Tettenhall Wood School

Inspection of a good school: Tettenhall Wood School Regis Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV6 8XF

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are determined that all pupils who attend Tettenhall Wood will develop the communication skills they need to communicate with others. As soon as pupils start school, staff identify communication strategies that meet the individual needs of pupils. As a result, pupils become increasingly confident in communicating with others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect pupils to behave well in school and know that some pupils need extra help to achieve this. Leaders quickly identify the pupils who need more help and put support plans in place. These plans are effective, and behaviour improves. Pupils feel safe in school. If there are any incidents of bullying, staff deal with them quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. They have designed different curriculum pathways to meet the different needs of pupils. However, leaders’ ambition is not realised yet because they are still developing the curriculum in most subjects. In these subjects, leaders need to decide what should be taught and when.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has many exciting resources that pupils enjoy using. For example, sensory rooms and a sensory gym help pupils to be ready for learning. Pupils enjoy interviewing famous sports personalities weekly for their very popular podcast.

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

Leaders know their pupils well, and staff share leaders’ vision for the school. Leaders are working on developing a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. They have identified the broad components of some subjects, but not all. They have not yet decided on the 2 to 3 March 2023

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knowledge they want pupils to know at each stage of the curriculum or the sequence in which they want them to learn it. As a result, pupils do not consistently receive a coherent curriculum that builds knowledge over time. For example, some pupils repeated the same topic of animals in key stage 2 and key stage 4. However, teachers did not know what the pupils had previously been taught, so they could not plan lessons to help them learn and know more.

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Subject leaders’ curriculum knowledge is variable. For example, some subject leaders use quality assurance effectively to identify development steps. Other subject leaders’ skills are not as well developed.

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Leaders ensure that each classroom has enough teaching assistants to support learners. However, not all staff give pupils the help they need to make the most of their learning. Some do not use the agreed communication strategies to enable pupils to communicate consistently.

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Leaders prioritise reading. Reading resources, reading areas, and classroom resources meet the needs of all pupils. For example, there is a school sensory book library and a ‘chill and chat’ area for older pupils. All classes have signs, symbols and objects of reference that help the pupils to learn new vocabulary and communicate their needs. Leaders ensure that staff have training in phonics and sensory stories. As a result, pupils are improving their reading skills and love of books.

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Any disruptions to learning are managed well by staff. ‘Pathway leaders’ quickly identify those pupils who need extra help and refer them to the pastoral team. The pastoral team assesses their needs and provides effective interventions to help them.

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Pupils are receiving experiences to help them learn about life in modern Britain and to develop their understanding of different faiths and cultures. For example, special cultural days help pupils learn about different cultures. However, leaders have not decided what they want the pupils to know about the different faiths, cultures and British values. Moreover, leaders have not planned opportunities systematically enough so that pupils learn more.

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Leaders provide pupils with opportunities that extend beyond academic subjects. For example, pupils have opportunities to learn about water safety, visit local shops, and participate in yoga sessions. Pupils receive a well-planned careers education programme that matches their needs. For example, some pupils take part in work experience in the community. Other pupils work in the school café.

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Staff say that leaders provide support to help them manage their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 2 to 3 March 2023

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Leaders make sure that staff receive the training they need so that they can help to keep pupils safe. They know the procedures to follow in school and do so.

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The designated safeguarding leader (DSL) meticulously records and monitors concerns.

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Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe through the personal, social, health and economic curriculum. However, leaders have not yet decided exactly what pupils need to know and the sequence of this knowledge. Pupils have good relationships with staff and feel well supported.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In most subjects, curriculum design is underdeveloped. Leaders have not yet identified the knowledge they want pupils to know or the sequence in which they want pupils to learn it. As a result, pupils are not consistently supported to know and remember more. Leaders should identify the sequence of knowledge they want pupils to learn and ensure that this is clearly built into their curriculum design and implementation.  Because curriculum sequencing is not consistently clear, teachers do not always know what pupils can already do and what they need to learn next. As a result, pupils’ learning does not build logically over time. Once the curriculum has been designed across all subjects, leaders should identify how teachers should assess pupils’ learning and ensure that this happens consistently well.  Leaders do not consistently plan opportunities for pupils’ personal development, including those that help them to learn how to keep safe and those that develop pupils’

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Leaders have not given enough thought to what they want pupils to know so that they are prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders should decide what they want pupils to know and learn and put plans in place to ensure this happens.  Teaching assistants do not consistently provide well-targeted support for pupils according to their needs, and they do not always follow the training that is provided. As a result, pupils are not learning as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that teaching assistants use the training they have been given to help pupils in their learning.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually, this is within one to 2 to 3 March 2023

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two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June

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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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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. 2 to 3 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240515 Type of school Special

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Date of previous inspection 7 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a maintained special school for pupils with autism spectrum disorder, aged 5 to 19.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  All pupils who attend the school have an education, health and care plan.  There is an off-site provision called Horizon Hub, which is based in a local secondary Academy Trust School.

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 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school, special educational needs and disabilities coordinators, curriculum leaders, representatives from the governing body, a representative from the local authority, teachers and pupils.  Inspectors heard pupils read to their teachers.  The lead inspector reviewed documents on the school’s website and additional documents provided by leaders during the inspection.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and humanities. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, and looked at samples of pupils’

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work.  The lead inspector met with the DSL. Pupils’ case files were reviewed. The single central record of checks on staff’s suitability to work with children was scrutinised.  Inspectors met with staff to discuss their workload and the support they receive to carry out their roles.  Inspectors examined behaviour support plans and incident records and observed pupils at other times of the day to evaluate pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Parent View, and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Amanda Green, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gail Brindley Ofsted Inspector 2 to 3 March 2023

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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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