Kettlebrook Short Stay School

Inspection of a good school: Kettlebrook Short Stay School Tame Street, Kettlebrook, Tamworth, Staffordshire B77 1AL

p.1

Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Kettlebrook Short Stay School is a welcoming place where pupils are given a fresh start. This is reflected in the positive way staff receive pupils and treat them with kindness and compassion. Pupils benefit from opportunities for their wider personal development. They can take part in several activities outside their lessons. These include street first aid, climbing, music, and art.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at Kettlebrook with often negative experiences of school. Some have been excluded from their mainstream school and others are at risk of exclusion. Most have found school difficult. Staff work hard to build trusting relationships with pupils; they know them well and want the very best for them. Pupils feel supported and work towards re-engaging in school experiences. Pupils feel safe in school and know who to turn to if they have a concern.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants pupils to achieve well. The curriculum offers a range of subjects for pupils to study. However, there is work to improve the quality of education so that it consistently matches the quality of the personal development and pastoral offer.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has worked alongside pupils to develop the school’s behaviour expectations. While pupils often meet these, some do not, and lessons can be disrupted by pupils’ behaviour. When this happens, pupils often receive direct support which helps them to reflect and regulate their behaviour.

p.1

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

The school has been developing its curriculum to ensure that it supports all pupils’ learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It is still in the process of improving the curriculum, and some subjects are further developed 8 and 9 May 2024

p.1

2

than others. In subjects such as English and mathematics, the specific knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn is not as clear as it could be. Many pupils arrive at the school not able to read confidently. Some pupils need support to rapidly catch up. The implementation of the new reading programme has begun, but this is still in its infancy. Pupils who are not yet fluent readers are therefore not receiving sufficient support and help to enable them to catch up.

p.2

2

The school does not use assessment information precisely enough to plan targeted learning to help close gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Consequently, future learning does not always build on what pupils already know and can do. Additionally, staff do not always have high enough expectations of the work that pupils produce. This, collectively, slows the progress pupils make.

p.2

2

The school has rightly prioritised its personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum. Pupils learn about important and relevant topics to help keep themselves safe and understand about the wider world. Key themes are revisited and built upon over time, which helps pupils to be secure in what they know and understand.

p.2

2

The school identifies and supports pupils with SEND well, ensuring they get the effective support. Leaders seek additional guidance and training from external agencies. This means that staff receive accurate and relevant information and training to enable them to know how best to support pupils.

p.2

2

Some pupils do not attend school regularly. As a result, they miss valuable learning to prepare them for their next steps. Leaders are taking appropriate steps to supporting these pupils in attending school more regularly. For some pupils, their attendance improves because of this support.

p.2

2

Preparing pupils for their next steps into employment, training or education is a priority. Careers education enriches pupils’ knowledge about the job market or what courses they might follow. Pupils enjoy work experience placements in settings such as schools, military bases and construction sites. When pupils leave school, they nearly all go on to further education, training or employment.

p.2

2

The management committee has an accurate view of the school. There are internal and external processes in place to evaluate what is working well and what needs to develop. Leaders and staff value the support that they receive. Leaders are considerate of staff workload and well-being. Staff say that they enjoy working at the school and feel valued.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 8 and 9 May 2024

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school is still at the early stages of implementing a reading curriculum. This means that pupils who need additional help do not receive enough targeted support to improve their reading skills. The school should ensure that a reading programme is implemented effectively to support the weakest readers to catch up.  In some subjects, the school does not have high enough expectations for what pupils should do in lessons and the work they should produce. This means that the progress pupils make in some subjects is more variable than others. The school should ensure that teachers have consistently high expectations to enable pupils to make the progress of which they are capable.  In some subjects, the school does not use assessment with enough precision to identify how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum. This means that, in some subjects, gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not being routinely addressed and teachers do

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

not always match future learning activities accurately enough to pupils’ needs. The school should ensure that assessment is used consistently well to inform the selection of activities to best close gaps in pupils’ learning.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2013.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 8 and 9 May 2024

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 8 and 9 May 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority Management Committee

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 4 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Kettlebrook Short Stay School is part of the Kettlebrook and Burton Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). The school became a member of this federation in April 2018.  Pupils are placed at Kettlebrook Short Stay School because they are at risk of permanent exclusion from their own school, or they have been permanently excluded. A small number of pupils remain at the school while appropriate specialist provision is identified.  The school currently uses one unregistered 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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 8 and 9 May 2024

p.5

6

 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.  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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, 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 observed informal times to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation on the school’s website.

p.6

6

 The inspectors held meetings with members of the management committee, senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, the designated safeguarding leader and curriculum leaders.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority, leaders from two feeder schools and the leader of the alternative provision.  The lead inspector took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View, pupil surveys and staff surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Gemma Mann, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Nicola Harwood Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 May 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7