Include - Oxfordshire

Include Oxfordshire East Oxford Community Association, Princes Street, Cowley Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX4 1DD

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders’ approach to evaluating pupils’ achievement is not sharp enough. Checks made on the quality of teaching and learning are not sufficiently robust. The progress pupils make in lessons and over time is not clear.  Historically, actions taken by leaders to support pupils on different educational programmes have been too slow. Some pupils have disengaged as a result.  Current curriculum plans do not always match what is taught in lessons. This reduces the effectiveness of the learning that is planned for pupils.  In the last academic year, the curriculum offered to some pupils was very limited due to staffing and recruitment difficulties. This restricted the options available to pupils at the end of the school year.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities meet routinely with the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). Actions identified as a result of these reviews are sometimes implemented too slowly.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ academic progress are not always high enough. Some pupils do not make sufficient progress in reading, writing and basic mathematics.  Teaching is not yet consistently effective. Some teachers set work which does not provide suitable challenge for their pupils. As a result, some pupils do not routinely make good progress across a range of subjects.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The new headteacher, ably supported by her new deputy, has created a clear vision and plan on how to improve the quality of teaching and learning at the school.  The proprietor’s officers provide support and challenge to school leaders. Different teams, whose officers are appropriately skilled, are now routinely checking on safeguarding, teaching, progress and training.  Safeguarding practices and procedures are effective and robust. Pupils’ safety is a high priority at the school. Child protection arrangements are superb.  The school has a positive environment for learning, and dedicated staff who are kind and caring. Pupils’ personal development and self- confidence improve as they settle into school life.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistency of teaching and learning across subjects so that: – teachers’ planning challenges pupils appropriately according to their different starting points – staff have high expectations of pupils’ academic progress, as well as of their personal development, behaviour and welfare – all staff implement effectively the school’s agreed policy on providing feedback to pupils, pupils with low literacy skills are quickly identified and appropriate actions taken to improve pupils’ ability to read and write effectively.  Ensure that the school’s new information and data systems: – are used consistently by teaching staff to plan lessons that enable all pupils, including the disadvantaged and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make at least good progress – are used by staff to evaluate the progress of different groups of pupils regularly so that all pupils are sufficiently challenged, and meet or exceed their school progress

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

targets across the full range of subjects.  Ensure that new pupils engage fully in their learning and improve their attendance.  Provide a more bespoke curriculum across the full range of subjects that: – meets the needs of pupils who have social and emotional difficulties and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities – further enhances pupils’ self-confidence, resilience and ability to bounce back.

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

 The proprietors must ensure that: – toilets and urinals have an adequate supply of cold water and washing facilities have an adequate supply of hot and cold water (paragraph 28, 28(1), 28(1(b)).

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The newly appointed headteacher identified quickly that the school needed to work more effectively with different groups of pupils. She is developing a range of bespoke support and curriculum packages to best meet pupils’ needs.  The leadership team has significantly improved the learning environment. It now promotes the school ethos of respect and dignity for all. Pupils learn and reflect in a calm, well-organised area where staff nurture development.  Leaders have created a school which is positive and friendly. Pupils are welcomed into this safe and caring environment by kind staff who have a passion to support pupils with complex needs. As a result, pupils with high anxiety and low self-esteem engage more successfully in their learning and attend more regularly.  There is a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ personal and social education, as well as how they contribute to the wider community. The school’s new curriculum incorporates

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

current affairs. This is widening pupils’ understanding of different cultures, religions, moral responsibilities and social issues, while actively engaging them in national and world news. Pupils form their own opinions and beliefs. This reinforces their understanding of the need for tolerance, respect and justice in Britain today.  The curriculum has a necessary focus on the core subjects of English and mathematics as many pupils arrive with low levels of literacy and numeracy. Leaders have recently enriched the curriculum. Pupils now follow a bespoke programme of study incorporating, sport, art, science and information technology. Pupils who have recently joined the school appreciate the new curriculum offer and the variety of subjects available to them.  Leaders are always mindful of pupils’ personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE). Activities are threaded throughout all lessons and learning conversations, so that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy.  Leaders are keen to further enhance pupils’ self-confidence, resilience, and organisational skills by broadening their experiences. They recognise that the school’s current site limits the activities their pupils are involved in, and are actively looking for new premises so that pupils can learn ‘outside the classroom’.  The leadership team is clear about what needs to be improved. Changes to teaching, learning and assessment are currently being implemented to develop the quality of lessons and accelerate the pace of learning. Teachers and support staff are beginning to plan more challenging activities, and use feedback to share their expectations of what pupils can achieve during the course of a lesson. However, this is not yet embedded into all lessons.  Leaders are developing how they check and monitor the progress of their pupils. They

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

have recently adopted the proprietor’s new summative model to review individual pupils’ progress. However, leaders are keen to capture the progress pupils are making in the wider curriculum, so they can show pupils’ achievements over time and make appropriate adjustments to their curriculum.  Historically, the on-site provision has not had the capacity to cater adequately for the many different complex needs of its pupils. This has negatively impacted on the achievements of some pupils. Leaders are now focusing on providing on-site provision to those who have high levels of anxiety and organising off-site provision for pupils with behaviour risks.  The recruitment of suitably skilled staff to work on a one-to-one basis with some pupils has proved difficult. This has affected some pupils’ learning and what they have been able to achieve. The new headteacher is using staff across a number of similar schools to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

share subject expertise. This is improving the breadth of experiences for current pupils.  Leaders check on how the school can best support pupils. The SENCo uses the information gathered from discussions with pupils and their families, the pupils’ current literacy and numeracy ages, and previous school’s information, to create an initial timetable. Some staff responsible for reading are not using this information well. Some pupils who find it difficult to read do not read often enough and are not always actively encouraged to develop their reading skills further. This affects their ability to access and understand other areas of the curriculum.  The new headteacher has revisited staff roles and responsibilities. She has recently introduced a new system of accountability for her team, in order to hold people to account for pupils’ achievements.  Year 11 pupils receive impartial careers advice and guidance. The careers programme

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

appropriately supports pupils’ next steps to post-16 provision, apprenticeships or employment.

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Governance

 The chief executive officer and her team routinely visit the school and have a clear understanding of its effectiveness. Her recent restructuring of how her team both supports and challenges school leaders ensures that there is now a more systematic approach to checking school processes and developing school leadership. The proprietor’s senior leaders provide relevant training on safeguarding, school improvement and self- evaluation.  The proprietor’s senior leaders recognise how the recent changes made to the school’s environment have created a therapeutic space to promote active learning. This is helping pupils who have disengaged from mainstream schooling find coping strategies for their anxiety issues and engage more successfully in their education.  The proprietor’s senior leaders have recently adopted a more effective tracking and monitoring system to look at pupils’ behaviour, attendance and progress over time. This is

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Governance

helping school leaders to reflect on the quality of pupils’ learning.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The proprietor’s senior leaders, together with staff responsible for safeguarding at the school, ensure that safeguarding is a priority for all. Rigorous systems and meticulous risk assessment arrangements ensure that pupils are safe on and off site. Health and safety checks are frequent and comprehensive.  The headteacher and the proprietor’s senior leaders ensure that staff recruitment and child protection arrangements are superb. All staff receive regular and appropriate safeguarding training.  The school’s safeguarding policy is reviewed regularly to take account of all government requirements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teachers, until very recently, did not use school information regarding pupils’ prior attainment effectively. Teachers’ planning, and learning activities, did not challenge pupils in all subjects. As a result, some pupils did not engage in their learning. Some pupils’ work was incomplete and there were gaps in their knowledge and understanding.  Teachers and teaching assistants are beginning to use the new school marking policy. This is in its very early stages of implementation and is not yet consistently used by all staff. Therefore, pupils are not always entering into a recorded dialogue on what went well and what they need to do to further improve, in line with school policy.  Teachers who deliver functional skills English and mathematics have a clear understanding of the curriculum. However, not all teachers are up to date on the new requirements for GCSEs, including in English and mathematics. As a result, some pupils’

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

reading, writing for impact, and problem-solving techniques are not as strong as they could be.  Many pupils arrive in school with reading ages that are low by comparison with that typical for their age. Teachers responsible for reading are not encouraging all pupils to read for pleasure or regularly recording the progress pupils make. Consequently, some pupils are not reading sufficiently challenging texts to improve their skills, and their reading stagnates.  Most pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are well cared for both on site and off site by teachers and teaching assistants. Staff build strong relationships with pupils and model respectful behaviour. They are calm and friendly, and ensure that the school provides a positive climate for pupils to learn in.  Some pupils are taught by both teachers and teaching assistants in lessons. This supports pupils’ engagement in their learning. Collectively, the pupil and teachers break down the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

tasks set. Good questioning helps to draw out the pupils’ opinions, knowledge and understanding. However, teachers are not yet using these lessons to develop pupils’ writing.  Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy coming to school and they can see they are making progress. They appreciate the care, positive encouragement and support they receive and this is helping them to engage in their learning activities.  Pupils are now following, where appropriate, a GCSE course in English and mathematics alongside their functional courses. They are also actively engaged in science GCSEs and vocational and physical education courses and are rising to the challenges. Additional subjects will be included as the school year progresses for all current pupils. This is broadening the curriculum for pupils and supporting them in the next stage of their education or training.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Staff prioritise pupils’ physical, mental and emotional well-being. They use a therapeutic approach to settle pupils quickly into school life.  Pupils learn how to recognise bullying, including cyber bullying, and understand what to do if they are being bullied. They are taught about the dangers attached to the misuse of drugs and alcohol and know how to stay safe online. Pupils say that they feel safe and appreciate the support they receive from school staff.  Staff are very positive with pupils. Consequently, relationships are strong between staff and pupils. They treat one another with dignity and respect.  PSHE education continues to be at the centre of learning activities at school. The curriculum now also includes employability skills. This is supporting pupils’ resilience, self- confidence and knowledge as to how to overcome adversity.

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Personal development and welfare

 The learning environment provides a stimulus for pupils so they recognise the need to be honest, respectful and value others’ differences.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Leaders carry out appropriate risk assessments on all pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, before they join the school. These are routinely reviewed to ensure that all who attend the school are safe. In 2017, the majority of pupils received one-to-one-support, in a safe environment, away from the school site. This helped pupils to manage their behaviour and improved some pupils’ attendance.  Leaders explain to pupils how they should behave when at school prior to joining. This helps them understand what is acceptable behaviour. There is a clear structure of rewards and sanctions in place to support and encourage positive behaviour.  Pupils who have recently joined the school are engaging very well and are attending regularly. They told inspectors they enjoy learning in a homely environment and know there are lots of staff available to support them if they need it.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 In the last academic year, 2016/17, the majority of the pupils joined the school in Year 11. Many arrived with low literacy and numeracy skills, and complex special educational needs and/or disabilities. Some of these pupils did not engage in their learning. Their literacy and numeracy outcomes reflected little progress over time.  Staff did not record pupils’ progress in 2016/17 regularly enough and some staff were not sufficiently focused on improving pupils’ reading and writing. Strategies to support pupils with poor comprehension and reading did not always help pupils to improve.  A few pupils with strong literacy and numeracy skills on entry gained a number of GCSE qualifications in the last academic year. These pupils are now flourishing on post-16 courses.  Current Year 11 pupils are engaging well with the new curriculum. Their progress in GCSE English and mathematics is supporting their other subjects.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, work well with staff to secure college and work placements, and apprenticeships. School staff routinely check at the beginning of the new academic year whether pupils are enjoying the next stage of their training, employment or education.  Leaders’ analysis of pupils’ progress in English and mathematics in 2016/17 indicates that some pupils made less progress than expected. No analysis was available for pupils’ progress in other subjects. No progress or attainment information was available for pupils who had attended the school in 2015/16.  In 2016/17, pupils taking entry-level literacy and numeracy functional skills qualifications passed all those they entered for. However, leaders have not analysed the extent to which this suggests successful achievement in relation to pupils’ starting points when they

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

joined the school.  Pupils typically make good progress in their social and emotional development. They leave the school better prepared to cope with the next stage of education than might otherwise have been the case. Those who left in the summer of 2017 are in college, apprenticeships or employment.

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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

Website www.catch-22.org.uk/services/include- oxfordshire Email address Ludivine.Parmentier@catch-22.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 – 21 February 2013

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Information about this school

 Include Oxfordshire is a school for pupils aged 14 to 16. It is part of Catch22, a not-for- profit business that designs and delivers services to tackle social, behavioural or emotional barriers that may be preventing pupils from achieving. Include Oxford is registered to provide full-time education for up to 10 pupils between the ages of 13 to 16 years. Most pupils are admitted at the start of Year 11.  The school currently uses a building in the East Oxford Community Centre. This building is due to be demolished and leaders are searching for suitable alternative premises.  The headteacher is responsible for two other projects, in Bracknell. The day-to-day management of Include Oxfordshire is undertaken by the school’s deputy headteacher.  Pupils who are taught through the school’s outreach services generally have their lessons in public buildings, for example in the local library.  Most pupils have been referred by the local authority because they have not engaged in,

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Information about this school

or have been excluded from, their previous school or education provider.  The majority of pupils who attend the school have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan. The school caters for pupils with complex issues including those with social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.  The school meets all requirements for the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed pupils’ learning in three lessons or parts of lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ written work from the previous academic year, across a range of abilities and subjects. The inspector also looked at the work of current pupils, checking attainment, progress, feedback and presentation.  The inspector spoke with the chief operating officer of Catch22, the proprietor, and the school improvement adviser.  The inspector held meetings with pupils and spoke informally to pupils during and outside of lessons. Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders and other members of teaching staff.  The inspector looked at the school’s website and a range of school documentation, including the self-evaluation and school improvement plans as well as safeguarding records and a range of policies. She also looked at the school’s attendance, behaviour and exclusions information, pupils’ progress files and school surveys.

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Inspection team

Caroline Walshe, 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

Parent View 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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