Fordway Centre

Stanwell Road, Ashford, Middlesex TW15 3DU

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

This is an outstanding school

 The members of the management committee show great drive and ambition for the school, demonstrated by their recruitment of strong leaders.  The head of school has led dramatic improvements in teaching, behaviour and outcomes in a short period of time, so that all aspects of the school are now outstanding.  The executive headteacher has ensured that the resources and expertise of the federation have been mobilised to help make the necessary rapid improvements to the school.  All staff have a shared ambition to provide the best opportunities for the pupils of Fordway. Pupils who have often faced difficulties in other schools are given a fresh start and the opportunity to enjoy being successful.  Rigorous policies and practices ensure that pupils are kept safe from harm at all times. Pupils confirm they feel very safe at this school.  Behaviour has improved dramatically. Exclusions have been reduced significantly and are now very

p.1

This is an outstanding school

rare.  There has been a considerable improvement in attendance since the previous inspection, because pupils enjoy attending the school and feel happy there.  Teaching is outstanding because it meets the needs of all individual pupils exceptionally well. Teachers and teaching assistants support and challenge pupils so that they make rapid progress in their learning.  From often low starting points, pupils make rapid progress in their learning in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils have many opportunities to apply their skills and knowledge in their topic work.  The curriculum is broad and balanced and captures the interests of pupils very well. It ensures learning is enjoyable and provides pupils with a range of opportunities to develop spiritually, morally and socially, and to improve their understanding of other cultures.  Pupils are very well prepared to move on to their new placements at the end of their time at

p.1

This is an outstanding school

Fordway. The school ensures that they are ready to succeed socially, academically and in terms of managing their behaviour.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Share the best inclusive practice with other mainstream and specialist settings in the locality, to enable pupils to move on from the centre more quickly.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 Since her appointment in April 2015, the head of school has led rapid improvements in the quality of teaching and learning and pupils’ behaviour so that both are now outstanding. The robust systems and procedures that she has introduced ensure that pupils do very well socially and academically, making rapid progress from their starting points.  Other school leaders are very effective at ensuring the curriculum is inspiring and motivates pupils to do well, and that all pupils receive excellent care and guidance irrespective of their needs or background. This demonstrates excellent equality of opportunity.  The impact of the federation has been immeasurable. It has allowed pupils and staff to benefit from the expert leadership of the executive headteacher, provided high-quality professional development for staff and enhanced the curriculum for pupils and how well teachers deliver it.  The school’s curriculum is very well tailored to the needs of the pupils. It provides many enriching activities

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

to stimulate pupils’ interests and help them to understand the world in which they live. The design of the curriculum with a thematic approach means that pupils are not disadvantaged by entering or leaving the school at different times of the year. Key skills are extremely well developed throughout the curriculum and opportunities to understand British values such as tolerance and respect are embedded in daily reflection sessions.  The primary sport premium is used effectively to improve participation in physical activity and provide opportunities for pupils to participate in competitive sport against other similar schools.  The additional government pupil premium funding is used effectively to improve the attendance, well-being, academic achievement and behaviour of the most disadvantaged pupils.  All members of staff that completed the confidential staff questionnaire said that the school was very well

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

led and managed. Staff who spoke to inspectors completely agreed. The few parents that spoke to inspectors, or made comments on Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, agreed this was this case.  The executive headteacher’s ambition to provide a centre of excellence for vulnerable pupils is well on its way to being achieved. The school’s impressive work can now be spread more widely so that other schools can benefit from the expertise within the school.  The local authority has closely monitored the improvements made by the school leaders and management committee. They provided additional helpful support around provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities during a period of staff absence.  The governance of the school The management committee took decisive action (in conjunction with the local authority) to secure the appointments of the experienced leadership of a successful executive headteacher and head of school.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

More recently, they have taken further action to make the school part of a federation of schools, to secure this leadership for the foreseeable future. Members of the management committee make regular visits to the school to check on the improvements that have been made. For example, they observed how well the physical changes to the layout of the school and the use of a ‘calm room’ had been implemented. Committee members hold the school’s leaders to account because they know the school and the community it serves very well. They ensure that the school’s finances, including the pupil premium for disadvantaged pupils and the primary sports premium, are spent appropriately to have the maximum impact. The management committee understands how pay progression for teachers is matched to their performance. There are very robust procedures in place to ensure this is the case. However, the local management committee do not currently have full responsibility for measuring the head of school’s

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

performance.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Policies and procedures work very well to keep all pupils, some of whom are very vulnerable, safe from harm both in and out of school. School leaders are proactive when working with other professionals to keep the school’s pupils safe. Training for school leaders, staff and members of the management committee is up to date so that they are able to be vigilant and vigorous in protecting pupils. Leaders and staff are aware of different risks posed to pupils; this includes risks associated with extremism. Risks are robustly assessed both in school and when pupils go on trips and excursions.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

 Teaching has improved rapidly because of the concerted efforts of leaders to make improvements and the excellent professional development opportunities teachers have received from the federation.  The school’s detailed and rigorous monitoring shows that teaching has improved dramatically over time so that it is now outstanding.  This outstanding teaching is leading to pupils making rapid progress from their starting points because of the accurate and effective use of helpful assessment information.  Detailed assessment information about individual pupils allows teachers to tailor work to pupils’ individual needs. This speeds up their progress when they feel safe, happy and ready to learn.  Teachers provide pupils with consistently high levels of feedback. This enables pupils to know where they have been successful and how they can improve further. It also encourages pupils to self-assess their own

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

work, which they generally do honestly and accurately. Pupils’ books are well presented showing that they take pride in their work.  High expectations and a culture of enjoyment and wanting to achieve is normal in the classrooms. Teachers and teaching assistants ask pupils well differentiated questions which help individuals make progress in their lessons. Teachers adapt activities when pupils find them too easy or too hard. Pupils are encouraged to be resilient when they are challenged, for example when they are practising their spellings.  Reading and phonics (the sounds that letters make) are taught very well and this leads to pupils making accelerated progress in this area. In one lesson, a very skilled teaching assistant worked well with a pupil who was at an early stage of learning phonics. Her accurate teaching, enthusiasm, and use of short, sharp activities helped the pupil to succeed.  Teachers’ strong subject knowledge means that mathematics is taught well throughout the school, especially

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

in terms of helping pupils develop their fluency in carrying out calculations.  Pupils enjoy a range of opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills throughout the curriculum; for example, writing is developed well in pupils’ topic books, especially in history and science.  Parents receive regular information from the school about how well their children are doing and are invited to helpful review meetings each term.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  The head of school and teacher responsible for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are heavily involved in the movement of pupils in and out of the school to ensure this works smoothly.  Clear processes at the start of each school day contribute to pupils’ personal development and welfare. All staff ensure that pupils receive a warm welcome each morning and then have dedicated time with a key worker, and eat breakfast together. This allows the staff to pick up on any welfare issues so that learning can start afterwards without disruption. The school’s own survey shows that pupils say they feel extremely safe at this school and pupils trust that the adults in the school will help them to stay safe.  Staff are proactive about dealing with any bullying behaviour. Recorded incidents of confirmed bullying are

p.4

Personal development and welfare

very infrequent. While the school has taught pupils how to be safe online, and this is understood by the majority of pupils, the school has tackled inappropriate use of technology by a few pupils out of school.  Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities through the school council. For example, school councillors led a competition to design anti-bullying and online safety posters.  Pupils’ physical and mental well-being are developed exceptionally well through: professional football coaching, fitness challenges that build stamina and resilience and street dance that develops rhythm and coordination. Regular opportunities to cook develop an accurate understanding of healthy eating.  Attendance has risen since the previous inspection because pupils are keen to attend school regularly, due to the interesting curriculum and because of the school’s stringent systems to monitor and follow up any

p.4

Personal development and welfare

absence.  The school ensures that pupils are fully prepared and ready to transfer successfully to a new school or placement before any planned move actually takes place.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  A significant proportion of the pupils at this school have been excluded from other schools because of their previous poor behaviour. The school plans effectively for placements so they can be successful, before pupils are even admitted to the school. School leaders and teachers develop significant, detailed knowledge of individual pupils in a short period of time so that they are well supported to make positive choices.  School records show that there have been dramatic improvements in behaviour over time for individuals. Furthermore, there has been a significant reduction in exclusions (which are now rare), use of physical intervention by staff and in the use of the ‘calm room’.  Positive relationships between staff and pupils ensure that lessons flow without disruption. Pupils all eat lunch together sensibly with staff, and play together well at break and lunchtimes. The school is a very calm

p.4

Behaviour

place.  In an assembly during the inspection, pupils’ behaviour was focused and reflective. They listened intently to the visiting speaker and answered her questions sensibly and debated politely with each other. They enjoyed successfully identifying European flags in a quiz and finally, respected a period of quiet prayer together.  During their time at the school, inspectors observed examples of pupils exhibiting restraint in terms of managing their own behaviour and also examples of pupils politely correcting the behaviour of their peers. Older pupils talked proudly to inspectors about how their behaviour has improved since they have been at the school.  School leaders are consistent and persistent in ensuring that any poor behaviour choices are followed up rigorously. However, they ensure that pupils quickly return to their learning in class with a fresh start.  The parents who completed the Parent View survey wrote effusively about how the school’s culture and

p.5

Behaviour

expectations had helped their children to make improvements in their behaviour. Parents who spoke to inspectors also agreed this was the case.  All members of staff who completed the survey were extremely positive about how behaviour was consistently well managed and about how leaders supported staff with managing any challenging behaviour.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 It is not possible to accurately compare the progress of pupils in this school with other schools nationally. This is because pupils join the school at different times and stay for various lengths of time, ranging from seven weeks to over one year.  The school’s rigorous assessment procedures show that pupils’ starting points are generally below those expected for their age. However, initial assessments frequently show that pupils have capabilities above the level that they were demonstrating in their previous schools. This is because they feel safe and happy, and are willing to show their best work at this school.  Pupils take pride in their work and their books show very strong progress over time. External testing of key skills, the school’s own assessment information and talking to pupils about their work confirms this is the case.  Pupils make rapid progress as readers from considerably low starting points. This is because staff are aware

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

of pupils’ strengths and areas to develop. Fluency, using well-taught phonics strategies, is improving rapidly. Pupils are challenged to demonstrate their understanding of what they have read through regular comprehension exercises.  Nearly all pupils are required to write frequently and for a wide range of purposes. Skills in spelling, punctuation and grammar are developed very well from low starting points. A very few pupils are not always challenged to write independently, when they are capable of doing so.  Pupils develop their fluency in mathematics especially well. They have opportunities to apply their skills in problem-solving tasks and real life contexts.  Disadvantaged pupils make as much progress as others, because all pupils benefit from outstanding individualised teaching.  When they have settled in to the school, the most able pupils are very well challenged in lessons and make significant progress towards achieving aspirational individual targets.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make significant and sustained progress from often very low starting points during their placement at the school. This progress often takes place while they are being assessed for specialist provision.

p.5

School details

Unique reference number 124916 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10008174

p.6

School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.6

School details

Type of school Pupil referral unit School category Pupil referral unit Age range of pupils 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 14 Appropriate authority The local authority Chair Jan Keating Head of school Jane O’Neill Executive headteacher David Euridge Telephone number 01784 243365 Website http://fordway.scc.surrey.sch.uk Email address info@fordway-centre.surrey.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 28–29 January 2014

p.6

Information about this school

 The Fordway Centre is a pupil referral unit for pupils who have been permanently excluded from other schools or are at high risk of exclusion. It also provides short-term intervention placements and supports pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities that require assessment for specialist provision.  The school has been led by an executive headteacher and head of school from Reigate Valley College since April 2015.  The school became part of a federation with Reigate Valley College and Wey Valley College in March 2016.  The school has a local management committee. The chair of the management committee is also a member of the joint governance committee for the federation.  The vast majority of pupils currently on roll are boys.  Nearly all pupils are White British.  Over half of the current pupils have an education, health and care plan because they have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.6

Information about this school

 Nearly two thirds of the pupils are disadvantaged and receive additional funding through the pupil premium.  The school is part of the Spelthorne Schools Together confederation.  The executive headteacher is a national leader of education and supports other pupil referral units across the local authority.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning and teaching in all classes. All of the observations were carried out jointly with the executive headteacher or head of school. Inspectors also observed an assembly, and a sports session led by an external coach.  Inspectors held discussions with the executive headteacher, head of school and other teachers with leadership responsibilities. They also met with the chair, and two other members, of the management committee.  The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority and spoke with another local authority consultant by telephone.  School documents, including those relating to safeguarding, behaviour, bullying, assessment, the quality of teaching, attendance and the work of the management committee were scrutinised by inspectors.  Inspectors sought the views of pupils by talking them in class and informally around the school. The results of the school’s recent pupil questionnaire were also considered. There were no responses to the

p.7

Information about this inspection

Ofsted online pupil questionnaire.  A few parents spoke to an inspector at the start of the inspection and two free text responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey were considered.  Inspectors carefully considered the 11 responses to the Ofsted staff survey.

p.7

Inspection team

Lee Selby, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Ross MacDonald 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