Carrick Alternative Provision Academy

Glynn House Short Stay School Glynn House, County Hall, Truro, TR1 3AY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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

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This is a good school

 Since the school became part of the Acorn Academy, leaders have worked quickly to improve all areas. The new headteacher is ambitious and has ensured improvement through effective training for staff. As a result, students achieve well in English and mathematics.  The governing body has improved because of additional training which has increased its skills, enabling it to hold leaders to account for students’ progress.  Students in Year 11 acquired good-quality accreditation in 2014. This included some GCSE passes at A* to G and a range of Functional Skills qualifications that will support their futures.  Students who left Year 11 at the end of 2014 all found college placements or employment.  School staff are extremely supportive of the new leadership team.  Parents who spoke to the inspector said that they are very pleased with their children’s progress.  Students enjoy their time at Glynn House because

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This is a good school

of the good range of topics and subjects which meet their needs well.  Students’ personal development improves once they start at the school because of the effective focus on supporting their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Vocational experiences ensure that older students’ confidence improves and prepare them well for their futures.  Students’ attendance improves rapidly once they start at the school. The vast majority quickly improve their behaviour because they want to be involved in all the activities that the school offers. As a result, their behaviour is good.  Students are safe at Glynn House and on external visits and activities.  Teaching is good because of rigorous monitoring. Effective marking, particularly in English, helps students to improve their work.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 For a few students in year 7 to 9, the work set and resources available do not sufficiently meet their needs, particularly in mathematics.  The accommodation is limited and does not meet the needs and abilities of students.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed students’ learning in eight lessons and listened to some students reading their books.  The inspector had lunch with two different groups of students and spoke to them and others about their school and about their work.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, a few teachers, the Chair of the Governing Body, the Principal of the academy and several parents.  The inspector observed the work of the school and looked at a range of documents. These included the school’s own information about students’ progress, planning and monitoring documents, safeguarding information and students’ books.  The inspector took account of the school’s own parent questionnaires because there were too few responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View. The inspector spoke to three parents and took account of letters from a few other parents. The inspector also considered the views of staff through the

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Information about this inspection

school’s own recent staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Denise Morris, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Glynn House Short Stay School became an alternative provision academy on 1 June 2013. It is part of the Acorn Multi-Academy which includes six other short stay schools across Cornwall. These are, Nine Maidens Academy, North Cornwall Academy, Restormel Academy, Penwith Academy, Cornwall Hospital Service and Caradon Academy.  The school is based in a house and takes students from six local secondary schools around Truro. Students have either been excluded from school or are in danger of permanent exclusion because of their behaviour or social and emotional difficulties.  A few students have a statement of educational needs for their learning difficulties and a few have a diagnosis of autism spectrum conditions.  Many students have been out of school for long periods before they start at Glynn House.  Almost all students are of White British heritage.  The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium is above average. This is additional funding for

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Information about this school

pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after.  Vocational opportunities are provided for students in Key Stage 4 at Truro College.  The headteacher was appointed eight months ago.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase progress in mathematics, particularly for students in Years 7 to 9, by ensuring that the work set and resources available to them meet their needs.  Improve accommodation at the school to better meet the specialist needs and abilities of all groups of students.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since his appointment, the headteacher has demonstrated his ambition for the school through good leadership of teaching. This has resulted in students’ good achievements and behaviour. The headteacher is well supported by the deputy headteacher, governors and academy leaders. Together they have ensured that the school provides students with a good education.  Leaders and governors have high expectations and have initiated effective training for staff so that students make good progress in English and mathematics.  Regular checks by leaders enable them to know that the quality of teaching and learning is good.  School staff are proud to work at the school. They are supportive of leaders and work effectively with students, helping them to achieve well.  Middle leaders have worked well together to make sure that subjects and topics match the needs and abilities of all students. They have ensured that students’ literacy and numeracy skills are improving.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders make sure that provision is effective by setting targets for teachers that are linked to their students’ achievements. Increases in teachers’ salaries are provided if these targets are met.  Students' often challenging behaviour is well managed. This ensures that relationships between staff and students are good. Students say they really like their teachers and that they can always find someone to talk to or help them.  Students value the wide range of additional activities provided by leaders. They talked to the inspector eagerly about their overnight camping trips, for example. Several said they had never been on a holiday before. Activities such as this help to enrich the curriculum and develop students’ personal skills.  Students show how much they enjoy school by the way their attendance improves once they start at the school. Improvements in students’ behaviour have resulted in half of students in Key Stage 3 re-

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The leadership and management are good

integrating into a mainstream secondary school in the past year.  Students’ understanding of life in modern Britain is promoted well through visits and through work experience for older students. These all promote students’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Students develop British values through their regular fundraising for local charities. For example, students recently visited the local food bank. This had a significant impact on them and they decided to raise funds by making and selling cakes to support the charity.  Students’ achievements are checked with other schools in the academy to ensure accuracy. Staff are working with the academy leaders to develop their approach to assessment. This is so that the school is ready for the change to assessment, which will no longer be based on National Curriculum levels.  Leaders regularly check the achievement, behaviour and attendance of students taking part in off-site

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The leadership and management are good

visits and college to ensure these are of good quality.  Disadvantaged students achieve as well as other pupils in their class. This is because of the effective extra support provided for them through the pupil premium. As a result, these students make good progress in English and mathematics.  The school’s own recent questionnaire shows that parents are pleased with the school. The parents who spoke or wrote to the inspector are very pleased with their children’s education. Parents are very supportive of leaders.  The school ensures equality of opportunity for students through the curriculum. This enables students to develop an understanding of the different cultures and faiths that make up modern Britain. As a result, there is no discrimination and students show mainly positive attitudes to their classmates.  The academy leaders provide helpful support and guidance to the school. They help to check the quality

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The leadership and management are good

of teaching and students’ progress.  The school works very well with local mainstream secondary schools, who are pleased with the support provided by staff at Glynn House. This is evident in a recent letter from the headteacher of a local school, who wrote, ‘Your support for pupils has been of the highest quality.’  Because of regular checks, leaders are fully aware that students in Key Stage 3 do not make quite as much progress in mathematics as those in Key Stage 4.  Leaders provide good-quality advice and careers guidance for students, helping them to make effective decisions about their futures.  The school’s limited accommodation means that students do not have access to specialist facilities for subjects such as science and physical education, for example. The very small classrooms and enclosed corridors challenge students and leaders when monitoring behaviour. Academy leaders have already

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The leadership and management are good

identified this.  Safeguarding procedures meet requirements and are effective. Staff have received training so that they know how to identify any student at risk of harm. Good procedures are in place to ensure that students are safe, including effective risk assessments for external visits.  The governance of the school:  Governors have received training to ensure that they have the skills to support the school. This has ensured that governance is good. Training has ensured that governors have the skills required to hold leaders to account for pupils’ achievements. Governors know about the quality of teaching because they check it regularly. They understand the school’s performance data. Governors know where the best teaching, achievement and behaviour are because members check the performance of staff. They know how well the school is doing and they check performance data with similar establishments to ensure the

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The leadership and management are good

school’s effectiveness. Finances are managed well. Governors make effective use of additional funding to ensure that eligible students benefit from it. As a result, these students achieve as well as their classmates. Governors fully understand procedures for setting targets for teachers and they use these to ensure that the best teachers are rewarded. They know what is being done to tackle any underperformance.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good. The school’s behaviour tracking system shows that individual students’ behaviour improves quickly once they start at the school. Exclusions are reducing and none have been permanent.  Behaviour in lessons is usually calm and the majority of students get on well with each other. Exclusions from Glynn House are very rare and any behaviour incidents are well managed.  Almost all students behave well in and around the school. They value their time there and show this by their much-improved attendance. Almost all students travel to school independently.  Students told the inspector that Glynn House is ‘really special’. ‘We all get on with each other and try to support each other,’ commented a member of the school council.  The school council has initiated many ideas to improve the school. For example, students have raise funds to improve sports equipment, including a set of weights.

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Behaviour

 Students know about different forms of bullying. They told the inspector that there is not much bullying at the school and that if it happens, staff always ‘sort it out’. They said that they learn about drugs and the dangers they present.  School staff and the parents who spoke to the inspector have positive views about behaviour and safety.  Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good because of the good support and opportunities that the school provides. For example, the use of rewards for students who achieve well or improve their behaviour has a positive impact on students’ personal development.  Students show empathy to others, including their classmates, and are always ready to help others who are struggling.  Students are aware of the school’s approach to the Christian religion, which is based on students’ good behaviour and kindness to others. It is balanced with the study of other world faiths. They learn about

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Behaviour

these through weekly assemblies.  Students have recently been fully involved in improving the outdoor areas of the school by developing the gardens. They regularly raise funds for different charities.  Many students have been out of school for some time prior to coming to Glynn House. However, they quickly show that they want to do well and mean to make use of this second chance. As a result, the gap in attendance is improving and is now close to that found in mainstream secondary schools. Key Stage 4 students say they want to come to school and achieve their grades.  The school improves students’ opportunities and prepares them well for re-integration or college through their good achievements and their improving attendance and behaviour.  The behaviour of students while at college or on work experience is good.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is good.  Students are safe at the school. They say that they feel safe at school because staff are always around and they know everyone well.  School policies to ensure safety for all students are fully in place. Students told inspectors that they know about e-safety and staying safe on the internet.  Students understand risks. Thorough risk assessments are in place for any trip or visit, helping students to feel safe.  The behaviour and safety of students on trips, such as their annual overnight camping trip, and at college are good.  Students are safe at college and on their work experience.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Students improve their skills in English and mathematics while at the school because the impact of teaching is good. In lessons, teachers question students on a regular basis to ensure that they understand their tasks. Students are particularly well challenged in English to ensure that they complete enough writing and work at a fast rate.  Activities set almost always match students’ abilities. Just occasionally, tasks for younger students in mathematics are too difficult for them to understand, particularly when they have been out of education for some considerable time. Resources are not always available to improve their understanding. At these times the learning and progress of students in Key Stage 3 dip.  Effective training for staff along with regular monitoring by leaders means that teaching in the vast majority of lessons is at least good. This enables almost all students to achieve the targets set for them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers usually have high expectations of students’ achievements and of their behaviour. They expect them to comply with requests and to organise themselves ready for their lessons.  Reading skills are developing well. There are regular opportunities for students to read aloud and to read to staff, ensuring that students develop good skills. The teaching of phonics (the linking of sounds to letters) to the younger students is having a positive impact in helping them to catch up with past deficiencies.  The teaching of writing is almost always effective in helping students to improve. For example, in Year 11 students responded well to a discussion about the use of vocabulary in writing. They showed that they understood ‘subtle’ by creating sentences using the word.  Teaching assistants provide good-quality support to students, particularly those with additional needs and those eligible for additional funding. As a result, these students achieve as well as their classmates in

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The quality of teaching is good

English and mathematics, and sometimes better than this.  Teachers check students’ achievements regularly to see how well they are doing. Marking is effective in helping students to know how well they are doing and how to improve. This is a strong feature in writing. Good feedback ensures that most students improve their achievements further.  Relationships in and around the school are positive and disruptions to lessons are very rare. Students’ behaviour is well managed and students say that they enjoy their activities.  The most able students benefit from additional challenging tasks. These ensure that these pupils make at least good progress at the school.

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is good

 Most students at Glynn House have had a difficult time in their previous schools because of their behaviour or social and emotional difficulties. A high proportion of students have missed schooling for several months altogether, and for others it has been patchy. ‘I have always had to work on my own before I came here,’ said one student; ‘I was always in a room on my own and I didn't like that so I didn't do much work,’ commented another. Students say they enjoy all aspects of their education now at Glynn House.  School data show that pupils make better-than-expected progress in English and their progress improves as they get older. Records show that students in Years 10 and 11 make rapid progress in English so that most achieve accreditation through GCSEs or Functional Skills in the subject by the time they leave.  Progress in mathematics is good, with the vast majority of students making at least the progress expected

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is good

of them, and sometimes better progress. The progress of students in Key Stage 3 is not quite as strong as for those in Key Stage 4 because many of the students have missed past work and have not fully understood previous mathematical concepts. As a result, their progress dips.  Students, including disadvantaged pupils, those who are eligible for additional funding and those with autism spectrum conditions, achieve equally well. This is because of good-quality support and individual tasks that almost always meet students’ needs. It is also because the curriculum usually matches the abilities of the students in the school.  Pupils make particularly strong progress in reading because of regular practice and high levels of encouragement. Reading targets for pupils indicate very good progress during their time at the school.  Achievement in writing improves rapidly at the school. Students benefit from skilful questioning that

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is good

further extends their understanding.  Students’ books are well presented. Writing is effectively used to support learning across many subjects. Numeracy skills are evident in science particularly. High expectations ensure that students achieve well and improve their rates of progress.  The most able students make good progress in English and mathematics because they are well challenged by individual tasks.  Students enjoy sports and outdoor activities very much. They have good opportunities to work in the school gardens and are building up their gym equipment to improve their fitness. These activities have a positive impact on the progress that they make in terms of physical development.  Students achieve well at college and on work experience.

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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 139745 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 449942

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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 Academy alternative provision converter Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 34 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Harvey Headteacher Ryan Brokenshire Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01872 322443 Fax number 01872 322279 Email address rbrokenshire@cornwallschools.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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