Springside

Springside

Address: Albert Royds Street , Rochdale , Manchester , OL16 2SU Unique reference number (URN): 135200

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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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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils bloom in their own time because leaders and staff nurture pupils’ strengths with skill, determination and patience. Pupils’ individual character, knowledge and skills burst into view. Throughout their time here, pupils make individually significant steps forward in their knowledge and skills. For example, pupils with high levels of need may develop new physical skills or an awareness of their emotions. Some pupils make great strides in their ability to relate to others. For some pupils, their success is evident in their new-found skills to get across the threshold of the school building or classroom with confidence.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils are ready for the next stage of their education because the school ensures that all pupils’ competencies have well-established roots. For example, pupils develop essential basic skills such as communication, regardless of whether this is through eye contact, body movement, gesture or talk. Where possible, pupils develop an essential knowledge of phonics and mathematics.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The school makes clear to parents and carers its expectations for pupils’ attendance and behaviour. Leaders build a detailed knowledge of individual circumstances such as severe separation anxiety for pupils from their parents and carers. Leaders review attendance information carefully, including with governors. The school acts whenever it can to provide families with support on attendance. As with the rest of their work, leaders and staff patiently take well-considered steps to help any individual or family. Where leaders focus on specific individuals, this has a very positive impact and improves their attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders ensure that the school promotes respect, so that discrimination and bullying are not a problem. Staff know pupils’ skills in depth, which means that they can anticipate what support different pupils need in terms of their behaviour. Many pupils have highly complex needs. As a result, some pupils can become unsettled, anxious and even want to hurt themselves or others. However, talented leaders and staff provide safety and skilful support for all pupils. They act to remove anything that gets in the way of pupils’ positive behaviour. Over time, issues for pupils facing the greatest challenges with their behaviour decrease significantly.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

This is a school that has a deep interest in what pupils know, understand and can do. Teachers ably use these insights to shape teaching of the curriculum around individual pupils’ needs. Leaders make sure that pupils’ knowledge builds in a logical order over time. The school develops staff’s expertise of subjects, phases and education in special schools, to enhance teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Where possible, leaders and staff ensure a well-thought-through focus on the basic skills of how to read, write, talk and use mathematics. Teaching of the curriculum includes opportunities for some Springside pupils to study with mainstream pupils in some lessons. Where possible, staff provide pupils with careful teaching of phonics to help them to start to read letters. Staff help pupils to experience the joys of looking at books and hearing stories read to them.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The school looks at what can get in the way of pupils’ successful learning and does what it can to dismantle any barriers. Leaders ensure that teaching supports very effectively the targets in pupils’ education, health and care plans. For instance, staff may teach important concepts to pupils in small chunks. Teachers ensure that pupils have multiple opportunities to practise using their knowledge, to help them to remember it.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders ensure that the early years curriculum, classroom, routines and resources are very well thought out. Skilful teachers and teaching assistants work highly effectively as a team. They liaise extensively with parents and carers to make the start of children’s schooling as smooth as possible. Leaders and staff are highly sensitive to when some parents want additional support themselves. For example, staff help parents to understand their child’s needs or to know what they can do at home to best support children’s learning. The school links diligently with other professionals in the early years to secure highly effective support for children as soon as possible.

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Early years Strong standard

From the outset, leaders and staff make sure that they understand children's care and learning needs. The school puts in place the support that children need to settle well. Staff carefully base their teaching on what children need to know and be able to do. They support children skilfully to learn, such as through play and first-hand experiences. When suitable for children, staff make competent use of phonics, reading and stories to support children’s learning. Children’s success grows as they make notable progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are certain that all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) will blossom in the right environment. This is why leaders ensure that all the school's pupils feel that they belong here. Added difficulties such as complex health needs or family circumstances are not a problem in this school. Leaders also seek to provide for those pupils whose time in other educational settings may have been difficult, or from which they have even been excluded. Leaders match their ambitious vision with action, where they and staff identify and act on anything that gets in the way of pupils’ success. For example, the school uses extra funding for disadvantaged pupils to benefit their wellbeing and learning. Leaders make thoughtful use of alternative provision to help to meet some pupils’ needs. Leaders use their precise knowledge of pupils’ abilities and staff’s work to keep a look out

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Inclusion Strong standard

for any potential stumbling blocks to pupils’ development. Leaders then take further highly effective steps to meet pupils' needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school pursues opportunities to learn with, and from, wider professionals, such as to support pupils in care. Leaders provide well-chosen professional learning to strengthen staff’s considerable proficiency. For instance, staff learn about different health issues, SEND and how to provide the most skilful help for individual pupils.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders act on their deeply held beliefs about what education should provide for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders make this a school that seeks and accepts pupils, including those who have been excluded elsewhere or face immense medical or developmental barriers to their learning. Leaders and staff speak up for pupils with complex needs, such as those whose ways of communication may not be spotted, acknowledged or understood by others. First and foremost, this school wants such pupils to be educated here.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders build the school’s success on a foundation of teamwork, clear self-review, sense of direction and accurate priorities. They think with great care about what they and staff do and why. Leaders have a genuine interest in understanding pupils’ lives. The school has successful links with parents and carers and the wider community with much success. Leaders celebrate the achievements of individual pupils and staff positively and respectfully.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The school’s leadership builds on its extensive work with other agencies to greatly enhance what it and staff know, such as about safeguarding and SEND. The good humour of leaders ripples throughout the school, so that this is an enjoyable place to work. Most staff have high wellbeing. Leaders provide staff with training and support that enable their success at work. The school supports the workload of staff thoughtfully.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governance is effective. Members of the board understand their roles, have an apt skillset and make effective checks on the school’s work. Governors also keep a close eye on the school’s long-term development.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have an extensive understanding pupils’ needs and think very carefully about what will build pupils’ personal skills, emotions and resilience. The school’s personal development programme revisits key ideas in a well-thought-out order over time. Leaders ensure that the programme responds consistently well to pupils’ sensory and development needs and their education, health and care plans.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders and staff consider carefully how to demonstrate fundamental British values to pupils in ways that they can understand. Leaders make sure that each day at school pupils experience kindness and fairness. Pupils see that the school protects their rights, such as their dignity. Staff help pupils to understand differences between themselves and others. They teach pupils to be themselves as well as to celebrate pupil’s uniqueness. For instance, leaders use links with other schools and visitors to enable pupils to mix with people who are different to themselves.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Whenever possible, staff ensure that pupils develop an understanding of friendships and personal safety in ways that are appropriate to pupils’ understanding. Pupils make choices, communicate their needs, and use words, gestures or objects where they can. Leaders ensure that the school is a calm, happy place to learn and that staff capably support pupils’ feelings. Leaders meet multiple areas of pupils’ needs, such as by using hydrotherapy. Leaders and staff do all they can to sort out anything that gets in the way of pupils taking part in the school’s offer. Leaders use extra funding for disadvantaged pupils thoughtfully, so that these pupils can fully benefit from the school’s provision. Leaders seek to ensure that pupils have carefully tailored and worthwhile experiences that will develop their knowledge of the wider world. For example, they take pupils on trips to the theatre, and to a farm to

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

observe animals. Staff also take pupils to visit a local park, library and soft play centre. The school prepares pupils for their future lives with great success.

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

To be a pupil at Springside is to be valued, welcomed and noticed by all leaders and staff. Pupils are kept safe. Issues between pupils that could become bullying are nipped in the bud. Expressing yourself is welcomed, and pupils know to do this in ways that are respectful to others. When pupils struggle with their behaviours, they receive expert help, to prepare them for life in modern Britain.

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

Pupils experience respect and a celebration of their complex needs. This is because leaders and staff seek out the positive. They identify what gets in the way of pupils’ success and act to reduce any obstacles. Pupils find that this is a school that strives to help them to be the best that they can be. Their experiences at home, in the car or on school transport are important to leaders and staff when they plan the support to provide. Pupils’ families are highly valued here. What pupils have experienced at other schools and educational settings is seen as important, too. What pupils know and can do is very carefully considered throughout the school’s support and teaching.

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

Nothing is rushed here. Pupils benefit from staff’s skilful, gentle encouragement and assistance. Learning is shaped around what is best for each pupil throughout their development. Pupils achieve very well from their starting points. They prosper in their knowledge and skills. For some pupils, this may be to develop eye movement or to make deliberate choices. It can be an understanding of different emotions, or to learn how to use words for some other pupils. By the time that pupils leave the school, they are thoroughly prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

Pupils’ successes are noticed and celebrated. Each pupil is recognised and known by their name. The school supports pupils’ feelings and sense of who they are, to the full. Leaders and staff get excited by pupils’ progress, and they celebrate it together and with parents and carers. Pupils flourish in their wellbeing.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure the continued improvement of the school’s work, to achieve and sustain exceptional standards of support, teaching and leadership that have a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of all pupils.

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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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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Joe McGarraghy.

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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 visited the main school site and an outreach provision of two classes at a local primary school.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other leaders, staff and governors during the inspection. Inspectors met with representatives of the local authority, as well as a local trust with which the school is working. An inspector spoke with a representative of the alternative provision that the school is currently using.

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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 is a specialist setting for pupils with a diverse range of high levels of special educational needs and/or disabilities, which include profound and multiple learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties. All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Some pupils have been excluded from other provision or experienced long periods out of school before attending Springside.

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About this inspection

The school has two classes for some pupils located at a local primary school.

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About this inspection

The school uses one alternative provision, which is unregistered.

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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

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

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