Greenfield School

Independent school standard inspection report

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DfE registration number 935/6074 Unique Reference Number (URN) 124897 Inspection number 364244 Inspection dates 13–14 December 2012 Reporting inspector Godfrey Bancroft achieve 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 Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. 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 . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090070 Independent school standard inspection report

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, 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. 1, 2

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Information about the school

Greenfields is a small independent school catering for residential students. The school is owned by Keys Childcare and re-opened in September 2012, having previously been ‘mothballed’ for a period of 18 months. It is registered for girls aged between 11 and 16 years who have severe behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Most students are likely to have a statement of special educational needs. In most cases, their previous education has suffered marked disruption which has impacted adversely on their attainment and self-esteem. This is the school’s first education inspection by Ofsted since it re-opened.

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Information about the school

The school aims ‘to foster an ethos of unconditional positive regard and respect for all people’. It also intends to maintain a personalised curriculum, focusing on raising confidence and self-esteem, and closing the gap resulting from previous multiple placements and fragmented education.

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Evaluation of the school

Greenfields School provides a good quality of education and meets all of the regulatory requirements. Students benefit from good teaching. They are provided with a good range of experiences and activities which are carefully tailored to meet their personal needs, the stage they have reached in their academic progress and to address any gaps in their learning. Good arrangements to ensure the welfare, health and safety of the students, including safeguarding, make a positive contribution in helping students to overcome the often considerable emotional and behavioural difficulties they face.

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Quality of education

The curriculum is good. There is a highly effective balance between addressing students’ personal needs and promoting their academic progress. Students make good progress and achieve at levels that are steadily edging close to those expected for their age. The basic skills of English and mathematics are covered effectively, helping to ensure that any gaps in students’ previous learning are addressed. This solid foundation is also enabling students to become increasingly confident learners.

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Quality of education

1 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/contents . 2 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/18/contents . Independent school standard inspection report The school’s curriculum policy is supported by effective schemes and plans that cover all the required areas of learning and students’ personal, social and health education (PSHE). Effective provision is made to address the specific requirements set out in students’ statements of their special educational needs and activities are tailored precisely to the stage that students have reached in their learning. The school also adapts the curriculum to cater for students’ particular interests, which helps to increase their enthusiasm as learners. For example, students regularly work at a local stable which helps them to sustain their interest in horses and inspires their learning in other contexts. The students enjoy their work at the stables, which is leading to a

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Quality of education

BTEC award and Pony Club Credits. Access to computers and other forms of information and communication technology are good. The various forms of technology are used well by students to display their work. Students also study a modern foreign language. Their physical development is catered for effective by frequent and regular visits to the nearby sports centre to exercise in the gym and swimming pool. Students talk about these activities with enthusiasm. The school makes good provision for students’ careers education, helping students to pursue their interests and gain experience in the workplace. The highly effective balance between students’ academic, vocational and personal development successfully prepares them for the next stage of their education and adult life.

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Quality of education

The quality of teaching and assessment is good. Teachers have good knowledge of the subjects they teach. Teachers often link students’ learning across several subjects at the same time. For example, during a food technology lesson with the objective of baking a cake to make a gingerbread house, the process of creating the templates presented students with good opportunities to apply their mathematical skills and knowledge. Resources for learning are generally good and are supplemented by, for example, visits to the local library. Teachers frequently prepare activities which are well suited to students’ needs and to the stage they have reached; these invariably capture students’ interest. An excellent example of this was evident when a teacher brought in one of her guinea pigs which, when stroked by the students, helped them to stay calm. The guinea pig also proved to be an avid listener to the students’ reading. Teachers skilfully modify their approach and change

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Quality of education

course when they anticipate that students might be losing interest. Often this is linked to the significant emotional challenges which students face and means that learning and progress sometimes slow down. Teachers show great patience and break learning down into manageable chunks, which help students to cope. When this happens, teachers create good opportunities to revisit topics and ensure that students have fully grasped the key points. Care staff make a valuable contribution to students’ learning by working closely with teachers to support students’ work in school and at home.

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Quality of education

Teachers are particularly effective at promoting students’ speaking and listening skills. Teachers often involve students in lively debate and use probing questions to extend students’ understanding. That said, in some subjects opportunities are missed to pose questions that draw out answers from students and explore what they know. Improvements in students’ writing are notable and gaps in attainment are closing Independent school standard inspection report towards the levels that are expected for students’ ages. Even so, there are still not enough opportunities for students to undertake sustained writing across a range of subjects. Teachers are addressing this by providing students with more guidance and support to equip them with the skills they need to become confident writers. They do this, for instance, by giving examples of how to structure sentences, how to make writing more interesting and by writing factual accounts, fictional texts and poetry.

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Quality of education

Teachers and students often do this by working in partnerships which gradually transfer greater responsibility for the quality of the writing to the student.

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Quality of education

Students’ personal and academic progress is assessed accurately and regularly. The school measures students’ performance against national benchmarks and its aims. Teachers modify what they intend to teach as a result of the information they gain from making assessments. That said, students are not sufficiently clear about their targets and about the next steps to take in their learning. Opportunities for students to consider for themselves how much progress they have made and what they need to do next are not used often enough.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students is good. The school works effectively to promote all aspects of student’s emotional and personal development and recognises the importance of this in laying the foundation on which to base academic progress. Staff provide consistently good role models. The school’s aim of raising students’ self-esteem and confidence plays a central part in all activities and lessons. While the school was only been operating for a term, the positive impact this approach is having on students’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning is already bringing about significant progress. One student wrote an excellent piece of extended poetry expressing her emotions on leaving her previous school to join Greenfields. Relationships between staff and students are good with staff showing sensitivity and understanding in helping students to overcome the many challenges they face. In line with the school’s aims students increasingly show

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

‘unconditional positive regard and respect for all people.’ This was vividly illustrated in a touching moment when a student presented the teacher with a card, cake and orchid for her birthday.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

Students’ behaviour is good. The consistent guidance, support and sensitivity students receive from staff are helping them to become more effective at managing their own behaviour and getting on well with others. They are also becoming better at understanding the impact of those increasingly rare occasions when they behave inappropriately as they develop a better understanding of what is right and wrong. Students are well informed about how to stay safe and, through the PSHE programme, are developing a good understanding about the potential hazards posed by misuse of the internet and of alcohol and substance abuse.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

Aspects of citizenship and the understanding of political institutions and public services are all debated during lessons. This is helping to prepare students to make an effective contribution to the community and to cope in modern society. Appropriate attention is given to promoting students’ understanding of beliefs and Independent school standard inspection report cultures that are different to their own, although students tend to be less aware of the founding principles of Christianity and other religions. However, good attention is giving to providing students with insights to their own cultural heritage. For example, one student has written a significant amount about the Appleby Horse Fair as part of her research about the Irish Traveller Community.

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

Arrangements for the welfare, health and safety of students are good. Significant and effective attention is given to helping students to improve their behaviour, with staff consistently showing a sensitive and supportive approach. Staff are well deployed and an appropriate record is made of any serious incidents if misbehaviour. Comprehensive risk assessments cover all activities and aspects of provision, helping to ensure that students feel safe and giving them the confidence to thrive. All staff are knowledgeable about risk assessments and their training in respect of child protection, first aid and fire safety is fully up to date. This includes the higher level training for the designated person for child protection and appropriate training in safer recruitment procedures for those involved in appointing staff.

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

Appropriate policies are in place and successfully implemented to underpin all aspects of the school’s work, including those for managing students’ behaviour, child protection, the understanding and prevention of bullying, and health and safety on and off the school site. All policies are reviewed as part of a regular cycle to take account of the latest government guidance and developments in good practice. For example, the behaviour policy provides clear guidance as to the rewards and sanctions that are to be applied. All the required checks are made on the electrical installation, gas appliances and the fire prevention equipment. Fire alarms are tested regularly and the outcomes recorded. Arrangements to ensure the correct action and student safety in the event of fire are fully in place and clearly understood by staff. The school maintains its attendance and admission registers in line with requirements.

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Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

All the checks on the suitability of staff, supply staff, volunteers and proprietors meet requirements. Details of all required checks are accurately recorded on a single central register.

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Premises and accommodation at the school

The premises provide a safe and secure environment in which students learn successfully. Classrooms are of more than adequate size for the number of students. Located in a rural setting, the grounds are spacious and attractive and include mature trees and ponds. Classrooms are maintained and decorated to an acceptable standard. The heating, lighting, ventilation and sound insulation all meet requirements. Students’ work is displayed in an attractive fashion and celebrates their efforts and achievements. The accommodation includes a well-equipped kitchen Independent school standard inspection report for teaching food technology, although science is taught in a general classroom setting. Good use is made of a nearby leisure centre to enable students to swim and keep fit. Students also enjoy horse riding at local stables.

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Provision of information

The school provides all the required information for parents, carers and others in the school’s prospectus and on the company’s website. This includes details of a range of policies that are available on request, including the safeguarding policy. Regular written reports on the attainment and progress of each student provide parents and carers with appropriately detailed and helpful information. Information is also shared with parents and carers through links with students’ social workers. In cases where students are funded by local authorities, the school shares financial information as required. It also shares details of the progress made by students who have a statement of special educational needs with their local authority.

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Manner in which complaints are to be handled

The school’s arrangements for the management of any complaints meet with the regulations.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The proprietor has ensured that the school meets The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, schedule 1 (‘the Regulations’).

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What the school could do to improve further

While not required by the regulations, the school might wish to consider the following points for development.

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What the school could do to improve further

 Increase opportunities for students to undertake sustained writing across all subjects by building on the recently introduced strategies which are already helping students to improve their writing.

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What the school could do to improve further

 Make more consistent use of questioning to draw on what students already know and to challenge and extend their thinking and knowledge.

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What the school could do to improve further

 Involve students more in making their own evaluations of how well they are progressing and in suggesting the next steps in their learning. Independent school standard inspection report Inspection judgements outstanding

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The quality of education

How well the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of pupils 

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The quality of education

How effective teaching and assessment are in meeting the full range of pupils’ needs 

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The quality of education

How well pupils make progress in their learning 

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The quality of education

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Quality of provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

The overall welfare, health and safety of pupils  Independent school standard inspection report

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School details

Type of school Special school for students with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties

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School details

Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 0 Girls: 1 Total: 1

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School details

Number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs Boys: 0 Girls: 1 Total: 1

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School details

Number of pupils who are looked after Boys: 0 Girls: 1 Total: 1

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School details

Proprietor Keys Childcare Independent school standard inspection report

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Greenfields School

I would like to thank you for welcoming me during the recent inspection of your school. Yours is a good school, in which you are making good progress, both in your school work and in your personal devlopment. This is because the staff take good care of you and you benefit from good teaching. I was particularly impressed by the way in which staff set up activities which appeal to your interests. I was also impressed by your good behaviour and by your hard work. I think you should be very proud of how hard you work when helping out the stables and of the care you showed when taking responsibility for one of your teacher’s guinea pigs. Well done! You should also be pleased with the progress you are making in writing, which is illustrated by the excellent poem about your feelings when you first attended Greenfields and by the project about horses which is displayed prominantly in school. Both were a pleasure to read.

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Inspection of Greenfields School

In order to maintain your good progress, I am asking your teachers to:  provide even more opportunities and help that will make your writing even better

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Inspection of Greenfields School

 challenge you with lots of questions that make you think hard in every lesson

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Inspection of Greenfields School

 involve you more in talking about how well are getting on and about how to make your work even better.

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Inspection of Greenfields School

I would like to wish you every success for the future and hope that you keep up the good work.

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