TLG Bradford

Hope Park, Trevor Foster Way, Bradford BD5 8HH

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

This is a good school

 From a very low base, pupils make good progress in English and mathematics and achieve well in practical subjects.  The school is successful in meeting its aim to give pupils opportunities to move on to other schools and colleges.  Leaders and managers demonstrate high expectations for all pupils and are successful in leading the school to meet its challenging aims.  Teaching and learning, supported by the school’s own assessment framework, enable pupils to make good progress in academic and personal development.  Pupils, who join the school with social emotional and mental health difficulties, make good progress in developing self-esteem and self-confidence. This leads to improved behaviour for learning and good academic progress.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although attendance is improving, it still remains too low.  Achievement in information and communication technology is below that of other subjects.  Some pupils’ work is not marked well enough and this does not help them improve.

p.1

Compliance with regulatory requirements

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

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve pupils’ attendance.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupil progress in information and communication technology by tracking pupil progress more closely and swiftly addressing areas of underachievement.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Consistently implement the school’s assessment policy and share good practice to further support pupil progress.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The proprietor has ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards.  The proprietors, leaders and managers work effectively together to set high expectations and challenging aims which reflect their belief that all pupils can succeed.  Leaders provide an environment in which pupils achieve well in both their social and their academic development.  Leaders and managers have rigorous procedures to check the quality of teaching. Teachers welcome the opportunities to improve their practice and the opportunities they have for further training and development.  The curriculum fully meets all areas required by the independent school standards. The school enables pupils to achieve in a range of accreditation including Skills for Employment and Further Learning (SEFL), Entry Level and GCSE.  The school’s personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum and the social development in

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

‘Thought for the day’ make a strong contribution to developing pupils’ self-esteem and self-confidence. Through these programmes, pupils understand British values of democracy, the rule of law and social inclusion.  Leaders and managers are successful in supporting pupils to meet ambitious aims to secure opportunities in further education or to return to mainstream schools. A parent commented that her child is ‘building skills to…return to school.’  The implementation of the school assessment policy is not consistent. While some marking is strong and supports progress, other marking does not help pupils to improve.  Leaders and managers have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. These inform the development planning to improve further.  If its material change request to use additional premises and to increase the age range to 11 to 16 is approved, the school is likely to meet the appropriate independent school standards.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school: – Governors meet regularly with leaders and managers and hold them effectively to account. – The proprietor provides strong leadership and clear guidance in policy making that school leaders adapt to meet the needs of the school. – Governors are deeply committed to the interests of the young people.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective: – The single central register fully meets the regulations. – The school’s safeguarding policy is published on its website and includes all the required guidance and information. A printed copy of this policy is sent to all parents and prospective parents. – All named persons have current training at the designated levels in child protection. All staff have appropriate, up-to-date training. Pupils are able to recognise concerns and make reports because of the training they receive in PSHE lessons. – All staff have signed to confirm that they have read ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, as required.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

– All recruitment procedures include at least one person trained in safer recruitment.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers plan lessons well to recognise the needs of their pupils and set tasks with an appropriate level of challenge. Pupils are encouraged to participate and to value others’ contributions.  Teaching in practical subjects such as food technology and music successfully develops pupils’ self- confidence. Pupils are proud of their achievements.  Teaching enables pupils to make good progress from low starting points in English and mathematics. Teachers have good skills in the subjects taught and use them well to encourage pupils to make progress.  At the end of every lesson, pupils are given reward points for their standards of behaviour for learning. The award of these points often generates discussion between teacher and pupils.  Leaders have developed a framework for assessment based on targeting pupils’ outcomes in the range of accreditation used in the school. This enables teachers to plan work for individuals and to base lessons on

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

their understanding of their social and academic needs.  A parent said her child is ‘treated with kindness and encouraged to achieve academically’.  Teachers challenge inappropriate language and behaviour and promote equal opportunity in learning.  The school provides frequent, detailed reports to parents on pupils’ progress. This practice reflects the fact that some students move on regularly to other placements.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are learning to value their education in preparation for moving to the next stage.  Pupils appreciate the value of healthy eating in food technology lessons and through the availability of fruit in school.  Parents comment about pupils’ positive social development since joining the school: ‘The staff…genuinely…have an interest in my child as an individual.’  Attendance for the whole school has improved significantly in the last year but remains below average. A parent commented that ‘he…seems a lot more settled…and is getting up and going in the morning.’  Pupils understand safeguarding issues and how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are protected online by a good e-safety policy and strong practice in school.  The school’s safeguarding provision is thorough. Pupils learn about safety as a result of effective PSHE and

p.4

Personal development and welfare

citizenship lessons.  The school’s health and safety policy and practice keep everyone safe. This includes fire safety, first aid provision, electrical safety and supervision of pupils.  Good risk assessment policy and practice is in place across the curriculum, for educational visits out of school and for individual pupils, as necessary.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils who typically had poor attendance, poor motivation and engaged in low-level disruption in the classroom are showing significant improvement in their behaviour for learning.  This improvement reflects pupils’ appreciation for the support they receive from all staff.

p.4

Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils enter the school with very low prior attainment. Because of interrupted education provision and poor attendance, many pupils are well below the expected standards for their age. They also come to the school with poor behaviour for learning and a lack of concentration.  From these starting points, and in a short time, pupils make good progress in English and mathematics. A large majority meet or exceed their targets; almost half exceed them. This group of pupils has moved from expecting to achieve at Entry Level qualifications to anticipating a GCSE grade.  However, standards in English and mathematics remain low. Achievement in information and communication technology (ICT) is less good, with half of the pupils failing to meet expected progress.  Pupils make good progress in other subjects, especially music and food technology. Much of this progress depends on learning entirely new skills and also contributes significantly to pupils’ increased self-esteem.

p.4

Outcomes for pupils are good

 Experience at e:merge, the youth work charity, also increases self-confidence through sporting activities. This work pushes students into areas of learning new skills where they are initially less comfortable.  Although some pupils often enter the school with a lack of enthusiasm for reading, many now read aloud well and with confidence in lessons. Good intonation confirms their good understanding of the text.  The school is successful in meeting its aims. In the last school year, almost all pupils moved on to college or other alternative provision. Six months later, the school collected data showing that almost all were still attending the provision.  Thirteen pupils were readmitted to mainstream schools and after six months nine were still attending these schools. Parents recognise and support these aims. ‘[The school] has helped her with her behaviour and hopefully will enable her to be re-integrated into [school].’

p.4

Outcomes for pupils are good

 A senior leader in a referring school spoke about a pupil who had returned to mainstream school. He praised the work of TLG (Bradford) in the phased reintegration process and reported that the pupil had successfully kept his place in the new school over a year later.

p.5

School details

Unique reference number 134427 Inspection number 10008553 DfE registration number 380/6118 Type of school Independent school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 12–16 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 14 Number of part time pupils 4 Proprietor TLG The Education Charity Chair Mr Tim Morfin Headteacher Mr Dave Gilkerson Annual fees (day pupils) £6,300 to £19,000 Telephone number 01274 900742 Website www.tlgbradford.org.uk Email address dave.gilkersopn@tlg.org.uk Date of previous inspection 27 April 2010

p.6

Information about this school

 TLG (Bradford) is one of a number of independent schools run by TLG The Education Charity, a Christian charity.  The school provides full- and part-time education for boys and girls between the ages of 12 to 16 years and is registered for up to 20 pupils. There are currently 14 pupils on roll. Ten pupils are full time, and four are part time, attending two or three days each week.  Pupils are placed at TLG (Bradford) by local secondary schools. Pupils have a range of social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Some of those placed at the school have been permanently excluded from other schools and some have attendance issues.  Many pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities, although no student has a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan. A very small number of pupils are in the care of the local authority.  Pupils also attend off-site sessions at e:merge, a youthwork charity based in Bradford.

p.6

Information about this school

 The school aims to prepare key stage 4 pupils for the next stage in their lives, either in education or work, and to enable key stage 3 pupils to be reintegrated into mainstream schools.  The school was first registered in September 2003.  It was last inspected in April 2010.  The school has applied to the DfE to register additional premises in Bradford city centre and to increase the age range of pupils to 11 to 16 years.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out with one day’s notice.  The inspector checked the school’s compliance with the independent school standards and viewed the school’s website.  The inspector observed lessons covering a range of subjects and activities and analysed the school’s assessment records.  He scrutinised a selection of pupils’ work, parents’ responses to a school survey and pupils’ views of the school and considered school policies, schemes of work and other documentation.  The inspector met with senior leaders, the group’s chief executive and the group’s head of education. He had a telephone discussion with the representative of a placing school.  The inspector analysed staff questionnaires. There were insufficient responses to Ofsted’s online survey on the Parent View website to generate a report.  The inspector considered the school’s material change application.

p.7

Inspection team

Peter McKenzie, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 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 copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection team

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.

p.8

Inspection team

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 .

p.8

Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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 1231, 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 www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

p.8

Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspection team

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

p.8