Pinderfields Hospital PRU

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

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Mrs H Mumby Headteacher Pinderfields Hospital PRU The Wrenthorpe Centre Imperial Avenue Wrenthorpe Wakefield WF2 0LW

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Short inspection of Pinderfields Hospital PRU

Following my visit to the school on 27 June 2017 with Fiona Dixon HMI, 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 good in June 2014.

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Short inspection of Pinderfields Hospital PRU

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You and your assistant headteacher, who took up your roles in September 2016, make a strong leadership team.

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Short inspection of Pinderfields Hospital PRU

Parents, staff and pupils praise all aspects of the school. Responses in discussions with parents and the staff and pupil surveys are very positive indeed. Children and young people told us they feel listened to and supported with their learning, and are increasingly confident to take their next steps when they leave Pinderfields.

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Short inspection of Pinderfields Hospital PRU

You know your school well and correctly identify where improvements are needed to strengthen assessment and the tracking of pupils’ progress. You have strengthened initial assessment to identify what pupils know and can do when they start at the unit. Changes that you have introduced are helping to measure small steps in progress very effectively in each of the specialist units that make up Pinderfields Hospital pupil referral unit (PRU). However, the tracking of academic progress and attendance over time, especially for the key stage 4 pupils on the Wrenthorpe site, and those who continue their education beyond this stage is not sharp enough.

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Short inspection of Pinderfields Hospital PRU

The management committee has changed much since the previous inspection. Members are keen to develop governance and their self-evaluation recognises training is an area for development. With your help, and that of the local authority, the committee is developing a firmer view of how to meet their responsibilities. They have quickly established link roles that are well attuned to the specialist skills that each bring to their work. Committee members are well informed and recommendations from their regular visits are helping to guide the PRU’s work.

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Short inspection of Pinderfields Hospital PRU

A culture of safeguarding is firmly embedded in policy and practice across all sites and continues to be a strength of the school. You have taken on the role of designated safeguarding lead yourself. The reviews you have undertaken have led to improvements in security and protocols to keep children safe in hospital. All staff are well trained on a regular basis and know their responsibilities about raising concerns, however minor. Their knowledge of the risks children and young people face is up to date, relevant to the age groups they teach and attuned to their healthcare and emotional well-being. Children feel safe at school. Communication and close working with health professionals, particularly on the hospital ward, ensure that teaching staff are alert to the additional risks for the children they are working with. For example, staff are vigilant to the risk posed by infection. They follow the additional measures meticulously that are

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Short inspection of Pinderfields Hospital PRU

needed to protect children from harm. In the early years assessment unit, staff have regular updates for meeting individual children’s health needs and all are clear about protocols for intimate care. They use this knowledge expertly and sensitively to ensure optimum conditions for children to be comfortable and able to learn.

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Inspection findings

 At the start of the visit we discussed lines of enquiry to be considered during the day. We agreed to explore how well teaching is attuned to pupils’ needs and enables them to make strong progress. In keeping with this, we looked at the training provided for teachers and support assistants to keep up to date with curriculum developments. We also looked at how subject leadership has been developed and the difference it has made to pupils’ learning and progress.  You have maintained the excellent provision in the early years assessment centre. Teaching is very well planned to meet children’s learning needs to develop early reading, writing and numeracy skills. It is also linked effectively to children’s health needs. Excellent communication between home and school and joint working with hospital therapists enable children to make swift progress in their learning and development.  Strong assessment systems are understood by all staff. Every child’s key

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Inspection findings

worker has a detailed overview of what the child needs. Children are making good gains in their concentration, independence and communication. All children leave the assessment centre with an education, health and care plan. The assessment ensures that the next provision is aligned to meet their needs.  At the hospital, staff are skilled in very quickly assessing pupils’ needs. Staff provide work that is age appropriate and takes account of children’s interests. This work is purposeful and interesting. It is well resourced and takes place in a calm and relaxed atmosphere. Teaching is successful in keeping pupils engaged in learning and helps to lessen anxiety for pupils who are in hospital for less than three days.  For pupils who are repeat admissions, there is strong communication with host schools. This enables pupils to maintain and continue with work they would otherwise have missed and enables staff to tailor teaching.

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Inspection findings

 In instances when pupils require hospitalisation over a longer period, communication with host schools is weaker. Despite much effort to get work, some schools do not respond. Although hospital school staff develop an age- appropriate programme of work and report back to schools, this is not sharply tailored to ensure that pupils’ learning is also sharply tailored.  On the Wrenthorpe site, where many pupils have a pattern of absence for medical needs prior to joining the PRU, the curriculum is focused around enabling pupils to catch up in English, mathematics and science. Pupils enjoy all that school has to offer. Teachers make learning interesting and check pupils’ understanding before they are moved on. This is helping pupils to re- engage in learning, although some pupils who responded to the inspection survey feel that their work could still be more challenging.  Assessments show that pupils are making progress to regain much of the

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Inspection findings

ground they lost due to ill health. However, you are acutely aware of the need to develop this aspect of the curriculum to keep pace with changes to examinations. The changes include increased content and raised expectations of pupils’ knowledge and understanding.  Despite opportunities for staff to shadow in mainstream and special school, you acknowledge it is difficult for staff to keep up with curriculum change. Some areas are not well covered, for example, reasoning and mastery in mathematics. Subject leaders are new to their roles and plans to support staff have yet to take full effect.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 assessment of the academic performance of older pupils is strengthened and the information gathered is used to focus the school’s work sharply and drive improvement in English, mathematics and science  further opportunities and support are provided for pupils to deepen their knowledge, enhance their skills and develop their understanding of their learning  communication with pupils’ host schools and protocols are clear and timely to ensure that when a child is admitted to hospital for more than three days they are provided with work.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the management committee, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Wakefield. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection I met with you, the assistant headteacher, the management committee, subject leaders and teachers. A meeting was also held with a representative of the local authority to discuss the work of the hospital school. My colleague and I visited lessons taking place on each site and examined pupils’ workbooks and folder. We spoke with pupils and staff about teaching, learning and assessment. We scrutinised safeguarding arrangements and records, including the school’s record of safeguarding recruitment checks on staff and training logs. We evaluated the school’s documentation in relation to pupils’ performance, attendance, improvement planning and minutes of the management committee’s meetings. We also took account of nine responses from pupils to Ofsted’s online survey, and 15 responses to the staff survey. There were three responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. Inspectors met with some parents, spoke with others on the telephone and read letters

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