Bradstow School

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

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Mrs Sarah Dunn Headteacher Bradstow School 34 Dumpton Park Road Broadstairs Kent CT10 1BY

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Short inspection of Bradstow School

Following my visit to the school on 22 January 2018 with Julie Sackett, Ofsted Inspector, 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 outstanding in February 2013.

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Short inspection of Bradstow School

The leadership team and governors have maintained the outstanding quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Your leadership team and staff share the values and vision of the school and are passionate about enabling every pupil to unlock their potential. Collectively, you are committed to ensuring that pupils achieve the best possible outcomes, both at school and in their future life.

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Short inspection of Bradstow School

The school meets the often extremely complex needs of its pupils well. All staff are fully trained to support the pupils. Staff take the time to get to know the pupils, ensuring that relationships between staff and pupils are exceptionally positive. Pupils feel valued and are confident to try new things because they trust completely the staff who work with them. Staff know the individual triggers that can affect each pupil’s behaviour. They employ strategies effectively to ensure that any incident is dealt with calmly and swiftly. Rigorous and well-established procedures for recording behaviour incidents are analysed to support and improve behaviour. Consequently, pupils’ behaviour around school is exemplary. Pupils show respect for adults and each other. Teachers set challenging targets, and, as a result, the vast majority of pupils make outstanding progress in their academic and personal development.

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Short inspection of Bradstow School

Parents and carers are extremely supportive of school leaders and staff. All parents who completed the Ofsted online surveys believe that the school keeps pupils safe. One parent said: ‘The team make you feel so comfortable in approaching them about any concerns. The dedication and commitment displayed by all staff is outstanding.’

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Short inspection of Bradstow School

The curriculum is broad, balanced and personalised to meet pupils’ needs. The school has large grounds and extensive facilities which are used to support pupils’ individual needs. For example, some pupils make rapid progress when they are taught activities in the swimming pool. The school’s interactive cycle track simulates a ‘real’ road system and enables pupils to learn about road safety in a secure environment. Through links with local schools, pupils enjoy activity days together with pupils from other schools on themes such as the Romans. Pupils from Bradstow and other local schools have benefited from learning together and these events enable the Bradstow pupils to be at the centre of local community events.

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Short inspection of Bradstow School

The governing body is very effective and highly supportive of the school. Governors have a wide range of skills which enable them to provide an effective balance of support and challenge to leaders. The governors are very clear about the schools’ strengths and next steps for development. You have created a culture in which all members of staff are reflective and keen to develop professionally. You and other leaders have provided extensive outreach support and training to share your excellent practice.

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Short inspection of Bradstow School

At the time of the last inspection, inspectors highlighted the many strengths of the school. Inspectors recommended that all staff analyse the information on pupils’ progress by comparing it more closely to national progress data. Since the last inspection the school has developed a robust tracking system. This accurately captures the attainment, academic progress, therapeutic progress, independence, behaviour and social interaction of the pupils. This comprehensive set of information enables governors and leaders to analyse progress carefully, instigate interventions and help teachers to plan effectively. With so much information, it can be difficult to identify key messages about pupils quickly. Leaders are at an early stage of developing a pupil data sheet that they hope will be easy to understand for staff, parents and other professionals.

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Short inspection of Bradstow School

There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. School leaders and governors have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. The single central record of recruitment checks on staff meets statutory requirements. Record- keeping is thorough, and any concerns are dealt with quickly and effectively. The school has a comprehensive staff-training programme for new staff, ensuring that everyone has a clear understanding of their responsibilities towards keeping children safe. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in school. This was clearly demonstrated by the calm orderly manner in which the pupils responded to a fire drill during the inspection.

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Short inspection of Bradstow School

The school has, however, rightly identified that online safety will always be an area the pupils will need support and guidance with. The school provides rigorous training for staff, and holds workshops for parents, to ensure that everyone is aware of the dangers, and can teach the pupils to keep themselves safe online. Systems to monitor internet use in school are excellent.

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Inspection findings

 We agreed at the start of the inspection to find out how well leaders ensure that pupils, including the disadvantaged and children looked after, make outstanding progress academically from their starting points. This was because there is no published data for schools catering for pupils with similar kinds of need to this one.  We found that the vast majority of pupils made outstanding progress from their starting points. Before pupils join the school, leaders carry out comprehensive assessments and seek advice from their parents and from professionals who have worked with the pupils. Many of the pupils and parents had negative experiences of education previously. Leaders make a concerted effort to work with parents and carers to ensure that the pupils’ experiences are much more positive, and that approaches at home and school are consistent. Leaders have recognised that initial assessments may show low starting points due to pupils spending long

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Inspection findings

periods of time out of education before they join the school. Consequently, the multi-disciplinary team wait until pupils are settled to establish a baseline from which future progress can be measured. Using the assessment information at this stage, rather than when the pupils first start, ensures that targets are challenging, and pupils are pushed to achieve their full potential.  We also agreed to look at how well different therapies helped to improve pupils’ achievement. Due to skilled support from the speech and language therapist and occupational therapist, the pupils made exceptional progress with their therapy programmes. High-quality staff training and close monitoring of pupils’ progress enables staff to provide precise interventions which maximise the impact of the therapies. Therapy is central to the pupils’ progress, and as a result of these interventions pupils are able to access the curriculum and their communication

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Inspection findings

has improved dramatically.  We also looked closely at how well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs and equips them with the skills needed for successful transition to their next steps. Pupils in key stages 4 and 5 follow an accredited programme and personalised curriculum that is designed to teach them the skills they need for their future. Strong teaching in the upper school encourages pupils to learn much-needed independent life skills such as buying and preparing their own lunch. All pupils benefit from work experience which is tailored to meet individual needs and aspirations. The pupils spoke enthusiastically to the inspectors about their work experience, for example in the supermarket or working for the RSPCA.  Transition planning is extremely effective: the school provides exceptional commitment to support the longer-term well-being and learning of pupils. Leaders work very closely with parents and providers to ensure that pupils are

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Inspection findings

placed in the most appropriate provision when they leave Bradstow.  Leaders have found in the past, despite the school’s and parents’ careful planning and preparation, that some transitions from Bradstow have not always been successful. Leaders are working with parents, carers, pupils and professionals to develop a secure personal interactive website which captures all the necessary information about each individual pupil. The system can be continually updated and has the potential to be invaluable not only when pupils leave Bradstow but throughout their life.

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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

 their work to provide an easily readable summary of information about each pupil for professionals, staff and parents is embedded.

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Next steps for the school

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

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Information about the inspection

During this inspection, inspectors met with you, senior leaders, other members of staff and the chair of the governing body. I also met with a representative from the local authority. Inspectors visited classrooms covering all year groups, to observe pupils’ learning, talking with them about their progress and looking at their books. These observations were conducted jointly with members of the leadership team. We spoke to the school community council as well as talking to a small number of parents. We looked at all the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, considering the views of 14 parents, nine pupils and 65 members of staff. We looked at a range of documentation, including information about the work of governors, safeguarding, the curriculum and assessment. We examined the school’s tracking of pupils’ progress and attainment, and leaders’ self-evaluation and plans for improvement.

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