Frank Wise School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Frank Wise School Hornbeam Close, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 9RL

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Outcome

Frank Wise School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy place where pupils thrive. Pupils proudly describe this school as ‘amazing’ and ‘great’. Parents and carers agree. They are overwhelmingly positive and grateful that their children flourish at this exceptional school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The nurturing environment and predictable daily routines help the youngest children settle in swiftly. Each individual is valued and understood. Adults offer an irresistible invitation to join in with learning, songs and joyful play. This sparks curiosity about the world and promotes communication and engagement. Throughout the school and in the post-16 Griffiths Centre, everyone is treated kindly. This contributes to a calm, purposeful atmosphere which permeates the school. Pupils are safe and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Classes are known as ‘family groups’. This helps to promote a tangible sense of belonging. Pupils form respectful friendships and learn that everyone is unique. The school has high expectations for all, and they prepare pupils to be visible and valued in their communities. From a young age, pupils participate in purposeful trips outside of school. As they progress through the school, their self-esteem and sense of worth grows. They develop skills and attributes that make a difference to others, such as serving at community coffee mornings, or selling in the town the high-quality products that they have designed and made.

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

The school has carefully designed a broad, rich and highly personalised curriculum. This is meticulously tailored around each pupil and incorporates their education, health and care 5 and 6 November 2024

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(EHC) plan outcomes. Staff know and understand pupils exceptionally well. Across all subjects, teachers check carefully what pupils have learned. They use these checks to plan precise next steps for each pupil. Learning is well sequenced, and appropriately personalised. Pupils achieve exceptionally well across all curriculum areas because there are no limits on what they can achieve. Staff have highly specialist knowledge and expertise. Pupils’ physiotherapy, health and sensory needs are seamlessly incorporated into day-to-day learning.

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The school has devised a robust model that clearly guides staff in how to develop pupils’ language and functional communication. This includes a consistent approach to teaching phonics and handwriting for those ready to access these approaches. Children in the early years get off to a very strong start. Adults skilfully model communication aids and teach children to recognise important objects, symbols and words. Childrens’ early communication and interactions are valued and responded to. This brings them great delight and encourages them to express themselves. All pupils are well supported through the consistent use of symbols or their own personalised communication aids. The school helps pupils to read at a level that is appropriate for them. Pupils enjoy sharing stories.

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Over many years, the school has developed a distinctive ‘inclusion programme’. Each week, every class group has a half day timetabled visit to a mainstream school. They integrate with their mainstream peers in a lesson which has been organised by teachers from both schools. The shared lesson is often followed by a time of play for younger pupils. Older pupils benefit from access to specialist rooms such as design and technology spaces or sports halls. Sincere friendships are built and barriers to inclusion are overcome as a result of this approach. Parents said that their children benefit enormously from these types of approaches. They say that their children are recognised when they are out and about.

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Staff have consistently high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils learn to develop their own strategies to self-regulate. They take responsibility for managing their own behaviour and are supportive of one another. They make effective use of playground sensory equipment and are understanding of other pupils’ needs. Occasionally, some pupils need help with regulation. When this happens, staff thoughtfully and respectfully provide support.

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Pupils know that their views matter. The school council is an influential group that makes a real difference to the school’s work. For example, these pupil representatives co- authored the school’s anti-bullying policy. Their section on identifying the features of positive relationships showed great insight and awareness.

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A coherently planned and progressive series of residential trips helps to prepare pupils for success beyond school. Pupils hold these experiences in high regard. These trips help them to discover new interests and support some pupils to gain the confidence to join local community groups or activities. These approaches are carefully incorporated into the school’s excellent work which helps to prepare pupils for their future lives. 5 and 6 November 2024

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In the post-16 provision, students get the chance to apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired throughout their time in school to a range of situations. For those able to travel independently, a robust programme scaffolds them to safely achieve this. The school provides high-quality, meaningful opportunities for pupils to encounter the world of work. These include school-based enterprise projects as well as work-based activities in local businesses. Staff work very effectively with pupils to prepare them for their next steps, including the move to further education or work. Pupils’ individual portfolios are a great example of this work. These not only celebrate pupils’ achievements, but they showcase how pupils’ knowledge, skills and attributes have prepared them well for their next setting or workplace.

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Leaders and governors share the same moral imperative that every pupil has something unique to offer the world. Leaders work with staff to continuously improve approaches which support pupils to achieve ambitious outcomes. Staff appreciate the cohesive sense of teamwork and are proud of the difference their work makes to pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in March 2015. 5 and 6 November 2024

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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.

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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 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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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Appropriate authority The governing body

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Chair of governing body Shirley Gelleburn

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Headteacher Heidi Dennison and Simon Knight

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Website http://www.frankwise.oxon.sch.uk

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Date of previous inspection 9 May 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Frank Wise School caters for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties. All pupils EHC plans.  The school has provision for two-year-olds.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 consideration in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other members of the leadership team. Inspectors also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector spoke to a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also reviewed a range of documents and spoke to some staff about the curriculum, attendance, safeguarding, personal development and behaviour.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons. They also

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Information about this inspection

spoke to pupils in lessons and during play and lunchtimes.  The inspectors considered a range of documents including leaders’ evaluations of the school, their school improvement plan, and minutes from governors’ meetings.  The inspectors considered parents responses to Ofsted Parent View.  The inspectors took account of the views of staff through conversations and the responses to the online staff survey.  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.

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Inspection team

Jo Petch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Regan Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 2024

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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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