Jane Lane School

Inspection of The Jane Lane School, A College for Cognition & Learning Churchill Road, Bentley, Walsall, West Midlands WS2 0JH

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 24 and 25 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have transformed The Jane Lane School since the last inspection. It is a place where pupils feel happy and safe. Pupils talk positively about their friendships. They are respectful and kind towards each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The school provides purposeful vocational experiences for pupils. Pupils enjoy weekly visits to a local college. This sets them up for the future. Leaders have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. These expectations are realised and pupils achieve very well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is ambitious. Pupils enjoy their lessons and speak positively about their education and experiences. They enjoy the outdoor spaces with enthusiasm. They happily interact and play with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of motivating learning opportunities. These help promote key skills such as citizenship. For example, pupils talk positively about their learning experiences in the local community, including visiting local shops and museums.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and staff are strong. This reflects the improved culture of the school. The vast majority of pupils behave in a calm and orderly manner across school. Pupils are polite and well mannered. For example, they open doors for adults and greet visitors with a smile.

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better?

The school has made many positive improvements since the last inspection. These have transformed the educational experiences and future opportunities for pupils. Safeguarding is prioritised at all times. The school has effective systems in place to ensure pupils are kept safe. The curriculum teaches pupils how to keep themselves safe in school and in the wider community. Pupils can name a trusted adult who they can talk to if they are feeling worried. As a result, The Jane Lane School is now a place where pupils feel safe and families and staff feel valued.

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better?

The school has implemented a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. Leaders have identified the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. Teachers are well trained to deliver the curriculum. As a result, pupils know more and remember more across subjects.

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better?

In most lessons, activities are adapted effectively to support pupils with their learning. This means pupils build on prior learning successfully. For example, sensory materials are used to generate high levels of engagement. However, in some lessons, the planned activities are not matched to pupils’ ability well enough. 24 and 25 October 2023

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The school’s assessment systems are effective. They help pupils remember key knowledge and vocabulary over time. Gaps in learning are identified and followed up quickly. This means pupils learn the curriculum content with accuracy.

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Pupils use communication systems appropriately. The school has thought carefully about the types of communication aids that pupils need. For example, staff and pupils use symbols, communication books and signing effectively. This supports pupils’ learning, independence and personal development.

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The school makes sure that reading is prioritised. All staff receive phonics training. Staff make checks to ensure that pupils who need to catch up make progress. Pupils read books that match their reading level. However, there is some variability in how well phonics is delivered. This means that some pupils are not learning to read as effectively as they could. Reading trees are displayed in classrooms to celebrate pupils’ success. Pupils enjoy reading, and they talk positively about the books they read.

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Pupils have access to a range of after-school clubs, including choir, construction, and science, technology, enterprise and mathematics. The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum teaches pupils about consent in an appropriate way. Pupils can talk about protected characteristics and how people are different. Pupils have opportunities to learn about employment and post-16 destinations. As a result, pupils talk with confidence about their next stage in education.

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The school has effective systems in place to support pupils’ attendance. The school works closely with families and external agencies. This means attendance is significantly improving.

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All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. This covers a broad range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils’ needs are accurately identified and regularly reviewed. The school works closely with parents, carers and specialists. This is a strength of the school and means that pupils receive the support and provision they need quickly to help them learn effectively.

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Behaviour strategies are consistently implemented across classrooms. These are well understood by all staff. Pupils behave well in lessons. For example, the classroom rules are clearly displayed and understood by pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 24 and 25 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

■ On occasion, the tasks pupils are given are not adapted precisely enough to meet their needs and support their learning. This means that some pupils are not accessing the content of lessons fully and securing the detailed knowledge that leaders have identified. The school should make sure that staff receive the support they need to adapt tasks effectively so that all pupils can access and achieve the ambitious aims of the curriculum. ■ There is some variability in how effectively phonics is delivered. This means that some pupils are not learning to read as effectively as others. The school needs to ensure that all staff receive the support they need to implement the phonics curriculum securely.

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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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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). 24 and 25 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority Interim executive board

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 July 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 All pupils have an EHC plan. These plans cover a broad range of SEND, including physical disabilities, autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and other complex needs. Pupils also have additional needs, such as sensory and medical needs.  The school uses one unregistered and one registered alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 24 and 25 October 2023

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken into account their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, the interim executive board, the deputy headteacher, assistant headteachers, subject leaders and teachers. Inspectors spoke to a leader from the alternative provision. Inspectors also spoke informally with parents, carers, transport escorts, drivers and staff.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, PSHE, science, history and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with areas of learning leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to

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pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at additional areas of learning.  Inspectors looked at a sample of pupils’ EHC plans.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school.  Inspectors observed informal times to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  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.  Inspectors considered responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also looked at responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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 Inspectors looked at a range of documents provided by the school, including the school’s self-evaluation, school policies, curriculum documents and SEND records.

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Inspection team

David Lisowski, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gemma Mann Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 October 2023

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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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