Bleasdale School

Inspection of Bleasdale School 27 Emesgate Lane, Silverdale, Carnforth, Lancashire LA5 0RG

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding 23 and 24 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bleasdale School is an exceptional school where all pupils are valued and nurtured. The school shares an unwavering determination to put pupils at the heart of everything that it does. Staff know pupils exceptionally well. They care greatly about supporting pupils’ social, physical and educational development. As a result, pupils are happy, and they achieve highly from their various starting points.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. Pupils benefit from purposeful and exciting learning opportunities. Staff are highly skilled and understand and support pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) expertly. The school is particularly strong at supporting pupils who need support to improve their communication skills. Over time, pupils develop their ability to communicate exceptionally well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in their lessons and at social times. They respond quickly to requests from caring staff. When required, pupils receive excellent additional support that helps them to improve their behaviour over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy positions of responsibility such as being school councillors and running the weekly school café. There is a plethora of enrichment opportunities for pupils to get involved with. They particularly enjoy taking part in orienteering, yoga and visits to the local beach.

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better?

The school has designed a specialised curriculum that is extremely ambitious. It ensures that pupils study a broad range of subjects. Within subjects, the school has thought carefully about the knowledge that pupils will learn. The school uses appropriate assessment strategies to collect information about how well pupils learn the curriculum. Staff check pupils’ understanding carefully and regularly. The school uses this information to help staff adapt their delivery of the curriculum so that pupils achieve well in a range of subjects.

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better?

The school encourages pupils to improve their communication and interaction. For example, pupils use their tailored communication systems with increasing confidence to provide staff with appropriate responses. Staff model language expertly. There is an exceptional focus on developing vocabulary through rhymes and sensory stories. As a result, most pupils improve their communication over time.

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better?

The school ensures that pupils’ needs are monitored closely. Consequently, the school responds quickly and effectively to meet any changes in pupils’ SEND. Pupils benefit from a range of specialists that further enhance the support that they receive.

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better?

For those pupils who are at the early stages of reading, there is a well-considered phonics programme. Staff deliver the programme excellently so that these pupils 23 and 24 April 2024

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learn to read with fluency. Pupils delightfully engage with sensory stories and poems that staff share with them throughout the school day.

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Pupils greet visitors with friendliness and warmth. Their behaviour is exemplary. Pupils enjoy their lessons and always try their best. They benefit from very positive relationships with staff. Across the school community, the feeling of positivity and resilience shown by pupils is remarkable.

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The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is strong. Pupils understand the similarities and differences between different world religions. They learn about tolerance and respect. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are given many opportunities to develop their character and explore their talents and interests. Pupils are keen to make a positive contribution to their school and the wider community. For example, pupils raise money for charities and display their artwork in the village for the local community to enjoy.

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Pupils receive high-quality work experience. Staff guide pupils impressively towards their future aspirations. A notable array of carefully considered work and enterprise opportunities are weaved through the curriculum. The inspirational curriculum extends into the sixth form, where students are enabled to become increasingly independent as they start to prepare for adult life.

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Staff are immensely proud to work at the school. They appreciate the support that they receive to grow professionally and to manage their workload. Governors are passionate about the school and help to ensure that all pupils flourish. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the education that it provides.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 23 and 24 April 2024

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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). 23 and 24 April 2024

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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sixth form

Website www.bleasdaleschool.lancs.sch.uk

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 June 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 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.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school caters for pupils with a range of profound and complex learning difficulties. Many pupils have autism and/or additional diagnoses. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 23 and 24 April 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s educational provision.  Inspectors discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, other senior leaders, staff, pupils and members of the governing body. An inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in communication and early reading, physical development and understanding the world. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects. An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 spoke to staff about pupils’ behaviour and staff’s workload.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. They took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils. Inspectors considered the views of pupils throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Sharples, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Dawn Farrent Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 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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