The William Henry Smith School and Sixth Form

William Henry Smith School Boothroyd, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, HD6 3JW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Overall effectiveness of the residential experience Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 This is a good school in which students consistently make good progress as they travel through the school.  Residential provision is outstanding. Students feel well cared for and nearly always say they are supported exceptionally well to achieve their very best.  Teachers deliver well-organised provision and students achieve well, particularly in mathematics and reading.  Support staff are a huge strength of the school as they are adaptable, versatile and build excellent relationships with students to support their efforts with their learning.  Some students gain outstanding personal achievements due to the tremendous support that they receive from experienced, well-trained members of staff.  The therapy department’s leadership is innovative in its approach and an outstanding feature of the provision, as staff consistently drive to remove barriers to students’ learning.  The quality of the leadership by the principal is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

outstanding. He ensures that the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of the overall provision are continuously improving the lives of the students.  The headteacher of the school has a crystal clear overview of all students’ achievements and areas for development. He knows exactly what needs to improve. Governance is a strength and governors do all they can to support the students.  Outreach work with parents and partnerships is excellent.  The induction of pupils and staff is exemplary. The training for professional development is another exceptional strength of the school.  The leadership and management of students’ behaviour are outstanding, as students are supported fully to achieve well.  Students’ behaviour is good in school and relationships are strong and extremely supportive.  Effective arrangements are in place to ensure that students are safe.  The school meets the national minimum standards

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Students do not always achieve as well as they could in their writing. They are not always shown the next step to improve their work.  Checks on students’ work and progress are sometimes inconsistent across classes and subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in ten lessons involving six different teachers. One joint observation was carried out with the headteacher. An inspector listened to students from Years 6, 9 and 11 read. Inspectors observed support for students in whole-class sessions and with individual students.  Inspectors looked in detail at the work in students’ books, files and online from across the school. A working lunch was held with one group of students when they talked about their work.  Inspectors held meetings with senior and middle leaders, teachers and support staff, and three groups of students. They held three interviews with different members of the governing body and spoke to a range of representatives from the therapy department. Documentation about the school’s use of outreach provision was also considered.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation, including: the school’s summary of its view of its

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Information about this inspection

own performance; the school development plan; policies and procedures in relation to safeguarding; information about students’ attendance and behaviour; records of the monitoring of teaching and learning; information about students’ achievement and minutes of meetings of the governing body. There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire for parents (Parent View), but inspectors looked at summaries of school questionnaires sent out to parents and students recently. They also took account of the 41 responses to the staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Jean Tarry, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a non-maintained residential and day school for boys who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. In addition to these prime needs, 28 students have a range of additional needs. All students have a statement of special educational needs.  There are currently 35 residential and 15 day students. All students return home at weekends. There are two students who access the provision on a part-time basis from different local authorities. The school admits students from 15 different local authorities, mainly in the North of England or the Midlands.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium is well above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  There are four students over the age of 16 who reside in separate living accommodation and access

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Information about this school

courses at Maltings College, Halifax.  There are five residential units, all on the school campus.  Nearly all students are White British.  Prior to this integrated inspection, the residential provision was inspected a year ago.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching and students’ progress, and raise students’ attainment in writing by:  ensuring that marking is consistently good across all classes and different subject areas  ensuring that checks on students’ work clearly show them the next step to take to improve their work and give them the time to show that they can accomplish this.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The principal provides very strong leadership. His drive and ambition to provide a high quality of education for all students are impressive. A very able headteacher of school supports the vision very well. The senior leadership team continually shares ideas and looks for ways to improve the school’s work. The school is very well placed to maintain and improve on the higher standards reached at the end of Year 11 in 2014. Leaders know that students’ progress, although already improved, is still not as fast as it could be, particularly in writing, and are addressing this very effectively. However, mathematics and reading remain a huge strength of the school.  Leaders and managers at all levels constantly pursue excellence in all they do. There is a highly successful drive to improve all aspects of the school provision and outcomes. Some students achieve well beyond all expectations, due to effective leadership systems and management processes. Examples of this were: the

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The leadership and management are outstanding

‘Fastest Classroom’ challenge to Mont Blanc which involved students cycling the ‘Nine major Tour de France climbs,’ the ‘Highest Classroom’ challenge which involved students climbing to Mount Everest base camp and the opportunity for students to write their own mystery books.  Leaders ensure that students take part in worthwhile, well-planned work experience with meaningful qualifications and opportunities to follow their interests. For example, they are involved in dry stone walling, work with horses, sports development, radio work, motor mechanics and outdoor adventure activities.  The quality of teaching is checked frequently and, as a result, has improved consistently throughout the school and across all key stages. Senior leaders look very carefully at lesson plans, the lessons taught and the pupils’ progress in their work. Marking is regular, celebratory and positive, but does not always inform

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The leadership and management are outstanding

students about exactly how to improve their work, especially in writing. Leaders report that this check is often completed verbally.  Leaders’ checks of the school’s performance ensure that they have an excellent understanding of what is working well and what requires further attention. Plans to make improvements are discussed regularly at senior leadership and learning mentor team meetings. The checks they make on students’ progress are effective and are helping to raise attainment and to ensure equality of opportunity for all students.  The management of teachers’ performance through setting targets linked to students’ performance is organised extremely well and has a positive impact on students’ learning.  The work of middle leaders is effective. They ensure that there is much that enriches the curriculum and strive to make it as exciting as possible. They have ensured that progress has been made from the

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The leadership and management are outstanding

previous inspection, especially in the provision for mathematics and reading. Good progress has been made in students’ writing, but there is still more to do and leaders recognise this in the school’s own view of its performance.  How the school continually strives to develop students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is inspirational. Students are taught to be reflective in assemblies, to be resilient in their reading tasks and to use reasoning in their mathematical development, especially when they have to solve challenging problems. The school’s unique, aspirational `Platinum Award’ work helps students to target improvement in their own personal development. A typical student comment was, ‘This school helps you develop as a person. I have made myself a far happier person because of this place. They show you that your education is worthwhile. The staff put so many things in place to help us achieve. We are all so very

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The leadership and management are outstanding

different.’  Equality of opportunity is constantly promoted and leaders and managers are always committed to tackling discrimination of any kind. Leaders ensure that positive relationships are established with the many different partnerships and particularly with parents. Work with parents and partnerships are outstanding as communication, advice and support are all exemplary.  Procedures and policies for safeguarding students are fully in place and are outstanding in both the school and the residential setting.  The school works with a large number of local authorities from across the North of England and the Midlands region. These authorities continue to seek places at the school because of successes in the past with other students. The headteacher works closely with other providers to share some of the exemplary practice from the leadership and management of the school and residential setting.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  The governing body knows the school exceptionally well and uses all the information about students’ progress effectively to compare the school’s performance with that of other similar schools locally and nationally. Governors provide excellent support and rigorous challenge in a quest for ongoing improvement. They know how good the quality of teaching is and what needs to be done to improve it further. Governors know the importance of focused school performance management and its link to pay progression. Governors ensure that the pupil premium is used appropriately. The governing body checks on the impact that funding has on students’ progress in all subjects and has made a positive impact on the improvements made in many areas.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good. Their attitude to their work is good and this makes a positive contribution to their good progress, especially higher up the school. At times, when teaching does not fully challenge or interest them, or they are not sure how to improve their work such as in the weaker teaching, they can become restless and give less attention to their work.  The students are very proud of their school and of their achievements. A typical comment was, ‘This place has turned my life around and everything we do here makes us better people.’ Overall, students agree that the school is helping them significantly to improve their academic achievement and their behaviour.  There is a clear behaviour policy that students know about and follow. The students are very clear about what is and what is not acceptable behaviour. The adults are good role models for the students to follow, particularly in relation to their manners and attitudes.

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Behaviour

 The students thoroughly enjoy the work that they complete for the bronze, silver and gold social awards as this learning supports them with their anxiety or emotions. A typical comment was, ‘If you think you can do it, you will be able to.’ When asked what was special about the school, students said, ‘The staff. We enjoy coming to school because of the staff. They really do help and support us.’ Students often work hard and achieve well. Generally, students are extremely polite and very well mannered to visitors.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. There are many aspects of this work which are exemplary, for example the learning mentor meetings which ensure that all staff have an overview of each student, to ensure they are kept safe. Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements fully.  Students are well able to recognise the difference between bullying and falling out. They inform inspectors that bullying sometimes occurs and when it does staff are vigilant. The students are very confident about approaching adults in school if they need help to resolve any issue. Aspects such as learning about different types of bullying are planned for exceptionally well in daily whole-school assemblies, in lessons and in therapy sessions.  Students know how to ask for help from the different staff. Some students work closely with different support staff, therapists or learning mentors to achieve well. The school has various programmes to

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Safety

support students if they are underachieving. This work, for example in art, music, drama, speaking and communication is extremely effective.  Attendance issues are addressed very quickly. Staff have regular contact with parents and this establishes good attendance at school. The 8 am school telephone call to home on a Monday morning ensures that students are fully prepared for the week ahead. The school has effectively impressed upon parents the need for their children to attend school regularly and this has paid dividends. The students more often than not enjoy coming to school. They enjoy receiving awards and praise for good attendance and realise the need for good attendance, linked with work placements.  The student voice initiative ensures that staff listen regularly to their views about matters such as safety. Students say they feel safe and very well cared for in school and in the residential provision. They very

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Safety

much appreciate the wealth of support they receive when they have an issue in their life or are given help in their therapeutic sessions.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The impact of the quality of the teaching over time is good. Some teaching is outstanding because the activities given to students very clearly build on what they already know and can do and meet students’ varying needs and abilities exceptionally well on a daily basis.  Teachers often check carefully on how well each student is learning in mathematics and reading. They question students effectively to find out precisely what they know and can do and, as a result, teachers are usually clear about what students need to learn next. However, this is not always the case in relation to students’ writing and sometimes students say they are not entirely sure what the next step is to improve their work. This is confirmed by the work in students’ books, files or on the e-system. A typical comment was, ‘They all tell me my book is really good but they don’t really show me how to improve it.’  Expectations of what students are capable of achieving are generally high. For example, students are

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The quality of teaching is good

expected to solve mathematical problems showing the correct working out, step by step. They are moved on expertly as soon as they need more challenge, ensuring more rapid progress, in mathematics for example.  Although teaching in English is improving strongly, expectations are not always consistently high, especially in writing. Work does not always meet the needs of the boys because they are not always motivated and engaged by their writing tasks. In addition, the quality of the marking is not consistently good across different subjects or classes. Students are often unclear about the next steps needed to improve their writing.  The teaching of mathematics is good throughout the school because of well-matched provision, particularly for the most-able students who are provided with activities and challenges that stretch their mathematical skills very effectively.  The teaching of literacy, although good overall, is stronger in Key Stage 4. In literacy lessons, tasks are

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The quality of teaching is good

often well thought out so that students learn quickly and ensure that students are given good opportunities to extend their reading and writing skills.  Improvements in the teaching of the linking of letters and the sounds that they make (phonics) have had a positive impact on standards in reading across the school. The boys and the most-able students are always challenged with their reading tasks and enjoy the range of material on offer in the school and in the residence.  Learning support assistants are well trained and have the necessary skills to support students in English and mathematics. They are important and crucial in building very important relationships with the students. They are kept sufficiently well informed of what students are expected to learn so students' progress is good. The boys appreciate the valuable input of the support staff, which enables them to make good progress in both their academic and personal development.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students at the school achieve well. They often enter school with significantly below average levels of prior attainment and their education may have been disrupted over a period of time. Sometimes they have been absent from school or disaffection has resulted in very low attainment and lack of progress. Some students have attended a number of different educational establishments before coming to the school.  Students’ progress is good overall in writing and often much better in reading and mathematics, considering their starting points. Most students enjoy their lessons and achieve well.  The students’ efforts in lessons and individual group work are helping them catch up. In a design and technology lesson, for example, younger students were engaged and motivated to complete their tasks, as they knew exactly what it was that they had to achieve during the lesson and over time. They could see

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The achievement of pupils is good

the visual journey which their learning took as they moved their tags along to the next step. Many enjoyed the competitive element involved in this self-assessment. This kept them on task and ensured that their progress was rapid. They were involved in designing and evaluating their work, which resulted in more rapid improvements in their writing skills. However, this is not the case in all English lessons, as some students are not clear about the next steps to improve their writing.  Reading is taught well and nearly all students make significant progress with their reading skills during their time at the school. The school library is used well to encourage a love of reading. Those who find reading difficult are supported well to make good progress.  In a mathematics lesson students were asked to reflect on problem-solving activities as they measured areas in the school gymnasium. They independently gathered the relevant information and made rapid

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress as they chatted about the different units of measure that they needed to use to accomplish the task.  Students’ attainment on leaving is usually below average. However, all students make good progress and leave with some qualifications; this is often at the lower end of the GCSE grade scale. Most students go on to further education or training. There are some who enter apprenticeships or find employment and this is largely due to the determination of the outstanding leadership and management at the school to ensure that students succeed beyond the school driveway.  There is little difference between the performance of different groups, the residential and day students for example, and the progress they make at the school. The number of students in each group is so small and this means that the data about differences in performance between groups can be skewed very easily.

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are outstanding

 Students thrive in a warm, caring, nurturing environment. Staff commitment and dedication to ensuring that students achieve their full potential is inspirational, for example completing outreach work with families to help children engage with their education. Students are valued as individuals and staff have high, realistic aspirations for them. Exceptional opportunities, such as cycling around Mont Blanc or travelling to Belgium for a World War One experience, significantly enhance students’ confidence, self- esteem and independence. Care planning is first class, and takes into account the diverse needs of each student effectively. Key workers capably identify risks to students and manage them very well.  Behaviour management is excellent. Staff have a clear understanding of each student’s behaviours, triggers and vulnerabilities which enables them to devise effective strategies to support them. Staff are

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are outstanding

skilled in de-escalation techniques and physical intervention effectively protects children from harm. Staff liaise closely with education and therapy staff, to offer consistent support to students. Consequently, students are able to consider their behaviours and to look at ways to manage their feelings and anxieties.  Students say they are happy, despite wishing they remained with their families, and feel safe. They recognise the progress they make as a result of attending the school. Students have extremely strong, trusting relationships with staff, which are built upon honesty and respect. They feel valued as they know staff listen to them and help them deal with any difficulties and celebrate their successes. They are empowered because they are consulted on all aspects of their lives and are appropriately involved in decision-making. Partnerships with parents and carers are positive. They are kept well informed about

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are outstanding

their child's progress.  Staff actively promote and safeguard the welfare of students. This is because they are suitably trained and have an in-depth understanding of safeguarding policies, capably overseen by child protection managers. Excellent safer recruitment and induction systems are combined with careful matching of students’ skills and aptitudes, to ensure that staff are well equipped to deliver safe and highly effective care. Residential houses are warm, welcoming, and reflect the unique needs of students who live in them.  The senior leadership team promotes a culture which ensures that students are always valued, listened to and respected as individuals. Their commitment to providing high quality care for students is commendable. This is evident from the excellent progress students are making, according to their starting points. The school is committed to continuous improvement, such as refreshing their delivery of a truly

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are outstanding

wrap-around approach to students’ plans, and extending provision to accommodate students over the age of 16. All national minimum standards are met.  To improve further: enhance the consistency of recording of restraints, to capture fully detailed accounts of all physical interventions.

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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 107589 Social care unique reference number SC001038 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 447936

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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 Special School category Non-maintained special Age range of pupils 8–16 Gender of pupils Boys Number of pupils on the school roll 54 Number of boarders on roll 39 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair R Tilbrook Principal Brendan Heneghan Date of previous school inspection 1 February 2012 Telephone number 01484 710123 Fax number 01484 721658 Email address general@whsschool.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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