J.A.M.E.S

J.A.M.E.S. The Eric Gibbs Centre, Highfield Garage, Frizinghall Road, Bradford BD9 4JB

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Trustees and leaders have created an ethos of high expectations and ambition for pupils and staff. They have ensured that all regulatory requirements of the independent school standards have been met.  Leaders have an accurate understanding of what the school does well. They have ensured that the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection have been addressed.  The leadership has ensured that pupils benefit from a stimulating curriculum which captures their interest and results in their good progress in English, mathematics and motor vehicle maintenance.  Work-based learning opportunities are a strength of the school. Pupils are very enthusiastic about how their experiences in the motor vehicle environment prepares them well for the future.  Pupils’ personal development welfare and behaviour is good. The school is a calm and orderly environment. Pupils show positive attitudes to learning.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. This is because staff have high expectations and they are skilled at setting clear boundaries and diffusing potential trigger points.  Leaders are diligent about all aspects of pupils’ welfare and safety and, as a result, pupils say that they feel safe.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education at the school is strong. Pupils demonstrate tolerance and respect and they have an understanding of how discrimination may affect the lives of others.  Teaching is good, which ensures that pupils make good progress. However, some teaching and assessment lack the precision required to fill the gaps in pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills. Information about pupils’ abilities is not used effectively to plan learning. This holds back the learning and progress that some pupils make.  Leaders’ rigorous focus on improving attendance has significantly reduced absence and persistent absence. However, this

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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.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and learning by: – making sure that teachers use information about pupils’ current abilities to plan work that moves them on quickly from their starting points.  Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by: – further refining the arrangements for monitoring pupils’ attendance so that their absence, particularly that which is persistent, continues to be reduced.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher, senior team and trustees provide strong leadership in setting a clear direction for the continued improvement of the school. They have ensured that the main areas for improvement from the previous inspection have been addressed and that the independent school standards are met.  The school’s mission of ‘providing an environment where young people can overcome disadvantage and achieve their full potential in life’ underpins everything that happens at JAMES.  There is a shared commitment and determination to provide pupils with a high quality of education, training and leisure opportunities, so that they are better prepared for the responsibilities of adult life. All staff share this sense of purpose and ambition. They are relentless in their pursuit of the best outcomes in achievement and personal development for the pupils in their care.  The headteacher and senior team work well together, and they provide good leadership.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

They have ensured that the school has continued to improve. Their evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for development is accurate.  Staff are provided with regular training and professional development opportunities. Training is focused on the specific needs of the pupils, for example mental health. Staff are appreciative of the training and development available to them, which they say is helping to improve their ability to meet pupils’ individual learning needs.  Leaders have introduced effective monitoring, modelling and internal training which have significantly improved teaching.  Leaders have developed a very motivating and relevant curriculum. It has been carefully designed to re-engage pupils in learning and provide the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful citizen. Pupils particularly enjoy undertaking the Institute of Motor Industry qualification in the school’s motor repair workshop. Pupils also benefit from

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

gaining qualifications in functional mathematics, English and from the Prince’s Trust. The curriculum is further enhanced through offering other subjects, such as science, religious education, physical education and information technology.  The school’s work and commitment to teaching pupils about equality and preparing them for life in modern Britain are very strong. Pupils learn about what it means to be British and the values of tolerance and respect. Pupils study a module on the subject of young people and law and order, where they gain an understanding of the consequences of breaking the law. Pupils also complete a module of work in understanding prejudice, which provides them with an understanding of why it is important to respect equal opportunities. Pupils show their respect when they talk about their acceptance and understanding of others.  The school fosters strong relationships with parents and carers. Staff provide weekly

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

reports on the successes that a pupil has achieved during the week. Parents spoken with during the inspection expressed their appreciation of the school and one said, ‘I couldn’t see him anywhere else’.

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Governance

 Governance, which was developing at the previous full standard inspection, is now increasingly successful. An effective system is in place, which means that trustees are well informed about aspects of the school’s work.  Trustees are selected for their varied skills and experience and this strengthens the capacity of the board to hold leaders to account.  Each trustee has a specific area of responsibility in relation to the school’s provision. For example, the chair is responsible for safeguarding and ensures, with the headteacher, that statutory duties are met.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding, where keeping pupils safe is central to the work of the school. All staff share this culture and they are instinctively aware of potential risks to pupils.  Leaders are vigilant in their pursuit of providing pupils with the information and knowledge that they need to make informed decisions and choices in their lives. Keeping safe is a theme which features throughout the curriculum. Pupils learn about child sexual exploitation, sexual health, crime and anti-social behaviour, and the ‘Prevent’ duty. They gain a Prince’s Trust qualification in preparing for a healthy lifestyle, which covers the effects of drinking alcohol and taking drugs. As a consequence, pupils say that they feel safe in school.  Leaders have excellent links with a wide range of agencies because of their wider work in supporting families. An organisation promoting sexual health provides regular drop-in

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Safeguarding

sessions. The drugs and alcohol service visits the school to provide advice to pupils on the effects of drinking alcohol and taking drugs. The police are regular visitors to the school, and they provide ongoing advice and support.  All staff are well trained in child protection, including preventing radicalisation and extremism and cyber bullying. They have all achieved a qualification in promoting mental health. Staff have received training from external organisations on drug and alcohol awareness and the exploitation of vulnerable pupils in trafficking drugs.  The school’s safeguarding policy is up to date and takes into account current government requirements. The policy is published on the school’s website.  Leaders are very aware of the ongoing potential risks to pupils, both within and outside school, and they work hard to minimise these barriers.  Risk assessments are carefully carried out and implemented. This is particularly pertinent

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Safeguarding

when pupils are working in the motor vehicle environment.  Leaders ensure that appropriate checks are carried out on all adults appointed to work at the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Across the school, most teaching is good and enables the majority of pupils to make strong progress. Teachers are very skilled and sensitive to the complex and specific needs of the pupils.  Staff are intuitive in their ability to rapidly establish positive and respectful relationships with their pupils. This enables pupils to feel increasingly confident about asking questions and seeking guidance in lessons.  Lessons are planned to interest and captivate pupils. For example, work on keeping safe near train lines and repairing cars in the workshop motivates pupils to re-engage with learning. Pupils, for example, are keen to explain how they use a piece of diagnostic equipment to identify any potential problems with a customer’s car.  Generally, staff use effective questioning to check what pupils know and have understood in the lessons.  Praise is used well to reward pupils for their efforts and this motivates them to try harder.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Staff have excellent subject knowledge. For example, tutors in the motor vehicle workshop effectively break the task of providing a video commentary to a customer into smaller, more manageable steps.  Leaders assess pupils on starting at the school through a baseline assessment in English and mathematics. This provides information about where the gaps are in pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills. Leaders recognise that pupils could make more progress if the gaps identified were planned for and addressed in lessons.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The school has a very positive effect on the lives of the pupils. One pupil said, ‘When I came here, I didn’t know about cars – this place has given you a good opportunity, clean slate, chance for college.’ A parent spoken with during the inspection said that her son has grown in confidence and was proud of his achievements for the first time in his school life.  Pupils’ personal development is of paramount importance to leaders and staff. Pupils learn about interpersonal skills and body language and the effects of passive and aggressive behaviour.  Staff are very skilled and experienced at building rapport and nurturing relationships with pupils. These relationships develop pupils’ self confidence and self-esteem as they know that the staff are there to support and guide them when embarking on new challenges.  Pupils learn about sexual health and contraception. They are prepared well for life after

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Personal development and welfare

school through studying modules of work on healthy lifestyles, managing money and taking part in physical activities. They are aware of the dangers of tobacco and alcohol as well as the risks associated with illegal drugs, through their work in lessons and from visiting speakers.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  There are clear boundaries and high expectations across the school about what is acceptable behaviour. As a result, the school is an orderly environment.  Pupils are polite to visitors and they conduct themselves well around the school.  Pupils spoken with say that they feel safe in school. They explain how the school teaches them to be safe through learning about knife crime and visits from the police to discuss anti-bullying. Pupils say that bullying is rare in the school because neither pupils nor staff would tolerate bullying behaviour.  When pupils start at the school, they often find it difficult to manage their behaviour as most are disaffected by their previous educational experience. Pupils’ behaviour quickly improves as they settle into the school. This is because behaviour management is effective. Adults are skilful at recognising potential flash points and they quickly diffuse

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Behaviour

and redirect pupils back to their work. As a consequence, there is little disruption to learning.  Pupils are reflective about how the school has helped them to manage their behaviour and move forwards. One pupil said: ‘When I came here, I was very aggressive – but I’ve changed. I’m not angry anymore – I don’t want to be claiming, want to get a proper job, have a life.’  Some pupils are finding it difficult to abide by newly introduced rules which are designed to prevent smoking and leaving the premises at lunchtime. This has resulted in an increase in exclusions. Leaders are addressing these issues through the introduction of therapeutic support for individual pupils.  Although leaders have improved attendance significantly, the rate of absence, particularly persistent absence, remains too high.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils join the school with low levels of attainment for their age due to the considerable disruption that they have experienced in their education. Once settled in the school, pupils make good progress overall and they leave with a range of qualifications.  Pupils make good progress in English and mathematics because there is a strong emphasis on improving pupils’ basic literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum.  In English, pupils are, for example, able to understand the features of a diary entry, complete a reading comprehension of world news and produce a piece of persuasive writing around the issues involved with smoking.  In mathematics, pupils are introduced to reasoning and solve problems in algebra and calculate square numbers.  Pupils make very strong progress in their motor vehicle qualifications because they are inspired by the opportunity that this provides for a future career. They learn about health

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Outcomes for pupils Good

and safety in the workplace, how to undertake routine vehicle checks and how to communicate in the motor vehicle environment. Many pupils go on to further study and some are now employed in the motor vehicle industry and experiencing success.  Pupils do not make as much progress in science as they do in other subjects. Leaders are introducing a science qualification next academic year to ensure that pupils have more opportunities to increase their knowledge and understanding of this discipline.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including those with education, health and care plans, make good progress from their individual starting points. This is evidenced by the pupils’ success in gaining relevant qualifications.  Staff have high expectations and aspirations for their pupils. Pupils achieve good outcomes in the English and mathematics functional skills accreditation and entry level

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Outcomes for pupils Good

certification that they take. They achieve the Prince’s Trust award and the Institute of Motor Industry awards. This prepares them well for their next steps.  Effective careers guidance prepares the pupils to select their future placements. Work through the Prince’s Trust provides valuable life skills in managing money and living a healthy life. All Year 11 leavers in July 2018 made the transition into education, training 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

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 January–1 February 2018

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Information about this school

 The school caters for the needs of up to 45 secondary-age pupils who come from across the Bradford metropolitan area. A small number come from other areas.  There are 13 part-time pupils, who attend for one or two days per week and attend other schools.  Many pupils have additional needs, such as social and emotional needs. A small number have other needs, such as autism spectrum disorder.  The school’s previous standard inspection was in January 2018. A monitoring inspection took place in May 2019.  The school has no specific specialism or religious denomination.  The school has a vehicle repair workshop on site, where pupils study for the Institute of Motor Industry qualifications.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed learning in both the academic and vocational areas of the school.  Inspectors spoke with two parents whose children attend the school and a headteacher who places pupils at this school.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including curriculum plans, pupils’ progress documents, and health and safety and safeguarding documentation.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in books, with leaders.  Meetings were held with the chair of trustees, the headteacher, senior leaders, members of staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Suzette Garland-Grimes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Linda Griffiths 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

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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

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