Stony Dean School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Stony Dean School Orchard End Avenue, Pineapple Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire HP7 9JW

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Outcome

Stony Dean 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?

Stony Dean is an inspirational school. All pupils at the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They face considerable barriers to their learning and development. Staff are highly skilled in helping pupils, including students in the sixth form, to meet these challenges with confidence. As a result, pupils flourish. They appreciate the support that staff give them. In turn, pupils display highly positive attitudes and behave exceptionally well. They, including students in the sixth form, treat each other with respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of what they achieve. They know what they need to do to reach their learning goals. This is the result of a carefully designed curriculum. It is tailored to each pupil’s needs and put into practice with skill, sensitivity and a sharp focus on learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ personal development, especially the skills needed for adulthood, is woven through everything the school does. The school weaves pupils’ personal development, especially the skills needed for adulthood, through everything it does. Helping pupils understand how to take control of their lives is discreetly but effectively built into the curriculum. Whether this is through the many opportunities in work-related activities, learning new skills, or classroom work, the impact is consistently strong. This includes pupils’ understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has accurately evaluated and improved its curriculum to reflect the changing needs of its pupils. The exceptional success of the 3 and 4 December 2024

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curriculum is down to the way staff consistently and effectively help pupils to learn. School leaders ensure staff access relevant professional development. This means staff know the most effective ways to support pupils with their learning. Staff adapt lessons expertly around pupils’ often various complex needs and backgrounds. Pupils are highly motivated and achieve extremely well. All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan These play a central part in everything that pupils do and there are lessons specifically devoted to the targets they inform. Teaching encourages pupils to follow their interests and develop their talents. As a result, nearly all pupils in Year 11, 12 and 13 achieve accredited awards in a range of academic, vocational and practical subjects. This includes GCSE qualifications for some.

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Reading is an integral part of school life. Effective actions to improve the reading curriculum have had a marked effect on pupils’ reading knowledge. Staff expertly spot who needs help and work swiftly to ensure these pupils catch up. This means pupils can access the range of texts they encounter across the curriculum. They enjoy reading and are proud to read out loud. The warmth and togetherness of the school can be felt when older pupils read to younger year ones. This ‘community’ approach to learning is commonplace throughout the whole school.

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Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and at social times. This is because of the school’s extremely well-established routines. Some pupils require a highly considered approach to support them to manage their behaviour. This helps them to self-regulate and gain independence. As a result, there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere around the school.

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Since the last inspection, the school has adapted its approach to monitoring and implementing strategies to reduce absence rates. These supportive actions have greatly improved many pupils’ attendance. They are especially helpful for those who find it difficult to attend school. The great majority of pupils attend school regularly, including in the sixth form.

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The school has planned each aspect of school life to join together seamlessly. Personal development is crafted around what pupils need to prepare them for adulthood. Topics covering relationships education are sensitively adapted to match pupils’ needs and understanding. Pupils’ voices are heard and taken seriously in developing the school further.

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Pupils, and students in the sixth form, benefit from comprehensive careers education, information and guidance. They receive an education that strongly develops their social skills and independence. Staff work with pupils consistently to explore possible career pathways. This work includes aspirational college and training opportunities for pupils. Pupils have the information they need to make well-considered decisions about their next steps. Leaders’ ambition for every pupil is of the highest order.

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The governing body is integral to the school’s work. It has taken decisive action to ensure it has the expertise to provide further support and challenge. The school’s clear analysis of its strengths and priorities contributes to this. Staff contribute significantly to the 3 and 4 December 2024

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school’s continuous improvement. The school’s openness helps to ensure that staff workload and well-being are considered fully.

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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 to be 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 November 2014.

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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 3 and 4 December 2024

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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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Date of previous inspection 5 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Stony Dean School is a special school for pupils with autism; multi-sensory impairments; speech, language and communication difficulties; social, emotional and mental health difficulties; physical disabilities; and profound and multiple learning difficulties.  All pupils have an EHC plan.  The school uses five registered alternative provisions. It uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Year 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 3 and 4 December 2024

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement 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 account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and senior school leaders, subject leaders, and with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors discussed the curriculum and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 reviewed a range of documents, including policies and analyses of pupils’

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Information about this inspection

behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors spoke to some pupils and staff about the school. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lunchtime and breaktimes.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff. There were no responses to the pupil survey to consider.  Inspectors also considered the views of parents and carers expressed through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. An inspector also spoke with some parents.

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Inspection team

Gary Tostevin, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Kearsey Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 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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