Wandsworth Hospital and Home Tuition Service

Inspection of an outstanding school: Wandsworth Hospital and Home Tuition Service Elizabeth Newton Building, Springfield University Hospital, Elizabeth Newton Way, London SW17 0YG

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 2023

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Outcome

Wandsworth Hospital and Home Tuition Service continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils who attend this school are undeniably proud and happy here. Depending on their medical requirements, pupils may stay at the school for either short or long durations. When pupils join, staff promptly establish a connection with them, making an effort to understand each pupil’s personality, interests, talents and future aspirations. The staff also reassure pupils admitted to the wards that they can continue their education and stay on top of their schoolwork.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about learning because lessons are enjoyable and captivating. The school’s expectations are very high. Because many pupils are unable to leave the hospital, the school provides a wide range of opportunities for their personal, social and life skill development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary both in class and throughout the school. They are polite, welcoming and cooperative. The positive, well-staffed environment limits any potential for bullying. Low-level disruptive behaviour does not hinder other pupils’ learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Deaf awareness and deaf studies are strengths of the school. Staff teach both hearing and deaf pupils about the deaf community and deaf identity. This positively impacts their sense of identity and pride. All pupils have the opportunity to learn British Sign Language (BSL).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers praise the teaching staff for their compassionate, nurturing approach. They recognise the school as being exceptional.

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

Leaders have designed a highly effective and ambitious curriculum. It reflects leaders’ 10 and 11 October 2023

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determination that every pupil should benefit from a rich and engaging learning experience. The curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of each pupil. It includes opportunities for pupils to study GCSEs and A levels in subjects that suit the strengths and interests of the pupils.

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Teaching staff are experts at assessing pupils’ starting points. Staff are highly trained in hospital education. This includes knowing how to adapt learning to meet medical needs and the needs of any pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Teachers have strong specialist knowledge of the subjects they teach. This enables them to be highly responsive to pupils. For example, staff recognise that pupils’ memory and ability to learn new things are often affected by their health and medication. Because of this, they adapt to pupils’ changing needs by adapting teaching and reviewing previous material to help pupils learn better.

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The school ensures that pupils can attend well by continuing their learning while in the hospital or participating in the outreach program. Staff cultivate a love for learning and bring joy to pupils who may be facing emotional challenges. Teachers create engaging lessons that make learning enticing. In situations where the subject matter may not naturally captivate pupils, staff have the skills and strong relationships to gently motivate pupils to explore new things.

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Reading has an especially strong focus for pupils of all ages. All staff are skilled in teaching pupils to read, including supporting pupils at the earliest stages of learning to read. Every day, all pupils have dedicated time for reading for pleasure, and great efforts are made to make reading an exciting activity.

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The school’s focus on pupils’ wider development is remarkable. The school involves external organisations, such as London Symphonia and the National Portrait Museum, to bring the outside world into the school. Emphasis is placed on oracy and self-advocacy to help pupils find their voice and prepare for life beyond the school. Pupils’ views are heard and respected. The school’s work with pupils on social and emotional aspects of learning helps medical professionals to have more effective therapeutic conversations.

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Staff support deaf pupils in navigating the challenges of bilingual communication. They work systematically to overcome barriers faced by these pupils, assisting them in developing their BSL signing skills and English proficiency.

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Leaders and governors recognise the dedication of staff. They make sure their well-being is strongly prioritised. The culture of openness, collaboration and support is highly prized by staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 10 and 11 October 2023

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Background

When we have judged a 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 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 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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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in September 2013.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 10 and 11 October 2023

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form

Appropriate authority The local authority

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form

Date of previous inspection 17 July 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The Wandsworth Hospital and Home Tuition Service caters for pupils who are experiencing medical or mental health conditions. The school has three settings. One is based at Springfield University Hospital. One is based within St George’s Hospital. The third setting supports pupils in the community with medical or mental health needs.  Most pupils are patients at the hospitals and have severe or chronic illness, have mental health issues or are pregnant.  The school also provides a tuition service that caters for pupils with medical needs that prevent them from attending their mainstream school.  The school population is very fluid. Pupils are admitted to hospital or identified as requiring outreach support because of a medical or mental health need. When they are discharged from hospital or no longer require outreach support for a medical or mental 10 and 11 October 2023

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health need, they are no longer part of the hospital school. Some can be at the school for a very short time. The school does not use other alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics and personal development. Inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, met with pupils to discuss their learning and met with teachers. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with groups of pupils, and they observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at break and lunchtimes.  Inspectors spoke with a range of staff about behaviour and their workload. Inspectors also looked at the responses from staff and parents to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Francis Gonzalez, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lucy Wijsveld Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 October 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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