Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Greg Williams Interim Headteacher Brooke School Overslade Lane Rugby Warwickshire CV22 6DY

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Brooke School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 24 and 25 September 2024, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the third monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in May 2022.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Brooke School

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Brooke School

During the inspection, Barry Yeardsley, His Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), and I discussed with you and the chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust, other staff and trustees the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also carried out visits to lessons, held meetings with curriculum leaders and looked at curriculum planning documents. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to no longer be judged as requiring special measures.

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The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be

considered again during any monitoring inspection we carry out.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Since the last monitoring visit, there have been further leadership changes. The deputy headteacher has since left. Since September 2024, your assistant headteacher is now the interim deputy headteacher. This visit focused on early years, communication and aspects of leadership and management.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

You and your leaders continue to have a clear and ambitious vision for all pupils. You continue to pay serious attention to improving the curriculum offer for pupils at your school. Since the last visit, more subject areas have moved further on. This includes religious and world views; computing; personal, social, health and economic education; and physical education. In these subjects, the precise knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn has now been identified and is sequenced in a clear and logical way. As a result, teachers are now more clear about what to teach and when.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Your curriculum is organised in three pathways. The formal pathway is very close to being finalised. You have ensured that pupils with complex needs have assistive technology available to support them to access the curriculum. However, you recognise there is more to do to ensure that the semi-formal and pre-formal pathways are fully in place. Since the last visit, pupils benefit from a new sensory room, with plans to build more. The school and trust have purchased a wide range of quality resources to support the new curriculum.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

At breaktimes, pupils now experience a range of play activities. These are now accessible to a growing number of pupils, such as an obstacle course set up at lunchtimes for wheelchair users. Pupils told inspectors how much more enjoyable breaktimes are now.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

You have taken action to support pupils’ communication and language needs. You have now appointed a middle leader to support this area of your curriculum. Training for staff has begun and there is a plan in place for further staff development in this area. There are an increasing number of additional resources in place to support whole-school communication strategies. More of your staff are using communication systems in class. You have identified that the focus will now be on the consistent implementation of the communication strategies in classrooms and across school.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Since the last visit, you have taken action to improve the provision in early years. There has been a specific focus on the curriculum, communication and the outdoor learning environment. The curriculum is now sequenced across all areas of learning for children. Staff in the early years are now more clear about what knowledge pupils are expected to know. You have identified how the focus now will be on implementing the new curriculum so that pupils learn the key knowledge and skills you have set out. Furthermore, staff are now implementing more accurate assessments when children join the early years. The outdoor learning space now benefits from brand new equipment and resources. You and your leaders are now supporting staff with planning purposeful activities for children when accessing the new outdoor area. You have expanded the curriculum offer in the sixth form. This now better matches the wishes and aspirations of your pupils. There are now more qualifications and vocational

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

options on offer. This is better supporting pupils’ next steps into adulthood. Consequently, pupils are enjoying the new modules on offer. You now have a plan in place to support pupils’ journey into adulthood, starting from the early years. You and your leaders also check the progress of pupils once they have left your school and have begun their next destinations.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The trust continues to offer school leaders support and challenge. It has been forthcoming with prioritising resources to develop the school and tackle the identified weaknesses. You and your leaders continue to benefit from a wide range of external support. This includes support for reading, early years and through a strategic leadership development programme. Continuous professional development for staff at all levels has been a particular focus. Staff understand and appreciate the benefits of this within their roles.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees and the CEO or equivalent of the Unity MAT, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Warwickshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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