Westlands Academy

Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 1 of 11 Westlands Academy Eltham Crescent, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland TS17 9RA

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Inspection dates 14/03/2017 to 16/03/2017

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The overall experiences and progress of children and young people Outstanding 1

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The quality of care and support Outstanding 1 How well children and young people are protected Outstanding 1 The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Outstanding 1

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The residential provision is outstanding because

 The behaviour management approach used by staff has been further refined, and is embedded in daily practice within the residence and the wider school. The use of this research-based strategy has contributed to the exceptionally high standard of behaviour displayed by children and young people.  All the children and young people are extremely positive about their residential experience, and they form close attachments to staff. There is a well-defined sense of community, tolerance and respect for others.  Staff are nurturing and highly supportive. Their skills and experience enable them to provide a level of care which helps children and young people to make exceptional progress in all areas of their lives.  Children and young people are, and feel, very safe. Staff ensure that they have a meaningful input into daily life within the residential setting and help them to develop growing responsibility and maturity.

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The residential provision is outstanding because

 Partnership working is exceptionally strong, not only with other disciplines within the school and the wider trust, but also with parents. This consistency of response across school, residential and home gives children and young people a secure base from which they can develop.  The head of care provides strong, inspirational leadership. The residential provision is seen as the keystone of the school, and the contribution made by residential staff is highly valued by other professionals. Governance and monitoring are robust. All national minimum standards are met, with two points for improvement being made. Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 2 of 11

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schools

The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that every incident of physical restraint is monitored by a member of the senior leadership team, and that their comments are entered in the record.  Enhance the quality of pre-admission planning by considering the potential impact of the child or young person on the existing group, and vice versa. Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 3 of 11

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Information about this inspection

This standalone inspection took place with approximately three hours’ notice. The inspector met with the chief executive, the head of care and her deputy, other senior trust staff, residential and support staff, and a group of parents. Discussions took place with children and young people both individually and in groups, and all completed survey forms during the course of the inspection. The inspector also scrutinised policies and records and observed routines in the residential provision at various times of the day.

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Inspection team

Nick Murphy lead social care inspector Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 4 of 11

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Information about this school

The residential provision of Horizons Specialist Academy Trust is located on the Westlands Academy site in Thornaby and caters for children who attend three of the trust’s four schools. It provides care and accommodation for up to 15 boys and girls, aged from seven to 16 years, who have social, emotional and mental health difficulties and associated learning disabilities. Nine children and young people were staying in the residential unit at the time of the inspection. The unit was last inspected in March 2016. Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 5 of 11

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Inspection judgements

The overall experiences and progress of children and young people Outstanding

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Inspection judgements

The support provided by the residential provision enables children and young people to make exceptional progress. School attendance and attainment improve markedly in comparison with individuals’ starting points and are also better than those of day pupils. Teachers remark on how the residential experience helps pupils to ‘narrow the gap’. The improvement in the emotional health of children and young people is equally noteworthy. Staying in residence makes them more self-aware, confident, considerate, and better able to control impulsive behaviour. A social worker commented about a young person, ‘We have seen a massive turnaround for him. This was the last chance before finding him a 52-week placement. The residential provision has worked so well with family. He was in complete and utter crisis but not now.’

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Inspection judgements

The head of care works in tandem with other leaders within the trust to innovate and consistently seek improvement. The in-depth knowledge that staff have of the children and young people and their families means that support is highly individualised and responsive to need. This also keeps children and young people exceptionally safe, promoting their physical and psychological well-being.

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Inspection judgements

Relationships of children and young people with each other, and with staff, demonstrate warmth and mutual regard. During the inspection, the whole group celebrated the birthday of one of the staff, singing ‘happy birthday’ with gusto. Tolerance and respect for others are nurtured by staff, and the children and young people embrace these values. As a result, the residential community is orderly, yet clearly a very happy place. Staff are always on hand to listen to children and young people and to provide guidance and advice. Staff seek and value the views of children and young people, and use them to make positive changes in the service.

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Inspection judgements

As a result of this sustained focus on the welfare of children and young people, they express an overwhelmingly positive view of the residential experience. One said, ‘Resi helps me to do better in school, because I am behaving better in class and able to concentrate more on my work.’ Another said, ‘We said we wanted some different activities, so now we are going trampolining, it’s brilliant.’ And another said, ‘I wanted a bigger bedroom so I asked if I could move, and this was sorted.’ Almost without exception, children and young people gave the residential provision a rating of 10 out of 10.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of care and support Outstanding

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Inspection judgements

Moving a new pupil into residence is managed carefully to ensure a smooth transition. Staff make home visits as well as observing the pupil in school. Overnight stays are arranged to get the pupil used to the experience. The head of care collects detailed information about the pupil to ensure that residence will be beneficial. The process would be enhanced if the discussions about whether the pupil would be compatible with the existing group, and vice versa, were documented. Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 6 of 11 Each child and young person contributes their views to their care plan, which sets out their needs and what staff must do to meet them. These plans are excellent: concise and child-friendly, and containing individualised targets which are reviewed regularly. Key workers spend time individually with children and young people to discuss their plans and the progress they make, celebrating achievements with praise and award

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Inspection judgements

certificates. More tangible rewards, such as special activities, are also on offer.

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Inspection judgements

There is a wide range of activities for children and young people to enjoy, both within the school and in the community, such as at youth clubs. Some attend activities on their own, for example police cadets and St John’s Ambulance. This helps them to make relationships with peers outside the school and develops their confidence.

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Inspection judgements

Staff are active in promoting the health of children and young people. Most activities tend to be physical, keeping children and young people fit. Arrangements for administering medication are robust. Staff have had additional training to meet some residents’ particular needs, for example in how to administer emergency medication for epilepsy and asthma. Staff also liaise with health professionals where necessary, for example in supplying information for psychological assessments.

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Inspection judgements

A cornerstone of the home’s philosophy is that the staff value and respect the views of children and young people. They always make time to listen to what children and young people have to say, for example when they have a concern. The particular ethos within residence of helping children and young people to understand their emotions depends on this close attention to what children and young people are doing and saying. A professional within the trust said, ‘The approach of residential staff helps children and young people to acquire emotional literacy, enabling them to recognise how they are feeling. This helps them to develop self-regulation, as well as understanding and recognising other people’s emotions. Because of this, they develop greater empathy.’

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Inspection judgements

Weekly residents’ meetings enable more formal discussion and recording of suggestions and decisions. Children and young people themselves chair these meetings, with staff on hand to ensure that everyone, even those lacking in confidence, have a chance to contribute. A member of staff holds weekly Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) sessions. These involve all children and young people and have a different subject every time. For example, the inspector observed a session on ‘what makes us different’. The member of staff managed this with great skill and sensitivity, conveying the message of valuing and celebrating diversity, holding the attention of the group, and involving everyone.

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Inspection judgements

How well children and young people are protected Outstanding

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Inspection judgements

Children and young people in the residential provision are exceptionally well safeguarded. The accommodation is warm, comfortable, and free from hazards. All necessary checks, for example on electrical installations, are meticulously recorded. Arrangements for fire safety are robust. No children and young people have gone missing from residence. Should an incident occur, staff know how to respond according to the trust’s policy and procedure, which has been agreed with local police. There have Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 7 of 11 been no allegations or complaints since the last inspection.

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Inspection judgements

A trust-wide information sharing system (CPOMS) enables staff to log any concerns in relation to a pupil and identify any requiring notification to other agencies. It also makes it possible to analyse and report on data relating to incidents, and so evaluate patterns and trends.

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Inspection judgements

An independent person visits the residential provision at regular intervals. She produces a written report with its focus on safeguarding. Her photograph and contact details are prominently displayed within the unit, and all the children and young people know who she is and have spoken to her. This is an important additional safeguard.

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Inspection judgements

At the last inspection, a point for improvement was made to revise the risk assessment format. This has been addressed, with all potential risks to each child or young person being included, with strategies to manage them. The quality of the new format is indicated by the fact that it has been adopted across the trust.

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Inspection judgements

Bullying within residence is effectively non-existent. This is due not only to the close support provided by staff at all times, but also the culture of consideration for others, acceptance, and tolerance, which all children and young people subscribe to. This culture is supported by the behaviour management approach employed by staff. This (known as the five point scale) has been further developed and embedded since the last inspection. Children and young people now carry prompt cards with them to remind them of how they can reflect on their feelings and ask for help when they are beginning to lose self-control.

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Inspection judgements

One of the pupils showed the inspector his prompt card, and was able to explain what each colour on the five point scale meant. He said, ‘It helps me to understand what I do and behave more responsibly. It reminds me when I am getting excitable. It’s improved my behaviour a lot, I used to swear at my mum and dad and get angry, but nothing like as much now.’ This way of supporting children and young people pervades life within residence and has proved extremely effective in reducing incidents. For example, the number of times when physical restraint has been necessary has reduced by almost half (to four) in the last year compared to the previous year. Records of these incidents are detailed and include the views of the pupil about the event. However, the accountability of the record would be improved by more consistent monitoring by a member of the senior leadership team.

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Inspection judgements

In addition to a support plan for each child or young person within residence, there is also one for home. This contains targets to help manage and improve behaviour while a pupil is with the family. When the pupil returns to residence they bring the plan with comments from their parent or carer. Poor behaviour at home may result in a sanction being applied within residence, normally taking the form of loss of an activity. Children and young people regard this action as fair and appropriate, and it is extremely effective in improving their attitude and behaviour at home, and consequently their family relationships. Similar close working exists between school and residence, contributing to the significant improvements in the behaviour and performance of residential pupils in the classroom. One residential pupil’s school report commented, ‘He has had a fantastic start to year 9… his behaviour has consistently been excellent… all staff are

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Inspection judgements

Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 8 of 11 complimentary about the work he has been completing… he has shown a much better understanding of his own behaviour and actions.’

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Inspection judgements

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers Outstanding

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Inspection judgements

The head of care is passionate about the welfare of children and young people and inspires her staff team to deliver excellence. She and all the staff frequently go above and beyond to meet the needs of children and young people, for example by making home visits during school holidays to support parents. The residential provision is valued by members of the senior leadership team as an integral part of the trust, which enables children and young people to fulfil their potential, one saying simply, ‘The impact of residential is enormous.’

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Inspection judgements

All staff are suitably qualified. Following a point for improvement made at the previous inspection, induction for new members of staff has been improved substantially. This prepares staff much more effectively for the task of caring for children and young people. In addition to regular refresher training in mandatory areas such as fire safety and food hygiene, staff receive additional training to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge. For example, they have attended courses on attachment and autism, and sessions with the educational psychologist and speech and language therapist. Managers ensure that any training is reflected on, evaluated for effectiveness, and embedded into practice.

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Inspection judgements

The operation of the residential provision is robustly monitored by the trust’s senior managers and board of directors. They receive regular reports from the head of care and provide appropriate challenge where necessary.

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Inspection judgements

Partnership working with parents is outstanding, and an example of best practice. Staff contact parents at least twice a week to report on their child’s progress, and not just to comment on difficulties. When parents have worries about their children, staff are able to reassure them. One parent said, ‘Staff help us to understand the problems and needs that our kids have.’ The head of care arranges regular meetings for parents in the guise of coffee mornings, providing opportunities for mutual support in addition to more formal training activities. For example, a recent session focused on e-safety, and how parents could keep their children safe online when they were at home. Future sessions for parents will include work on the five point scale, which will help them to use the same support strategies as the residential and teaching staff do. This coordinated approach is already being used. For example, staff have advised a parent on how best to manage

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Inspection judgements

their child’s enuresis, and as a result this problem has reduced.

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Inspection judgements

The high regard in which parents hold the residential provision is typified by one parent who commented, ‘The staff in resi are magic, like fairy godmothers.’ Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 9 of 11

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What inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspections of boarding and residential provision in schools: the inspection framework’.

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What inspection judgements mean

Judgement Description Outstanding A school where the experiences and progress of children and young people consistently exceed the standard of good and result in sustained progress and achievement. The outcomes achieved by children and young people are outstanding and the impact the boarding/residential provision has had in supporting this progress and achieving these outcomes is clearly evidenced. Good A school providing effective services which exceed minimum requirements. Children and young people are protected and cared for and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. Requires improvement A school where there are no serious or widespread failures that result in children and young people's welfare not being safeguarded or promoted. However, the overall outcomes, experiences and progress of children and young people are not yet good. Inadequate A school where there are serious and/or widespread failures that mean

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What inspection judgements mean

children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded or if their care and experiences are poor and they are not making progress. Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 10 of 11

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School details

Unique reference number 808/5951 Social care unique reference number SC030110 DfE registration number 141385 This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for residential special schools. Type of school Residential Special School Number of boarders on roll Nine Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 11 to 16 Headteacher Ms Elizabeth Horne CBE (Chief Executive) Date of previous boarding inspection 01/03/2016 Telephone number 01642 883030 Email address westlands@horizonsacademy.org.uk Inspection report Westlands Academy, 14/03/2017 Page 11 of 11 guidance 'raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/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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School details

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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School details

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/ofsted

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School details

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 Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

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School details

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

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