North West Surrey Short Stay School

North West Surrey Short Stay School

Address: 45 Kingsway, Woking, Surrey, GU21 6NT Unique reference number (URN): 135894

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils attend well. This has improved significantly over time. There has been a sharp rise in attendance for individual pupils and specific groups of pupils. Attendance is particularly positive for the increasing number of pupils with complex needs. Leaders prioritise attendance for all. They communicate this well to pupils. Pupils know that attending well will help them to be successful in their next steps. Leaders work hard to break down barriers to attendance. They track absence carefully and respond to any trends quickly. Leaders work positively with families to identify potential barriers. They break these down swiftly. The impact of this work is evident in the sustained improvement for the vast majority of pupils.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils feel they are an important part of the school community. This helps them to behave very well. Pupils learn the well-established routines quickly. As a result, pupils settle quickly to learning. Pupils who need extra support with their behaviour benefit from well-designed strategies. This helps them to swiftly return to learning. Pupils show high levels of respect. They work hard and listen carefully to teachers. This creates a purposeful atmosphere. Leaders have a detailed understanding of behaviour within the school. They respond quickly to incidents of bullying and other serious issues. Leaders address these effectively and develop appropriate strategies to reduce repeated incidents. This helps pupils feel safe.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

On the whole, pupils achieve well. Those on short-term programmes learn a range of skills and knowledge they need. The impact of this work is evident in the high number of pupils who integrate to their next school successfully. Older pupils achieve a wide range of qualifications. This includes crucial qualifications in mathematics and English. This helps pupils to be successful in their next steps. Pupils' work shows that in many subjects they progress steadily through the curriculum. This helps them to develop essential skills and knowledge. Pupils develop a range of subject-specific language and can apply this accurately. They also apply their learning with increasing confidence over time.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils who have been at the school for longer periods of time learn to read, write and apply mathematical understanding at a stage-appropriate level. They develop these skills effectively over time. They receive the help they need to read fluently and to express their ideas clearly. This is evident in their success in national tests. However, a small number of newer pupils do not fill their gaps in knowledge as quickly as they could.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure they identify pupils' needs swiftly. They communicate these needs accurately to staff. This helps teachers to identify potential barriers to learning accurately. The school works positively with external agencies to identify those pupils known to social care. This helps leaders to quickly address the additional challenges these pupils may face. Leaders ensure that staff have the skills they need to support pupils. They have developed an evolving training programme. As a result, staff become increasingly effective in the support they offer pupils. This work typically helps pupils to break down their barriers to learning. Pupils generally make progress from their starting points.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have a sharp focus on how well pupils progress from their starting points. They track this accurately over time. Leaders use these checks carefully to identify the impact of the help pupils receive. This helps leaders to maintain effective support for pupils. The school works hard to break down potential barriers for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have produced an ambitious strategy to support these pupils. The school uses funding appropriately. It is used to provide interventions and well trained staff to effectively support pupils with multiple barriers to success.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

The school makes appropriate use of alternative provision. It identifies the small number of pupils who it cannot swiftly re-engage. Leaders select engaging provision for these pupils. This helps these pupils to access education effectively.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school has been through a period of significant change since the previous inspection. Leaders and governors have worked together positively to stabilise the school. They have responded rapidly to the school’s changing context by redesigning the curriculum for pupils on short-term placements. Staff have already begun the work to establish these new approaches. However, leaders recognise that some of this work remains in the earliest stages and is not consistently well implemented in the classroom. Leaders have clear and well-considered priorities for school development. They ground these in their detailed understanding of the school. Leaders work hard in the best interests of pupils. They collaborate positively with staff to build a respectful culture that helps pupils to thrive. Staff build warm and supportive relationships with pupils.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors are highly professional and share leaders' high ambition for pupils. Governors ensure they have appropriate processes to build their knowledge of the work of the school. This helps them to offer high levels of support and meaningful professional challenge. Governors understand their statutory duties and undertake them carefully. They rightly prioritise the work of the school to support disadvantaged pupils. Governors have a detailed understanding of the impact of this important work.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff receive a wide range of training that helps them to undertake their work effectively. Leaders have used their detailed understanding of the context to ensure this training focuses sharply on the needs of pupils. The selected training is ongoing and high quality. This helps staff to be confident in their work. Staff are very positive about the school. They feel that leaders help them to manage their workload and wellbeing effectively.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Leaders have begun to swiftly address the increasing gaps that pupils have in their essential knowledge in English and mathematics. Teachers generally address this effectively during lessons. The implementation of recently introduced personalised programmes in these crucial skills for pupils on short-term programmes is less consistent. As a result, these approaches are not yet successful.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

In the rest of the curriculum, teachers typically have secure subject knowledge. This helps staff to explain learning clearly. Teachers match learning carefully to the individual needs of pupils. They ensure that pupils understand what is being taught and how it applies to prior learning. Staff select appropriate activities. These are engaging and help pupils to develop the skills and knowledge they need. Teachers make systematic checks on learning. They use questioning skilfully. Teachers identify misconceptions swiftly and address them effectively. They use these checks to inform their teaching and to adapt activities in the moment and over time.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have significantly improved their curriculum design since the previous inspection. They have planned an appropriate curriculum that meets the very different needs of pupils. Including those on short-term placements. Leaders have identified the skills and knowledge they want pupils to learn. Pupils now work towards ambitious end points. Leaders respond quickly to pupils' changing needs. As a result, the curriculum is constantly evolving. For example, leaders have begun to refine the subject-specific skills they want pupils to learn in the wider curriculum.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school has designed an appropriate personal development programme. This helps pupils to prepare for many aspects of life in modern Britain. However, pupils have limited understanding of some of the concepts they learn, such as democracy. The school has a coherently planned and well-sequenced programme for the teaching of personal, social and health education. This helps pupils to learn how to stay safe, such as how to avoid risk in the wider community. While younger pupils develop appropriate knowledge of the curriculum over time, older pupils lack this depth across the curriculum. For example, they are less knowledgeable about how people and families may differ, as well as of British values.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders prioritise the development of pupils' skills to re-engage them with learning. Leaders address this effectively through a carefully considered approach. This includes support from the pastoral team and mindfulness sessions. The impact of this work is seen in the positive attitudes and sense of belonging that pupils exhibit. Staff model the school values very well. This helps pupils to develop essential qualities such as integrity and respect. Pupils have increasingly mature attitudes to difference. As a result, pupils show improved attitudes to learning and behaviour.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school recognises that many pupils will have limited opportunities beyond the classroom. As a result, leaders ensure that the curriculum helps pupils to develop skills in art or sport. The school enhances this with a range of additional activities. These include visits to local historical sites and the popular Christmas fair. Pupils enjoy these opportunities. Leaders ensure that all pupils benefit from them.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The school has an appropriate careers programme. Pupils receive effective careers advice and are well supported to identify their next steps. The school offers pupils meaningful and personalised work experience. Pupils are positive about these opportunities and feel well prepared for the world of work.

p.5

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

Pupils arrive at the school with negative attitudes to education. Staff work positively with pupils to quickly break these down. Pupils build warm relationships with staff and this helps them to develop a deep sense of belonging. This is evident in the warm greetings pupils share with staff. This sense of community helps pupils improve their attitudes to education swiftly. As a result, pupils exhibit excellent behaviour, and for many vastly improved attendance. Staff know pupils very well. They quickly address any concerns pupils have. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy. One pupil said ‘I actually want to get up for school now’. This is a view shared by many.

p.5

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

Pupils’ improved attitudes are also evident in the purposeful atmosphere throughout the school. They work hard in their lessons and talk positively about the subjects they study. Pupils typically learn the skills and knowledge they need. This helps them to confidently move on to their next steps. However, the teaching some pupils on short-term programmes receive is not as consistently effective as it should be. Older pupils achieve a range of appropriate qualifications. These help them to continue their education successfully after they leave school.

p.5

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

Pupils become increasingly well prepared for life beyond the school. They develop important values such as resilience and integrity. They show this through the way they reflect deeply on their behaviour and the respect they show all. Pupils learn a range of strategies which helps them to manage their emotions. They use this effectively and it helps them to behave positively. Pupils also benefit from a wide range of opportunities to develop important skills such as oracy or how to manage their mental health. They enjoy these opportunities and this helps them to become increasingly positive. However, pupils do not have detailed enough knowledge of key concepts such as democracy. This means that some pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be.

p.5

Next steps

Leaders should continue their work to refine the curriculum for pupils on short-term placements. They should ensure that newer elements of the curriculum are well established and staff are confident to deliver these consistently well so that pupils can deepen their knowledge in all aspects of the curriculum.

p.5

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.

p.6

School capacity

Leaders must ensure that pupils have more opportunities to learn about key concepts such as British values so they can deepen their understanding of this crucial information.

p.6

About this inspection

The chair of the management committee is Stephen Price.

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

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.

p.6

About this inspection

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.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders during the inspection. The lead inspector also met with members of the management committee. The lead inspector also held a phone conversation with a representative of the local authority. The inspection team also spoke to indicative groups of staff and pupils during the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

p.6

About this inspection

A number of members of the senior leadership team have changed since the last inspection.

p.6

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.

p.7

Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

p.7

Exceptional

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

p.7

Strong standard

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

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

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

p.7

Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.7

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8