Greenmead School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Ms Toni Edmonds-Smith Headteacher Greenmead School St Margaret's Crescent Putney London SW15 6HL

p.1

Short inspection of Greenmead School

Following my visit to the school on 29 September 2016 with Rosemarie McCarthy, Ofsted Inspector, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be outstanding in January 2013.

p.1

Short inspection of Greenmead School

This school continues to be outstanding.

p.1

Short inspection of Greenmead School

The leadership team has maintained the outstanding quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Following your appointment as headteacher in April 2016, there have been considerable unavoidable changes to the leadership structure of the school. You have taken swift action to make sure that cover arrangements are effective and standards have not dropped. The staff team is loyal and supportive. They recognise that you have come to the school with an open mind and taken on board the ethos and values of the school, while also bringing positive ideas for improvement.

p.1

Short inspection of Greenmead School

At Greenmead, leaders, teachers, support staff and therapists work very well together. This means that the significant and complex education and health needs of pupils are met. Consequently, pupils make excellent progress from their very low starting points.

p.1

Short inspection of Greenmead School

At the time of the last inspection, pupils did not always have something to occupy them meaningfully when members of staff had to attend to something else. Leaders have fully addressed this area for improvement. As we visited classrooms, pupils were not left without a purposeful activity or stimulus. Staff teams work seamlessly to make sure that, whenever possible, pupils continue to access educational activity even while their medical or therapy needs are being met.

p.1

Short inspection of Greenmead School

Members of staff know their pupils extremely well, and pick up on the smallest responses indicating pleasure or discomfort, for example. However, systems in place for communicating with pupils are sometimes inconsistent and lack precision. This means that pupils do not have consistent, reliable methods for communicating with adults.

p.1

Short inspection of Greenmead School

Leaders have made sure that all staff are trained in safeguarding practices. They check that training has had an impact by conducting staff surveys. Through the surveys leaders find out whether members of staff have increased their knowledge, and whether they consider their practice has improved.

p.2

Short inspection of Greenmead School

Child protection records demonstrate a timely response to any safeguarding concerns that arise. Any issues are meticulously followed up. Leaders work effectively with a range of other agencies to make sure that pupils are safe.

p.2

Short inspection of Greenmead School

Any pupil absences are followed up swiftly. Leaders put strategies in place to support pupils after hospital stays. This means that pupils can return to school more swiftly. Leaders have recorded any pupils coming off the school roll appropriately and passed this information on to the appropriate agencies.

p.2

Short inspection of Greenmead School

Leaders have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality.

p.2

Inspection findings

 Since taking up post in April 2016, you have made sure that, despite considerable changes in leadership, the quality of provision at Greenmead has not been compromised. You have set up cover arrangements which are robust by using skilled teachers and by recruiting experienced and knowledgeable members of staff. You have commissioned support from the local authority and other agencies to make sure that leadership remains strong. This demonstrates the depth of your own leadership skills.  In the time since your appointment, you have consulted with parents and staff. You have gained a clear and accurate picture of the school’s strengths and what aspects could be improved further. Members of staff at all levels are fully on board with the direction the school is taking. There is a strong team spirit.  Governors support the school well. They sought advice when the chair of governors resigned to make sure that governance remained strong. They

p.2

Inspection findings

have recruited new governors with appropriate skills to support the school as it moves forward.  Leaders and teachers use a wide range of systems to assess exactly what each pupil can and cannot do. Leaders have broken down the P levels into very small steps so that pupils’ progress can be measured precisely. Teachers check each other’s assessments to make sure that they are accurate. These are then checked further by leaders. Annually, a sample of assessments is moderated by leaders from other schools. This means that the school’s information is reliable and accurate.  The recently appointed middle leader, who has responsibility for overseeing these systems, has developed a detailed knowledge of how the systems work and what the resulting information shows. Any pupil who shows signs of making less than expected progress is identified quickly. Strategies are then put in place to make sure that the pupil

p.2

Inspection findings

catches up quickly.  As a result of the school’s detailed systems and high-quality teaching, pupils make at least good progress from their very low starting points. Many sustain high rates of progress. In 2016, more than half of pupils on roll made more than expected progress. Almost all pupils working above P3 made more than expected progress. Those eligible for pupil premium funding made strong progress alongside their classmates.  Teachers, therapists and support staff work together to make sure that pupils receive the care they need in order to develop well. Therapists, provided by health services, set targets for pupils that are included in their education, health and care plans and individual education plans. Consequently, there is a joined-up approach to meeting pupils’ complex needs.  You have worked together with senior health managers to improve this practice further and have secured funding for a full-time school-based

p.3

Inspection findings

clinician. This clinician will coordinate all therapies provided on-site and become a member of the school’s leadership team.  Members of staff know their pupils very well. The relationships between pupils and staff are very positive. This was particularly evident as we visited a class for pupils who have profound and multiple learning difficulties. As adults and pupils started the day with greetings and songs, adults were highly aware of any tiny response from pupils. This could have been through a smile, a change in eye focus or facial expression. Adults recognised, praised and responded to this communication immediately.  Adults promote the development of communication skills using a range of strategies. These include a range of visual systems and signing. Pupils are able to access whichever system they prefer. However, sometimes the implementation of these systems lacks consistency. For example, too

p.3

Inspection findings

many visual symbols are used, or the ones used are not relevant to the context of the communication. As a result, pupils are sometimes unable to communicate effectively with the adults around them.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

p.3

Next steps for the school

Leaders and governors should ensure that:

p.4

Next steps for the school

 the communication strategies used in school are implemented consistently and effectively, and that more pupils are able to communicate their needs and wishes successfully.

p.4

Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Wandsworth. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.4

Information about the inspection

Inspectors agreed to prioritise the following areas with school leaders at the start of the inspection:

p.4

Information about the inspection

 whether recent changes to the leadership team had had any impact on the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils  the arrangements for assessing pupils’ progress and whether pupils make as much progress as others with similar starting points  how well members of staff work with therapists to make sure that all pupils’ needs are met  whether leaders have taken action to address the recommendation of the previous inspection, in that pupils have something to occupy them when staff are attending to something else.

p.4

Information about the inspection

Inspectors carried out the following activities to explore these areas during the inspection. Meetings were held with senior leaders and the middle leader with responsibility for pupils’ outcomes. Meetings were also held with a group of staff and two governors. An inspector held a telephone conversation with a local authority officer. Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes and scrutinised work and progress information relating to a selection of pupils. A wide range of documentation was scrutinised including that relating to school improvement and safeguarding.

p.4