Mayfield School

Inspection of Mayfield School Wheeler Street, Lozells, Birmingham, West Midlands B19 2EP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The executive headteacher of this school is Victoria Miller. This school is part of the Education Impact Academy Trust, which means other people have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief education officer (CEO), Jon Harris, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Calvin Hussey. 22 and 23 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are put at the heart of all decision-making at Mayfield school. Leaders and staff are determined that pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) will not be a barrier to pupils’ achievements. However, the school’s strategies and processes are not consistently implemented by all staff and this means that the school’s ambitions are not always met.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to be themselves and staff take a great deal of time and care to get to know pupils well. They quickly identify the things that pupils do well and find out what motivates them. This helps most pupils get the best of their time in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a clear focus on making sure that pupils are well prepared for their next steps. The daily breakfast club for all pupils is focused on promoting pupils’ independence and communication skills. An extensive range of lunchtime clubs allow pupils to develop art, music and sporting interests. Many pupils participate in the school’s well-established Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme. In the sixth form, pupils are encouraged to take on positions of responsibility, including supporting younger pupils.

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better?

The school has been through a period of instability. Since the arrival of the executive headteacher, and with the support of the trust, the school is turning a corner. There is a determined focus that all pupils will achieve their best and be well prepared for their next steps. Trustees and the local governing board know the school well and provide very effective support and challenge that allows leaders to make the right decisions about the school.

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better?

The school has made sure that there is a curriculum in place that provides clear progression from early years into the sixth form. The curriculum is designed so that all pupils learn to communicate well and can recognise and manage their feelings and behaviours. This helps pupils engage in appropriate subject-based learning. Children in early years benefit from an effective sensory-based curriculum. Staff carefully select learning opportunities that prepare children well for their next steps. In the sixth form, students follow a curriculum that provides them with the precise skills and knowledge they need in adulthood.

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better?

In some classes, pupils benefit from learning that is highly focused on meeting their special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, this is not the same for all pupils. In some classes, teachers do not adapt the curriculum well enough for their pupils and so these pupils do not always make the excellent progress that leaders intend.

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better?

Communication is rightly at the heart of the work of the school. Pupils’ communication needs and next steps are carefully identified and staff are trained 22 and 23 May 2024

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well to promote the right communication strategies for each pupil. In some classes, there is consistent use of a range of communication tools and strategies to support pupils’ learning of the curriculum. Here, pupils engage with their learning and communicate with increasing confidence. In other classes, staff do not routinely or consistently promote effective communication and so pupils are prevented from participating in their learning as well as they could.

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Reading is prioritised. All pupils are exposed to reading through a carefully curated book list and through sensory stories. Children in the early years are taught to identify sounds and learn the motor skills needed to hold and read books. Rhymes and songs are commonplace throughout the school. Pupils learn to read using a well delivered phonics curriculum. Symbols and signs are used well to support reading where needed.

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Pastoral care at Mayfield school is strong. The members of the experienced and knowledgeable pastoral team know pupils and their families well. They work very effectively with pupils and their families to ensure that they get all the help they may need.

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Pupils’ behaviour needs are clearly identified by the school. Appropriate strategies are shared for each pupil to help staff and pupils learn to manage behaviour more effectively. Students in the sixth form are able to manage their emotions and behaviours well. However, in other areas of the school, some staff do not use these clearly identified strategies well enough and so some pupils are not as ready to learn as they should be.

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Pupils learn about their feelings and relationships through a carefully considered personal, social, and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Children in early years learn how to make and communicate choices. Older pupils are taught about how to identify and manage emotional and physical feelings. This helps pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe. In the sixth form, there is an increasing focus on independence. Students learn about employability, making the most of leisure time and how to manage problems. This prepares them well for adulthood.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff do not implement the school’s curriculum or behaviour strategies consistently well. This means that some pupils do not receive the quality of education that leaders intend. The school should continue to ensure that all staff have sufficient training to ensure that they are able to meet leaders’ ambitions for the curriculum and high expectations for behaviour. 22 and 23 May 2024

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 The school’s communication strategy is not used consistently well and so some pupils do not participate fully in their learning. The school should make sure that all staff have the knowledge, skills and expertise so that they implement pupils’ individual communication strategies well.

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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 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). 22 and 23 May 2024

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School details

School category Academy special sponsor-led

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sixth form

Headteacher Victoria Miller (executive headteacher)

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school converted to be an academy in June 2021, and it joined the Education Impact Academy Trust as a sponsored academy at this time.  The executive headteacher has been in post since January 2023.  The school is for students aged three to 19. All students have an education, health and care plan.  The primary needs of students at the school are severe and complex needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties.  The school operates on two sites. There are 150 pupils aged three to 19 on the Heathfield Road site at Heathfield Road, Birmingham B19 1HJ.  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 qualifications and apprenticeships. 22 and 23 May 2024

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 The school does not use alternative provision.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, reading and communication, physical development, 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 met with the CEO, the executive headteacher, the heads of school and other senior leaders.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector/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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors reviewed school documentation.  Inspectors met with trustees, including the chair of trustees and members of the local governing board, including the chair of the local governing board.  Inspectors spoke with pupils at social times and in formal meetings. There were no responses to the online pupil survey.  Inspectors met with staff and took account of the online staff survey.  Inspectors reviewed Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Claire Price, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Chris Field Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 May 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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