North West Surrey Short Stay School

Inspection of North West Surrey Short Stay School 45 Kingsway, Woking, Surrey GU21 6NT

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 19 and 20 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy attending this welcoming school. They appreciate the fact that they are greeted with a smile when they arrive each morning. They feel safe and supported by staff who reinforce high expectations in a calm and patient manner. Pupils appreciate the help they receive to make good choices and improve their behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Although there is an effective learning environment, pupils do not benefit from a consistently high-quality education. This is because the school does not have a well- structured curriculum. This means that, although pupils work hard in lessons, their learning is sometimes disjointed. What they are taught does not always follow on from what they have learned previously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils here are taught to behave respectfully towards others. Staff model this through their daily interactions and the positive relationships they build with pupils. Pupils learn to care for others and work as a team. For example, pupils agree the weekly lunch menu and take turns cooking food for each other. Although bullying and unkindness sometimes occurs it is dealt with promptly and effectively.

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better?

Following the previous inspection, the school has made improvements to the site and recruited additional staff so that as many pupils as possible can benefit from a full-time education. This work has been supported by the involvement of a multi- academy trust (MAT) and the appointment of a new headteacher. Pupils’ attendance and behaviour have improved rapidly since the start of this work.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is underdeveloped. There is not yet a coherent and well- designed curriculum for pupils to follow. When pupils are enrolled at the school, teachers are provided with some information about their previous learning and progress. However, there is not a robust system of assessment to enable teachers and leaders to identify gaps in learning. As a result, pupils are often asked to complete the same learning activities regardless of their ages and starting points. The curriculum for current Year 11 pupils is more structured to ensure that pupils are prepared to sit external examinations.

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better?

The school works well with pupils to help them improve their behaviour. There are clear expectations that are understood by all pupils. Staff reinforce these consistently, for example by reminding pupils about use of appropriate and respectful language. Since September, the school has strengthened the expectations of pupils’ engagement and conduct. Although this initially led to a rise in pupils being suspended, this number has now reduced.

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better?

All pupils benefit from a core offer of personal, social, health and economic education. In addition to this, pupils learn about topics such as relationships and criminal exploitation from expert visitors. As part of their social development, pupils 19 and 20 March 2024

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participate in activities such as climbing and football within the local community. The school provides opportunities for pupils to learn about careers and next steps. This includes visits to local colleges, independent careers advice and opportunities to take part in work experience or find apprenticeships. This work is effective and results in most pupils leaving Year 11 with next steps clearly identified.

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Leaders have an accurate understanding of which areas in the school are improving and those where further work is required. They have ambitious plans to improve the quality of education provided and draw on support offered by the MAT to achieve this. The school’s management committee is made up of professionals with a broad range of expertise. They are ambitious for the school and demonstrate a deep commitment to ensuring that all pupils improve their behaviour and achieve well. Many staff are new to the school and have benefitted from a strong offer of initial induction and training. Staff appreciate the strong consideration that leaders show for their well-being, particularly when considering their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not fully developed. Leaders should ensure that there are clear plans in place to show what they intend pupils to know and remember in each subject. This will help to ensure that pupils are taught the most important knowledge and that it is sequenced coherently over time.  The way that assessment is used in school does not enable teachers to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This means that often learning is not matched to pupils needs, including any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders should ensure that there is a robust assessment system in place and teachers are trained in its use. This will help make sure that learning is matched to pupils’ needs and starting points.

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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. 19 and 20 March 2024

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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). 19 and 20 March 2024

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School details

Chair Stephen Price (Chair of management committee) Headteacher Miranda Younger

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 January 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is split across two sites. The Kingsway Centre is currently attended by pupils in key stage 3 and Year 10. The Pyrford Centre is currently attended by pupils in Year 11.  The school has a management committee in place which is responsible for governance. The same committee are responsible for governance of another provider, the North East Surrey Short Stay School.  All pupils have SEND and a small proportion also have an education health and care plan.  The school currently makes use of five alternative providers, four of which are unregistered.  This school is a pupil referral unit. The school intends to offer mainly fixed term placements for pupils who require interventions or are at risk of permanent exclusion. However, currently all pupils are on the school’s roll having been permanently excluded from other settings. A small number of pupils from this school transition to specialist or mainstream settings.

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 As part of a package of leadership support offered by a MAT, there is close oversight and involvement from their director of education and chief executive officer.  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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with a number of senior staff from the school including the school’s headteacher and representatives of the MAT currently supporting the school. The lead inspector met with representatives of the school’s management committee and the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and food technology. 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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Information about this inspection

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors held a number of meetings linked to other judgement areas such as personal development and behaviour. They talked with pupils and staff about these areas of the school.

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Inspection team

Chris Ellison, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Numera Anwar His Majesty’s Inspector 19 and 20 March 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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