Fort Royal

Fort Royal

Address: Wyld's Lane, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR5 1DR Unique reference number (URN): 131534

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils' attendance compares very favourably with the national picture, particularly when considering the significant medical needs of many pupils. Pupils attend school consistently well. Leaders have a clear understanding of the needs of pupils who have barriers to their attendance. This enables them to work very effectively with families and external agencies to improve these pupils’ attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

There is a uniquely calm and positive atmosphere throughout the school. This is because staff know pupils very well. Routines are consistent. Staff use resources effectively to anticipate when pupils may feel anxious. For example ‘sensory ladders’ enable staff to understand and anticipate the needs of pupils with sensory difficulties. As a result of these strategies, pupils settle quickly into learning each day and are very well supported to focus and learn.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders ensure that staff apply the school’s positive behaviour policy skilfully. Their consistent approach and shared understanding mean staff quickly resolve any difficulties that arise. Staff reinforce positive behaviour through praise and celebration. This creates a constructive, uplifting environment where all pupils flourish. Pupils are very well supported to improve their behaviour if needed. Leaders ensure that unkindness and discrimination are never tolerated. Everyone is welcome at Fort Royal.

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Early years Strong standard

Children make a flying start in the early years. Before they start school, staff liaise with external professionals to ensure support is very well matched to children’s needs. The early years curriculum is engaging and considers children’s individual starting points. Staff consistently focus on children’s next steps in learning. They do this in specifically planned group work as well in high-quality interactions during children’s play. Children are very well prepared for Year 1.

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Early years Strong standard

Reading is prioritised. Children learn at a stage appropriate to their needs so that they can learn to read as quickly as possible. They listen and respond to sounds during ‘basket time’. Staff focus on a text a week and provide sensory experiences which promote a love of stories. Songs and rhymes permeate the environment. These help to establish recognisable and consistent routines while reinforcing important language. Staff are skilled at developing children’s communication skills consistently well. For example, at snack time, staff teach children to use symbols and signing to show 'more' or 'taste'.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders involve parents and carers as soon their child has a place at the school. Staff maintain regular contact with parents through communication books. Parents attend stay- and-play sessions regularly so they can take part in their child’s education.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders quickly identify the needs of pupils. As soon as a pupil joins the school, staff review their education, health and care (EHC) plan to ensure that it reflects their needs. Pupils’ EHC plans are available in every classroom, giving clear details about the specific support required. This means that staff are well informed so that pupils consistently receive the right help at the right time.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Experts, such as speech therapists and psychologists, work closely with staff and families. As a result, pupils are very well supported to join in fully with their learning. Staff use sensory resources such as sand, water and play dough to help pupils learn. Staff are highly skilled, thanks to tailored, high-quality training. They reduce any barriers to learning that pupils may have.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use additional funding wisely to provide specialist support for disadvantaged pupils. For example, play therapy has significantly improved pupils' communication and emotional control. Staff are trained to understand autism and help pupils manage their feelings. This ensures that challenges in relation to disadvantaged pupils are quickly addressed.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Close working with staff, families and professionals strengthens leaders' oversight of provision and ensures pupils continue to receive the right support. This has led to some pupils moving back into mainstream schools.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are passionate about and ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are powerful advocates for all their pupils. Leaders have established a culture where the needs of pupils drive every decision. They have a clear vision for the school, and focus on the right priorities. Leaders turn their high ambition into action by rapidly addressing any areas for school improvement.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Consequently, staff consistently deliver the curriculum well. Work on further embedding the use of signing across school is happening at pace. This is because leaders ensure that the professional learning of staff is focused on their priorities. Many staff are highly skilled. Leaders make the most of these skills by ensuring other staff are well supported through coaching and mentoring. Leaders are outward-looking. They use methods based on the best available evidence and research to develop all staff.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and governors work together in a highly effective way. Governors bring an invaluable set of skills to the school. They carry out their role very well, including fulfilling their statutory duties. Governors are integrated into the school community. They carry out regular and rigorous checks on the information leaders provide, ensuring they are achieving their improvement priorities.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff feel well supported by leaders. One summed up the views of many when they stated that leaders 'have pupil and staff wellbeing at the forefront of all the decisions and plans they make'. Governors ensure that this continues to be the case through regular liaison with staff.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school has a highly effective personal development programme. Leaders weave pupils’ personal development through every part of the curriculum to ensure that all pupils benefit fully. Pupils learn important knowledge in the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. They have regular opportunities to learn about friendship, right and wrong and mutual respect. This approach has a clear impact on pupils. For example, they progress from simple self-recognition to managing complex emotions and supporting their friends.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Through themed days and assemblies, pupils celebrate diverse religious festivals. They explore different music, food and dance. Pupils appreciate the wider world through international links with a partner school in Poland, participating in video calls. They strengthen their understanding of equality by supporting peers with physical disabilities and through internal work experience roles. Fundamental British values such as democracy and individual freedom are lived out through the school council and eco-council, where pupils vote on resources and work toward environmental awards.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders broaden pupils’ experiences, for example, through visits from farmers and emergency services. These often take place during the school day so that no one misses out. Most pupils take part in extra-curricular music lessons. Pupils comment that they enjoy these opportunities because they are able to express themselves.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Safety and healthy living are central to the school's work. Pupils can clearly explain the difference between safe and unsafe relationships. They know how to stay safe online and how to ‘block and report’ anything that is concerning. Pupils gain a deep understanding of the importance of physical and mental health. Scrumpy, the therapy dog, and a range of expert therapists are used effectively to support pupils’ wellbeing. As a result, pupils feel safe and able to manage their feelings. Every pupil can name a trusted adult they can speak to if they are worried.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils make progress from their starting points across each curriculum pathway. This is because leaders ensure that staff personalise learning to meet pupils’ individual needs. Pupils make progress in relation to their education, health and care (EHC) plan, often achieving the targets set by the end of each key stage. This is because staff consider EHC plans in all aspects of their work with pupils.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, pupils master essential communication skills effectively, using suitable resources to do this. This means that they are able to communicate their needs and ideas well.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well over time. By the end of Year 6, they have secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics that prepare them well for their next stage of education. Disadvantaged pupils and those known or previously known to social care achieve at least as well as their peers in school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have established a curriculum which is ambitious and meets the needs of all pupils. There are three curriculum pathways: support, core and extension. Each pathway ensures that learning builds over time. There has been a recent focus on the support pathway, as more pupils are arriving in school with complex learning difficulties. Leaders have ensured that this pathway carefully takes account of pupils’ sensory needs and the need for ‘active learning’. Leaders ensure that staff receive support and training to meet pupils’ needs effectively and that staff deliver the curriculum pathways consistently well across all key stages.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers know pupils well and adapt lessons so that everyone is included. They focus on important foundations for learning. For example, in mathematics, pupils regularly manipulate objects in order to understand the value of numbers. When ready, pupils develop their phonics knowledge to read and write words. Staff use personalised communication systems with pupils so that they can express themselves. Typically, staff support pupils through the use of signing. However, not all staff are as skilled as they could be in this aspect of communication. This impacts on some pupils’ ability to communicate, access and learn the curriculum.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders at Fort Royal set a clear mission to provide an environment where all pupils can 'play, learn, laugh and succeed'. They realise this high ambition effectively. The school radiates positivity. Pupils are happy and engage confidently in learning. They succeed because staff create a nurturing, highly supportive culture. Parents speak overwhelmingly positively about the school. One reflected the views of many, stating, ‘I honestly couldn’t wish for a better school for my child.’

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Well-established routines help pupils manage their emotions effectively, behave well and participate fully in school life. Staff know pupils and their needs extremely well. Many pupils have complex needs. Every pupil receives tailored care, support and carefully personalised learning. Pupils' targets are linked closely to long-term outcomes in their education, health and care plans. Their barriers to learning are removed and their communication skills are strengthened through a wide range of strategies and resources. As a result, pupils achieve their goals over time.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel safe because staff notice even the smallest changes in behaviour and respond quickly. Pupils enjoy secure friendships and rich experiences that make school life meaningful. Attendance is high. When pupils are too unwell to attend regularly, leaders provide effective support for them and their families.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school’s values tree stands at the heart of the school. It encapsulates the belief that 'what we plant in our children today they carry forward into tomorrow’s world'. These values shape pupils’ attitudes and behaviours and prepare them well for future learning and life.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils play an active role in school life. They can be members of the school council or eco- committee. Older pupils help the school administrative and site teams. Pupils experience the wider world through adventurous activities such as horse riding or sailing a 'bell boat'.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to support staff to consistently use the school’s agreed method of communicating through signing, so that pupils can access the curriculum, learn and communicate as well as possible.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Emma Evans.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteachers and other leaders during the inspection. The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school caters for pupils with profound, severe and moderate learning difficulties, including those with complex medical needs and physical disabilities. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.

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Lead inspector:

Barry Yeardsley, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Chris Field, Ofsted Inspector David Lisowski, Ofsted Inspector Russell Hinton, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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