Whitehouse Pupil Referral Unit

Inspection of Whitehouse Pupil Referral Unit Pickering Road, Kingston-upon-Hull HU4 7AD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding 15–16 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Whitehouse Pupil Referral Unit is a calm and friendly environment. Pupils are happy, enjoy coming to school and say that they feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know the pupils well and pupils respond to these positive relationships. Staff support pupils extremely well. This helps pupils to control their anger and emotions. Parents comment that their children’s behaviour improves significantly after joining the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff ensure that day-to-day routines are embedded and clear. This ensures that pupils know exactly what they need to do. Staff greet the pupils every morning. This helps them to gauge what support a child may need to settle into their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils listen carefully to their teachers and to each other. Classrooms and corridors are calm. High numbers of staff are around to support pupils in crisis, and once a pupil is calm, they are quickly returned to learning. Pupils say that they are not worried about bullying because they know that if it occurs, staff will help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard and achieve well. Teachers have high aspirations for their pupils. By the time a pupil leaves the school, they are well prepared for either mainstream school or specialist provision.

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better?

Leaders, staff and governors are ambitious for pupils to achieve their potentials. They have thought hard about the subjects that pupils follow. Leaders and teachers think about what pupils need to help them to succeed in their next school setting. This includes prioritising English and mathematics to plug any gaps in knowledge.

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better?

Teachers get to know each pupil exceptionally well. They understand and support pupils’ specific special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) skilfully. Teachers plan lessons and the sequences of lessons carefully so that pupils’ learning is secure.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that teachers benefit from regular training. Most teachers have received effective training and support to improve their skills. However, although planned for, not all teachers have received high-quality training. This lack of training means that on a small number of occasions pupils’ misunderstandings are not picked up and the needs of younger pupils not as well met. This can confuse pupils when they need this secure knowledge for the next step of their learning.

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better?

Teachers encourage pupils to develop a love of reading. Pupils have access to lots of different types of books. Phonics is taught well and supports pupils to become more able readers. Pupils learn to read books that are the right level for their ability and their age. Pupils read with confidence, they are able to explain what had previously happened in the book and infer what might happen next. Leaders make sure that pupils’ learning is not limited to academic subjects. Pupils 15–16 October 2019

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enjoy taking part in a wide range of activities that broaden their learning, for example drama, cheerleading and table tennis. They also enjoy a variety of school trips such as visits to a nature reserve and the local park. The school has outdoor areas for pupils to use at breaktime.

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Leaders have made sure that systems are in place to track individual pupils’ progress according to their individual targets. Teachers use these assessments to plan work which challenges the pupils to learn and develop even more.

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Pupils can concentrate on their work because behaviour is managed exceptionally well. Classrooms and corridors are calm. Pupils show respect to their friends, teachers and visitors. Teachers help pupils to spot in advance when they may become angry. Pupils’ ability to manage their own anger and emotions improves after joining the school.

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Members of staff say that leaders care about their well-being as well as that of the pupils. Staff speak highly about the support they receive from senior leaders. They are proud to work at the school and feel valued.

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The attendance officer works closely with families to support pupils joining the school. This helps pupils improve their attendance, which some do dramatically.

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Members of the governing body and the wider academy trust are ambitious for the school and for what pupils can achieve. They clearly understand pupils’ needs and consider staff well-being. They support the school, for example attending Venn Café to ensure that they regularly speak to parents.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a clear ethos of safeguarding in the school. Staff are effectively trained and developed in this area. All staff spoke confidently and knowledgeably about the policies and procedures relating to keeping children safe.

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Safeguarding

Strong relationships between staff and pupils ensure that issues and difficulties are swiftly passed on. The designated safeguarding lead is diligent in looking into any concerns. Leaders make sure that pupils get the help and support that they need.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have a well-planned ongoing professional development programme for all teachers. This professional development helps teachers to plan learning sequentially. It also helps teachers in checking that pupils have knowledge securely embedded in their long-term memory before they move onto new learning. Some teachers have not accessed this training, although dates have 15–16 October 2019

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been secured for them to do so. This means that occasionally teachers do not check that pupils fully understand what they have learned and therefore misconceptions hinder them in future learning. Leaders need to ensure that training for teachers supports them in addressing this issue.  Some teachers are not as proficient at meeting the needs of the increasing cohorts of younger pupils. Leaders need to ensure that the professional development programme for teachers supports them in being able to take account of the needs of these pupils.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 15–16 October 2019

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School details

Local authority Kingston Upon Hull City Council

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 January 2018

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Information about this school

 Whitehouse Pupil Referral Unit is a primary pupil referral unit that caters for pupils from the age of 5 to 11 years.  Over the last year, there has been a significant increase in the number of key stage 1 pupils referred to the school.  Whitehouse Pupil Referral Unit is part of the Venn Academy Trust  The school runs lunchtime clubs on the school site.  The school did not use any alternative provision at the time of inspection.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with senior leaders, middle leaders, teachers and support staff. The lead inspector met with two governors, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector spoke to the trust chief executive officer and the executive headteacher. 15–16 October 2019

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 We met with pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to pupils informally about the school. No pupils responded to Ofsted’s online pupil survey. We took account of seven responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaires and six Ofsted staff surveys.  We evaluated the quality of education by looking in detail at English, mathematics, reading and science. We discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to pupils and teachers about the curriculum.

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Inspection team

Tricia Stevens, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Tracy Millard Ofsted Inspector 15–16 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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