The Vyne Community School

Inspection of The Vyne Community School Vyne Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 5PB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 26 and 27 April 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils happily attend The Vyne Community School. They trust adults to take good care of them, and feel happy and safe. A feeling of community permeates the school, and many pupils describe it as a family. Any cases of bullying or unkind behaviour are dealt with skilfully. Treating each pupil as an individual is something that The Vyne does well. Leaders and staff take time to understand each pupil’s needs so that they can provide exactly the right support. This includes pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Those who are part of the school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) are fully included in all parts of school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take an active role in school and their opinions are valued. One pupil who spoke to the lead inspector said: ‘As a community, we play our part.’ A team of prefects, diligently led by two impressive ‘head students’, works closely with the headteacher and other leaders to improve pupils’ experiences. A busy programme of clubs means that pupils have regular opportunities to develop their interests and talents. Leaders actively encourage pupils to take part in as many activities as possible.

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better?

At the heart of The Vyne is an ambition for all pupils to succeed. This ambition is equally high for pupils with SEND. The curriculum ensures that pupils learn a broad range of subjects. Leaders have thought methodically about what it is that they want pupils to learn and when. However, in some of the foundation subjects, they are in the process of making this even clearer. Leaders’ plans to achieve this are well under way.

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better?

The curriculum is taught well and teachers’ expertise makes a difference to what pupils achieve in lessons. Capturing the attention of pupils is something that most teachers do successfully. Teachers plan interesting lessons. Exploring new ideas and concepts, talking with peers and being exposed to a variety of tasks all come together to provide an enjoyable learning experience.

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better?

Leaders and staff think creatively about the educational provision that is best suited to individual pupils. Sometimes, they decide that pupils need to attend an alternative provision provider. Collaborative working with alternative providers ensures that pupils receive suitable education and are well cared for. While decisions about the school’s use of alternative provision are well thought out, leaders know that some of the processes they follow need to improve, such as how much they know about each provider, and whether or not it is registered.

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better?

The school’s reading curriculum has been a focus. Staff recognise the importance of pupils being able to read so that they experience success in the classroom. Many opportunities for pupils to read help to improve their fluency and confidence. 26 and 27 April 2022

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Support for those who struggle is provided by well-trained staff who use phonics to help pupils with reading.

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Pupils show commitment to school and behave well in lessons. Most have very positive attitudes to learning. Being on time to lessons is something that a small number of pupils struggle with. Leaders know that transition between lessons is something that needs more thought so that pupils are on time and get the most from their lessons.

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Pupils’ understanding of the world, and of important issues, are developed through the school’s well-planned personal, social and health education programme. Assemblies and ‘drop-down days’, when some of the school day is devoted to pupils exploring a particular theme, support pupils’ personal development well. Diversity and equality are themes that staff and pupils have spent time discussing.

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Members of the governing body have a sharp focus on the school’s priorities. A carefully selected group of governors brings a range of expertise to the table. A healthy balance of challenge and support helps to ensure that leaders are constantly striving to improve the school. The work of governors and leaders is supported well by the local authority.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is important at The Vyne. Appropriate checks are carried out on adults. Leaders also seek confirmation that adults working with pupils in alternative provision have the appropriate checks. However, the record-keeping relating to these checks needs to be clearer.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained. Staff understand the importance of building positive relationships with pupils and their families. A thorough understanding of how to keep pupils safe from harm leads to quick, decisive action when there are concerns about a pupil. Records of these concerns are detailed. Appropriate actions, such as referrals to external partners, are taken by leaders in a timely way. Very occasionally, there are some gaps in pupils’ safeguarding records.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, it is less clear what pupils learn and when. This slows the progress pupils make in these subjects and leads to variation in how well the curriculum is delivered. However, leaders have firm plans in place to remedy this. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. 26 and 27 April 2022

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 A small number of pupils do not arrive to lessons on time. This means that these pupils miss important learning. Leaders need to ensure consistent expectations of staff and pupils during transitions between lessons.  Leaders have gaps in their understanding of some of the checks that they need to carry out on the registration status of alternative provision providers they use. This led to some inaccurate recording of attendance being identified during the inspection, which was rectified. Leaders need to carry out more detailed checks on the status of each provider they use and ensure they have the same level of assurance about their safety that they would expect if pupils were on the main school site. They also need to record attendance of the pupils who attend the providers accurately. Governors need to challenge leaders more robustly to assure themselves that these processes are consistently followed.

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 Some pupils’ individual safeguarding records have gaps, for example minutes from child in need meetings. This means that sometimes important information is not recorded precisely enough on pupils’ records and some of the pupil’s story is missing. Leaders and governors accept this and know that they need to further strengthen their oversight of how well leaders are making sure the processes are followed consistently well.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 26 and 27 April 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 May 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up her post since the last inspection.  The school has a specially resourced provision for 12 pupils with speech, language and communication needs. There are currently 10 pupils who access the specially resourced provision.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school currently uses two registered alternative provision education providers and two unregistered alternative provision education providers.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school 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. 26 and 27 April 2022

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 The school was selected for a section 5 inspection arising from Ofsted’s risk assessment process. Ofsted was concerned about the use of alternative provision.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, art and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also scrutinised curriculum plans in some other subjects. They also visited lessons in some other subjects.  Inspectors met with leaders, staff, pupils and those with responsibility for governance, including the chair and four other members of the governing body.  Inspectors held discussions with four alternative provision education providers and visited three of the four alternative provision education providers.  Inspectors observed tutor time, assembly and break and lunchtimes.

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 Inspectors scrutinised behaviour and attendance records.  Inspectors spoke with representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors scrutinised governing body meeting minutes and records of visits to the school made by governors and the local authority.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator to discuss the provision for pupils with SEND, including those who access the specially resourced provision. They visited lessons to look at the support pupils with SEND were receiving.  Inspectors considered the responses to the confidential staff survey. They took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, and to comments made by those who responded.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors looked at the school’s website and policies, met with leaders and spoke with pupils and staff. They scrutinised school records of the safeguarding checks carried out on adults

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working at the school and spoke with governors. They scrutinised a selection of electronic child protection records. They also scrutinised the checks the school had carried out on the adults working with pupils in the alternative provision providers the school uses.

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Inspection team

Shaun Jarvis, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Owen McColgan Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 April 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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