Treloar School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Treloar School Powell Drive, Holybourne, Alton, Hampshire GU34 4GL

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Inspection dates: 20 and 21 February 2024

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Outcome

Treloar School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school with great purpose and endless compassion. Staff are totally dedicated to their work to break down barriers and to make pupils feel that more is possible in their own lives. Pupils feel safe here. They are welcoming to visitors though not afraid to ask challenging questions if required. They told inspectors that staff are kind. Parents are also overwhelmingly positive about the commitment of staff. This includes the expert multi- disciplinary team who contribute much to the care and also to the quality of education pupils receive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Supporting the emotional and physical well-being of pupils is afforded a very high priority. Because of this, pupils’ behaviour is exceptional, though not always perfect. When things slip, staff are there to steady the boat and to provide the patient guidance needed to resolve pupils’ anxieties, often generated by frustration rather than the actions of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations are high, no matter what pathway pupils are following. Staff are not afraid to challenge pupils when they know more can be achieved. The positive impact of this is clear to see, including in the school’s post-16 provision, where students are prepared extremely well for their next steps in education and life after Treloar’s.

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

Despite the consistently high quality of provision over time at this school, staff aspire for continuous improvement. They are rightly proud to work at Treloar’s. Their responses to Ofsted’s staff survey reflect a high degree of satisfaction, as did parents’ and carers’ responses to Ofsted Parent View during the inspection.

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

Those in positions of governance know the school well and are determined in their work to enable staff to work together positively as one collegiate team. Leaders at all levels are not afraid to make changes when they think things could be better. Successes are constantly being built on. Consequently, aspects such as the school’s curriculum have many strengths but are ever evolving. 20 and 21 February 2024

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The mantra that the school should always meet the needs of each individual pupil, no matter what their barriers, is always at the forefront of leaders’ minds. This thinking is additionally strengthened and informed by research gathered by the school’s ‘progress and transition’ team. Their ongoing contact with past students, often stretching over many years, provides valuable research in identifying the successes as well as the ‘even better if’ elements of the quality of education the school provides. This means that while there is noticeable excellence in some curriculum subjects, others are changing to meet the needs of current pupils better still.

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The curriculum is tailored for each pupil, with ‘communication’ at its core. The school intends that there should be a ‘right focus for success' for all, no matter what their backgrounds, academic ability, or obstacles to learning. The school’s excellent literacy programme is successful in developing pupils’ ability to read and to communicate. This work is often aided by a wide range of technology including augmentative and alternative communication systems. Technology also plays an important part in extending the school’s offer when pupils are unable to attend for any reason.

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Both mathematics and physical education (PE), including physical well-being, are taught well, and take into consideration very sharply the individual needs of pupils across the school. Elements of the PE and physical well-being curriculum, including swimming, are exemplary, and are being shared with other schools. However, teaching in mathematics is in a period of evolution from a strong starting point. Pupils are beginning to benefit from a carefully planned transition to an approach that focuses more on mathematics in real life, while maintaining the academic rigour for those pupils who require it.

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The school has a well-designed personal, health, relationships and sex education (PHRSE) programme that takes into account the different needs of pupil groups. It fully covers the age-appropriate requirements needed to give pupils a growing understanding of aspects such as equalities, difference, and of the world around them. Importantly, it is responsive to important issues that pupils themselves are currently encountering.

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The school’s broader curriculum offer is strong. Staff work hard to open pupils’ eyes to new experiences and to build on a whole-school vision that anything is possible. Visiting experts, role models and advocates for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities enrich pupils’ experiences almost daily. The school’s bespoke programme to promote cycling provides enjoyment, excitement and challenge in equal measure. Students in the sixth form are producing their own musical drama as part of their current enterprise project. Pupils are also practising hard for their upcoming performance at a dance competition for schools and colleges, where they will compete with pupils from other mainstream and special schools.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 20 and 21 February 2024

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in January 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). 20 and 21 February 2024

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Dates of previous inspection 16 and 17 January 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Treloar School is a non-maintained residential special school for pupils aged between 2 and 19 years of age who have multiple and complex physical disabilities. It is managed by The Treloar Trust, a trust registered at The Charity Commission, with governance provided by a governing board.  All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Many pupils are non-verbal. Some have hearing or visual impairments, or an acquired brain injury. Some pupils have degenerative and/or life-limiting conditions. Almost all pupils are placed in the school by their local authorities.  At the time of the inspection, the school did not have any children attending in the early years foundation stage. The school does not currently use any alternative provision. 20 and 21 February 2024

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 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 and appropriate technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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 the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held a wide range of meetings with leaders at all levels, as well as teaching and support staff. The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing board who was accompanied by another governor. He also talked on the telephone to a social worker from a local authority that places pupils at the school.  The lead inspector held a formal meeting with members of the school council to gain their views of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: communication including early reading, mathematics, PE and physical well-being, and PHRSE. For each deep dive,

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Information about this inspection

inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. The lead inspector heard some pupils read to a known adult. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects with leaders.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of parents, 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.  I nspectors gathered evidence to explore the impact of pupils’ behaviour, the school’s wider curriculum offer and how leaders support staff with their workload.  Pupils were talked to throughout the inspection to gain their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the views of parents submitted through Ofsted Parent View. The

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Information about this inspection

views of pupils and staff were also considered through Ofsted’s surveys, including the school’s own adapted and symbolised surveys.

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Inspection team

Clive Close, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Kearsey Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 February 2024

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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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