Hedgewood School

Inspection of a good school: Hedgewood School Weymouth Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB4 8NF

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Outcome

Hedgewood School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hedgewood School is a happy place. The atmosphere is calm and friendly. Pupils like the activities that the school provides for them. The curriculum is different depending on the class grouping. Pupils’ learning is very carefully planned to meet their needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Communication is a key focus. Staff work out how pupils prefer to communicate. They then help pupils to develop their skills through speech, signing and/or the use of symbols.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy breaktime, using the trim trail, bikes and games tables, and dancing to music. Pupils feel safe at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of all pupils. This results in pupils achieving well. Careful planning is in place for pupils’ transition to secondary school. Pupils are well prepared for their next school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff’s approach to managing behaviour is positive and consistent across the school. Staff receive training and ongoing support to manage behaviour. Any disruption is swiftly addressed. Incidents are skilfully managed so that pupils quickly return to their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and carers and staff did not raise any concerns about bullying. They are confident that leaders would deal with it appropriately if it were to occur.

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

Pupils have complex learning and communication needs. Some pupils do not use spoken language. Leaders have developed a curriculum with three pathways to meet the needs of all pupils.

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

When pupils arrive at the school, staff quickly work out which of these pathways would suit a pupil best. Pupils are then placed in a class where the learning is matched to their needs. In each of the three curriculum pathways, leaders have made sure that learning 8 and 9 February 2022

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builds on what pupils already know. Subject content is chosen carefully, and learning is sequenced in a logical manner. Teachers encourage pupils to apply their skills and knowledge in real-life situations. Pupils learn to solve problems. If a pupil is absent from school, they are helped to catch up quickly. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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Teachers check regularly that pupils are on the best pathway for them as individuals. Sometimes, pupils move from one pathway to another. However, it is difficult to understand the links between pathways and how each pathway contributes to the curriculum as a whole.

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Reading is an important part of the learning at Hedgewood School. All pupils are encouraged to read. They read at home and at school. Pupils enjoy using the well- equipped library at school and reading fiction and non-fiction books. When they are starting to read, pupils learn phonics. They use their knowledge of phonics to read carefully chosen books. Pupils are taught the skills they need to be confident readers.

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Much of the teaching is done in small groups and on a one-to-one basis. This ensures that pupils focus on their learning and achieve well. Learning activities are short to help pupils to maintain their attention. Staff then move pupils on to another activity.

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Subject leaders are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. All staff have training in subject content. Mathematics is well sequenced. Physical education (PE) and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education are well planned. These are an important part of the curriculum. Pupils enjoy their learning.

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Many of the wider enrichment activities stopped due to the pandemic restrictions. Breakfast club continued. Leaders are now restarting the range of additional provision for pupils. This includes after-school clubs and holiday clubs. They also provide a range of outdoor learning opportunities. Pupils’ social and emotional development is a key aspect of every curriculum subject and the wider activities that the school offers.

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The school is well led and managed. Governors understand their role in school and challenge and support leaders. Staff access a wide range of training opportunities and appreciate the support they receive from leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are aware of the potential risks that could affect pupils. Leaders provide regular training for staff, as well as ongoing guidance and advice. Staff share information quickly and make sure that they take action to provide families with help as soon as they can. Staff follow up referrals when necessary. Families can ask for help from the family support team at any time.

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Safeguarding

Parents have no worries about their children’s safety and well-being. 8 and 9 February 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The three pathways that make up the curriculum are distinct and separate. This means that there is no overall view of the curriculum as a whole. Leaders should ensure that there is a clear overview of the entire curriculum and that staff have a clear understanding of how subject content in each of the pathways is linked.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are 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. 8 and 9 February 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Michelle Doherty

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Date of previous inspection

31 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Hedgewood School is a primary special school that provides for pupils with complex and moderate learning difficulties. Many have additional speech and language difficulties and/or autism spectrum disorder.  The school has expanded in size since the previous inspection.  An off-site provision has moved back on site.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with leaders, subject leaders and governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, PSHE education and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered some other curriculum subjects. 8 and 9 February 2022

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 The single central record was reviewed and a discussion held with the designated safeguarding lead. Sample cases were discussed.  Inspectors spoke to staff about the safeguarding training they receive.  Inspectors met with parents and reviewed the responses to the Ofsted survey, Parent View.  Inspectors spoke to pupils and heard them read.

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Inspection team

Penny Barratt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Angela Corbett Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 February 2022

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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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