Aspire Ap School

TLG - South East Birmingham Yardley Wood Baptist Church, Yardley Wood Road, Birmingham, B14 4BN

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Overall effectiveness 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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This is a good school

 Previously disinterested students enjoy school and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. This contributes strongly to their good achievement.  Students make good progress, mostly from relatively low starting points, as a result of good teaching. They achieve good success in external examinations.  The headteacher works effectively with the local proprietors and the TLG national managers. As a result, they have ensured that all students have access to good learning experiences, good teaching and suitable external accreditation.  The school’s leaders and managers have ensured that the school provides a safe and secure environment for students. This includes robust safeguarding arrangements. A strong focus on the development of skills in numeracy, literacy and communication prepares students well for further education or training.  The school’s leaders and managers have put in place comprehensive arrangements for

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This is a good school

checking and developing the work of the school, including the quality of teaching. This includes an excellent analysis of outcomes for students.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough of the teaching is outstanding.  There is not always sufficient challenge in the work set for high achieving students.  The teaching of science is not given the same importance as arrangements for English and mathematics.  Students do not have sufficient opportunities to develop their deeper knowledge and understanding of the variety of beliefs and cultures in Britain.  Students’ punctuality at the start of the school day is not consistently good.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school meets schedule 1 of The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, as amended by The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was conducted with one day’s notice.  The inspector observed six lessons taught by two members of staff and one visiting tutor. Account was taken of questionnaires submitted by four members of staff and volunteers.  The inspector had meetings with the headteacher, representatives of the proprietors and central-based TLG staff, and representatives of placing authorities. A small number of parents and carers had discussions with the inspector and account was taken of questionnaires previously submitted by others.  Individual conversations took place with the majority of students.  A wide range of written evidence was considered, including school policies, data about students’ progress, planning documents, the school’s self-evaluation, and samples of students’ work.

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Inspection team

David Young, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 TLG South East Birmingham is an independent day school providing part- and full-time education for students with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. These students have been excluded or are at risk of exclusion from their mainstream schools.  The school is located in the premises of Yardley Wood Baptist Church, Birmingham. It is run by the Yardley Wood Charitable Company in partnership with TLG, The Education Charity.  The school is registered to admit up to nine students in the age range 11 to 16 years. The majority of students are placed at the school during Year 10. There are currently seven students on roll, two of whom have a statement of special educational needs.  The school provides education for four days each week and a small number of students attend for just two days. Students are dual registered and their base schools are responsible for their education on the remaining days of the week.

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Information about this school

 The school’s mission and values are based on Christian principles. It aims to tackle the issues that underpin behavioural difficulties and to develop learning skills, leading to qualifications and reintegration into schools, further education or employment.  A visiting tutor contributes to students’ learning experiences in physical education (PE); off- site locations are used for some aspects of PE and outdoor activities.  The school’s leadership consists of the headteacher working in collaboration with the proprietor and senior TLG staff. Due to the size of the school, there are no middle leaders.  The school was registered as an independent school in July 2013, having previously operated as an education centre in the same premises. This is its first Ofsted inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching to outstanding by:  ensuring that all adults working with the students have a good understanding of:  the level at which each student is working  students’ targets for improvement in the subject being taught  the nature and extent of support and challenge required to help them improve.  ensuring greater clarity in the roles and responsibilities of all adults working in the classroom  providing more carefully planned opportunities to extend the learning and achievement of higher-attaining students.  Increase the amount of science taught and ensure that arrangements for the subject take full account of the range of abilities present in the teaching group.  Provide a wider range of opportunities for students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the diversity of beliefs and cultures in British society.  Improve the punctuality of students at the start of the day.

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Achievement of pupils Good

 The achievement of students is good. Their motivation and interest in learning improve rapidly as a result of good teaching, and this contributes positively to their progress.  The school is successful in ensuring that students from a variety of backgrounds, and with varied previous achievements, have the opportunity to make good progress in their personal development and learning.  On entry to the school, the majority of students are working at standards below those expected for their age as a result of previous disruptions to their education. They begin to make up lost ground quickly once they have settled into the expectations of the school.  All students achieve success with Level 1 Functional Skills qualifications in English and mathematics during Key Stage 4. A small number achieve success at Level 2, equivalent to higher grade GCSE qualifications. These achievements demonstrate good progress.

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Achievement of pupils Good

 A small number of higher-ability students at Key Stage 4 do not make the rate of progress of which they are capable. They do not have immediate access to the specific examination courses which they have studied previously.  Students with statements of special educational needs make good progress from low starting points. All students achieve the qualifications required to continue into further education colleges or to employment with training.  The programme of science teaching is currently being reorganised. Students’ achievement in science is not as good as in English and mathematics.  Students have good opportunities to use information and communication technology (ICT) in their learning. The standards achieved in this subject are improving.  All students also achieve success in a range of additional subjects including art, physical education and personal and social development (PSD).  Higher-attaining students produce work of good quality in reading and writing. All students

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Achievement of pupils Good

are developing confidence in these areas of learning; they demonstrate good improvements in their work.  A minority of students attend the school for a short-term placement of one term. These students are successfully reintegrated into mainstream schools. The majority remain at the school long enough to achieve success in functional skills examinations; they use these as the basis for successful entry to GCSE or vocational courses.

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Quality of teaching Good

 The quality of teaching is good and enables students to make good progress, particularly in English and mathematics.  The teaching staff quickly establish clear expectations of students’ behaviour and involvement in learning. Students respond positively and enjoy their learning.  The overall programme of subjects and activities introduces students to a variety of areas of learning which interest them. The staff quickly develop a good understanding of the styles of learning and subject content which students will value. However, there is insufficient science taught to meet the needs of students, particularly at Key Stage 4.  Teachers’ planning pays good attention to levels of increasing difficulty and mostly ensures that each student is challenged to succeed at an appropriate level. The good quality of teachers’ questioning involves students in productive discussion and clarifies their understanding.

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Quality of teaching Good

 Occasionally, the work does not take sufficient account of the previous standard at which more-able students have been working. As a result, they are not moved on quickly enough to new learning.  Teachers ensure that students settle quickly to learning in lessons and that there is always sufficient work to ensure that students do not waste any time.  In the majority of lessons, there are additional adults working alongside students. They quickly establish high quality personal relationships with the students and contribute positively to their motivation and concentration. However, their individual roles and responsibilities are not sufficiently clear. They do not always have a good understanding of the current level of achievement and the targets set for the individual students with whom they work.  Students demonstrate the ability to sustain their concentration and make outstanding progress in some lessons. This was evident, for example, in lessons in ‘boxercise’ and linked

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Quality of teaching Good

English, mathematics and ICT lessons on a wedding-planning theme.  Teachers make good use of visual resources, including the interactive whiteboard and individual computers. Students are presented with excellent models of what they can achieve and they respond appropriately in their finished work.  Arrangements for the assessment of students’ progress are excellent. Sophisticated software is used effectively to identify students’ current levels of attainment and to identify the next steps in learning in individual subjects.  The robust use of assessment ensures that the staff are able to measure the extent and rate of students’ progress, particularly in English and mathematics. These effective procedures are currently being extended to the assessment of progress in a wider range of subjects.  Good provision for careers education, including opportunities for work experience where this is appropriate, contributes effectively to students’ transition into further education or

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Behaviour and safety of pupils Good

 The behaviour of students is good. They accept the high expectations set by the staff and cooperate well with instructions. This has a positive impact on the rate at which they learn and make progress.  The number of incidents of unacceptable behaviour declines rapidly once students have settled into the school’s routines and expectations.  The attendance of the majority is good and a strong improvement on their previous attendance. The attendance of a very small number of students has a negative impact on their individual progress and achievement.  Students enjoy their learning and join in willingly with the activities set for them in lessons. However, the punctuality of a minority of students is not good and prevents them from making a prompt start with their learning at the start of the day.  Once students are in attendance, there is no disruption to learning and they cooperate well with each other and with the staff. There is a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere

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Behaviour and safety of pupils Good

throughout the school day. Behaviour is managed well and there are no recorded incidents of bullying.  Students state that they are able to learn at a suitable pace, to finish tasks and experience success. As a result, their anxiety is reduced and they produce work of which they are proud.  The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. The school’s leaders, strongly supported by TLG central managers, have ensured that all aspects of safeguarding are managed robustly.  All the required checks on staff suitability, training in child protection, first aid and fire safety are all managed to a high standard, together with all aspects of fire safety. The school’s leaders and managers have ensured that all the regulatory requirements are met.  The school’s arrangements to ensure the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students are good. Students demonstrate self-confidence and improved ability to manage

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Behaviour and safety of pupils Good

their own decisions. A strong focus on life skills, together with a developing understanding of the services available in the local community, ensures that students are prepared well for life beyond school.  The personal and social development programme provides students with good opportunities to understand the values of British society, the rule of law and respect for others.  A number of activities, often based on current news items, are provided to enable students to develop an increasing understanding of the variety of beliefs and cultures in the local and wider community. However, these activities are not well organised into a coherent programme which ensures that all students have a similar opportunity to develop a deeper respect and tolerance for diversity.  The school’s leaders ensure that any controversial political issues are addressed in a balanced and non-partisan manner.

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Leadership and management Good

 The quality of leadership and management is good. The leadership and management of the school involves the headteacher working effectively with the proprietors and the TLG central management team. Together, they have established high expectations for what the school can achieve with previously disaffected students.  All members of staff are proud to be part of TLG South East Birmingham. They share the school’s vision and work tirelessly to assist students with their personal development and academic success. All aspects of students’ welfare and safety are given high priority and regular training ensures that staff are kept up-to-date with statutory requirements. Central support for the school in this respect is outstanding.  The quality of communication between all adults responsible for the school is good. Senior leaders know the school’s strengths and work effectively to plan for improvement. Parents

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Leadership and management Good

and carers state that the staff keep in touch with them and discuss any concerns or successes, enabling them to share responsibility for the development of their children’s education.  The proprietors and central TLG staff have an excellent knowledge and understanding of the quality of teaching and its impact on students’ achievement. They have exemplary arrangements for regular checks on the work of the school and are quick to act in response to identified needs.  In the short time since it has been registered as an independent school, the school’s leaders and managers have ensured that the majority of students have made progress in excess of national expectations from their various starting points. Students have not yet been placed at the school for long enough to judge whether these rates of progress will be sustained over time.  The headteacher has ensured that there is an appropriate focus on the development of

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Leadership and management Good

students’ skills in literacy, numeracy and the use of ICT. In addition, she has introduced improvements in a range of further subjects. As a result, all the required areas of learning feature in students’ annual timetables.  In the school development plan, the headteacher has identified the need to improve the overall quality of teaching to outstanding. Similarly, the school’s leaders demonstrate in their self-evaluation that improvements are required in the provision for science and the level of challenge provided for the most-able students.  The school’s leaders conduct regular checks on the quality of classroom practice. They acknowledge the need for greater clarity in the roles and responsibilities of adults working with the students.  The school works closely with external agencies and placing local authorities to ensure that the requirements set out in students’ statements of special educational needs are met.

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Leadership and management Good

 The school’s leaders and managers have ensured that all the independent school regulations are met, and have demonstrated the capacity for continued improvement.

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Grade Judgement

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Requires improvement Grade 4 Inadequate

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Grade Judgement

Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Non-association independent school inspection handbook which is published on the Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/140053 .

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School details

Unique reference number 139962 Inspection number 443019 DfE registration number 330/6015 This inspection was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. Type of school Day special school for students with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties School status Independent school Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 7 Number of part time pupils 1 Proprietor Yardley Wood Charitable Company Chair Sue Bauckham Headteacher Anna Holden Date of previous school inspection N/A Annual fees (day pupils) £14,352 Telephone number 0121 474 5412 Email address anna.holden@tlg.org.uk guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If

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School details

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.

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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

inspects to 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,

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School details

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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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