Training and Skills Centre

Training and Skills Centre Office Suite 2/3, Accent Business Centre, 132 Barkerend Road, Bradford BD3 9BD

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 The proprietor has not ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards.  The length of the school day provided for most pupils does not meet the requirement for full-time education.  The school premises and the curriculum do not include provision for physical education for full- time pupils.  The school curriculum does not provide sufficient depth in the scientific, aesthetic and creative areas of experience for full-time pupils.  The outcomes for pupils require improvement because pupils’ achievements cover too narrow a range of subjects.  The school does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to contribute to the local and wider communities.

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The school has the following strengths

 The curriculum makes good provision to meet the requirements identified by the placing authority and schools.  The headteacher and staff have created an environment in which pupils feel safe and very well cared for. Pupils respond with trust and mutual respect.  The quality of teaching is good and contributes strongly to improvements in pupils’ motivation and behaviour.  Arrangements for the assessment of pupils’ starting points are secure and accurate. Pupils understand the learning targets they are working towards. Robust arrangements are in place to assess their progress towards their targets.  All pupils make good progress towards achieving external examination awards, including English, mathematics, information and communications technology (ICT), and a personal and social development award.  Pupils with negative previous experiences of education develop positive attitudes to school. They make strong progress with improvements to their

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The school has the following strengths

attendance.  The proprietor takes the lead responsibility for teaching and ensures that it engages pupils and prepares them well for external examinations.  The proprietor has a good understanding of the school’s required areas for improvement. She has developed suitable plans to address these.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of 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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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend and deepen opportunities for scientific, creative and aesthetic experiences within the curriculum.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide additional opportunities for pupils to contribute to the local community and to society more widely.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The school must meet the following independent school standards. The proprietor must: comply with the standard about the curriculum, by ensuring that the written policy on the curriculum includes details of provision for the physical area of experience, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, and ensure that these are implemented appropriately (paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a) and 2(2)(a)) ensure that the school provides full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (paragraph 2(2)(a)) ensure that the school provides suitable changing accommodation and showers, and suitable outdoor space in order to enable physical education to be provided to pupils (paragraphs 23(1), 23(1)(c), 29(1) and 29(1)(a)) ensure that the standard about the leadership and management is met by ensuring that leaders and managers demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role, and fulfil their

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

responsibilities effectively, so that the independent school standards are met (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b)).

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The proprietor has not ensured that the school’s provision fully meets the requirements of the independent school standards. The length of the teaching week is not sufficient to constitute full-time education for all pupils. The curriculum does not include the teaching of physical education.  The proprietor has established a curriculum which meets the contractual arrangements agreed with the placing authority and schools. However, this reflects historic provision before the school registered as an independent school rather than the full extent of the independent school standards.  The school’s premises, to which the school recently moved, do not have changing rooms, showers or sufficient outdoor space for the teaching of physical education. The school has not implemented arrangements to use an alternative location with suitable facilities. As a result, the curriculum does not provide for the required physical area of experience.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The recent need to move to new premises has distracted from the urgency required to address these shortcomings.  The school’s current curriculum includes experiences in all the required areas of learning, apart from physical education. However, pupils’ opportunities to develop their scientific, aesthetic and creative experiences are not planned for in a systematic way and do not result in external examinations and awards.  The headteacher has a realistic and accurate understanding of the school’s areas for improvement. She has taken immediate action to prepare plans and resources to increase the length of the school day, to include physical education in the weekly timetable and to improve the school’s provision in required areas of experience.  The headteacher and staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and encourage a commitment to work hard to achieve worthwhile qualifications. They are successful in ensuring that all pupils make good

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

progress towards their targets in English, mathematics, information and communications technology, and their accredited personal and social development award.  Relationships between pupils and staff are extremely positive. Pupils speak warmly about how the school has helped to turn around their attitudes towards school and achieving academic qualifications.  Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. All pupils study for a personal development award which provides them with a secure understanding of fundamental British values. They demonstrate good understanding of diverse beliefs and cultures within the local community and wider society.  There are a number of different cultures represented within the school. During the inspection, pupils demonstrated strong support for each other and a determination to protect their peers against discrimination outside of school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The school provides effective, impartial guidance for pupils as they prepare for transition to further education and employment at the end of Year 11. Advisers from the local careers service meet individually with each pupil; they have ensured that an appropriate placement in further education and training has been offered to each pupil leaving the school in this, its first full year of operation.  During their time at the school, pupils make good progress from low starting points towards the academic standards and personal qualities required for life in modern Britain.  Staff produce regular reports on pupils’ achievement and progress and share these with pupils’ parents and placing schools.  The governance of the school The proprietor does not have any external monitoring to inform judgements about the extent to which the school meets the independent school standards consistently. Feedback and support from the placing authority and schools inform the proprietor’s evaluation of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

school’s provision and outcomes. This has enabled the school to meet the requirements of its contracts with mainstream schools. The school’s arrangements for the assessment of pupils’ progress include a strong contribution from an external verifier. As a result, the headteacher is aware of strengths and areas for improvement in the preparation of pupils for external examinations. The headteacher manages the performance of staff effectively. Each member of staff meets regularly with the headteacher, agrees personal targets and contributes to the identification of appropriate areas for further training and development.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school’s safeguarding policy and procedures have regard to the latest Department for Education guidance. The school provides details of the safeguarding policy to parents on request.  Staff implement the school’s safeguarding policy robustly. They ensure, for example, that vulnerable pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

understand the risks posed by sexual exploitation, radicalisation and unsafe use of electronic media.  The proprietor ensures effective implementation of arrangements for the recruitment of staff and the assessment of risk, together with effective training for first aid and fire safety.  The headteacher and staff have regular contact with pupils’ parents, carers and placing schools. They take prompt action to follow up any unexplained absence from school giving high priority to the safety and well- being of pupils.  The new premises occupied by the school meet the requirements of Part 5 of the independent school standards, with the exception of suitable arrangements for teaching physical education. The inspector recommends that, subject to the implementation of suitable arrangements for the teaching of physical education, the Department for Education (DfE) should approve the school’s use of these premises to provide

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

full-time education for up to 16 full-time equivalent pupils in the age range 14 to 16 years.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The good quality of teaching results primarily from effective planning and teaching by the headteacher. She provides suitable schemes of work, together with appropriate tasks and activities, to ensure that the school meets the requirements of accredited courses.  The headteacher works very effectively with classroom support staff to ensure that all pupils understand how to tackle their personal tasks and targets.  All staff engage in continuous dialogue with pupils, monitoring their understanding and encouraging them to extend and deepen their oral and written answers. They encourage pupils to review their work and consider how they might improve it to achieve the awards for which they are studying.  The headteacher leads effectively in the presentation of new content and concepts in English and mathematics. Pupils work individually towards different levels of qualifications in these subjects, building

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

continuously on their previous achievements.  During the inspection, for example, pupils worked successfully on individual targets in mathematics as diverse as telling the time correctly, calculating accurately to two decimal places or extracting information from graphs and charts.  The school places a strong emphasis on the development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. Staff ensure that tasks and activities relate well to familiar real-life situations, including human and social contexts. However, the curriculum does not include a wide range of units of work from different aspects of science. The headteacher has purchased additional resources to implement a science qualification in September 2016.  The headteacher and classroom assistants have a good knowledge of pupils’ starting points and of the extent of their progress. They support and encourage pupils to aim high and continuously seek the next

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

level of challenge.  Arrangements for the continuous assessment of pupils’ progress are rigorous. An external marker helps to ensure that pupils complete their work to an appropriate standard for the entry level and Level 1 or 2 awards for which all pupils prepare.  The headteacher is particularly skilled at leading class discussion, ensuring that all pupils make an oral contribution. She challenges pupils to justify their answers and invites others to extend or comment on the ideas contributed. This provides all pupils with a strong base to complete their individual tasks and activities.  The patience and determination of staff have a positive impact on pupils’ commitment to their learning. Previously disaffected pupils develop confidence and a willingness to try harder until they experience success. Staff provide a good level of challenge in the contributions, both oral and written, that they expect

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

from pupils.  Classroom assistants provide good opportunities for small-group and one-to-one review of previous work. They offer continuous feedback to pupils about the gaps in their current work and what they need to do to achieve their next target level. Pupils value the ‘catch up’ time that allows them to complete units of work and to develop their marked work to a higher standard.  Pupils find out information for themselves through the use of appropriate computer software. They include their findings, for example, in their work towards their personal development awards.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  On entry to the school, pupils lack self-confidence and a commitment to improve; they have shown disaffection towards their previous educational experiences. The staff are successful in helping them to turn around their attitudes and to take a pride in their work and achievements.  All pupils make good progress over time in their motivation and desire to succeed. For the majority of pupils, this is rapid and sustained.  Pupils demonstrate respect for the ideas and views of others, as they contribute to regular discussions about individual rights and responsibilities. They respond cooperatively to opportunities to consider the options available to them as they prepare for the transition to further education and employment at the end of Year 11.  The school provides a safe environment. There is a strong emphasis on staying safe within the curriculum.

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Personal development and welfare

Pupils understand the risks associated with inappropriate use of the internet, sexual exploitation and radicalisation.  Staff place a strong emphasis on the development of pupils’ emotional and social well-being. They maintain open and continuous communication with parents and external services to ensure the well-being of vulnerable pupils as they travel to and from the school.  Pupils enjoy the variety of themes that they study in their personal development award. They make progress towards accepting some responsibility for their own actions and being open about mistakes that they make.  Staff make a strong contribution, together with the local careers service, to ensuring that suitable provision is made for pupils’ post-16 education and training. They are very aware of the relative vulnerability and immaturity of many pupils and of the necessity to ensure that they receive continuing support and guidance

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Personal development and welfare

in the future.  While pupils develop an increasing awareness of activities and challenges in the local and wider communities, they have limited opportunities to take on practical responsibilities or to contribute to the community.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They behave well in lessons and follow instructions appropriately. There is very little disruption to learning as staff are trained well to recognise pupils’ triggers that lead to distraction and know how to intervene successfully.  Staff regularly challenge any inappropriate language and pupils strive hard to use acceptable oral communication. Pupils do not address each other, or staff, disrespectfully; they understand the school’s emphasis on developing positive values.  Pupils work well together in pairs or small groups. They seek help when this is required and they respect the support provided by the staff.  Pupils who have previously displayed negative and disruptive behaviour show marked improvements in their attitudes to learning. Representatives of the placing authority comment positively about the school’s success in this respect.  Pupils state that they have no concerns about bullying. Nobody feels isolated and each pupil appreciates the

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Behaviour

availability and support of their key worker. The school’s records demonstrate that any concerns expressed by pupils are resolved quickly.  Overall attendance is a little below the national average. Almost all pupils improve their attendance considerably compared with their previous placements. The school works effectively with placing schools and external agencies to address concerns about the small number of persistent absentees.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 The outcomes for pupils require improvement because pupils’ achievements cover too narrow a range of subjects.  Pupils enter the school with low starting points, mostly well below expectations for their age. They make rapid progress from these starting points and achieve good external examinations in a limited range of subjects.  Pupils for whom secure baseline information is recorded on entry to the school have met or exceeded their targets set at that time in English and mathematics.  Pupils develop their reading skills effectively. They understand the meaning in the texts which they read and are able to find and record the answers that they require to complete their classroom tasks. The presentation of their handwriting is variable but they learn to ensure that it is sufficiently clear to convey their answers to the standard required by external examination markers.  Pupils’ work in mathematics demonstrates their ability to apply the basic rules of number, to calculate

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

accurate answers to practical problems, and to use appropriate procedures to check their answers.  Disadvantaged pupils and those with identified additional learning needs begin to close the gaps in their knowledge and application of skills in literacy and numeracy. These pupils make sufficient progress to achieve at entry levels 1 to 3 in English and mathematics.  A small number of pupils make sufficient progress to achieve level 1, or occasionally level 2 awards, in English and mathematics, equivalent to foundation or higher-level grades at GCSE.  Pupils are proud of their achievements and delighted to receive certificates from the awarding bodies. They can each recall the levels at which they are working in mathematics and English, and they understand the value of level 1 and 2 awards as stepping stones to work-related courses on leaving school.  All pupils also enter for external examinations in information and communications technology. They make

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

effective use of computers to research ideas and information, particularly as they study for their personal development award. All pupils prepare for external examination in personal and social development.  Pupils demonstrate increasing maturity in their oral contributions to work on a range of themes, for example personal relationships, awareness of substance abuse, the rule of law, and rights and responsibilities. Through this work, pupils develop a good understanding of British values.  All current pupils in Years 10 and 11 have achieved, or are working towards entry-level qualifications in ICT, and awards or extended awards in personal and social development.  Pupils’ attainment remains below the average for their age but shows consistent improvement. Pupils make or exceed expected progress from their starting points across the range of subjects studied.  All pupils leaving the school at the end of Year 11 this summer have attained qualifications sufficient to

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

access the next stage of their learning pathway in work-related further education.

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School details

Unique reference number 141603 Inspection number 10006310 DfE registration number 380/6011

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School details

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.

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School details

Type of school Day special school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 14–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 13 Number of part time pupils 4 Proprietor Jacqueline Plumtree Headteacher Jacqueline Plumtree Annual fees (day pupils) £7,600 to £9,500 Telephone number 01274 921580 Website Not applicable Email address tscltd@outlook.com Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this school

 Training and Skills Centre is located on a small business estate near to the centre of Bradford. It has recently moved here from a different location within Bradford.  The school provides full- and part-time education for up to 15 boys and girls in Years 10 and 11. The school may admit pupils at any time during these two years.  There are currently 13 pupils on the school roll, of whom four attend for either two or three days a week; nine pupils attend full-time.  Pupils are placed at the school by Bradford local authority or by secondary schools within the city. All pupils have social, emotional or mental health needs, together with associated behavioural difficulties.  No current pupil has an education, health and care (EHC) plan or a statement of special educational needs. A small number of pupils are in the care of the local authority.  The school does not use the services of any additional providers.

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Information about this school

 This is the school’s first Ofsted inspection since it registered as an independent school in November 2014.  The school meets the requirements for the provision of information to parents.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work in both Years 10 and 11.  The inspector met with the headteacher, who is also the proprietor, representatives of the placing authority and schools, together with a small number of parents. He had informal conversations with all members of staff.  There were insufficient responses to the Ofsted online Parent View questionnaire for these to be taken into consideration.  The inspector had individual conversations with all those pupils in attendance during the inspection.  The inspector scrutinised a number of school policies, procedures and records in order to check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  The DfE commissioned Ofsted to consider a request from the school for a material change to its registration. This request was for the approval of a change of premises. The school has moved to new

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Information about this inspection

premises since its initial registration and no longer has use of the mechanic’s workshop included in its original registration. The DfE requested that the inspector report against the premises standards in part 5 of the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

David Young, 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 .

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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

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

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

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

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