Kingfisher Special School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Kingfisher Special School Foxdenton Lane, Chadderton, Oldham, Lancashire OL9 9QR

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Outcome

Kingfisher Special School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Sue Caine. This school is a part of the Kingfisher Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by co-chief executive officers (CEOs) Anne Redmond and Lisa Needham, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Helen Crabtree.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kingfisher Special School provides an inspirational, safe and nurturing environment in which pupils flourish. The school opens the world to pupils. It is incredibly ambitious for pupils’ achievement. All pupils who attend the school have complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff do not see pupils’ additional needs as a barrier to them achieving. They work diligently to reduce any barriers to pupils’ learning to the best of their ability. They are tremendously successful in doing so. From their individual starting points, pupils make striking progress.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a peaceful environment for pupils. Staff care for the pupils in their class. They are experts in managing pupils’ behaviour. Staff use individualised approaches to support each pupil to manage their behaviour. Pupils respond very well to this. From time to time, a few pupils need extra help to manage their feelings. Staff are experts in supporting pupils in these situations. Throughout the school, pupils and staff show wonderful respect to each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school strives to ensure that pupils are as fully prepared for their adult life as possible. For example, the school carefully crafts different opportunities for pupils to learn about the world around them. This includes visits from the fire brigade, local police officers or visiting the local park or supermarket. 18 and 19 March 2025

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

The multi-academy trust, governors and school are resolute in ensuring that the school’s curriculum provides the best opportunities for pupils. They thoroughly think through every decision to ensure that it has the maximum impact on pupils. This has ensured that the school has not only maintained standards since the previous inspection, but that it is continuing to refine its exceptional standards even further. Parents and carers hold the school in exceedingly high regard. Staff are incredibly proud to work at the school. They value the support that the trust and school provide towards their workload and well- being. For example, staff appreciate the training that they receive which helps them to carry out their responsibilities to the highest standard.

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

The school’s curriculum has been carefully designed to meet the targets set in pupils’ education, health and care (EHC) plans. The school has established clear learning pathways. These pathways cover different subjects to ensure that pupils receive a broad curriculum offer. Teachers deftly deliver the curriculum with expertise. This is because they use their secure knowledge of these distinctive pathways alongside their understanding of pupils’ specific needs very well. Targets set from pupils’ EHC plans are exact. Teachers skilfully check on pupils’ learning so that they can identify the precise next step for pupils within their individual pathway. This is where the school demonstrates a meticulous approach to each pupil’s curriculum.

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

The school ensures that developing pupils’ communication skills is an essential part of the curriculum. In many ways, the school ensures that pupils become more confident communicators. For example, pupils learn to communicate their feelings and wishes to staff. This particularly helps the school to understand when pupils might need more help. Staff are highly skilled at implementing the communication curriculum. Pupils are proficient in using different aids. For the very small number of pupils who can access early reading, the school carefully plans an individual approach to develop these skills. This means that these pupils gain confidence in reading over time.

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

The school holds high expectations for pupils’ attendance. It fully understands the reasons why some pupils, who do not have complex medical needs, might not have been in school as often as they could have been. It works with many external agencies, and parents and carers, to ensure that pupils attend often. This is having a demonstrable impact on pupils’ attendance. Despite some challenges, pupils’ attendance is improving immensely over time.

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

The school’s personal development programme is well-considered. There is a sharp focus on ensuring that pupils can navigate their day-to-day lives such as getting dressed, visiting the dentist or doctors. Pupils are sensitively taught about potential risks, when online or out in the community. The school considers carefully how pupils learn healthy eating habits or develop their tolerance of different food groups. For example, pupils explore different foods and textures in school. Different therapies are used effectively to support pupils’ physical development. 18 and 19 March 2025

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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 December 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 18 and 19 March 2025

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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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

School category Academy special converter

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School details

CEOs of the trust Anne Redmond and Lisa Needham

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new principal has been appointed since the previous inspection.  All pupils have an EHC plan. The school caters for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and/or autism.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors visited lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They also listened to a few pupils read to a familiar adult. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They met with school leaders to discuss pupils’ rates of attendance.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, including the chair of the local governing body. He met with the co-CEOs of the multi-academy trust. He also met with two representatives of the trustees, including the chair of the board of trustees.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 observed pupils’ behaviour during lunchtime and as pupils moved around the school building. They reviewed leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour.

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 Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation document, analyses of pupils’ behaviour and attendance and minutes from governor and trustee meetings.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences at the school.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Stuart Perkins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 2025

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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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