Aspire AP School 2

TLG North Birmingham 610 Kingstanding Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham, West Midlands B44 9SH

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Satisfactory

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the previous inspection, the school has significantly improved its curriculum and systems for assessing the progress made by pupils.  Leaders and staff work together as a highly effective team. They are ambitious and share a clear vision. They are aspirational and have high expectations for their pupils.  The school is very effective at achieving its aims of developing pupils’ self-esteem and ensuring that they make good academic progress. This has ensured that the vast majority of pupils leave the school ready to return to school or enter further education.  The school meets all of the independent school standards.  Behaviour is well managed. The behaviour of many pupils has improved significantly over time. The high ratio of teaching staff to pupils ensures that lessons mostly run smoothly and pupils are well supported to make good gains in their learning.  Teachers use the school’s assessment system

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

well to ensure that teaching and learning is well matched to individual pupil’s needs.  Good attendance is promoted and rewarded. Consequently, pupils attend regularly and punctually.  The school works well with a range of agencies and professionals to ensure that pupils are well cared for, supported and safe.  Leaders do not always make the best use of the information they gather about the school’s performance.  The progress made by pupils in reading is not as strong as that made in writing and mathematics.  Pupils are not always given enough time in lessons to reflect on their learning and practise new skills.

p.1

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.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by: – ensuring that the wealth of information available is analysed accurately and promptly to ensure that improvement priorities are precise and their impact can be measured against pupils’ progress, improvements in behaviour and attendance – ensuring that members of the management committee utilise this information to hold the school fully to account.  Improve outcomes for pupils by: – ensuring that the rate of progress pupils make in reading improves so that it matches the rate of progress in writing and mathematics.  Improve teaching, learning and assessment by: – ensuring that sufficient time is provided in lessons for pupils to reflect on their learning, deepen their understanding and practise new skills independently and at their own pace.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders have ensured that all the independent school standards are met.  Leaders at all levels have high expectations for pupils’ outcomes and work hard as an effective team to ensure that the school achieves its aims to provide pupils with a wide range of skills they can use now and later in life.  Leaders have established an appropriate environment to ensure that the wide-ranging social, emotional and behavioural needs of individual pupils are met. They have rightly focused on re-engaging pupils with learning and developing their personal and social skills. This has been very successful and all pupils have improved their behaviour and attendance since being at TLG.  Senior leaders have systems in place which enable them to monitor the performance of the school, including the quality of teaching and learning, academic outcomes for pupils, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding. This has resulted in leaders having an accurate

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

view of the school’s strengths and areas for development as well as contributing to the improvements made by the school since its last inspection. Leaders now need to ensure that they use the information available to them to monitor the impact of their actions more accurately and ensure that improvement priorities are precise.  The continuing professional development of staff is a priority. All teachers have either completed teaching qualifications or are working towards completing them. Ongoing training provided both in school and by the proprietors has strengthened the quality of teaching and learning further. The school has developed a system of performance management which is linked to school priorities and to outcomes for pupils. This has strengthened provision further.  Leaders have devised a broad and engaging curriculum which meets all the requirements of the independent school standards. Pupils are offered a wide range of experiences and

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

can acquire knowledge and develop skills in a wide range of subjects. For example, as well as completing functional skills courses pupils have also had the opportunity to work with a specialist music teacher to write a song and create an impressive music video about their school. They have also supported their community by volunteering in the local food bank. Specialist providers have also been brought into school to provide careers support and guidance to Year 11 pupils. The opportunities offered to pupils help them to develop interpersonal skills as well as make good academic progress.  Through their Foundations for Life curriculum, pupils learn about British values such as democracy, equality, rule of law and tolerance. Pupils demonstrate respect for others’ beliefs and values and for different religions and cultures. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, including when using the internet, and could talk

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

about the importance of making healthy life choices.

p.3

Governance

 Governance is provided by the management committee which is made up of senior leaders from TLG and the headteacher.  The management committee has a sound knowledge of education and the requirements of the independent school standards. This has contributed to the improvements made to the school since the last inspection.  The management committee monitors all aspects of the school’s work effectively and has a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Its members meet regularly with the headteacher.  Appropriate levels of support and challenge are provided by the management committee although evidence from minutes of meetings show that this challenge could be greater and more use could be made of the information provided by the headteacher.

p.3

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The headteacher and members of the management committee have completed safer recruitment training.  The school’s safeguarding policy meets current government requirements regarding safeguarding. It is fully implemented and available to parents on the school website.  Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. All adults in school have a very good understanding of safeguarding procedures, the most recent guidance for keeping children safe and the potential risks faced by pupils.  The school has ensured that pupils know how to keep themselves safe from a range of potential dangers. Pupils are safe and say they feel safe in school. They have a good understanding about a range of different types of bullying. They are confident in saying that there is no bullying in school and they know what to do should it happen.  The school implements its range of safeguarding policies effectively including health and

p.4

Safeguarding

safety, anti-bullying, behaviour management, risk assessment and safer recruitment.  The designated safeguarding lead works well with other agencies and professionals to ensure that appropriate support is provided to potentially vulnerable pupils.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The headteacher leads by example and has ensured that the teaching staff have the appropriate skills to teach the wider curriculum effectively. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the curriculum.  Teachers plan well-structured lessons. They know the pupils well and have a good understanding of their individual learning needs. Consequently, learning and activities are well matched to the learning needs and abilities of pupils and appropriate challenge and support are provided in lessons.  Teachers use questioning effectively to probe pupils’ understanding and reshape learning in lessons.  Teaching over time enables pupils to make good progress from their low starting points in writing and mathematics. Pupils do make progress in reading although this progress is not as strong as that seen in writing and mathematics.  Teachers make consistent, effective use of the school’s behaviour management systems

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

during lessons to ensure that inappropriate behaviour does not become a barrier to learning. This includes the awarding of reward points for appropriate learning behaviours. Pupils respond positively to these strategies.  Leaders have developed an effective framework for assessment which enables them to monitor the progress of individual pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. It also informs teachers’ planning by highlighting gaps in pupils’ knowledge.  Opportunities for pupils to reflect on learning are provided during the lesson. However, these could be more effectively used to further deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding.  Teachers are beginning to provide pupils with opportunities to develop their learning skills by encouraging them to work independently of adult support, develop resilience and work at their own pace. However, for some pupils these strategies are not yet used frequently

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

enough and the level of support provided sometimes prevents pupils from developing their ability to work independently.  The school provides frequent, detailed information to parents and referring schools about individual pupil’s learning and behaviour.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils value their education and the opportunities the school provides for them.  The school’s ‘My day’ system encourages pupils to share their feelings at the beginning and end of each day, enabling adults to provide additional support and guidance where necessary.  The school curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn about how to keep themselves safe and healthy. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of how to make healthy choices.  Adults in school have an excellent understanding of the emotional and well-being needs of individual pupils and have good relationships with the pupils. Because of this, pupils feel safe and are developing their personal and social skills well.  Bullying in school is extremely rare. Pupils have a good understanding of the different types of bullying and know what to do if they experience bullying.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 Pupils learn in a variety of ways about being a responsible citizen. Through the curriculum they are offered careers guidance, information about applying for jobs and how to budget their finances. Pupils have organised fund-raising events and joined in with community projects.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Promoting regular attendance and punctuality is a priority of the school. Overall attendance is improving as a result of the actions taken by the school and currently stands at 88%. Although below national expectations, this figure represents a marked improvement for all pupils. Leaders are continuing to develop ways to improve attendance further.  The school’s behaviour management systems are clear, understood by all and consistently applied by adults. Adults routinely challenge inappropriate behaviour. This has resulted in significant improvements in pupils’ behaviour over time. Behaviour logs show that inappropriate behaviour is quickly and effectively responded to.  In lessons teachers are skilled at ensuring that every opportunity is taken to continue learning. The high ratio of adults to pupils ensures that learning can be conducted in the classroom or out of the classroom on a one-to-one basis with pupils. This has contributed

p.5

Behaviour

to the good academic progress made by pupils.  Pupils who attend TLG have been excluded from their previous setting due to inappropriate behaviour. The improved conduct and academic progress made by the pupils therefore demonstrates a significant improvement which is a direct result of the actions of leaders and adults in the setting.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

 When pupils arrive at the school they have significant gaps in their learning and their attitudes to learning are largely negative. The majority of pupils only remain at TLG for two or three terms. Consequently, the improvements in attendance, behaviour and academic progress made during this time is significant for the majority of pupils.  The school’s assessment system demonstrates that pupils make accelerated progress from their starting points on entry in writing and mathematics. This is supported by the work produced by pupils and the progress pupils make in lessons.  The school is successful in meeting its aims. By the time pupils leave the vast majority of them have developed the personal skills and positive attitudes to learning to enable them to return to school successfully or enter further education.  Pupils make good progress across the wider curriculum, acquiring new knowledge and skills and discovering how they can become more effective learners.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

 The school’s curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to write at length for a wide range of purposes and to apply their mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills. For example, in their ‘Getting a Job’ project pupils learn how to write letters and complete application forms while in their ‘Buying a Car’ project they learn how to open a bank account and manage their income and finances.  Pupils read aloud in lessons with confidence and fluency. Leaders acknowledge, however, that the progress currently made by pupils in reading is not as strong as that made in writing and mathematics.

p.6

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.

p.7

School details

Termly fees (day pupils) £2,713 (2 days attendance per week)

p.7

School details

Email address tlgnbirminghamoffice@tlg.org.uk

p.7

School details

Date of previous inspection 25–26 September 2012

p.7

Information about this school

 TLG North Birmingham is one of a group of schools run by the Christian charity TLG The Education Charity.  The school provides part-time education for pupils between the ages of 12 and 16 and is registered by the Department for Education (DfE) to accommodate up to 10 pupils. It operates from a community centre in the Kingstanding area of Birmingham, West Midlands.  Pupils are referred to TLG North Birmingham mainly by local secondary schools, with some referred by the local authority. There are currently five pupils on roll. All pupils are dual registered with their referring school and attend TLG North Birmingham part time for either two or four days per week. The referring school retains the statutory responsibility to ensure that pupils receive full-time education and their full entitlement to the curriculum.  Since the previous inspection, there have been two changes of headteacher. The current

p.7

Information about this school

headteacher has been in post since September 2016.  Pupils attending TLG North Birmingham typically have a range of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and have either been excluded or are at risk of exclusion from their previous setting. Some pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities, a statement of educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  The school aims to address the individual social, emotional and learning needs of its young people by developing their self-esteem and teaching them to make appropriate choices to enable them to reintegrate into school or continue on into further education and employment.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school was first registered by the DfE in June 2008.  It was last inspected in September 2012.

p.8

Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out by one inspector over three days.  The inspector observed teaching and learning across the curriculum and looked at pupils’ work in English and mathematics. The observations were carried out jointly with the school’s headteacher.  The inspector looked at the school’s own assessment information for individual pupils.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders from TLG, the school’s designated safeguarding lead and a representative from the management committee. The inspector also spoke with a group of pupils and a representative from a referring school.  Questionnaires submitted by three members of staff were scrutinised.  The views of parents were gathered from the school’s own recent online parental survey. No parents completed Ofsted’s Parent View survey.  A wide range of documents and policies were looked at including, health and safety checks, records of observations of teaching, safeguarding documentation and records of

p.9

Information about this inspection

attendance.  A check of the premises, including the facilities provided for pupils, was also carried out.

p.9

Inspection team

Janet Satchwell, 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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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 .

p.10

Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.10

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspection team

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

p.10