IncludEd Learning

IncludEd 8 Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, Manchester M16 8ER

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The head of school and staff have worked successfully to secure improvements since the last inspection. All the independent school standards have been met.  The staff are enthusiastic and know the pupils very well. They are successful in engaging pupils who have been disillusioned with education.  Pupils settle quickly when they join the school and forge strong relationships, built on trust, with staff.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness and development is woven into the daily routines and discussions that take place at the school.  Staff work successfully to develop pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and belief in their abilities.  Teaching is based on accurate understanding of pupils’ abilities and circumstances. High expectations and positive relationships help most pupils to focus on their learning and make good progress.  The curriculum is adapted well to meet the needs of pupils. However, there are limited

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

opportunities for pupils to read, and the range of physical education provided is restricted.  The good quality of work in books and the school’s own tracking of pupils’ progress show that pupils make improvements in their learning. For some pupils, the progress they make could be even quicker and the work they do can be too easy.  Staff effectively manage behaviour. They are adept at dealing with pupils who demonstrate challenging behaviour, so the learning of others remains unaffected.  Safeguarding arrangements are effective.  Staff are very responsive to pupils’ requests for attention, but their promptness to respond does not always prepare the pupils well for reintegrating into mainstream settings.  Plans to continue to improve the school are not clearly articulated.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide more opportunities for reading and physical education in the curriculum.  Establish links with mainstream secondary schools so that staff can gain a better understanding of the challenges that their pupils will face when reintegrating back into mainstream school.  Strengthen the quality of the development plans so that it is clear what actions need to be carried out so the school continues to improve.  Provide work that challenges pupils, while not undermining their confidence.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The head of school has ensured that all of the independent school standards are met.  The head of school is responsible for all aspects of the leadership and management of the school. She is ably supported by a dedicated and buoyant staff, who are proud to work at the school. While addressing the very complex behavioural needs of pupils, all are very clear that this is a school and that education and learning are its core purpose.  The head of school and all staff are committed to the pupils. As one pupil told me, ‘The staff treat you like you are their favourite son/daughter.’ This commitment is evident in the steps taken to improve the school since the last inspection, and in the openness and receptiveness shown by all staff to learn in order to give pupils the best possible chance.  Considerable progress has been made in establishing systems and methods to assess the ability of pupils as they join the school, to track their progress and intervene where

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

appropriate. The head of school has also established routine reviews of the quality of teaching and learning.  Teachers have benefited significantly from the support they receive from colleagues at a local pupil referral unit. The sharing of resources and expertise has helped to improve the quality of teaching. Teachers routinely take part in joint planning sessions, training and moderation. This has sharpened the practice of teachers at the school and given them the confidence to grow and develop.  Although pupils may have failed elsewhere, the head and the staff are determined that pupils will not fail at this school. Pupils are given the skills and confidence to re-engage with learning by offering a curriculum and therapeutic interventions which closely match the complex needs of pupils.  Pupils are provided with appropriate independent careers, information, advice and guidance for their age. The school consolidates this with their own programme of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. The head has ensured that pupils are taught the appropriate skills in preparation for the next stage of their education.  The values that are seen in a civilised society are expected of all pupils and staff at the school. Equality and diversity are feature in all policies, curricular provision, procedures and practice at the school. This prepares the pupils well for life in modern society.  The safeguarding policy and other useful information are available on the website. All information is up to date and has recently been reviewed.  The planned curriculum is built around the basics of English, mathematics, science and computing. It is enhanced by music, art, drama, humanities, ethics and values. Pupils discuss issues daily and matters of a spiritual, moral, social and cultural dimension. This, alongside the extra-curricular activities, support pupils’ social, academic and emotional

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

development.  Although pupils take part in sport on a routine basis, the opportunities for physical education are less well developed.  The head is aware of how the school can improve, but this not articulated into any clear plan with specific actions on how the improvements will be realised. Consequently, the pace of improvements is slowed down.

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Governance

 The proprietor is the head of the school. The school does not have a governing body in place. However, there is an advisory panel made up of educational specialists and local community members who provide support and challenge for the head.  The advisory panel takes a genuine interest in the well-being of pupils and the staff. They routinely discuss teaching and learning, safeguarding and finances. Members of the panel use their experience and insights to validate what is working well and to point the head in the right direction when needed.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  All adults carry out their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. Recruitment procedures are robust. Training is current and reflects all recent developments in keeping children safe. Policies are reviewed regularly and amended whenever there have been changes or updates locally or nationally. Protocols and systems are in place and strictly adhered to whenever incidents or issues occur. Adults work very closely with external agencies and, where appropriate, with parents. Record-keeping is thorough.  Staff deal with topics such as child sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation, sexting, domestic abuse, mental health, extremism and radicalisation, in a sensitive but open and honest way. These topics are interwoven into the discussions and lessons with pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Pupils benefit from good teaching and rebuild their loss in confidence so that they can, and do, make good progress and achieve.  Teachers use pupils’ starting points to plan their lessons. This allows for learning that is appropriate for each individual pupil and the right support to be identified.  Pupils frequently join the school with significant gaps in their learning. The initial assessment that is carried out identifies these gaps and teachers work effectively to fill them.  Assessment systems are frequent and routinely reviewed. Where pupils are falling behind, additional intervention and support is put in place. This enables most pupils to make up ground in their work across a range of subjects.  Pupils’ basic skills are effectively built upon. For a number of pupils it is the first time that they have experienced the benefits of learning. One pupil told the inspector that, ‘Staff at this school have taught me how to learn.’

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Other adults are used very well to support pupils’ learning. The staff are a cohesive team, who work together to ensure that the pupils have the tools they need in order to be able to engage in their education.  Teachers have good relationships with the pupils. Pupils respect their teachers and respond positively to their promptings.  Pupils are capable of more challenging work. The work that they are given can be too easy and teachers occasionally lose the balance between providing work that will challenge while not knocking pupils’ confidence.  Pupils can be over-reliant on the immediate support that they receive from adults in the classroom when they get stuck. This is not preparing them well for their eventual reintegration into mainstream settings.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils regain a sense of self-worth, dignity and respect while at the school. The school provides pupils with an opportunity to rebuild themselves often very negative experiences of education.  Pupils’ understanding of different races, cultures, creeds and religions is considerable.  Pupils say that there is no bullying. If it happened, they have every confidence it would be dealt with immediately. The school keeps accurate logs on any incidents that may have racist, homophobic or derogatory overtones, and these indicate they are dealt with appropriately.  Pupils say that they feel safe at school and many of them described the school as being their ‘security’ and ‘safe haven’. There is always someone the pupils can talk to if worried or concerned. Staff are extensively trained and know how to deal with issues as they arise

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Personal development and welfare

or to whom they must refer.  Pupils have a mature understanding of the different types of discrimination and how it can affect people. A lot of time is spent discussing contemporary issues and pupils translate what they have learned into some splendid pieces of artwork.  Sometimes the messages that pupils have learned, and can confidently talk and draw about, are forgotten in the heat of the moment when a behaviour incident occurs.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils’ small steps of progress in their behaviour are celebrated. This contributes to a sense of pride and achievement pupils have in realising they can turn themselves around.  Pupils’ attendance significantly improves once they join the school. For a very small minority, the move to the school begins a period of refusal to attend. Staff work closely with the local pupil referral unit and external agencies to reverse this, and small improvements can be seen.  Exclusions are extremely rare and everything possible is done to keep the pupils at the school.  Pupils join the school having previously demonstrated extreme behaviour. Very quickly the rules of engagement are agreed and pupils are provided with strategies and interventions to modify their behaviour.  Pupils know the boundaries and when these are crossed, staff are skilled and appropriately trained in de-escalating challenging behaviour. A sense of calm quickly

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Behaviour

descends and the school becomes the happy and purposeful place it routinely is.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 All pupils are currently in key stage 3. No pupils sit external examinations. Nonetheless, pupils have left this school and gone on to achieve qualifications which have allowed them to move on to further education or the world of work. This would not have happened if it were not for the foundations these pupils received here.  Pupils join the school at very short notice and sometimes arrive with very little information from the referring school. Staff quickly ascertain a pupil’s starting point and from then on track their progress across a range of subjects and skills. The work seen in pupils’ books matches with the information staff hold.  From varying starting points, pupils make good progress in English, mathematics, science and computing. Small, incremental gains are often made from one half-term to the next, but for many of the pupils, this is the first time they have made progress in their learning.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 There are limited opportunities for pupils to read.  The most able pupils are capable of making even faster progress, but the work they are given does not always challenge them sufficiently.

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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 Other independent special school

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School details

Email address noreen@includedlearning.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16–18 June 2015

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Information about this school

 IncludEd is a small special school for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties who are at risk of permanent exclusion from their mainstream schools. The school is located in the Whalley Range area of Manchester.  Pupils are referred by the Manchester Secondary Pupil Referral Unit or directly by schools. Pupils remain on roll at their mainstream schools.  The school is registered for 16 pupils aged 11 to 16 years of age and currently has 15 pupils on roll. There are no pupils in key stage 4.  No pupil has a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan and none is disabled.  The school aims ‘to enhance the education prospects of all learners and to break down barriers to learning including cultural and social barriers.’  The school does not use any alternative education providers.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector toured the school site accompanied by the head/proprietor.  The inspector observed teaching and learning, and pupils’ conduct in lessons and at breaks and at lunchtimes.  The inspector held meetings with the head/proprietor and staff. He spoke with the headteacher of the local pupil referral unit and member of the advisory panel. The inspector spoke with pupils during the school day.  The inspector scrutinised samples of written work in English, mathematics and science.  The inspector reviewed documents to confirm compliance with the independent school standards and to provide other inspection evidence. These documents included school policies, safeguarding information, the school’s development planning, minutes of meetings, and the attendance and admissions registers.  The inspector considered the suitability of the premises, including whether there is sufficient space to accommodate the number of pupils on roll.

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Information about this inspection

 There were no responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires for pupils, parents or staff.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Jones, lead inspector Her Majesty’s 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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