Scarborough Pupil Referral Unit

Inspection of Scarborough Pupil Referral Unit Valley Bridge Parade, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO11 2PG

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Scarborough Pupil Referral Unit is a small school with a big heart. Staff advocate well for pupils at this school. They want pupils to succeed by returning to mainstream schools or moving on to positive post-16 destinations. Most pupils join the school after a permanent exclusion, or if their mainstream school is unable to meet their needs at a particular point in time. The school supports pupils to develop positive school attitudes to get back on track with their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils attending the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school is proactive in supporting the identification and assessment of pupils’ SEND. This ensures that pupils can quickly access a range of support that meets their needs effectively. Some pupils are assessed for an education, health and care (EHC) plan while they attend the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum prepares pupils successfully for mainstream education. Reading is prioritised in the school. Pupils that need help to improve their reading are supported well. Pupils who attend the school on short- or long-term placements receive the same school experience. They feel safe and settled at the school and some pupils show improvements in their attendance from when they joined the school. However, despite leaders’ work to improve pupils’ attendance, too many pupils do not attend school regularly.

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

The school has redeveloped its curriculum. It has strengthened its educational offer to better meet the needs of pupils. The curriculum is clearly mapped out and details what pupils learn across subjects. The school is working to embed the curriculum and refine the content that pupils learn. Pupils’ work demonstrates progress over time. Pupils revisit learning in ‘learning cycles’ to steadily build knowledge and secure their understanding. For example, in English, pupils learn classic texts such as Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Pupils study characters such as the three witches to develop their expressive language when they write Gothic storylines. Pupils use this knowledge effectively in their own writing.

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

The school has intensified its approach to develop pupils’ reading. The school’s reading curriculum encourages pupils to think about what they have read, while developing pupils’ phonics knowledge and reading fluency. Pupils receive frequent and effective support. Pupils engage well with reading sessions. They demonstrate reading improvements during their time in the school.

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

When pupils do attend school, they behave well. They engage positively with lessons and show enthusiasm for learning. However, some pupils are persistently absent and a minority are severely absent. The school is working with parents and carers to improve their child’s attendance. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other. They are supported effectively by staff who know each pupil well. If pupils are worried or need help to keep calm, staff know what to do. The school develops precise ‘pupil placement plans’. These plans accurately map out pupils’ individual needs and agreed strategies of support. Staff 5 and 6 November 2024

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follow the plans carefully. They take time to build warm relationships with each pupil. Pupils appreciate the adult support they receive.

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Pupils experience a range of wider development opportunities. These include visiting local and national places of interest. For example, pupils visit the theatre in London and attend professional football matches after school. The experiences broaden pupils’ understanding of their locality. Pupils learn to cook healthy meals and learn ways to improve their physical health through sports such as basketball and weightlifting. Religious education lessons strengthen pupils’ understanding of different cultures and beliefs well. Pupils consider the world around them and discuss politics in tutor time. They receive effective guidance about their next steps towards employment or further education. This includes attending careers fairs to learn about jobs and experiencing college taster days.

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The school’s management committee knows the school well. It is kept well informed about the school’s work and pupils’ progress with frequent updates. Members of the management committee visit the school regularly and check the quality of the provision. They rightly acknowledge that pupils’ attendance can be improved. Staff enjoy working at the school. They recognise that leaders are considerate of their workload and appreciate the support that they receive to develop professionally. This gives them the necessary skills to make the best impact on pupils’ education during their time at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Too many pupils do not attend school regularly. They miss important learning, which negatively impacts on their academic progress and personal development. The school should continue to work innovatively with parents and their children to overcome any barriers to attendance to ensure that more pupils attend school regularly.  In some subjects, the curriculum is new and not fully embedded. This means that, in some subject areas, pupils are not learning as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well in all subject areas and staff are supported to deliver it effectively.

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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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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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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School details

Website www.scarboroughpru.n-yorks.sch.uk

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School details

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 caters for pupils who have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools and pupils who are at risk of permanent exclusion. Some pupils are dual registered with other schools.  At the time of inspection, a further 13 pupils were dual registered with other schools within the local authority.  Most pupils have SEND and some pupils have an EHC plan.  Pupils join the school throughout the academic year.  The school currently places one pupil into one unregistered alternative provision for some lessons.  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.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and 5 and 6 November 2024

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management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued 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 the following subjects: English, mathematics and personal, social and health education. The provision for teaching reading was also closely scrutinised.  Inspectors spoke to leaders about the curriculum and met with staff.  Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about the curriculum, their experiences of behaviour and what it is like to attend this school.  An inspector listened to pupils from different year groups reading to familiar adults.  An inspector met with members of the management committee and a representative from the local authority.  An inspector held a discussion, by telephone, with a representative from the

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unregistered alternative provision used by 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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

David Mills, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Dennis Ley 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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