Treloar School

London Road, Holybourne, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 4GL

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teaching and achievement are good. Expectations of what students can achieve are high. As one student said, ‘Staff here have the same aspirations for me as I have − to do well.’  The school’s multi-disciplinary approach to students’ care and education is effective. Students learn well and make good progress because they are well-supported by expert teachers, assistants and therapists.  From the moment they arrive in the school, students are extremely well-prepared for their next steps in education and the adult world.  The residential provision is good. Students love the residential houses and say that their communication and confidence have grown because of staff’s effective care. The majority of parents are pleased with the quality of provision in the school and the work the school is doing to involve and support them.  The sixth form is good. A flexible curriculum supports students to make the transition between

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school and other colleges, work experience and independent living. Students make good progress towards their targets.  Students behave well and are safe. They love learning and revel in being part of the school community. They make strong friendships, are interested and active, and want to make the most of all the experiences the school offers.  The Head of School and senior leaders insist upon high standards and have worked with drive and energy to raise expectations and improve students’ achievement since the last inspection.  Governors understand the school well and ensure that good standards are maintained. They have ensured that the school finances are viable.  The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching and achievement are not outstanding. In some lessons, time is wasted because students have to wait too long when responding to questions. The work of student support assistants, although improved since the previous inspection, is not consistently focused on supporting students’ learning.  A few parents have concerns about students’ behaviour towards each other and how well this is managed by school leaders. A few parents are not satisfied with the quality of communication from the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious allegations of a safeguarding nature had been investigated by the appropriate authorities. 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 the allegations.  Inspectors visited 14 lessons, some of which were jointly observed with senior leaders. A number of shorter visits to lessons were also made.  Inspectors visited both boarding houses and met with students and the care staff.  Meetings were held with the Head of School, Principal, governors and other senior leaders. Inspectors also met a group of teachers, student support assistants and leaders of the therapy teams. The lead inspector spoke to a representative from Hampshire local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke to students throughout the inspection and met with a group formally.  A wide range of school documentation was scrutinised. This included policies related to keeping students safe and staff training for safeguarding and child protection, the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan, records of attendance, exclusion and behaviour, evidence of the monitoring of teaching and records of students’ attainment and progress. Inspectors also evaluated examples of students’ individual education plans and annual review reports and local authority evaluations of these. In addition, the school’s systems for assessing, tracking and evaluating students’ attainment and progress were examined in detail.  Inspectors looked at students’ work in folders and other evidence of their progress, such as photographs and ongoing assessments in lessons.  Inspectors took account of the views of 47 parents who responded to the on-line questionnaire, Parent

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Information about this inspection

View, and the school’s own surveys of parents. Inspectors also had telephone conversations with parents. Inspectors spoke to and considered the views of various groups of staff, including leaders, teachers, student support assistants, therapists, medical personnel and the residential care teams.

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Inspection team

Janet Pearce, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 Treloar School is a non-maintained co-educational residential special school that caters for students with physical disabilities. It is part of the Treloar Trust, which also manages a further education college on the same site.  The school admits students from age 7 to 19. The school is in the process of creating a class at Key Stage 1 with pupils aged 5 to 7 years. A nursery has recently opened on the same site and operates currently for one day a week.  The majority of students have education, health and care plans for physical disabilities. An increasing number of students are being admitted who have additional complex learning needs, including visual impairments.  Students are placed in the school by a number of local authorities, with Hampshire and Surrey admitting the largest numbers.  Nearly all students are of White British heritage, with a much smaller than average proportion of students

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Information about this school

from minority ethnic groups.  There are more boys than girls in the school.  The majority of students are residential.  The school receives funding for a very few students who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium. Currently, there are four looked after students in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Eradicate the remaining weaknesses in teaching, increase the amount of outstanding teaching and improve achievement, by ensuring that all teachers: − make consistently effective use of student support assistants to challenge students through questioning, listening, recording responses and positioning in the classroom − assess students’ steps of progress within lessons consistently − plan lessons effectively so that no opportunities are lost for students to learn or practise skills when they are taking turns with sharing ideas or reflecting on their learning.  Achieve outstanding leadership and management by: − implementing a clear and coherent system to bring together the different assessment methods, in order to evaluate the overall picture of the school’s performance at regular points in the year − improving communication with parents by increasing contact from the boarding houses, responding in a

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

timely manner to parental concerns and further developing opportunities for parents to be involved in the life of the school. − establishing strong leadership for the sixth form

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that students’ views are taken into account when evaluating the use of sanctions or restraints.  Ensure that the lessons learned from reviews of serious incidents and complaints are considered fully when improving policies and practice.  Ensure that safeguarding policies are more helpful to staff, by including links to procedures and other policies where appropriate.

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The leadership and management are good

 The Principal, Head of School and the senior team have worked with determination and energy to ensure that the school focuses sharply on raising students’ attainment and increasing their progress, without compromising on high standards of care and personal development. Shrewd appointments to leadership roles, better deployment of support staff and well-managed multi-disciplinary teamwork contribute to students’ good achievement.  The school’s self-evaluation and action planning is realistic and ambitious. The evaluation of the residential provision is similarly detailed, accurate and includes aspirational targets. School and residential leaders are totally committed to working together to improve outcomes for students. They take every opportunity to push students to achieve their personal and learning targets.  Teachers’ work is checked frequently. Senior staff, including middle leaders, have high expectations of

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The leadership and management are good

teachers and there is a well-structured and comprehensive programme of observations of teaching and unannounced visits to lessons throughout the school year. Outcomes from leaders’ checks on teaching determine teachers’ performance management targets and their progression up the pay scales.  Equally rigorous checks of residential staff’s work are routine, with regular supervision and close monitoring of their performance. However, residential staff do not receive written records of supervision or appraisal, with actions and targets clearly identified. The increasing number of volunteers do not currently receive formal supervision to discuss their work. These are missed opportunities to raise standards of care for students.  The curriculum is well-designed to suit the varying needs and abilities of students, including those in the sixth form. Students are able to follow one of three distinct pathways that lead to accredited qualifications.

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The leadership and management are good

They benefit from continuity of their teachers and student support assistants, who receive useful advice and guidance from the school’s team of therapists. A highly effective team of technical staff ensures that barriers to students’ involvement and achievement are removed, through creative use of assistive technologies.  A wide range of exciting extra-curricular activities contributes strongly to students’ spiritual, moral, cultural and social development. Students are taught about healthy relationships and keeping themselves safe. Opportunities to take part in debates, develop basic skills, contribute their own views via the school council and develop more self-reliance and resilience enable them to be well-prepared for life in modern Britain.  At the time of the inspection, leadership of the sixth form was being undertaken on a temporary basis. However, a dynamic approach to the curriculum and effectively planned transitions have ensured that

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The leadership and management are good

students make good progress and are well-prepared for their next steps.  The school uses the primary sport funding effectively to develop partnerships with local mainstream schools, raising awareness of and increasing participation in sports and physical education for students with disabilities. The funding has also been used well to promote dance in school.  The school receives funding from the pupil premium for a very few disadvantaged students. Funding is used well to support individual enrichment and programmes to promote their participation and improved achievement. The school does not receive Year 7 catch-up funding.  School leaders’ systems for assessing, tracking and evaluating students’ achievement, although detailed, lack coherence. It is therefore difficult for school leaders to judge the overall success of the school in terms of students’ progress at particular points in time.  The school has greatly improved its work to communicate with parents and involve them in the life of the

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The leadership and management are good

school. However, there are lingering concerns expressed by a few parents about timely communication. Communication from the boarding houses is not systematically recorded and some parents would wish for more regular contact.  Safeguarding and safer recruitment meets statutory requirements. School leaders’ records of child protection and safeguarding are thorough and monitored regularly. Staff know how to report incidents or concerns, are vigilant, and take swift action if worried about a student or the conduct of any member of staff. The leader responsible for safeguarding and child protection performs his role as an independent advocate for the students. Concerns are passed on or shared with local authority safeguarding officers appropriately and promptly. However, reviews of serious incidents are not used systematically to inform best practice, involve other senior leaders at an appropriate level or learn useful lessons for the future.

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The leadership and management are good

The safeguarding policy is up to date and regularly reviewed. However, procedures for staff to follow and links to other related policies are not clearly indicated.  Several different local authorities place students in the school and conduct regular audits of education planning. Their reports of visits and scrutiny of annual reviews of education, health and care plans are thorough and school leaders make effective use of the guidance they provide.  The governance of the school: The work of governors contributes strongly to the direction the school is now taking. Governors are experienced and from a wide range of backgrounds. They clearly demonstrate that they know exactly how well students are achieving and what leaders, teachers and care staff are doing to ensure that the school continues to provide value for money and good outcomes. Governors regularly visit the school, including monitoring safeguarding and challenging the work of the residential care teams. Governors

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The leadership and management are good

manage the organisation’s large budget adeptly, sometimes having to make difficult financial decisions in order to ensure continuing good provision for students. Governors carry out effectively their responsibility for checking the school’s work to close the gap between disadvantaged students and others. Governors support senior leaders in ensuring that poor performance is challenged successfully and that only good performance is rewarded with pay progression.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good.  Students usually support each other very well and enjoy being in each other’s company. They gain strength and resilience from being in the school and boarding community. They appreciate each other’s differences and genuinely care for each other if there are difficulties.  Students have positive attitudes to learning. They want to learn and gain new experiences. Relationships with staff are strong and mutually respectful. Students are eager to speak with visitors and take responsibilities as ambassadors. They experience a real sense of achievement when they succeed and express this with good humour and often with real joy.  Rates of persistent absence from school are much higher than the national average for mainstream schools and higher than that found in special schools. This is mainly owing to the medical needs of some students, planned surgery and in a few cases, lengthy convalescence following serious operations. The

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Behaviour

school is aware of the impact of long-term absence for students and has successfully overcome barriers to ensure that students are able to participate in lessons via video-conferencing if they are well enough. In other cases, school leaders have made reasonable adjustments to the school day so that students are able to complete a full day’s work. It is heartening to see how enthusiastic students are about maintaining their studies and keeping in touch with their classmates, even when they are not fit to attend school.  Where students have behaviour support plans, these are well-constructed and include the comments and contributions of students and residential staff, which ensures their effectiveness. Behaviour plans are monitored carefully and amended if necessary by the multi-disciplinary team. For those students with additional behavioural and emotional difficulties, there are signs that improvements are being made to

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Behaviour

their well-being and relationships with each other.  There are few incidents of poor language, racist incidents or aggressive physical behaviour. In the rare occasions that a student has to be excluded or restrained, a comprehensive behaviour plan is put in place. However, there are not enough opportunities for students to put forward their views following the use of any restraint, so there are opportunities missed to collect students’ views or give them a sense of responsibility for their actions.  Students told inspectors that any incidents of bullying are dealt with promptly and effectively by staff. A few parents have concerns about the way the school manages incidents of bullying and conflict between students, and they worry about the impact this has on students’ safety. In a very few cases, not enough is being done by school leaders to allay their specific concerns. However, the evidence gathered by

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Behaviour

inspectors in school, and in the boarding provision, found that students are safe and behave well. In the few cases where there have been specific concerns, behaviour is improving.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Students in school and in the boarding houses say they feel safe and that they trust staff to keep them safe. Staff keep a close eye on students who have difficulties with communication to ensure that their concerns are properly considered. Students have a good understanding of how to convey worries or report complaints, although they report that they prefer to sort out any problems directly with their team leaders in the residential houses.  Staff and students have developed a strong understanding of particular types of risk. Students are taught about safe use of the internet and the school takes swift and effective action to tackle any concerns arising from social media. Friendship is encouraged and students are taught about changes in their bodies as they reach adolescence, how to form healthy relationships and the importance of mutual respect.

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Safety

 Risk assessments are effectively and positively planned to enable students to take part safely in exciting extra-curricular activities.  Fire testing is regular and staff have up-to-date and detailed training in fire safety. Staff make sure that students can be appropriately evacuated in the event of an emergency.  Students’ medication is kept securely and safely in the boarding houses and school. Where appropriate, older students are taught how to take responsibility for their own medication.  Students’ health and safety are enhanced by some excellent facilities in the boarding houses, particularly the adapted kitchen spaces.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations of what students can achieve and, as a result, lessons are well-planned and suited to their individual needs and abilities.  Effective use is made of technology to enable and enhance learning. Classroom and other learning environments are nearly always tidy and well-ordered to inspire and interest students. Examples of students’ work and photographs fill the school to create a vibrant learning environment.  Teachers and student support assistants take careful account of how well and at what pace students are progressing with activities. In most cases they ask probing questions and push students further to challenge them and ensure that their understanding is secure. Teachers increase levels of difficulty promptly if students are successful.  The multidisciplinary team’s approach to planning activities and setting students targets is highly effective and leads to their good progress in functional and academic skills, in addition to developing

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The quality of teaching is good

communication, independence and resilience.  Homework or ‘prep’ is set to maximise opportunities for learning in line with each student’s education plan.  Teaching is not outstanding because there are some areas where students have to wait too long, with little to focus on, while teachers elicit responses from others in the class.  The drive to improve the teaching and assessment skills of the student support assistants has led to better progress in some lessons, but this is not consistent. Teachers do not always communicate sufficiently clearly how they want student support assistants to operate in the lessons and not all are being trained sufficiently well to ‘think on their feet’, challenge students and assess their progress.

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is good

 As a result of their complex physical disabilities and in some cases, some additional special educational needs, most students’ attainment is below that of students in mainstream schools and some other special school settings. Some students have lost time in education because of ill health, operations or because previous provision was not meeting their needs. In relation to their starting points, most students make good progress, including in communication, literacy and numeracy skills.  Students are grouped according to the most appropriate pathway for their individual needs and prior attainment. For example, the integrated pathway caters for students with the most complex physical needs. A second group follows a programme designed to lead to entry level qualifications and a third group is designed to prepare students for taking GCSE courses and functional skills. Each class has a dedicated teacher and students are supported by student support assistants who are responsible for care

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is good

and learning. This combination of roles is an initiative that has been developed over the last two years in order to provide greater consistency and knowledge of the students’ needs.  Students with the most complex physical needs make good progress because the school ensures that any barriers to their achievement and communication of their learning are lessened through effective assessment, teaching and provision of assistive technology. In relation to their starting points, most students achieve well, including those in the sixth form, particularly in their functional skills.  Analysis of school achievement data shows very little significant difference between groups of students, including in the sixth form. Students eligible for the pupil premium, those who are looked after, boys and girls, and those students from minority ethnic groups, make similar rates of progress. The school is therefore successful in promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination effectively.

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is good

 The school uses a plethora of different methods to assess students’ attainment, set individual targets, track their progress and evaluate their overall achievement. However, the scheme of assessment is not sufficiently coherent for school leaders to judge students’ overall progress at key points in time.  The school makes effective use of technology to ensure that students can communicate preferences, ask questions and make responses. For example, many students make good use of eye gaze or signing, while others are encouraged to take every opportunity to stretch themselves to speak aloud. As a result, students make good progress with their communication and develop strong relationships with each other and staff.  Teachers and student support assistants assess students’ progress throughout every lesson and record small and larger steps of progress. However, this is not always carried out effectively and as a result,

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is good

some important learning is not captured and made use of in planning subsequent lessons.  Students enjoy reading. Teachers successfully encourage students to read aloud, take responsibility for reading out questions and answers and expressing thoughts and feelings.  Students are provided with social time in the boarding houses at lunchtimes and sufficient times at breaktime for communication and play. School leaders promote the ‘’24 hour school’, and links between the school day and time in the boarding houses are very strong and build on prior learning.  The school can point to some notable successes in maintaining and in some cases, increasing rates of progress, as a result of careful planning of timetables and provision of work to do at home or in hospital. In some cases, students are able to participate actively in lessons while convalescing or in the medical unit, through use of a video link.

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is good

 Students in Year 11 and the sixth form have the opportunity to take part in work experience around the school and also in the local and wider community. This enables them to put into practice the real-life skills they have developed in the school and apply them to everyday activities, preparing them extremely well for the next stages of their education and adult lives.

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The sixth form provision is good

 The school’s records of teaching and students’ achievement show that they achieve well over time. Students are carefully grouped and follow well-structured and flexible programmes of study that are designed to meet their individual targets. Progress is carefully assessed during lessons, in order to plan for the next session.  Students in the sixth form benefit from a well-structured, flexible and bespoke curriculum, which includes age-appropriate topics, skills and work experience programmes.  Students make good progress in functional skills. Many students make great gains with their learning because their teachers’ expectations are high, providing opportunities for stretch and challenge. For example, students wrote reflective, moving and well-crafted poetry for National Poetry Day.  Students in the sixth form behave well. They are considerate and thoughtful and know how to keep themselves safe.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Students are extremely well-prepared for leaving school and receive comprehensive guidance about their next steps. They are well-supported in their transitions to further education and independent living.  The acting leader for the sixth form has brought valuable experience from the further education and skills sector, and is ensuring that students’ progress is tracked closely and that they are sufficiently challenged by the right programmes for their ability.

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are good

 Students say that they make good progress and in particular, improve their communication and confidence during their time in the residential setting. One parent said, ‘My daughter has made a lot of social progress and progress in her self-esteem.’  Students’ individual targets are set and reviewed by the multi-disciplinary team, ensuring that there is a consistent approach. Students are involved in setting their own targets, which encourages them to have high aspirations and challenge themselves in social situations. One student said, ‘I made one of my targets to be more involved with others and it has worked.’  Students have many opportunities to contribute their ideas. They comment on the running of the school through the school council. They say they are listened to and have real influence on day-to-day activities, menus and their individual programmes.  Students are encouraged to be involved in a variety of fun and engaging activities in the evenings, to suit

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are good

their different interests and backgrounds. Games and activities aid students’ communication skills and develop their empathy and ability to work together. Students are also given enough space to have quiet and reflective times. They make good progress in developing their independence skills, including keeping their rooms tidy and doing their own laundry.  Students told the inspectors that they love the residential homes. They develop strong relationships with staff and each other, showing consideration and respect. They are proud of the houses and enjoy showing visitors around. They say, ‘It is fantastic here, the staff are brilliant and it’s like a hotel.’ They have a good understanding of how to keep healthy through diet and physical activity. However, not all the progress made by students in the residential houses is noted, because records are not maintained in consistent detail.  Movement around the residential buildings is well-organised, maintaining safety and giving students more

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are good

control over their leisure time. Students love their rooms and most have personalised their private spaces. However, the accommodation varies in its quality and how well it is maintained. A visiting governor identified areas for improvement in June 2014 and some improvements have been made, with others clearly outlined in the development plan.  The quality of food is excellent and great care is taken to provide healthy meals to meet all the preferences and needs of students. Mealtimes are friendly and relaxed occasions which are well-managed by residential staff who ensure that students are all included and that their requirements are met sensitively.

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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 failing

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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.

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 116636 Social care unique reference number SC012024 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 449472

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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

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.

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School details

Type of school Non-Maintained Special School School category NA 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 94 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 26 Number of boarders on roll 71 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mike Chadwick Headteacher Melissa Farnham Date of previous school inspection 30 May 2012 Telephone number 01420547400 Fax number 01420526426 Email address info@treloar.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 .

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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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