and so develop their confidence and self-esteem. For example, in a Key

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

Stage 2 literacy lesson, students made rapid progress in their understanding and use of subject- specific language. This was because questioning stretched them very well to recall and use the correct terms in their speaking and writing.  Phonics (linking letters and the sounds they make) and reading are taught particularly well. Students enjoy books from a wide range of different subject areas and realise that reading is the key to learning, which motivates them to practise at every opportunity.  Students with a diagnosis of autism are supported and guided very well by highly knowledgeable staff. Work is clearly structured and clear routines for different parts of the day help students to feel relaxed and ready to learn.  The quality of teaching in the sixth form is excellent. This is because activities help students to make rapid gains in their living skills which help prepare them for later life and learning.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Consistency between the school’s work and activities in the residential provision ensure that students use skills learnt in school during the evenings, such as managing money and preparing meals. This supports students’ progress very effectively.  Teaching delivered by off-site providers is excellent. Leaders ensure that students are fully equipped with the relevant skills to proceed to further education, training and work opportunities.  In the most effective teaching, teachers mark students’ work very well, giving clear advice for improvement. On a very few occasions, marking is not so clear or helpful.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of students is outstanding. They are keen and enthusiastic in classrooms, and learning is never interrupted by difficult or challenging behaviour. Consequently, there have been no permanent exclusions in the last four years.  Students are respectful of each other and to adults. They are able to concentrate for long periods of time, and this has a very significant positive impact on their learning. Parents and carers speak highly of the school’s success in improving their children’s behaviour.  Observations of students arriving at school provided convincing evidence of the warm welcome students receive from staff. Evidence was also seen of the care with which the change-over of lessons is managed.  Behaviour outside the classroom is equally outstanding. The school is quiet and generally very calm. Students behave very well in the dining hall and out in the playground. They display good

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

manners and good humour towards others.  Students are extremely proud of their achievements and opportunities to win national awards in art and gain silver and bronze levels in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, and develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem.  The behaviour of students in the sixth form is excellent. They settle quickly to their lessons, are keen to improve and are proud to be part of the school. They are very proud of their role as mentors to younger students in the school.  Students speak with warmth about their successes in physical challenges away from school. A recent trip to France provided them with many opportunities to socialise positively with each other and solve problems. Students were also able to learn about communities whose lifestyles are different to their own.  The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. Parents, carers and students

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

rightly feel the school is a safe and happy place to be. Students felt that all the staff really cared for them and that adults would act quickly if they had concerns or worries.  Students have an excellent understanding of the various types of bullying, including cyber bullying. They know exceptionally well how to stay safe both inside and out of school. For example, students regularly create their own risk assessments for the visits and activities they do.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The inspirational headteacher, together with senior leaders, sets high expectations for all aspects of the school’s work. Together they have maintained the high standards seen at the last inspection and ensured that the school has continued to improve.  Self-evaluation is robust and based on accurate information collected through rigorous monitoring and tracking. All staff have high expectations and help to drive future developments, including the introduction of the new primary curriculum.  Teachers’ performance is regularly checked and has helped to sustain outstanding practice. Training for all staff is excellent, particularly in the use of communication aids and specific strategies for managing behaviour. This is evident in classroom practice and enables students to make outstanding progress.  Highly effective partnerships with speech and language, occupational and art therapists have been particularly helpful in developing students’ excellent communication skills. These play an

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The leadership and management are outstanding

integral part in each classroom and shared areas.  Every student is given the opportunity and encouragement to achieve their best. There is no discrimination. All students, including those eligible for additional funding, make similarly excellent progress. This is as a result of individual support for learning and through additional therapeutic resources.  The range of subjects is outstanding. Residential trips abroad and artistic, musical and sporting opportunities with local schools encourage students to take risks in supportive situations. These activities and experiences promote students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well.  Leadership of the sixth form is excellent because it promotes high-quality learning and personal development in both academic and work-related opportunities.  The school has made effective use of the additional sports funding for primary schools. It has

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The leadership and management are outstanding

used this for specialist teaching and training for teachers and to increase the range of physical exercise activities on offer. These opportunities have had a highly positive impact on developing students’ healthy lifestyles and their better physical well-being.  Communication with parents and carers is highly effective. Parents and carers explained how ‘excellent and caring’ staff are. In addition to helping their children to make progress, staff helped parents and carers gain access to services to better support their child at home.  The school improvement consultant provides highly effective support in judging the quality of teaching and checking information on students.  Safeguarding procedures fully meet requirements and there is very secure recording and review of all medical issues and accidents or incidents.  The governance of the school:  The governing body provides highly effective challenge and support to school leaders and has

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The leadership and management are outstanding

an excellent understanding of the school’s performance and how it compares with similar schools. Governors have improved their roles through high-quality training, resulting in their excellent knowledge of the quality of teaching and students' progress. They ensure that targets set for staff and salary progression are inextricably linked to students’ progress. The governing body takes its safeguarding role seriously and complies with its duties for safeguarding children. Highly efficient management of finances means that money is well spent to promote students’ learning. This includes the use of additional funding for those students who are eligible, enabling them to make the same excellent progress as their classmates.

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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 125454 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 432091

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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 Non-maintained special Age range of pupils 7–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 101 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 19 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Andrew Dick Headteacher Hilary Dobbie Date of previous school inspection 22–23 March 2011 Telephone number 01883 712271 Fax number 01883 716722 Email address info@moorhouseschool.co.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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