The Brook Special Primary School

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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This is an outstanding school

 The headteacher, supported by governors and a committed staff, has ensured that the school is a calm, purposeful place where pupils thrive. As a result, all pupils are making outstanding progress.  Since the last inspection, the quality of teaching has improved to outstanding. Teachers and teaching assistants are extremely well trained for their role.  Pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, including those supported with additional funding, are making outstanding progress in reading, writing and mathematics from low starting points. This is because of the school’s emphasis on supporting pupils one-to-one.  Pupils with autism are making exceptional progress in their reading, writing and personal development.  The multi-disciplinary team of professionals make a strong contribution to the outstanding progress of pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, and pupils with additional complex medical and physical needs, as well as autism.

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This is an outstanding school

 Systems for checking how well staff are performing their duties are robust and linked to the progress of all pupils. The outstanding progress of pupils with severe learning difficulties, and of girls this year, has come about as a result of opportunities for staff to continue to improve their skills.  Teaching of children in the early years is outstanding because of extremely effective leadership.  Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. This is because pupils’ listening and communication skills are developed exceptionally well in all lessons by all staff. Consequently, they develop excellent social skills.  Staff supervise pupils at all times and follow clear procedures and routines. As a result, pupils feel extremely well cared for and safe. Attendance is average and improving rapidly.  The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural skills underpins the school’s strengths. It is well planned by middle leaders and taught

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This is an outstanding school

across different subjects.  Leaders take every opportunity for pupils in the Brook School and the Willow School to learn together through joint activities in music, dance, art and culture , ensuring they are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school has plans to extend this partnership to include more academic subjects.  Governors know the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have effective methods to drive improvements.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 parts of lessons jointly with the headteacher and acting deputy headteachers and held meetings with them.  The lead inspector had meetings with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body and four other governors, as well as a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors held meetings with middle leaders, staff of the school and the multi-disciplinary team of professionals.  Inspectors toured the school’s buildings, visited classrooms and discussed the school’s curriculum.  The inspection team observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and in the playground, had discussions with them and listened to them read.  Inspectors analysed the school’s information on attainment and progress. They looked closely at documentation relating to safeguarding, the school’s evaluation of its performance, its future plans, attendance and behaviour. They also looked at the school’s website.

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Information about this inspection

 There were too few responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. The lead inspector interviewed nine parents and considered two written communications from parents and carers as well as parents surveyed by the school. Inspectors took account of 64 staff that completed the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Justina Ilochi, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The Brook Special Primary School provides for pupils with a range of complex special educational needs, including: severe learning difficulties; profound and multiple learning difficulties; speech, language and communication difficulties; and autism. Most pupils have underlying complex medical and physical needs. About a tenth of pupils have a form of visual impairment.  The Brook Special Primary School has changed significantly since the last inspection. In September 2014, the Broadwaters Federation was formed and the Broadwaters Inclusive Learning Community established. This federation includes: The Brook Special School, The Willow School and The Children’s Centre. The federation shares a single governing body and some planned activities. Also, in September 2014, two new acting deputy headteachers were appointed.  About four fifths of pupils are boys.  Almost all pupils are from a range of ethnic minority backgrounds.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is above the national average. This is additional government funding for children looked after by the local authority or who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school works collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team of professionals from health consisting of a nurse and physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and others.  All children in the early years attend full time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend the school’s collaboration with Willow Primary School to include more academic subjects and ensure even better progress for the few more-able pupils in Key Stage 2.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher, working collaboratively with leaders and governors, has ensured that the school has made rapid improvements since its last inspection and that teaching is now outstanding. They have made sure that the school is an extremely calm and purposeful place. As a result, the behaviour of all pupils including children in the early years, is outstanding and they make outstanding progress. Parents, staff and pupils confirm this view.  Subject and other leaders contribute strongly to the rapid improvements to the curriculum. For example, this year they have drawn together all aspects of subjects into cohesive programmes of study. This has led to the outstanding achievement of pupils seen in books.  Leaders know and understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They have robust systems for checking how well staff are performing and have linked staff payment to pupil progress. Future plans are

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The leadership and management are outstanding

focused extremely well on school priorities and there is an exceptionally well-planned programme of training for staff. Consequently, staff are motivated to work as hard as they can, and the quality of teaching is outstanding.  School leaders ensure that the school’s information on pupils’ progress in all subjects is accurate, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. This is used to plan one-to-one and small-group teaching for identified groups of pupils. As a consequence, pupils with severe learning difficulties and girls have made outstanding progress this year.  The school uses every opportunity to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural skills through well- planned joint music, art, dance and play sessions with pupils from Willow Primary School. Pupils enjoy this chance to relate with their peers and they are extremely well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school recognises that they can extend this collaboration to include academic subjects such as reading,

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The leadership and management are outstanding

writing and mathematics to improve further the progress of the few more-able pupils.  The school promotes equal opportunities for all its pupils through its collaborative work with the multi- disciplinary team of professionals. For example, physiotherapists and occupational therapists work with teachers and teaching assistants to ensure that pupils are getting enough daily physical activity. As a result, pupils with profound multiple learning difficulties and pupils with complex medical and physical needs are making exceptional progress. Discrimination is not tolerated.  School leaders ensure that any additional funding is used for the pupils for whom it is intended and managed extremely well. Leaders regularly check how the pupil premium is used and the difference it is making. They share this information on their website. In the last year, the school spent a major part of the funds on training of staff and the provision of excellent sensory resources. Consequently, pupils

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The leadership and management are outstanding

eligible for free school meals made better progress in reading, writing and mathematics than other pupils.  The school’s primary physical education and sport premium is used to pay sports coaches to train staff and to ensure that pupils with complex physical needs participate daily in sporting activities. This has improved the skills of staff, who are more confident in their support of pupils during physical education.  Leaders have high expectations of the achievement and behaviour of pupils in the school. They have made sure that all pupils are set challenging behaviour targets as well as targets in reading, writing and mathematics. They have also linked successful achievement of behaviour targets to rapid improvements in academic subjects. This has led to the outstanding success of pupils in all areas in the last three years.  The local authority has worked with the school by supporting its regular review of its performance and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

through training the new governing body.  Governors and school leaders know the importance of safeguarding pupils and makes sure that the school fulfils all its statutory duties in relation to the safeguarding of children. They check safeguarding arrangements frequently to ensure that they are effective.  The governance of the school:  The new governing body is already effective. It has considered and dealt with all important issues arising from the school’s assessment of itself and has contributed to its future plans. For example, governors have made sure that training of staff is always discussed at meetings.  Governors are knowledgeable and experienced. Since they started they have attended several local authority training sessions. They have high expectations of school leaders and staff, challenging them about the quality of their teaching and the performance of pupils.  Governors ensure that pupils are benefiting from the new federation through learning about the diverse

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The leadership and management are outstanding

cultures in their school community. They supervise their learning for life in modern Britain.  Governors understand the school’s finances and manage any additional funding the school receives extremely well. For example, they make sure that the pupil premium is used to provide support for the pupils for whom it is intended.  Governors understand and support the school’s robust system for managing the performance of staff. Staff are confident that the systems are fair.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Teachers, teaching assistants and the multidisciplinary team work collaboratively to provide a calm and peaceful environment in school. As a result, all pupils, particularly those who are autistic, thrive and learn well.  Parents, staff and pupils agree that behaviour is exceptional. Parents say staff routinely share successful ideas about how to manage unacceptable behaviour with them. This ensures that the procedure for managing behaviour is consistent between home and school and leads to positive results.  Staff manage behaviour exceptionally well. As a result, accidents and incidents have reduced faster this year. Pupils with complex behaviour difficulties make quick progress towards outstanding behaviour when they join the school.  Behaviour in lessons and around the school is outstanding. All pupils develop excellent listening and communication skills in all their lessons. This is because staff are well trained in the use of signing and

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Behaviour

visual cues.  Pupils have strong positive relationships with their teachers and teaching assistants and show their eagerness to learn all the time. They are taught to respect each other and this has contributed to their outstanding progress. They grow in their social and personal skills and are extremely well prepared for the next stages in their education. Displays in classrooms and around the school reinforce positive values by showing pictures of pupils interacting and working together .

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Staff as well as parents unanimously agree that this is true. Pupils say that bullying never happens.  Adults supervise all pupil activities extremely well. Pupils say that staff are always available to help them when they need it. As a result, they always feel safe.  Teachers and other adults make sure that pupils’ needs are identified and addressed when they arrive in the morning. Planned morning activities, sometimes led by occupational therapists, boost pupils’ self- confidence and enable them to settle quickly for the day.  Pupils are taught to take responsibility for their safety. Pupils elected into the school council know the school listens to and considers their views all the time, especially concerning safety.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The quality of teaching is outstanding in all key stages. As a result, pupils make outstanding progress in listening and communication as well as in reading, writing and mathematics.  The problem-solving skills of pupils with severe learning difficulties are improving rapidly because of the one-to-one teaching they receive. Teachers and teaching assistants have been well trained in the use of sensory and visual cues to support the development of mathematical skills.  Teaching is exciting and inspiring for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties who also have complex medical and physical needs. Teachers use a variety of approaches to make sure that their small steps in learning build effectively on what they already know. As a result, these pupils make very rapid progress towards their targets. This was an area for improvement in the last inspection report.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are exceptionally high. They are guided by the accurate

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

school records on pupils’ progress and the information they obtain from parents. Planned activities always match the ability of pupils and provide interesting learning opportunities for them to do exceptionally well.  The teaching of reading and writing for all pupils, particularly those with autism, is outstanding. This is because teaching focuses on methods that build on the interests of each pupil and how they learn. As a result, these pupils enjoy reading and writing, and their literacy skills are developing exceptionally well.

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is outstanding

 All pupils make outstanding progress from low starting points because they are exceptionally well taught. Achievement is strong in all year groups, including the early years. It is particularly so for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties.  The progress of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics continues to be outstanding because of the extremely well-planned and effective programme of training for teachers and teaching assistants. Pupils enjoy reading and the school is successfully encouraging parents to read with their children at home.  Pupils with complex learning and medical needs, such as visual impairment and speech, language and communication needs, make outstanding progress. They are supported through multi-sensory approaches, songs, rhymes and dance to continue to improve their communication skills.  Pupils acquire extremely well-developed social skills as they progress through the school. This is because

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is outstanding

of the special attention given to teaching personal, social and emotional awareness in all classes. This does much to prepare pupils, particularly those with autism, for their next steps in education.  Pupils supported by the pupil premium make outstanding progress, just like other pupils in the school. This funding is used appropriately to ensure that the one-to-one and small-group teaching these pupils receive supports their learning extremely well.

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is outstanding

 Children make exceptional progress from their different starting points. They are extremely well taught and cared for because the leadership of the provision is outstanding. The early years leader has built a strong team who have expertise in caring for children with complex needs.  Parents, teachers and the multidisciplinary team of professionals work collaboratively to ensure that they have set up the right approaches to support learning. As a result, all children, particularly those with profound and multiple learning difficulties, make outstanding progress. This is especially the case in their physical development.  Teachers and teaching assistants use an impressive range of resources and a variety of methods, including multi-sensory approaches, to match activities to the abilities of children. Children enjoy their lessons and their positive attitudes lead to outstanding learning.  The information the school holds on children is reliable. Teachers keep accurate information on the

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is outstanding

progress of children through labelled video recordings and photographs. A close look at children’s ‘journeys’ confirmed the outstanding progress they are making towards set targets.  Children’s communication and language skills are developed extremely well through the exciting opportunities provided across areas of learning. Children are praised often to encourage them to develop self-help skills. The school prepares children extremely well for their movement from early years to Year 1.  Parents say their children are safe and secure in school. Children are well supervised all the time and adults keep notes on how well they are doing to share with their parents. Visual cues and signing are used so that children start learning school routines early. Consequently, behaviour and safety are outstanding.

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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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School details

Unique reference number 102177 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 447905

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Special School category Community special Age range of pupils 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 99 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Marilyn Francis Headteacher Margaret Sumner Date of previous school inspection 15−16 March 2013 Telephone number 020 8808 7120 Fax number 020 8885 2719 Email address admin@thebrook.haringey.sch.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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