Cambian Scarborough School

School report Cambian Scarborough School Unit 11, Plaxton Park, Cayton Low Road, Eastfield, YO11 3BQ

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Overall effectiveness 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

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This is a good school because

 The behaviour of students is outstanding. Relationships are excellent; students’ respect for others permeates all activities. The safety of students is good. Students comment on how safe and happy they feel when in school.  Although the standards students reach are lower than expected for their age, they make good progress.  Students make outstanding progress in mathematics. Progress in other subjects, including English, is good.  Teaching is good as teachers know their students very well. They make sure that activities match students’ abilities.  Teachers manage behaviour very well and sensitively ensure that the high standards of behaviour expected are maintained throughout the day.  The headteacher, teachers and company directors work extremely well together. They ensure that policies and procedures are consistently implemented to promote the safety of students and that the independent school standards are

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This is a good school because

met. The school continues to improve.  Provision in the sixth form is good. Students are given access to a highly individualised range of subjects which helps prepare them for the next stage of their journey.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There are currently no opportunities for examples of outstanding teaching to be shared with other teachers in the school or in the wider company.  While the small number of serious behavioural incidents are dealt with and documented well, there is insufficient monitoring of these incidents.  Some teachers give students the answer to their questions too soon at times.  The assessment data available is not yet used effectively to identify any trends in students’ performance. This affects the effectiveness with which company directors can challenge the school further and hold teachers more accountable for students’ progress.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school meets the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection, by one inspector, took place over three days.  The inspector observed learning in seven lessons as well as looking at learning in the books of all students.  The inspector spoke to staff, company directors, external consultants and the headteacher. She also took into account written documentation expressing the views of local authorities and different external consultants.  The inspector observed the behaviour of students throughout the school day, at break times and in lessons. She also spoke to most of the students at break times and individually.  There were no responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View. However, testimonials from parents and carers on students’ files were taken into account and the views of parents from telephone calls.  The inspector examined a number of documents, including those relating to safeguarding, policies and procedures, students’ achievement, teaching, and records of attendance and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Joanna Sharpe, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Cambian Scarborough School is an independent special school for young people with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.  The school is registered to admit up to 18 boys and girls aged between eight and 18 years of age. There are currently 13 students on roll, two of who attend part time. All students have a statement of special educational needs. There are no students with disabilities.  Students enter the school at different times of the year and in different year groups than is the norm.  The school has been part of the Cambian Group since 2014. Previously it was part of Continuum Care and Education Ltd.  The school is located on the edge of an industrial estate in Eastfield to the south of Scarborough.  All students have been referred by local authorities who fund their places. The school does not use any alternative providers.  Following a request from a local authority, the school has students in the sixth form provision for the first

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Information about this school

time since opening in 2003.  The school was previously inspected in March 2012.  The current headteacher has been in place since 2013. The headteacher teaches for 50% of the school timetable.  The aim of the school is to reintegrate students back into mainstream education or training. The school motto is ‘Everyone has a personal best’.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching by: making sure that all teachers do not give students the answers without first giving them the opportunity to think of the solution for themselves allowing more opportunities for teachers to share outstanding teaching practices within the school and the company.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by making better use of available information on pupil performance and serious incidents of behaviour to: make teachers more accountable for students’ academic progress clearly identify any possible trends or changes in the progress students make allow company directors to challenge the school more effectively identify any possible trends in serious behavioural incidents.

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The leadership and management are good

 Although there is not a leadership team within this small school, all teachers work extremely well with the headteacher to ensure that policies and procedures are carried out effectively. The headteacher, along with the support of company directors, ensures that the independent school standards continue to be met.  The headteacher leads her team with a determination and a commitment for excellence; all teachers share this vision. The headteacher knows the school well, and evaluates its strengths and weaknesses accurately.  The curriculum is outstanding. All activities are planned so that students are motivated, engaged and are developing a love of learning after previously being disengaged from learning. For example, students have the opportunity to gain the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award and to gain qualifications in judo.  The spiritual, moral social and cultural development of students is a strength of the school. An ethos of

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The leadership and management are good

respect and equal opportunities permeate all activities. This is highly evident, for example, in assemblies when students learn to respect the opinions of others, and in reading lessons where students show consideration by waiting when others stumble over a word. Discrimination of any sort is tackled extremely well by all staff.  Students receive excellent careers guidance. Good links with local colleges and businesses, as well as aspirational discussions, help guide students toward their next steps. Adults go out of their way to support students, for example by accompanying them to local businesses to access apprenticeship opportunities.  Students develop an understanding and acceptance of the different types of people in modern Britain. For example, they visit the local Mosque and Buddhist temple. Their visits to the local care home for the elderly have had dramatic results with one student volunteering to clean the windows of an elderly

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The leadership and management are good

person. Students’ voluntary activities foster good relations in school and in the wider community.  The headteacher produces individual student progress files which clearly show movement from starting points for both achievement and behaviour. The information on student achievement is not yet used to analyse any possible trends in students’ standards and progress. The information on daily behavioural targets is extremely well analysed. However, the monitoring of serious behavioural incidents does not check for any patterns that may emerge.  Staff feel very well supported by the headteacher. They have half-termly meetings during which staff and the headteacher analyse student performance and annual performance management which helps improve the quality of teaching. The headteacher, along with external consultants, monitor the quality of teaching. At present, annual performance reviews do not hold teachers fully accountable for the progress students

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The leadership and management are good

make.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding students meet statutory requirements. The safeguarding policy has been checked for compliance with paragraphs 32(1) and 32(1)(c) of the independent school standards. Risk assessments are completed well for activities, areas and individuals to ensure potential hazards are minimised. Staff are well trained and receive training on a regular basis.  The governance of the school: The directors have implemented a number of strategies including monthly external consultancy support, clear performance management systems, and the opportunity for the headteacher to meet with other headteachers and share good practice. The headteacher has welcomed these initiatives and is beginning to see the impact of these interventions. Directors are fully aware that there needs to be better use of the student academic and behavioural information to identify strengths and weaknesses

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The leadership and management are good

more accurately. Weekly reports from the headteacher give directors information about student behaviour and achievement. This information means directors can challenge the school as required, but they are not fully able to challenge with regards to any patterns that may emerge. The directors have clear requirements for the school in setting targets for teachers. This process gives them a good picture of the quality of teaching. Directors take an active role in setting targets for the headteacher. Financial management ensures that the needs of the school are met. Directors have made the financial resources available so that the headteacher can receive administrative support to organise information more efficiently.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is outstanding. Students develop high expectations of themselves and manage their own behaviour extremely well. They wear their uniform neatly and with pride, and enjoy keeping their school clean and tidy. All books and other resources in the school are in very good condition and students treat equipment with respect.  Students eagerly take on other roles of responsibility such as feeding and cleaning Rollo, the school hamster.  Students comment proudly on how their behaviour has improved since they have attended the school. The school data confirms the dramatic improvements in behaviour. Parents’ comments also confirm that students’ behaviour has dramatically improved.  Students have exceptionally good attitudes to learning which directly influence the amount of progress they are able to make.  Students enjoy coming to school and the majority of students attend school every day. This is a dramatic

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Behaviour

improvement for some students who rarely attended their previous schools.  The management of behaviour is outstanding. Students have behavioural targets for every lesson which are reviewed on a daily, weekly, termly and annual basis. Students accept responsibility for reaching these targets. The vast majority of students reach at least 85% of their required targets, and many reach 100%. Students are given clear messages about the implications of achieving or not achieving these targets. Rewards and sanctions are consistently given.  Students know that behaviour in the school is outstanding and that any bullying is very swiftly and effectively dealt with by adults.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is good. Students say how safe they feel in school.  Visitors, such as the local police youth officer, educate the students about how to keep themselves safe on the internet and make them aware of cyber bullying. They also reinforce students’ knowledge of British law.  Teachers reinforce rules about road safety when they take students out as well as during lessons in school.  Students comment that, if they are worried about anything, they feel they can talk to any of the adults in the school. This is because they know adults care about them and will help them.  Students have access to a quiet library area should they need a space in which to calm down. However, students say that they often use the outside space if they need to get away from other students so they can manage their own behaviour. They comment that they are never confined inside or outside the

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Safety

school. Staff accompany them to keep them safe and for reassurance.  Students take part in a wide range of potentially hazardous activities such as working with tools in the vocational unit within school. Students are well educated about why they have to wear protective clothing and the safe way to handle tools and equipment.  The number of serious behavioural incidents that occur in the school are few and documented well. However, leaders and managers do not check whether there are any patterns regarding where, why or with whom these incidents occur.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ questioning skills are excellent. This is particularly good in mathematics lessons where questioning is used to assess students’ understanding to enable teachers to adapt teaching accordingly. Teachers also regularly assess students on a more formal basis to gather information about their progress.  Questioning is used to make students think about what they are learning. They are encouraged to consider if their answers are correct and why an alternative answer may be more appropriate. However, some teachers give students the answer to problems and questions too quickly so that students do not have to think more deeply about a solution.  All teachers are extremely well organised; this helps to keep students engaged and learning.  Less-able students are well supported, particularly by teaching assistants who continually encourage and motivate them to maintain learning. Every opportunity is taken for students to read, which promotes their

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The quality of teaching is good

skills and confidence in this subject.  Teachers know their students very well. They are very sensitive to students’ emotional needs and how this can affect how well they learn. This enables them to ensure that students remain engaged and motivated throughout lessons.  Teaching assistants support all students extremely well. They know exactly what the students need to learn and work extremely well with teachers to ensure that students are making good progress throughout the lesson.  Teachers make sure that students are highly engaged in interesting activities that motivate them to learn. For example, a teacher took a student out to take photographs and gather materials in the local environment to support a larger art and design project. Other students had great fun learning about different cultures through music and dance.  All work is well marked to help recognise achievements as well as to show students how they can

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The quality of teaching is good

improve their work. In English, marking reinforces basic literacy skills to support good progress.  There are no opportunities for teachers to learn from each other and thus improve their own practice. Examples of outstanding teaching are not shared within the school nor across the proprietor’s other schools.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students enter the school with low starting points, with standards that are lower than that expected for their age. However, they make good and outstanding progress in all subjects. Non-attendance at previous schools and emotional and behavioural issues have generally led to this lower attainment.  Students make outstanding progress in mathematics. Well-planned problem-solving activities help engage and motivate students, and support this level of progress.  Progress in English is good and work completed across other subjects helps to promote literacy skills. For example, students are taking currently a great interest in national and local politics and teachers use such interests to support progress in literacy skills.  More-able students make at least good progress as teachers are aware of when they are ready to tackle more challenging activities and quickly move them on.  Students read well and are happy to tackle relatively complex vocabulary when reading. Less-able

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The achievement of pupils is good

students are well supported with focused work in phonics (the sound that letters make). A library is well stocked with a wide range of books for all abilities and interests.  As students move into Key Stage 4, they are encouraged to take accredited examinations in a range of subjects such as English, mathematics, construction and business studies. Most students gain entry level qualifications in these subjects. Students are not entered for GCSE earlier than is expected for their age.

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The sixth form provision is good

 Leadership and management of the sixth form are good. Leaders ensure that a highly individualised timetable meets the needs of these students.  Students have excellent support and guidance to help them choose what they would like to do next. They are encouraged to be realistic and aspirational. Teachers ensure that students gather useful information from local colleges. They make sure that students have opportunities to attend open days and visit as they need to.  Students take part in travel training which educates them about how to keep themselves safe while using public transport and walking in public places. This type of training prepares them well for the time when they must leave the school.  Behaviour is excellent. Students are very welcoming to visitors and are polite to all around them. Some of students struggle in social situations; excellent support from staff help them experience different

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The sixth form provision is good

situations and gradually become more confident.  Teaching is good. Students are highly motivated to learn by the relevance of the activities and the good support they get from teachers and teaching assistants.  Students continue to make good progress in all subjects as they move into the sixth form. They continue to work towards accredited qualifications.  A wide range of subjects is available to students. Teachers have excellent links with the local army cadets which have created opportunities for students to take part in outdoor pursuits while camping outdoors.

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Grade Judgement

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Requires improvement Grade 4 Inadequate

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Grade Judgement

Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Non-association independent school inspection handbook which is published on the Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/non- association-independent-school-inspection-handbook .

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School details

Unique reference number 134660 Inspection number 463007 DfE registration number 815/6036 This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. Type of school Independent special school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 8–18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 13 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 2 Number of part time pupils 2 Proprietor Cambian Group Ltd Chair Stephen Bradshaw Headteacher Patricia Peake Date of previous school inspection March 2012 Annual fees (day pupils) £38,000 Telephone number 01723 582073 Fax number n/a Email address patricia.peake@cambiangroup.com guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website:

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School details

www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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School details

inspects to 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit

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School details

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/user .

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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