IncludEd Learning

IncludEd 8 Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, Manchester, M16 8ER

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement 3

Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 From their different starting points, pupils make the progress expected of them. Their achievement is not as good as it could be because the school does not carry out consistent pupil assessment. It cannot identify where pupils could make better progress with the appropriate support.  Minor misbehaviour in class sometimes impedes pupils’ learning.  Teachers do not follow the school’s marking scheme so pupils are not shown what they need to do to improve their learning and make better progress.  The school does not have a clear system to track and show the small steps of progress that pupils make in improving their behaviour.  Leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards are met.  Leaders have not implemented a centralised system for recording pupils’ progress and achievement so they are unable to check whether pupils are making enough progress.  There is no system to observe the quality of

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

teaching and learning to support teachers to improve their practice.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils who had very poor attendance in their previous schools now attend school regularly and punctually.  Pupils who have exhibited extremely challenging behaviour in their previous schools co-operate with staff and generally work well in class.  Staff have developed excellent relationships with pupils and are highly motivated to help them succeed.  The school works well with other agencies to keep pupils safe.  The headteacher and staff have produced a development plan which accurately identifies many of the weaknesses in the school. They are starting to bring about improvements but this is at a very early stage.  The headteacher, as sole proprietor, and her staff team are highly committed to the success of the school. This creates a positive atmosphere within the school to which pupils respond well.  The school prepares pupils well for the next stage of their lives.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school must take action to meet the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with one day’s notice. The inspector carried out a number of activities to check compliance with the independent school standards.  The inspector observed learning across a range of subjects and classes. He analysed the school’s records of pupils’ achievements and behaviour. He scrutinised samples of pupils’ work as well as school policies and other documentation.  The inspector spoke to pupils, staff and the headteacher, who is also the proprietor. He spoke by telephone to a member of the senior management team of a school which places pupils in the school.  The inspector considered responses to three inspection questionnaires returned by members of staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey on the Parent View website.

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Inspection team

Michael Glickman, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 IncludEd is a small special school for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties who are at risk of permanent exclusion from their mainstream schools. The school is located in the Whalley Range area of Manchester.  Pupils are referred by the Manchester Secondary Pupil Referral Unit or directly by schools. Pupils remain on roll at their mainstream schools.  The school is registered for 15 pupils aged 11 to 16 years of age and currently has 11 pupils on roll. No pupil has a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan and none is disabled.  The school aims ‘to enhance the education prospects of all learners and to break down barriers to learning including cultural and social barriers.’  The school does not use any alternative education providers.  The school opened in August 2014. This was its first inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve achievement by assessing pupils more promplty on arrival and regularly using standardised tests to identify their progress so that they can be given the appropriate support  Ensure that all teachers follow the school marking scheme to show pupils what they need to do to improve their learning and make quicker progress.  Further reduce instances of minor misbehaviour in class which impede learning.  Monitor pupils’ behaviour in a way which will clearly show the small but significant improvements which pupils make.  Implement a centralised recording system for pupils’ attainment to identify and tackle any areas of under- achievement.  Establish a system of regular observations of the quality of teaching and learning by both leaders and peers in order to improve teacher’s skills.  The school must meet the following independent school standards: The proprietor must ensure that the teaching at the school enables pupils to acquire new knowledge

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught (paragraphs 3 and 3(a)). The proprietor must ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b)).

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management of the school requires improvement as leaders have not put systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching and to measure whether pupils are making good progress, including in literacy, reading and mathematics. As a result, a small number of independent school standards relating to pupils’ progress have not been met.  The head teacher is responsible for all aspects of the school. Although a member of staff has been designated as a manager, his role is currently only to deputise for the head teacher in her absence. As the staff team is very small, there is no formal management structure and no middle management tier.  The headteacher, together with staff, has produced a school development plan with clear targets and timescales. This has accurately identified almost all the areas for improvement highlighted in this report. This plan has started to bring about improvements. However, due to staff shortages, timescales have not

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The leadership and management require improvement

been met and much of the work has not yet been carried out. The school does not have a standard centralised system for tracking pupils’ achievement. Every teacher records progress in their own way. As a result, it is not possible to see whether pupils are making better progress in one subject than in others. Even within a single subject, record keeping does not allow a clear view of pupils’ progress relative to other pupils of their age.  The subjects taught include all the required areas and effectively promotes pupils’ learning. History is taught within English rather than as a separate subject. Due to staff shortages, science has not been taught as a distinct subject this term, but science topics have been included within other areas such as health and mathematics. Planning and the schemes of work provide sufficient guidance to staff so that they can ensure that pupils gain experiences in all the required areas of learning.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The school works well to promote equality of opportunity and tackle discrimination. The staff and student body represent a range of ethnicities, faiths and cultures and everyone is accepted. Pupils are quick to challenge any behaviour they perceive as racism or discrimination.  Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. They gain experience of working with other groups in society. They learn about local and national government and the school has plans for a visit to Parliament. Particular stress is put on knowledge pupils will need in later life, such as their legal rights and obligations.  The school provides appropriate careers guidance. The local Connexions adviser visits regularly and pupils have attended careers events and college open days. Pupils learn to produce a curriculum vitae and are encouraged to consider different career options. The school has gained an award for its work in careers

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The leadership and management require improvement

advice and guidance. All pupils who have completed school this year plan to continue to further education, training or employment.  The school works well to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They learn about the rule of law and much emphasis is placed on right and wrong behaviour. Pupils learn about other faiths and visit local museums and art galleries.  The school has a safeguarding policy which meets requirements. All staff have received appropriate training. The school works effectively with other agencies to share information to keep pupils safe.  The school offers good professional development opportunities for staff. They have attended a range of courses to improve their understanding of the challenging behaviour that pupils present. They are being supported to gain professional qualifications. However, there is no system in place for teachers to observe one another’s practice to improve their teaching skills.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The school provides all the required information to parents, carers and placing schools through its website and on paper. Its safeguarding policy is available on the website.  The school premises are small, but adequate for the number of pupils. The rear yard is currently being developed, with pupils’ involvement, as a play and outdoor learning area. Pupils have supervised access to the large park across the road at breaks. Physical education is delivered at a local leisure centre where there are showers. The school has implemented an appropriate risk assessment for this activity.  The governance of the school: The headteacher is the sole proprietor. She has created an advisory board of representatives of local schools and other professionals to support her in developing the school. They have effectively advised the headteacher regarding the development of learning opportunities and administrative procedures

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The leadership and management require improvement

whilst having no formal role of governance. As headteacher, the proprietor provides effective governance and is fully informed about every aspect of the school and is closely involved in all activities. She is fully aware of the extent of pupils’ progress as she receives regular reports from all teaching staff even though the style of reporting is not uniform. The proprietor is directly responsible for managing the quality of teachers’ work. At present, there is no formal system to observe and improve the quality of teaching, either by managers or colleagues. The school has chosen not to link pay progression to staff performance. The proprietor has responsibility for safeguarding within the school and has received appropriate training for the role.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils are placed in the school because their behaviour has put them at risk of exclusion from their previous schools. The school uses a range of techniques to manage their behaviour and to encourage them to participate in learning. These have been successful in significantly reducing incidents of serious misbehaviour. However, learning is still sometimes interrupted by minor misbehaviour.  The majority of pupils work well in class and comply with instructions. Some, however, are reluctant to work and teachers have to spend time persuading them to participate. This slows the pace of learning for the rest of the class.  The school records pupils’ behaviour and reports on it to the placing schools. However, there is no system in place to track the often small steps of progress that pupils make in improving their behaviour. As a result, the school cannot demonstrate clear improvements in pupils whose behaviour remains challenging.

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Behaviour

 Teachers always challenge the use of inappropriate language. Pupils understand what is expected and usually correct themselves. If they do not, a hint is usually enough for them to apologise.  Some pupils exhibit challenging behaviour, including damaging school property and leaving the premises. The school has effective procedures in place for handling such behaviour. Exclusions are rare, as the school prefers to work with parents and carers to retain pupils within the school.  Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are good. This is particularly striking as many pupils were poor attenders in their previous schools.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say that they feel safe and that they can approach teachers if they have concerns. They say that they feel that the school is like a family.  Pupils say that bullying is uncommon but when it happens, staff are quick to deal with it. They say that homophobic bullying does not occur and they immediately alert staff to any comments that they perceive as racist. Pupils and staff from different backgrounds and cultures get on well together.  Pupils are knowledgeable about personal safety, including alcohol and substance misuse. They understand how to keep themselves safe online and in relationships.  The school has carried out risk assessments for all activities and two members of staff have received advanced safeguarding training.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching requires improvement because teachers do not know clearly whether pupils are making good progress, including in literacy, reading and mathematics. Teacher’s records and pupils’ work show that progress is being made. Each teacher uses their own assessment and tracking system, the interpretation of which relies heavily on their personal knowledge. Although the relevant regulations are met with regard to planning and assessment, records of progress are not always fully detailed. Therefore, the school does not always have a full picture as to how well pupils progress.  The school has a marking scheme which provides for pupils to be given guidance on how to improve their work. Teachers do not follow this scheme, so pupils have no record of what they need to do to improve.  Teachers have developed good relationships with their pupils. Small class sizes and an informal atmosphere encourage pupils who have not engaged in learning in their previous schools to participate in

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

activities. Much effort is invested in developing pupils’ moral awareness and encouraging empathy with others.  Teachers know their pupils well. They use a variety of well-planned techniques that effectively engage them in learning. Teachers make good use of praise to keep pupils focused on their work. As a result, many pupils write at length and clearly take pride in their work. The teaching of literacy, reading and mathematics is effective and enables pupils to make progress.  Art is taught as a therapeutic technique as well as a school subject. Striking examples of pupils’ creative work are displayed around the building.  The subjects taught cover all the required areas of learning. Detailed schemes of work are in place for all subjects, backed by an appropriate range of resources. The school has developed a ‘resource bank’ which is held electronically and available to all staff. This helps them to plan and deliver effective lessons.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The achievement of pupils requires improvement. Although pupils make the progress expected of them, their achievement is not as good as it could be because the school does not carry out consistent pupil assessment. It therefore cannot identify where pupils could make better progress with the appropriate support including in literacy, reading and mathematics. As a result, a small number of independent school standards relating to pupil progress have not been met.  Pupils are placed in the school at short notice throughout the year. The school often does not receive adequate information about their level of attainment from their previous school. Although the school carries out its own standardised assessments, which meet regulatory requirements, occasionally, assessments are not completed promptly. As a result, it is not always clear, until a short time after their arrival, what pupils’ attainment is on entry to the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Teachers maintain records of assessments that are carried out as pupils complete units of work. Each teacher uses their own system and keeps their own records. These records indicate that pupils are making expected progress.  As the school has only been functioning for one year, no pupils have received results for external examinations. A number of pupils have taken GCSE examinations in English and mathematics in the current year.  The most able pupils are given work which enables them to progress at a faster rate than other pupils. Pupils who were capable were entered on the higher tier for GCSE mathematics.

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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 141207 Inspection number 463023 DfE registration number 352/6009 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 Special school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 11 Number of part time pupils 0 Proprietor Noreen Khan Headteacher Noreen Khan Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Annual fees (day pupils) £11,400 Telephone number 0161 971 1352 Email address noreen@includedlearning.co.uk guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a

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School details

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

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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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