The Canterbury Centre

Inspection of a good school: The Canterbury Centre Canterbury Gardens, 640 Eccles New Road, Eccles, Salford, Greater Manchester M5 5AG

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Outcome

The Canterbury Centre continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils describe this school as being ‘like one big supportive family’. The small classes help pupils to regain confidence in their learning. Pupils speak warmly of the friends they have made and how they help and support each other. Parents and pupils agree that this is a safe, happy school where pupils thrive and succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships are a priority in this small school. Staff take time to get to know each pupil, their interests and aspirations. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their learning. They all agree that they love subjects which they found overwhelming in their previous schools.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are extremely happy with the school. They speak positively about the difference the school has made for their children both academically and personally. Typical comments included that that the school was ‘life-changing’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is very good. The pupils and parents who gave their views agreed that there is no bullying in the school. The school’s values of ‘belonging, engaging, learning and compassion’ are golden threads that run throughout the school. Staff and pupils share in these values, which helps to make this a unique and exceptional school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have a clear vision for what they want pupils to achieve. They have designed a curriculum that supports pupils to excel academically and personally. The vast majority of pupils have had periods of non-attendance in their mainstream school. The ultimate aims for the school’s curriculum are for pupils to regain their confidence in themselves, re- engage in learning, achieve qualifications and take the next steps in education or life.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers are skilled at ‘hooking’ pupils into their subject. They plan and sequence topics and learning activities that fire pupils’ imaginations and inspire learning. Teachers have 8–9 October 2019

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high expectations of pupils. However, they also know that pupils need time and support to gain the knowledge and skills they have missed in the past. Pupils quickly catch up in their subjects. This is because teachers plan carefully for each individual pupil.

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Teachers take every opportunity to develop pupils’ understanding of different subjects. They take pupils out of the classroom, so they can really understand the topics they learn. For example, pupils studying ‘Romeo and Juliet’ visited a local theatre to see the musical production for themselves. Pupils talked about Juliet’s character and how they were looking forward to seeing an alternative view of her life. Pupils use their learning in one subject to help them learn in other subjects. For example, pupils talked about a recent visit to a coal mine. They said it helped them to understand the lives of the characters in the novel, ‘Kes’. They also talked about the links to geology in geography and the miners’ strikes in history.

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Pupils follow the national curriculum. Those who remain at the school in key stage 4, and take their GCSEs, achieve consistently well. Pupils make remarkable progress, often from very low starting points. The vast majority catch up in their learning, gain their GCSEs and progress on to sixth form, college or training providers.

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The information for parents through the school website is not as up to date as it could be. Some statutory information is available in school but not displayed on the website. Leaders need to update the website so that parents and other stakeholders are better informed about the school.

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The school’s work to support pupils’ broader development is exceptional. The curriculum is planned so that pupils have opportunities to undertake specific lessons and activities to support their social, emotional and mental health. Pupils gradually gain the self- confidence to allow them to venture out of their comfort zone and try new things. The school’s work to enhance pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also threaded throughout the curriculum. There is a seamless link across all areas of the curriculum. This works to support pupils’ academic and personal development so that pupils achieve their ambitious goals.

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Leaders are highly effective. All pupils who attend the school have some additional needs. Leaders work closely with parents, the local authority and mainstream schools. This ensures that plans for pupils are appropriate, ambitious and achievable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The small setting and the high staff–pupil ratio ensure that all pupils are well cared for. Staff are highly vigilant and pick up on any signs that a pupil may need some additional support. End-of-day staff meetings also work effectively to communicate any cause for concern. The culture of safeguarding is very strong. Staff know every pupil very well and work closely with parents and other professionals to keep pupils safe. 8–9 October 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Improve the school’s website so that it contains up-to-date information and complies with statutory guidance on what maintained schools must publish online.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged The Canterbury Centre to be good on 19–20 January 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 8–9 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10087935 Type of school Pupil referral unit

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School details

School category Maintained pupil referral unit

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School details

Appropriate authority Management committee

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19–20 January 2016

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Information about this school

 The school provides short-term education for pupils out of school due to medical or mental health reasons. The vast majority of pupils are dual-rolled with their mainstream school.  At the time of inspection, the school did not use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 We held discussions with the headteacher, teachers, other members of staff and members of the management committee including the chair and vice chair. These discussions considered the quality of education, the wider experiences of pupils at the school, aspects of pupils’ behaviour and leadership and management. An inspector spoke with a number of parents and carers by telephone.  In considering the quality of education, we concentrated on English, mathematics and science in depth. We discussed the arrangements for the curriculum and teaching with the headteacher and teachers. We visited lessons and then talked with pupils about what they had been learning. We looked at pupils’ exercise books in these subjects. We also looked at pupils’ achievements in examinations and the school’s records of pupils’ destinations post-16. 8–9 October 2019

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 We spoke to staff, management committee members and pupils about how the school keeps pupils safe. An inspector examined the single central record of the checks undertaken to make sure that staff are suitable to work in school and reviewed the school’s safeguarding policy.  Inspectors also spoke to pupils, parents and staff about the wider curriculum and experiences that pupils take part in.

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Inspection team

Julie Bather, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Linda Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 8–9 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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 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.

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