Manor School

Manor School Chamberlayne Road, Kensal Rise, London NW10 3NT

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is an outstanding school

 The headteacher makes sure that all aspects of the school’s provision work harmoniously together. Consequently, pupils experience a highly consistent and coherent educational experience. This school lives up to its motto of ‘love, learn, laugh’.  Senior leaders are highly regarded by staff, pupils and parents alike because they are dedicated to securing high-quality educational provision for all pupils on roll. Senior and middle leaders are very effective because their roles are clearly defined and they work very well together.  Pupils’ outcomes are outstanding as a result of highly consistent teaching. Teachers work closely with therapists to make sure that all pupils’ needs are met.  Pupils behave extremely well because they are equipped with skills which enable them to communicate their needs successfully. Adults are excellent role models and support pupils’ behaviour effectively.  Pupils’ personal development and welfare is

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This is an outstanding school

outstanding because leaders place an emphasis on providing opportunities which enhance every aspect of each pupil’s life. Robust systems ensure that pupils are kept safe.  Governors are very well informed. They have relevant skills and experience which mean that they can hold leaders to account affectively for their work.  The outdoor play area is carefully planned and provides attractive and varied choices for pupils during breaktimes. Adults skilfully help pupils to develop their physical, social, play and imaginative skills while at play.  Pupils in the early years make outstanding progress because their small steps of progress are very well recorded by adults, who then plan interesting activities to promote further learning. By the end of the Reception Year, pupils are ready to learn in Year 1.  Classrooms and other indoor learning areas are highly consistent. They contain useful information for pupils through the use of signs, symbols,

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This is an outstanding school

words and numbers. The early years outdoor environment does not contain this information, however.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well catered for. Pupils learn to develop friendships, explore different cultures and are involved in evaluating the work of the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enhance the early years outdoor learning environment by extending the school’s consistent use of signage, symbols, key words and numbers into this area.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 Under the guidance of a dedicated and passionate headteacher, leaders at all levels are enabled to flourish and have a positive impact on outcomes for pupils. The school is acknowledged in the local area as a source of expertise. Senior leaders have nurtured an ethos of ‘everyone a learner, everyone a leader’, which extends to both pupils and staff.  Senior leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance is accurate. They reflect on their achievements and plan carefully to make sure that all pupils are given the best possible chances of achieving their full potential. Leaders do not shy away from taking risks such as introducing new teaching approaches that are backed up by research, or by employing the school therapy dog, Poppy. They are meticulous in checking that these innovations provide a positive experience for pupils and result in improved outcomes relating to academic or personal development.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 Middle leaders are effective because they are well trained to fulfil their roles. There are clear lines of responsibility, and everybody knows where responsibilities lie. Effective teamwork between therapists, leaders and class staff results in the high levels of consistency that promote pupils’ achievement.  Leaders are determined that pupils’ personal development and spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding should remain at the heart of their work. The ‘Manor promise’ set outs opportunities that the school undertakes to offer its pupils. These include playing a musical instrument in a concert, visiting a farm, celebrating other cultures, collecting (and eating) an egg from the school chickens, visiting the theatre and representing others. Consequently, pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum which is very well adapted to their needs.  Pupils are involved in evaluating the work of the school. For example, school councillors discussed

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

different types of behaviour. They then undertook observations in lessons, recording the behaviour they saw. They were able to report to governors that in all their observations they had seen only one instance of inappropriate behaviour. This related to a minor misdemeanour.  Pupils learn about fundamental British values through their involvement in school activities. Leaders and teachers present these concepts in contexts that the pupils can understand so that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders spend additional funding to support those who are eligible for free school meals, or who are in the care of the local authority, wisely. This funding has been used to extend the therapy team to include a drama therapist, to train members of staff in specialist teaching methods and to broaden the work to support families. As a result, these pupils achieve as well as others in the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The governance of the school Governance of the school is very effective. Governors have recruited members with relevant skills and experience in education, special educational needs, finance and business. They are each allocated specific responsibilities relating to an area of the school’s work. Governors provide written reports to the rest of the governing body setting out what activities they have undertaken, what questions they have asked, and what has improved or changed as a result of this link responsibility. Governors receive reports from a range of school leaders and external consultants to verify the strength of the school’s work. They gather information from parents and pupils about specific aspects of the school’s work such as the use of tablet computers. Governors have worked closely with leaders and the local authority to broker arrangements for the expansion of the school. They have made sure that these arrangements are in the best interests of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

school and do not place the high quality of the existing provision at risk.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders and governors take their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding very seriously and practice is very robust. Each classroom has a safeguarding board displaying key information for both staff and pupils about who to approach if they have concerns. Information for pupils is presented in a visual format that is simple to understand using photographs and symbols. The consistency in presentation of this information means that it is familiar to pupils regardless of which classroom they are in. Governors examine the school’s safeguarding procedures and records of checks on the suitability of staff regularly. Leaders make sure that any referrals are followed up with the relevant agencies, for example in relation to concerns about female genital mutilation.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding because there is a very high degree of consistency in the approaches used by teachers and other adults. Thorough and comprehensive systems for assessing pupils’ skills are implemented very well. Teachers, therapists, leaders and support staff work seamlessly together to maintain a structured and consistent environment. This reassures pupils and helps them to make excellent progress.  Members of staff are very skilled at choosing motivating resources and using them effectively to promote pupils’ attention and listening skills. They use moments of quiet to build anticipation, using silence effectively to focus pupils’ attention and develop enjoyment in a shared activity.  Teachers plan a wide range of interesting activities to promote early literacy and numeracy skills, which are personalised according to each pupil’s ability. They interweave these with therapeutic programmes.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Examples include counting the bounces a pupil completes on the trampoline, or promoting turn-taking skills while developing an understanding of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make).  The most able pupils understand the school’s system for providing feedback on their work. They can explain what they need to do in order to improve their work using this feedback. As a result, they make outstanding progress.  Teachers work very closely with therapists to set targets for pupils that address their communication, physical, behaviour and sensory needs alongside their academic development. They work together to plan and deliver activities which are precisely focused on exactly what pupils need to learn next. For example, in a Reception class, a teacher, occupational therapist and teaching assistant worked with individuals and small groups of pupils to develop their physical and sensory skills. Activities provided for pupils to choose

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

from included using tweezers to take items from a tray, using a large piece of Lycra to develop physical skills of pulling and stretching, and bouncing on a small trampoline.  Parents are very well informed about their children’s progress. They receive weekly updates through home–school communication diaries which include photographs of their children’s achievements. Meetings held with teachers are structured to include detail on exactly what the pupil can and cannot do, and to set priorities for further improvement. Parents are also invited to attend training on alternative means of communication used by pupils, such as signing. This means that parents are well equipped to support their children’s learning at home.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. The outdoor areas have a range of varied and stimulating activities available for pupils to access. These are carefully chosen to meet pupils’ sensory needs and develop their physical skills in addition to providing fun and excitement. Activities include a climbing frame, reading area, trampoline, scooters and trikes, and dressing up clothes. Staff supervise activities well, encouraging pupils to be imaginative and try new ideas. Pupils are busy having fun so there are very few disagreements.  School leaders take every opportunity to develop self-awareness and self-esteem. For example, there are mirrors in the lunch hall and pupils are encouraged to carry out a ‘face check’, making sure that their face is free from food, before going outside to play.  There are no incidents of teasing or name-calling because of the highly inclusive atmosphere in the

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Personal development and welfare

school. Everyone is accepted and different views are welcomed. During the inspection no instances of unkind behaviour were seen. Pupils demonstrated concern if another was hurt or injured, for example, in the playground.  Healthy and tasty lunches encourage pupils to develop healthy lifestyles. Pupils are supported in making choices at lunchtimes and snack times through the use of visual symbols or signing. Consistent use of these systems means that pupils can make informed choices and communicate them effectively to the adults around them.  Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe and, for example, know that they should not speak to strangers. Parents are confident that their children are kept safe while at school and are overwhelmingly positive about the experiences offered to their children.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They attend very well in lessons because of the interesting and carefully planned activities that teachers provide. Clear boundaries and high expectations consistently applied by adults support pupils to behave extremely well. Teaching and learning continues without interruption when, because of their needs, a pupil loses focus in lessons. This is because other adults support the pupil calmly and efficiently to refocus while the leading adult continues to teach the rest of the group.  Pupils are polite and courteous. They are proud of their school and inquisitive about visitors, asking them questions and eager to share their experiences at school. Behaviour in lessons, in the playground and around school is of a consistently high standard. Visual reminders and staff prompting supports pupils to maintain their positive behaviour. Members of staff at all levels are positive role models.

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Behaviour

 Pupils demonstrate that they enjoy school through high levels of attendance. Any pupils who are away from school are quickly followed up to make sure that pupils are safe, and information is gathered about the reasons for their absence. Very few pupils are regularly absent from school. When cases do occur, leaders work closely with the local authority to improve attendance quickly.  Any incidents of challenging behaviour are carefully logged. Leaders make sure that highly effective plans are put in place to support any pupil who needs additional help. Plans are effective because leaders research the reasons behind the particular behaviour and teach the pupil strategies to communicate their needs in a more acceptable manner.

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 Pupils make outstanding progress from very low starting points. Their progress is checked on a termly basis, and leaders expect all pupils to make accelerated progress. Almost all pupils reach these expectations; many achieve even more.  Leaders have developed a comprehensive assessment system which identifies exactly what each pupil can and cannot do. This system is informed by the expertise of speech and language therapists and occupational therapists on the school staff. The detailed system covers the curriculum areas of communication, English, mathematics, science, personal and social development, independence and citizenship.  The assessment system is complemented by individual targets which are set for pupils in each of the key areas. A consistent structure is set by leaders which notes the level of help needed for pupils to achieve their targets. In this way, clear records are kept of the very small steps of progress made by pupils until

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

they can achieve their target without support.  Pupils who are eligible for free school meals and those who speak English as an additional language make the same outstanding progress as others. Boys do as well as girls. Leaders scrutinise assessment information carefully to make sure that gaps are not emerging.  Leaders take effective action to address any developing patterns of weaker performance. For example, they identified a small group of pupils with more complex needs who were not making the progress expected by leaders. A detailed assessment showed that these pupils lacked the prerequisite skills needed to communicate their needs and maintain attention in class. In order to address these needs, leaders set up two additional classes under the management of the lead behaviour practitioner focusing on the precise skills which would enable these pupils to acquire skills more rapidly. These pupils are now making

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

excellent progress. The parent of one wrote, ‘His interests, attention and awareness have greatly improved, from a child who had a 30 second attention span to an activity for 20 minutes or more’.  The most able pupils also make outstanding progress because they are provided with activities which stretch their thinking and extend their skills. In a literacy lesson, for example, the most able pupils were observed working out which sounds they needed to create simple three-letter words with minimal support from adults, but a clear visual structure to the task.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 Children in the Reception classes make outstanding progress from low starting points. High-quality teaching and accurate assessment, underpinned by a thorough understanding of children’s special educational needs, mean that teachers plan very effective lessons.  Leaders have introduced a system for assessment in the early years which breaks down each stage of development to very small steps. Leaders and teachers identify exactly what each child’s next steps in learning are and track their progress in detail. They have high expectations, and set out exactly how much progress they expect each child to make from their starting point. In the spring term they identified a few children who were not on track to achieve their challenging targets. As a result of targeted and effective teaching, these children are now back on track.  The learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, is well resourced with a wide range of enticing

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Early years provision is outstanding

activities. Teachers and other adults place several well-selected activities carefully so that their purpose is clear and children can access them safely and independently.  Children develop early literacy and numeracy skills well. For example, a group of most able children were learning the sound ‘j’. They listened avidly and joined in enthusiastically as the leading adult introduced words that begin with this sound from a hidden box. The sense of anticipation was palpable as they joined in with tasting jam and experienced jumping and jogging before practising their letter formation.  Children behave well in the early years because of the high levels of consistency in both the visual and auditory environment. Adults adapt their verbal communication well so that children can understand it fully. Indoors, learning is well supported by symbols, words and numbers supporting children’s communication, literacy and numeracy skills. This support is not as evident in the outdoor environment.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 Children are well prepared for Year 1 because adults make sure that the approach and environment are consistent with that in the main part of the school. Therapists work with pupils in both Reception and Year 1. This means that children settle quickly when they move to Year 1 and there are no gaps in learning.

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School details

Unique reference number 101582 Local authority Brent Inspection number 10001326 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 172 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Stephen Hull Headteacher Jayne Jardine Telephone number 020 8968 3160 Website www.manorschoolbrent.co.uk Email address admin@manor.brent.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 5–6 December 2012

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Information about this school

 Manor School is a large special school catering for the needs of primary-aged pupils who have severe learning difficulties. Around three quarters of those on roll have autistic spectrum disorders. This proportion is increasing.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and around two thirds speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is above average.  Around a quarter of the pupils are girls, in line with other similar schools.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors made short visits to most classes to observe teaching and learning taking place. Most of these were undertaken jointly with senior leaders. Pupils were also observed at unstructured times such as snack time, playtime and lunchtime. An inspector joined pupils in the lunch hall and another visited an assembly.  Inspectors spoke to pupils around the school, and met more formally with a group to discuss their experiences at school. The views of parents were gathered through speaking to them at the start of the day, scrutinising analysis of the school’s parent questionnaire and taking into consideration 16 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, therapists, other members of staff and a group of governors. A telephone conversation was held with a representative of the local authority. A wide range of documentation was scrutinised, including that relating to pupils’ progress, safeguarding arrangements

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Information about this inspection

and checks on the quality of teaching.  Inspectors carried out a detailed scrutiny of documentation and work relating to a sample of pupils from all key stages. This included looking at books, therapists’ reports, annual review reports and teachers’ assessments of the progress each pupil is making.

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Inspection team

Gaynor Roberts, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Kanwaljit Singh 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 .

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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.

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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

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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,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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