Romans Field School

Inspection of a good school: Romans Field School Shenley Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK3 7AW

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2023

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Outcome

Romans Field School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils feel they belong and ‘have a place’. They are clear that everyone is welcome. Pupils have high praise for the adults in school. They say they are kind and that they keep them safe. Parents and carers appreciate the inclusive ethos and the ‘genuine care’ that pupils receive from staff at Romans Field.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils well. Many pupils are here because they need help to learn how to regulate their emotions and behaviour. They receive consistently caring and empathetic support. Staff skilfully help pupils learn to identify how they are feeling. They teach them to develop their own personal strategies to manage their own behaviour. There are plenty of beneficial areas for pupils around the school. Some enjoy using the gym equipment to burn off extra energy, while others prefer the calm atmosphere of the immersive sensory rooms. Outside areas offer additional space for pupils to use sensory equipment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations for pupils to achieve well are high. A range of therapies and specialist programmes are integrated into the curriculum offer. This holistic approach to learning is carefully tailored to meet the needs of each pupil. Consequently, they achieve well.

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

To meet pupils’ broad range of needs, the school provides a thoughtfully planned curriculum structured into two pathways. Subject knowledge is broken down into manageable chunks and sequenced carefully. Subject leaders identify the important vocabulary that pupils need to know to help them remember their learning. However, some aspects of the curriculum are very new. Some staff do not yet always have the precise knowledge they need to consistently implement these new plans to ensure every pupil achieves highly.

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

Every pupil follows an individually tailored learning plan in line with their education, health and care (EHC) plan. Teachers use baseline assessments to understand what pupils know 18 and 19 October 2023

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when they start at school. Personalised targets are identified in detailed planning, and these are integrated into pupils’ daily learning.

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There is a sharp focus on communication, particularly for pupils following the Romans Field curriculum pathway. Pupils who are non-verbal learn to read symbols and words, which helps to develop their functional communication. For those who are ready to learn through phonics, the school has implemented an effective programme. Staff are well trained to deliver this. The programme helps to develop pupils’ enjoyment of reading as they grow in confidence. Although precise expectations are not yet quite so clearly outlined for those pupils who are working at pre-phonics levels, staff do use rhymes and sensory books to help develop pupils’ interest in reading. Listening to stories and sharing interesting books are daily occurrences across all classes. Older pupils participate in lively debates about the books they read together. Pupils appreciate choosing books from the well-stocked library.

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The school’s personal, social, health and economics (PSHE) education curriculum is well sequenced. Lessons equip pupils with knowledge that prepares them for life in modern Britain. This includes learning about online safety, as well as how to be safe in the community. Pupils enjoyed recalling a recent trip to ‘Hazard Alley’, where they had to problem solve real-life scenarios in a safe environment. This is just one example of many trips and visits that the school organises. Pupils also benefit from the lunchtime clubs and Friday morning enrichment sessions. Through these, pupils explore their interests, learning to fix bicycles or discovering how to crochet, for example.

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Pupils are proud ambassadors for their school. They appreciate the opportunity to join the school council. The school has prepared pupils well to take on more active leadership roles. They have a keen appetite to contribute their ideas and be involved in decision- making in school life. The school recognises this as a further area of development to continue giving pupils even more leadership opportunities.

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Staff appreciate the culture of mutual support here. They are positive about the purposeful training they receive. This helps them to develop detailed knowledge about the pupils. Staff work closely alongside therapists, who also deliver training. When needed, pupils have counselling support for their mental health.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 To meet the evolving needs of pupils, some aspects of the curriculum are still being further refined. In these areas, the intended curriculum is not always as precisely implemented as leaders intend. This means that some pupils do not consistently 18 and 19 October 2023

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achieve highly. The school needs to ensure that all staff consistently use the agreed approaches to support pupil achievement.  Aside from the school council, there are limited opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles in school. Pupils aspire to develop their roles of responsibility and influence decision-making in the school. The school knows that it needs to implement more opportunities for pupils to apply for leadership roles across the school.

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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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2018.

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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). 18 and 19 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Sashi Siva (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Inclusive Learning Federation along with Priory Common, a mainstream infant school, and Bradwell Village School, a mainstream junior school. The headteacher of Romans Field is the executive headteacher of all three schools. The executive headteacher works closely with the head of school.  Romans Field is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Many of the pupils have additional needs, including learning difficulties and autism spectrum disorder. All pupils have an EHC plan.  The school uses no 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.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 18 and 19 October 2023

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 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, senior leaders, curriculum leaders, teachers and support staff. The lead inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair, and representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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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 Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and outside during social times.  Inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  Inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including school improvement documents and governance minutes.

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Inspection team

Jo Petch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Dyer Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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