Newman School

Inspection of Newman School East Bawtry Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S60 3LX

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 October 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Sixth-form provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Inadequate 12 and 13 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Newman School is an inclusive all-through learning provider. Pupils learn at one of four sites dependent on their age and special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff care well for all pupils from the early years to the sixth form. Leaders have developed effective safeguarding systems to ensure that they keep all pupils safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are improving the school’s curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of all pupils. Teachers design well prepared and organised lessons, so that pupils can learn more. Pupils experience an improved reading curriculum. They benefit from daily lessons to improve their reading skills. Leaders have ensured that staff have the training they need to teach phonics well. These developments are in the early stages and leaders have a clear plan for continued improvement.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a range of provision to meet their needs across all school sites. Pupils can access sensory spaces, a therapy swimming pool or ‘Independence House’. All school sites are well resourced. Leaders are continuing to develop the school site, including the early years outdoor spaces, to ensure all pupils can access modern facilities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are happy at school. They feel well supported and cared for by staff. Pupils say behaviour is improving and bullying is not an issue. If it were, pupils say staff would deal with it effectively.

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better?

School leaders, supported by an effective interim executive board (IEB), have ensured that the development of the school’s curriculum has been prioritised. Staff have developed the curriculum to ensure it meets the diverse needs and age groups of pupils that attend the school. Leaders ensure that subject plans follow the national curriculum and are adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Some areas of the curriculum are less well developed than others. In some subject areas, staff do not have the subject knowledge necessary to deliver the subject curriculum effectively and confidently. As a result, the delivery of the curriculum is inconsistent.

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better?

There are a small number of children in early years who are taught as part of the mixed-age classes in the primary phase of the school. Leaders ensure adults provide effective care and support that meets children’s needs. Children settle into the routines of school quickly and participate well in lessons, including phonics. Leaders have designed the early years curriculum appropriately to prepare children for next steps in their learning. It builds in a logical way. The primary curriculum is sequenced effectively. Pupils in the secondary phase of school follow a well-thought- out curriculum that prepares them for GCSEs and entry level qualifications. Leaders are developing quality assurance systems to ensure the curriculum meets the needs 12 and 13 October 2022

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of all pupils. More development is needed to ensure the curriculum is equally strong in all subject areas across the school.

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Teachers deliver post-16 provision across school sites. Leaders have grouped students to meet their specific SEND and in preparation for adulthood. The curriculum leads to further GCSEs and BTEC National Diploma qualifications. Staff support some students to prepare for adulthood in the ‘Independence House’. Sixth- form students develop practical skills in preparation for living independently. However, some staff can be over supportive, which can undermine the development of students’ independence. Most students who leave the sixth form are well prepared for the next stages in their lives. The number of students moving to positive destinations is high. Leaders ensure preparation for adulthood is a ‘golden thread’ of the school’s work from the early years to post-16.

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Leaders have ensured there is a culture of reading in the school. The reading curriculum is well designed and effectively implemented. The teaching of phonics is prioritised through daily lessons. Pupils from early years to sixth form access a range of books that develop their reading skills. Teachers are skilful in questioning pupils to develop comprehension. Pupils that need support to improve their reading are taught phonics. Staff are well trained and teach phonics consistently. Pupils engage with support well. Pupils show progress against the planned phonics curriculum.

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Leaders have developed effective behaviour management systems. This includes the ‘Targeted Action Group’ team of staff, who support pupils’ behaviour effectively. Leaders use the school’s data management systems to track pupils’ behaviour. This ensures pupils’ behaviour plans are precise. However, behaviour incidents that involve violence towards staff persist. Some members of staff do not have the expertise necessary to manage pupils’ dysregulated behaviour effectively.

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Staff support pupils’ personal development well. In tutor lessons, all pupils work towards meeting the targets on their individual education, health and care (EHC) plan. Pupils in the secondary phase experience a careers programme that is effectively measured against the Gatsby benchmarks. Pupils receive independent careers advice that informs them about college and the world of work. All pupils can access a range of appropriate therapies that meet their individual needs. These include music therapy, trampoline therapy and sensory interventions. A large proportion of secondary age pupils participate in the Duke of Edinburgh award. All pupils can experience school trips, including residential visits in sixth form.

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Leaders understand staff workload and support staff well. Early career teachers receive effective development and support during their induction phase. All staff receive regular training to develop their safeguarding practice. The local authority and IEB are supportive and knowledgeable about the strengths and next steps of the school. They provide the necessary momentum and challenge to ensure the school continues to improve. 12 and 13 October 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

School leaders have improved the effectiveness of safeguarding since the last inspection. The culture of safeguarding is much improved across all school sites. Procedures to check adults prior to their employment are secure. Pupils’ safeguarding records are comprehensive. Leaders record safeguarding concerns accurately and follow these up with urgency.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure all staff have appropriate training to help them recognise risks to pupils. Staff receive weekly updates about important safeguarding matters. Staff understand the risks that pupils face in the community.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. They know they can go to adults if they need support.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some members of staff do not manage pupils’ dysregulated behaviours effectively. This means that some behaviour incidents can escalate unnecessarily. Leaders should ensure all staff have the required expertise to manage dysregulated behaviour consistently well.  Some curriculum areas are less well developed than others. This leads to inconsistent and weaker practice. Leaders should ensure that the identified scope, content and sequencing are equally strong in all subject areas.  Some staff lack the subject knowledge required to deliver the curriculum effectively and confidently. This results in inconsistent delivery of the planned curriculum. Leaders should ensure all staff have the training they need to deliver each subject effectively, so that pupils know more and remember more.

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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. 12 and 13 October 2022

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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. 12 and 13 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10231247 Type of school Special

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sixth form

Appropriate authority Interim executive board

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 3 and 4 November 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Newman School is a community special school for pupils from age 2 to 19. All pupils have an EHC plan.  The school is split across four sites. These are Newman main site, Newman additional resource, Dinnington site and the off-site unit, ‘Independence House’. This unit supports pupils to develop practical skills as preparation for living independently within the community.  The school makes provision for pupils with complex special educational needs. This includes those with physical disabilities, physical and psychological medical conditions, autistic spectrum disorders, social, emotional and mental health, moderate and severe learning difficulties, as well as profound and multiple learning difficulties. 12 and 13 October 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a graded (section 5) inspection under the same Act.

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Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, curriculum leaders, subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors met with members of the school’s IEB and the local authority assistant director of education. An inspector spoke to the local authority designated officer by telephone.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and personal, social, health and economic 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.  The lead inspector met with the school’s designated safeguarding leader. The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding records, relevant policies and other safeguarding documentation. The inspector reviewed the processes leaders use to identify and help pupils who need support. In addition, the inspector scrutinised

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Information about this inspection

the school’s records of checks carried out on adults who work at the school.  Inspectors visited lessons across the school sites.  Inspectors spoke to pupils formally and informally, including pupils who receive support to improve their reading.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents, including the school’s improvement plans.  The inspection team spoke to staff about their workload and pupils’ behaviour in the school.  Inspectors considered responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents. In addition, an inspector spoke to a selection of parents and carers by telephone.

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Inspection team

David Mills, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 12 and 13 October 2022

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Sarah Hubbard His Majesty's Inspector 12 and 13 October 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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