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Schools & FE · School inspection (CIF)

Mary Hare School

Inspected 8 Oct 2014 · published 14 Nov 2014 · URN 110180

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Summary

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  • Inspection date verified

    8 Oct 2014

  • Inspectors verified

    Emeline Evans, Fatiha Maitland, Janet Pearce, Jo Curd, Keith Riley, Maire Atherton

  • Leadership and management verified

    Requires improvement

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Requires improvement

  • Previous overall verified

    Outstanding

  • Sixth form verified

    Good

  • Postcode verified

    RG14 3BQ

  • Name on report verified

    Mary Hare School

  • URN verified

    110180

Page 1 of 12
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

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Grade profile

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  • OverallRequires improvement
  • Leadership and managementRequires improvement
  • Sixth formGood

Tone of the report

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+29Mostly positivemore positive than 79% of reports of this type graded Requires improvement
OutstandingGoodRIInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Requires improvement.

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Praiseoutstandingmake good progressstrongeffectiveextremelyeffectivelyrapid progresssafe
Criticismweaknessesseriousinadequateconcernsrequires improvementpoornot metmissed

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FindingsWhat needs to improveAbout the inspection positive critical
  • Findings2623w+31
  • What needs to improve1857w+23

Strengths

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Concerns

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Next steps

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Anatomy of the report

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Pages
12
Words of findings
4,353
longer than usual (typical 2806)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 48, typical 47
Average sentence
19 words
Next steps
8
typical 8
Hedged sentences
9%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 46%What needs to improve 33%About the inspection 21%

Full report text

Arlington Manor, Snelsmore Common, Newbury, RG14 3BQ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Sixth form provision Good 2 Overall effectiveness of the residential experience Adequate 3

p.1

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

 School leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching are not frequent or detailed enough. As a result, the school’s evaluation of teaching and achievement is over generous.  School leaders do not have a sufficiently clear picture of pupils’ patterns of behaviour in the school. The system for managing pupils’ behaviour is unwieldy and does not promote improvement for individual pupils.  School leaders do not set sufficiently challenging targets for teachers to meet in order to progress through the pay scales.  The overall effectiveness of the residential provision is adequate. Although students experience good provision and care in the boarding houses, policies and risk assessments related to pupils’ safety and child protection are not up to date. Records of safeguarding concerns, although detailed, are not systematically monitored and evaluated by senior leaders.  The school must ensure that it meets the national

p.1

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

minimum standards for residential special schools which have not been met.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 Teaching is good, with some examples of outstanding teaching in the secondary school.  Pupils make good progress and attain results at the end of Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 that compare favourably with those of students in mainstream schools.  The sixth form is good. Pupils make good, and often outstanding, progress in a wide range of academic and vocational subjects that are well tailored to meet their needs and ambitions.  Pupils behave well. They are happy and well rounded. They feel safe in the school and the residential provision because of the good care they receive from staff.  Governors are experienced and now have a more realistic view of the school’s performance and what needs to be done to tackle its weaknesses. They have ensured that the school is financially viable.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out under section 8 (1) of the Education Act 2005 at the direction of the Secretary of State for Education. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector has deemed it to be an inspection under section 5 of the same Act. The inspection was on an emergency (unannounced) basis, and was commissioned by the Secretary of State because of concerns about safeguarding at the school.  Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious allegation of a child protection nature had been investigated by the appropriate authorities, and that the school was waiting for the outcome of that investigation. Ofsted does not have the power to investigate individual incidents of this kind. However, Ofsted is entitled to consider the actions taken by a school in response to such allegations alongside other evidence. The inspection team took account of the actions taken by the school in relation to this

p.2

Information about this inspection

allegation. A further concern raised during the inspection is being examined by school leaders and the appropriate authorities.  Inspectors observed teaching in 18 lessons across the primary and secondary sites, some jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors also made a number of shorter visits to lessons. Inspectors listened to pupils reading in the primary school.  Meetings were held with the Principal, senior leaders and staff.  Inspectors met with governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body, and spoke to a representative from West Berkshire local authority.  Social care inspectors visited all the boarding houses, looked at documentation and had discussions with boarding house leaders, staff and pupils. Pupils completed a survey on the first day of the inspection.  The inspection team scrutinised a number of documents, including those related to safeguarding and child protection. The inspectors also considered records of pupils’ attendance, behaviour records and

p.2

Information about this inspection

documentation related to the school’s monitoring of teaching and achievement. Inspectors looked at anonymised examples of teachers’ performance management.  Inspectors selected a sample of pupils’ books and folders for scrutiny and looked at pupils’ work in lessons.  Inspectors held formal meetings with pupils across the age and ability range. They spoke to pupils informally in lessons, at breaktimes, lunchtimes and in the evening.  Inspectors took account of the 101 responses to the on-line survey Parent View. The lead inspector received three letters from parents.  Inspectors considered the views of the 92 staff who responded to the staff questionnaire.

p.2

Inspection team

Janet Pearce, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Mary Hare School is a larger-than-average, non-maintained residential special school for pupils who have moderate, severe or profound deafness.  All pupils have cochlear implants and/or hearing aids. They are all taught to use spoken English.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs for their deafness, apart from a very few pupils who come from overseas. A largenumber of pupils have special educational needs in addition to their deafness.  The school is based on two sites. The primary school caters for up to 35 pupils aged from five to 11. The secondary school caters for up to 200 pupils aged 11 to 19, including 64 currently in the sixth form. There are no children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is smaller

p.3

Information about this school

than that found in similar schools. There are no children looked after by the local authority attending the school currently.  Just over two thirds of the pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average and includes Eastern European, Indian, Pakistani, Asian, African and Caribbean pupils. The proportion of pupils speaking English as an additional language is low.   The school has residential provision in six houses on the primary and secondary sites. Nearly all pupils are residential.  The school does not use any alternative provision. Some older pupils follow programmes of work experience and vocational education off site at local colleges and in neighbouring businesses and shops.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that more is outstanding, by: − identifying the best practice systematically and ensuring that this is shared regularly with all staff − ensuring that teachers mark work clearly and provide practical feedback and next steps that pupils can follow in order to make progress.  Improve achievement in English and writing by:  providing pupils in all age groups with more opportunities to make use of their developing vocabulary in longer pieces of continuous writing  further developing younger pupils’ comprehension skills, so that these pupils can talk and write about what they are reading with more fluency and confidence.  Improve the school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure by:  ensuring that records and documents related to safeguarding and child protection are organised in a way that makes school leaders’ monitoring and analysis of incidents more effective  ensuring that policies and procedures related to safeguarding and child protection are consistently

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

carried out by all staff.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management at all levels by:  checking on the quality of teaching more frequently during the year and judging its quality on the impact it has on standards of pupils’ attainment and rates of progress  ensuring that heads of faculty and heads of year take more responsibility for checking teaching and behaviour and that their findings are recorded and analysed as part of the school self-evaluation and improvement plan  setting teachers more challenging objectives for their appraisal, based on the impact their work has on pupils’ progress and well-being  making sure that records related to students’ behaviour are collated and analysed more systematically in order to identify where improvements need to be made.  Provide evidence as to how residential pupils’ contributions to the boarding community are acted upon and make a difference.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The school must meet the following national minimum standards for residential special schools. The school complies with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. (National Minimum Standard 7.1)  The school ensures that: arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school: and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issues by the Secretary of State. (NMS 11)  There is a sufficient number of competent staff deployed appropriately, both as a staff group and on individual shifts, to fulfil the school’s Statement of Purpose and meet the individual needs of all children resident in the school. (NMS 15.1)  Where only one member of staff is on duty at any one time, a risk assessment has been carried out and recorded in writing, identifying any likely risks to children, staff and members of the public. (NMS 15.10)  All existing care staff have attained a minimum level 3 qualification or have qualifications which

p.4

What does the school need to do to improve further?

demonstrate the same competencies. All new staff engaged from the commencement of these Standards hold these qualifications or begin working towards them within three months of confirmation of employment. (NMS 19.2)  New staff undertake the Children’s Workforce Development Council’s induction, beginning within seven working days of starting their employment and completing training within six months. (NMS 19.3)

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school’s systems for recording child protection and safeguarding incidents require improvement. School leaders’ methods of recording serious incidents, although accurate, do not enable leaders to identify patterns or trends emerging in the school. As a result, it is difficult for school leaders to learn lessons from incidents or plan effectively to prevent further concerns.  The child protection and safeguarding policy and the programme of safeguarding training have not been updated in line with the Department for Education guidance. For example, there are no references to child sexual exploitation or appropriate use of mobile phone cameras.  Nevertheless, it is clear that staff place the care and protection of pupils at the heart of their day-to-day work and that they have a strong understanding of pupils in the school, including those whose circumstances make them vulnerable. Recent concerns that are being investigated by the appropriate

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

authorities have been considered openly and honestly by school leaders who shared their findings candidly with inspectors.  School leaders do not check the quality of teaching frequently or carefully enough. Subject leaders visit lessons in their departments to observe teaching and look at pupils’ work in books. However, this is not recorded formally and does not contribute to teachers’ performance management or the school’s self- evaluation. School leaders, therefore, do not have a full and accurate view of the school’s work over time.  Teachers are not set challenging targets in order to progress up the pay scales. Their objectives are based on tasks to complete rather than how they will ensure rapid progress for their pupils. Teachers really value the training they receive for teaching deaf pupils, but school leaders are missing opportunities to develop and share good practice across the whole school.

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Residential staff appreciate the range of mandatory and specialist training they receive, along with their supervision and annual appraisals. However, not all residential staff complete their induction standards or enrol on suitable courses leading to level 3 qualifications within the statutory timescales. Variations in staffing levels in the boarding houses have led to times when one of the houses is understaffed.  School leaders rightly consider good behaviour and order as top priorities. For example, the head of the primary school has ensured that younger pupils are acquiring good habits and developing positive attitudes to learning and each other. However, incidents of poor behaviour are not recorded systematically in the school. School leaders are not able to demonstrate whether an individual pupil had improved his or her behaviour as a result of a series of sanctions, whether particular sanctions are effective in maintaining

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

good order, or whether there are any patterns of poor behaviour that need to be tackled strategically.  The Principal conveys his vision for the school with passion and integrity. It is clearly evident that he knows exactly what needs to be done to establish the school as a centre of excellence for the education of deaf children. He has made good appointments to leadership posts and restructured some of the existing positions. Leaders are developing their roles and becoming more effective. These changes have made a positive impact in a very short time on pupils’ learning, particularly in the primary school and for pupils who have additional needs other than their deafness.  The school receives the pupil premium funding to support a very small number of disadvantaged pupils and school leaders can account well for how the money has been spent to improve achievement. For example, school leaders demonstrated how individual students had benefited from some specialist

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

equipment to help with developing their spoken language further.  The school promotes equality of opportunity well. Expectations of pupils’ responsibilities and participation in extra-curricular activities are high. Relationships between different groups of pupils are fostered well. Any discrimination is not tolerated by either staff or pupils.  The school offers an extremely broad curriculum, including a full range of academic subjects that prepares pupils well for higher education. Pupils are also able to follow vocational courses and practical apprenticeship courses. Pupils benefit from a strong personal, social, cultural and health education programme which prepares them extremely well for life in modern Britain. Religious education includes study of a range of different faiths. Pupils are supported with preparing for life beyond school and boarding through a wide range of well-planned, individually tailored programmes.

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

 There are good opportunities for pupils to develop their spiritual, cultural, social and moral sense through well-planned assemblies, programmes of enrichment and the curriculum. Through the residential provision, pupils benefit from a range of musical and sporting activities that develops their knowledge and understanding.  Pupils have excellent guidance for their future careers all the way through the secondary school, as part of the programme of study for personal, social and health education. Teachers guide Year 11 pupils very carefully through their choices of sixth form courses, ensuring that each student has a flexible, clear and ambitious career plan.  The school caters for students from many different local authorities. The monitoring and support from the different local authorities is variable. Some local authorities monitor the school’s provision carefully, including safeguarding training. However, in some cases, there are missed opportunities for the local

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

authority to give timely feedback on the school’s work or share important information.  The governance of the school:  The Governing Body includes members with relevant experience, including some from mainstream education. Governors are not afraid to challenge school leaders with the depth and rigour of their questions. For example, a regular question is, ‘What evidence do we have that our systems are working?’ The Chair of the Governing Body is astute and realistic about the school. He is not afraid to make difficult decisions and challenge long-held views. He acknowledges that the school is so well loved by staff and pupils that this can mask an objective evaluation of standards. However, governors do not have an accurate picture of the quality of teaching because monitoring does not happen often enough. In the past they accepted too readily what the school told them about the school’s performance and did

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

not focus sharply enough on tackling weaknesses in school leaders’ monitoring of teaching, behaviour and safeguarding. Governors have ensured that the school budget is solvent and are prepared to withhold pay rises for leaders and staff if performance management targets are not met. Governors are also aware of the use and impact of the pupil premium and ensure that the spending is reviewed and challenged.  Some governors are very closely involved in the day-to-day work of the school. For example, the governor with responsibility for monitoring the school’s work to safeguard pupils takes her role extremely seriously. She has rightly made it her business to scrutinise the way that pupils are taught about risk and keeping safe. However, governors have not ensured that the safeguarding and child protection policy and training materials are up to date and they have missed opportunities to check that school leaders are learning effectively from outcomes of serious incidents.

p.6

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are proud of the school and express this in their warm relationships with staff and each other and their unfailing courtesy.  Pupils are attentive in lessons and only a few need extra reminders to concentrate.  Pupils attend well. Attendance and rates of persistent absence for different groups are in line with the national average for mainstream schools and are better than similar special schools.  Pupils report that there is little, if any, bullying experienced, and, if it occurs, they are confident that it is dealt with well. There are no recorded incidents of racism and pupils were adamant when asked that they had not experienced any racist bullying in the school. Pupils also told the inspectors that there is very little derogatory language. Pupils rarely use bad language and they know that there are strict sanctions if they do and are overheard by adults, either in school or in the boarding houses.

p.6

Behaviour

 Pupils conduct themselves well around the school site during and after school. They are occasionally exuberant and boisterous, but with good humour. There are very few incidents of physically aggressive behaviour.

p.6

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement.  School leaders’ checks and record keeping related to safety and child protection are not sufficiently systematic. School leaders have missed opportunities to rectify shortfalls in their procedures because records have not been monitored sufficiently closely. For example, the fire risk assessment in one of the boarding houses has not been updated as required by the Fire Authority and does not cover the period when there is just one member of staff sleeping in. This has the potential to put pupils at risk.  However, the majority of pupils say that they feel safe at the school and in the boarding provision. They have a range of adults to talk to if they have concerns and they are well taught about how to keep themselves safe. Pupils told inspectors about the impact of the advice they have been given and how they now do things differently to avoid taking unnecessary risks. The majority of parents agree that their

p.6

Safety

children are safe at the school. Staff who responded to the staff questionnaire all agreed that pupils are safe at the school.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Most teaching is good, and some is outstanding. Teachers plan well-structured lessons that take full account of the pupils’ needs and abilities. Their teaching is based on a deep understanding of the potential gaps in students’ ability to learn, owing to their speech delay and also the relationship between learning and their acquisition of language. Nevertheless, most teachers have high expectations of pupils’ academic potential and also ensure that pupils are encouraged to develop their communication, spoken English and self-expression.  More-able pupils are challenged and stretched in the secondary school. For example, in a sixth form literature lesson, pupils were applying some research into Freud’s theories about relationships to their study of Frankenstein. The pupils made visible progress in a very short time, as they grappled with linking the theory to the novel, making new interpretations that they had not previously considered. In addition,

p.7

The quality of teaching is good

the pupils also developed their spoken English and vocabulary well, as they reported their findings to the teacher.  Teachers work carefully to ensure that pupils pronounce words clearly, demonstrating and repeating accurate vowel and consonant sounds, and patiently allowing pupils to practise. As a result, most pupils speak confidently and they enjoy learning new words to express their feelings, thoughts and knowledge. A pupil in Year 13 told the inspector that his vocabulary had increased hugely since he had joined the school in Year 7.  A well-established programme of homework or ‘prep’ enriches pupils’ learning. Teachers base the ‘prep’ on the day’s lessons, so pupils have a chance to consolidate and build on their learning immediately. Younger pupils complete their ‘prep’ in school at the end of the day, so are able to seek help and make use of the library if needed. Older pupils have dedicated areas in the boarding house to complete their ‘prep’, which

p.7

The quality of teaching is good

provide a helpful ‘college’ atmosphere conducive to study.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly. All the books and folders seen during the inspection were marked and up to date. However, some teachers’ writing is hard to read and, in some books, it is not clear to pupils how well they are doing because comments are too vague. Teachers praise pupils’ work, but there is little direct advice for pupils to act upon in order to make more progress.  In a very few cases, there is not enough challenge for pupils in lessons. Some pupils in the primary school, who have already made gains with their language acquisition, are not stretched enough in reading or number work. Similarly, some time is wasted because a few pupils in the primary and secondary school have to wait for more work while the teacher works with other pupils.

p.7

is good

 Pupils achieve well at the end of Key Stage 4. Pupils make good progress from their starting points in English and mathematics, going on to attain results that compare favourably with those of pupils in mainstream schools. There are no significant differences in the achievement of different ethnic groups, and pupils who speak English as an additional language also make good progress.  There is some variability in the achievement of boys and girls over time. The school has analysed this closely and rightly identifies that the reason for the differences are related to prior attainment rather than a gender gap.  School leaders attribute a declining trend in attainment in English and mathematics at GCSE to changes in the prior attainment and the more complex needs of pupils entering the school. The school has taken steps to ensure that pupils with particular learning difficulties are better supported through a more

p.7

is good

appropriate range of subjects and extra help. Leaders are able to demonstrate that, in spite of the lower results over the last three years, pupils continue to make good progress from their starting points, with rates of progress often above those of pupils who do not have any special educational needs in mainstream schools.  For those pupils with additional delay in acquiring spoken language, there is a programme of language enrichment that is threaded through their daily lessons. These pupils make more rapid progress and the school adds value to their achievement. However, pupils are not making as much progress in writing, particularly in the primary school.  The very few disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium make similar progress to their peers. The gap between their achievement and other pupils has narrowed. Where particular pupils have experienced difficulties in catching up, school leaders are able to identify that all reasonable steps are

p.7

is good

taken to support them.  Pupils benefit from the school’s strong commitment to health and well-being. There is a good choice of healthy food available and pupils participate energetically in the games and physical activities provided after prep and at weekends. The sport premium is used effectively to employ a variety of visiting coaches to work with pupils and staff.  Pupils read accurately and have developed a love of books. They benefit from a well-stocked library, with a dedicated area for sixth form pupils. Pupils who need to improve their reading follow a successful programme, leading to better fluency and confidence. Younger pupils have regular sessions in the library to promote wider reading.  The school does not enter pupils early for GCSE.

p.7

The sixth form provision is good

 Pupils in the sixth form benefit from teaching that is good and often outstanding.  A-level results compare favourably with national figures for pupils in mainstream schools. Pupils make good progress from their starting points at the end of Key Stage 4. Nearly all pupils stay on into the sixth form and retention rates are high. Pupils who enter the school in the sixth form, having attended secondary schools elsewhere, also make good progress and achieve well.  Pupils are able to follow bespoke programmes of study that suit their abilities and ambitions. There is a broad range of academic A-level courses to study in addition to BTEC qualifications and vocational courses. Pupils who have not achieved at least a GCSE grade C in English and/or mathematics are supported to complete an appropriate level 2 course to achieve this. Others benefit from a strong functional skills programme.  Pupils also follow additional courses to support their personal, social and health education. They are

p.8

The sixth form provision is good

advised about keeping safe, healthy relationships, the dangers of misusing alcohol or taking illegal drugs. School leaders also ensure that parents of sixth form pupils are advised about appropriate supervision and vigilance when their children are not in the care of the school.  Leadership of the sixth form is good. Teaching is monitored carefully and the work of pupils is checked to ensure that they are working at the right standard and achieving well. The head of sixth form works closely with the head of careers and guidance to ensure that pupils are on exactly the right courses to meet their needs. The head of sixth form has taken full account of the changing profile of pupils and acts in their best interests to choose appropriate courses.  Sixth form pupils are well supported with university applications, visiting universities and ensuring that there is enough support for their well-being and studies. Similarly careful consideration and support are

p.8

The sixth form provision is good

given to pupils who choose to follow vocational routes and employment. In 2014 there were no pupils who left the school who were not in education, employment or training.  Pupils in the sixth form behave well in school and mostly act with a strong sense of maturity and responsibility. They attend well and are punctual. They are well cared for in the boarding house. Staff ensure that they know the whereabouts of pupils during their ‘free’ time in the evenings and at weekends. However, staffing levels during the evenings and in the early morning have not been backed up by the appropriate lone working risk assessments.  Not all staff provide consistent advice to pupils about relationships and appropriate behaviour in the boarding house. There is no written guidance available to staff about how to approach such matters. As a result, it is not completely clear about what is acceptable and what is not.

p.8

are adequate

 The evaluation of the leadership and management of the residential provision and residential pupils’ safety are incorporated in the relevant sections above. This section only covers outcomes for residential pupils and the quality of residential provision and care.  The quality of residential provision and care is good. Residential pupils have good relationships with the care staff. An experienced and established team of residential, health, education and speech and language staff works very effectively together to provide residential pupils with consistent support in all areas.  Residential pupils care for each other and bond well. They say that the best things about boarding are ‘having friends’ and ‘going on trips’. They appreciate the rewards system operated by the boarding houses. For some pupils, boarding and the friendships they make represent the first time they feel part of a community. A few pupils and their parents describe the boarding experience as a ‘home from home’.

p.9

are adequate

 Pupils who are new to boarding are prepared well for the experience, with a useful and effective induction programme. The school takes care to ensure that pupils moving from primary to secondary boarding provision make the transition smoothly.  The school acknowledges that there is some variation in the standard of accommodation. There is a refurbishment plan in place to tackle this within acceptable timescales. However, any maintenance issues with the boarding houses are usually dealt with promptly.  Outcomes for residential pupils are adequate. An area in the previous report was to ensure that views of residential pupils were sought, particularly in relation to the use and promotion of sign language. Residential pupils told the inspectors that their views are sought by school leaders. They can see that some changes are made, for example different drinks at lunchtime, but they do not routinely get formal

p.9

are adequate

feedback on their suggestions.  Pupils know how to keep fit and healthy. They take part enthusiastically in the full range of activities on offer. For example, the ‘sing-a-long’ film show at the arts centre on the school site was particularly enjoyed. Pupils told inspectors that they had opportunities to take part in activities they would never be able to do if at home.  Residential pupils develop strong socialising skills because they are encouraged to care for and support each other. Residential pupils are very positive about their time in boarding. One said, ‘I have changed in myself; previously I was very angry and frustrated, but the school has changed me.’

p.9

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 failing

p.10

Grade Judgement Description

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.

p.10

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding A school which provides an exceptional quality of care and significantly exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 2 Good A school which provides a high quality of care that exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 3 Adequate A school which meets minimum requirements but needs to improve the quality of care it provides. Grade 4 Inadequate A school where minimum requirements are not met and the quality of care has serious weaknesses.

p.10

School details

Unique reference number 110180 Social care unique reference number SC011137 Local authority West Berkshire Inspection number 452832

p.11

School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8(1) of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was deemed an inspection under Section 5 of the same Act. The inspection of residential provision was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

p.11

School details

Type of school Special School category Non-maintained special Age range of pupils 4–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 230 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 64 Number of boarders on roll 218 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Michael Granatt Principal Peter Gale Date of previous school inspection 29−30 January 2014 Telephone number 01635 244200 Fax number 01635 244200 Email address p.gale@maryhare.org.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 .

p.11

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.

p.12

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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