Glebe School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Glebe School Hawes Lane, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9AE

p.1

Outcome

Glebe School continues to be an outstanding school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are engaged in lessons. The school has a subject-based curriculum. Pupils move around school to different subjects. Teachers prepare interesting lessons and pupils achieve well. Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They say that their children make good progress.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils get on well together. Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. A whole-school reward programme supports this. Pupils work well alongside each other.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us that they like school. They said that they feel safe. If they are worried about anything, they know that they can talk to staff. Staff deal with any incidents effectively, including any rare occurrence of bullying.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide a wide range of learning opportunities for pupils. Pupils enjoy taking part in lunchtime clubs which include dancing, singing, Spanish, cricket, speaking up, film, chess, tennis, library, fitness and football. Pupils take part in athletic activities away from school. Pupils have entered a Kent schools cross-country event. Leaders work with Kent County Cricket Club and Bromley Football Club to arrange activities. Every year there is a residential trip to Wales. This involves climbing Snowdon, which gives the pupils a big sense of achievement.

p.1

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

The school curriculum matches the needs of pupils who attend the school. Leaders have worked closely with teachers to design subject plans. The school offers a subject-based curriculum, with specialist teachers teaching each subject. Teaching assistants are also linked to subjects. Leaders ensure that staff receive regular training. Subjects are well delivered. Staff have strong knowledge of their subjects. This results in lessons being fine- tuned to each pupil’s needs. In each subject, pupils learn and remember more as they move through the school. Pupils enjoy lessons. 26–27 November 2019

p.1

2

Pupils who learn best in ‘The Den’ are very well supported. For these pupils, lessons take place in the same classroom throughout the day. Teachers make sure that pupils’ individual needs are met.

p.2

2

Pupils’ reading skills are strong. They read often. Teachers also read to pupils often. Pupils learn phonics to give them the skills to decode words. They practise these skills by reading books that are matched to their learning. They enjoy the whole-class books even though sometimes these are challenging.

p.2

2

Pupils told us that ‘the work is hard but not too hard’. They remember doing similar work before. Lessons build well on what pupils have learned before.

p.2

2

The curriculum is flexible. For example, in physical education (PE), orienteering is taught to support pupils’ problem-solving skills. Pupils participate in a wide range of activities. Accreditation options are chosen to suit the pupils at the school. As a result, pupils achieve very well.

p.2

2

In modern foreign languages teachers plan engaging activities to promote a love of Spanish. These sessions also help pupils to find out about life in Peru. Pupils collect funds for a school in Peru. This supports their awareness of other cultures and communities.

p.2

2

Film supports learning in many lessons. Pupils also help to make films. These are shown in assemblies and on the school’s website. This celebrates pupils’ work.

p.2

2

There are at least four lunchtime clubs offered each day. Pupils readily join these. Pupils are also encouraged to complete the daily mile around the school field at lunchtime. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. Bullying is very rare but when it does happen, staff deal with it effectively.

p.2

2

Staff told us that leaders support them well. Leaders listen to staff views and act on these. They manage staff workload. Pupils and staff say that others in the school care for them.

p.2

2

Trustees work well with school leaders. They check on the school’s work and come into school to see it in action. They know the school well. They know what the school does well and the areas that the school is working on.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

All processes for keeping children safe work well. Reporting procedures are in place and staff know what to do if they have any concerns. Leaders work well with other agencies to make sure pupils get the support they need. Staff regularly receive safeguarding training.

p.2

Safeguarding

Staff and parents told us that they feel pupils are safe at school. Pupils say that they feel safe at school. Teachers provide pupils with a range of opportunities to help pupils learn 26–27 November 2019

p.2

3

how to keep safe online, both in and out of school.

p.3

Background

When we have judged a special school to be outstanding we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 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.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Glebe School, to be outstanding on 12–13 November 2014.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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. 26–27 November 2019

p.3

form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.4

Information about this school

 Glebe School is a secondary special school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.  Glebe School converted to become an academy school on 1 September 2017. When its predecessor school, Glebe School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 We visited lessons with senior leaders. We met with pupils and teachers, and looked at questionnaires completed by parents, pupils and staff. We also met with the chair of trustees and other trustees.  We did deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, PE and modern foreign languages. We visited lessons with senior leaders and met with teachers and pupils from those lessons. We looked at pupils’ work. 26–27 November 2019

p.4

5

 We looked at the school’s systems and processes for keeping pupils safe. We talked to staff, parents and pupils and asked them about safeguarding.

p.5

Inspection team

Penny Barratt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.5

Inspection team

Kanwaljit Singh Ofsted Inspector 26–27 November 2019

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

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 .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6