Churchill Park Complex Needs School

Churchill Park Complex Needs School

Address: Winston Churchill Drive, Fairstead, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 4RP Unique reference number (URN): 145529

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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 Expected standard

Pupils achieve well. They learn key knowledge that helps them understand the world around them. Pupils develop independence and resilience. Pupils understand how to share how they are feeling. This helps them learn how to behave well. Pupils learn about how they can contribute to their community. This helps them secure a sense of responsibility. From their individual starting points, pupils secure relevant knowledge and personal success.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils learn how to communicate. Pupils with the most complex needs successfully communicate their thoughts and feelings in a range of ways. Where it is appropriate, pupils learn to read well. Children in the early years secure key language that helps them be ready for the challenges of their next stage. Pupils learn and use key mathematical facts. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education or training. Post-16 students learn important life skills such as cooking and money management. Many post-16 students achieve formal accreditation for their learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils attend regularly. They enjoy coming to school and learning. Leaders forensically analyse attendance data. They identify patterns and trends. Leaders understand the specific barriers that some pupils have to regular attendance. Some pupils miss school due to medical conditions. Leaders ensure that these pupils can keep up with the curriculum. Leaders work with key agencies, including hospital schools, to ensure that pupils do not miss out. Where pupils have barriers to regular attendance, leaders work closely with families and pupils to help them overcome these challenges. As a result, attendance has improved since the last inspection. The number of pupils who miss significant amounts of time from school has reduced.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well. Leaders have carefully defined their high expectations and staff know pupils well. Staff are quick to spot the triggers that may cause pupils to struggle to manage their emotions. As a result, staff intervene quickly, often before pupils themselves realise they are becoming dysregulated. These interventions are consistent and implemented sensitively. This means that learning regularly proceeds in calm spaces. Pupils understand they are all different. They respect each other. This means that unkind behaviour is rare. If it happens, staff swiftly intervene and help pupils rebuild their friendships.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have developed an ambitious and appropriate curriculum. They ensure that staff consider pupils’ individual needs carefully. Staff use this to select the most appropriate curriculum for pupils to follow. The experience curriculum teaches pupils with complex and profound learning difficulties. This provides these pupils with stimulating and engaging activities. The enhance curriculum teaches pupils a broad and balanced subject-based curriculum. The engage curriculum sits between these 2. Pupils learn key subject knowledge while developing other key learning skills. The curriculum is generally well taught. Teachers have excellent subject knowledge and a rich understanding of pupils’ starting points. This helps teachers to design engaging learning activities. Teachers ask pertinent questions based on what they have taught. However, sometimes, these questions do not identify what pupils understand. When this happens,

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

teaching does not adapt effectively. In some cases, pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. In others, the tasks pupils complete are too simplistic.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Communication is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils on the experience curriculum pathway learn how to communicate their thoughts and emotions through a range of different media. When appropriate, teaching moves on to help pupils understand the sounds letters make. Pupils become confident and fluent readers. Pupils learn key mathematical knowledge. However, the curriculum to support pupils to develop their writing skills is less established.

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Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years love coming to school. They enjoy seeing their friends. They enjoy learning and playing in a safe, happy space.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff have a deep understanding of each child’s needs. Bespoke plans support children to settle into school life. Parents and carers are fully involved in their children’s learning. This helps create a seamless transition from home to school. Children quickly learn important routines. Staff support them to understand the importance of sharing and taking turns.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have created a learning environment that meets the needs of children. The space provides engaging activities while avoiding overstimulation. Play activities complement taught content. Staff engage pupils in meaningful conversations. This helps pupils learn how to communicate and develop their vocabulary. However, sometimes, staff are too quick to interact. This slows how some pupils develop their independence and resilience.

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Early years Expected standard

The curriculum balances teaching key knowledge and language with children's personal targets. This helps children develop their knowledge across the key areas of learning. Communication weaves through the curriculum. Children learn the sounds made by letters. The phonics programme is well taught. This helps children transition these sounds into reading words and sentences. Children progress well from their individual starting points. They are well prepared for the next step of their individualised learning pathway.

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Inclusion Expected standard

All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders complete a rigorous assessment of pupils’ needs when they join the school. Leaders accurately identify the specific barriers pupils have to personal or academic success. Leaders work closely with other experts, parents and pupils. This helps to devise the best adjustments to help pupils overcome their challenges. High-quality, bespoke therapeutic support helps pupils to manage their emotions, overcome anxiety and communicate with others.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff have the knowledge to support pupils to achieve ambitious goals. Generally, teachers design effective adaptations to their teaching. Often these help pupils to learn well. Leaders maintain an overview of pupils’ needs. Leaders use this information to ensure they meet pupils' changing needs. However, sometimes the monitoring of pupils’ progress through the curriculum lacks precision. This means that adaptations to the curriculum and future teaching are not always as focused as they could be.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use the pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils well. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils do not miss out on any opportunities. Leaders engage with a range of external agencies, for example, the virtual school. This supports pupils to thrive in school. For example, pupils known to social care benefit from seamless transitions between home and school life.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Every action that leaders take is done in the best interests of pupils. Leaders have a rich knowledge of the school and its pupils. They use this to implement strategies that make pupils’ learning and experiences better. Leaders carefully prioritise the areas of the school's provision that need improvement. However, sometimes, the analysis of the information they collect is not as precise as it could be. This means that some strategies are not as sharply focused as they could be. This hinders the pace of progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trust leaders provide experience, expertise and support. Trust networks provide leaders with opportunities to share and learn with colleagues. Leaders provide staff with a high standard of professional development. Staff, including teachers at the earliest stages of their careers, welcome this. This helps teachers improve their teaching. It also provides opportunities for wider professional and personal growth. Staff feel valued. They respect leaders for their compassion and care. Staff feel trusted to contribute to improvement strategies. They are thankful to leaders for providing them with a healthy work-life balance.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees bring a wealth of knowledge from education and a range of backgrounds. They use this knowledge to hold leaders to account. Trustees challenge leaders’ thinking. They scrutinise the impact of leaders’ actions. Trustees work with trust executives to continue to drive improvement. Trustees ensure that leaders deliver on the school’s vision. They consistently fulfil their statutory responsibilities. This includes making sure pupils are safe.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s curriculum offer to support pupils’ preparation for adulthood is impressive. Formal teaching, play, therapeutic approaches and enriching activities intertwine to help pupils understand what it is like to live in modern Britain. Pupils learn how to understand and manage their emotions. This helps them engage positively with their wider community in shops, cafes and social events. Some pupils suffer anxiety about life outside of school. These pupils are coached, mentored and supported to become active citizens. Many take on key roles at events. For example, they run stalls and competitions at the school’s community day.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders carefully plan trips to maximise their impact on pupils’ learning. Visits to the zoo or castles help pupils understand history and the world around them. These trips create a sense of awe and wonder. They bring classroom learning into colourful reality. Choosing food in a supermarket helps pupils know about healthy living. Selecting a book from the library helps pupils develop independence and understand important community services. Visitors to school help pupils understand important values. For example, community police help pupils learn about the rule of law. Pupils develop a deep sense of respect and tolerance.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

There are some opportunities for pupils to explore new interests or develop talents. Some pupils enjoy the opportunity to sing in a public performance. Others take part in coached football sessions. However, sometimes, leaders’ analysis of what is offered and taken up lacks precision. This hinders the tailoring of the wider offer to meet the needs and interests of some pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They value the strong friendships they forge in school. They understand the importance of these and other healthy, positive relationships. Leaders ensure that pupils and their families understand how to protect themselves in the virtual world. Older pupils learn how to manage their changing emotions and bodies. They understand the importance of personal space and consent. Pupils are well prepared for the challenges of adulthood. They learn about different careers and education opportunities. Pupils who transition to local colleges are very well supported.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Leaders have developed a carefully considered curriculum for post-16. Students learn key employment skills. They develop their independence and prepare for independent living. Students enjoy a balance of classroom learning, the therapeutic and sensory approaches and practical experiences. Many enjoy helping out in the local charity shop. This gives students valuable work experience. It builds their confidence and provides a sense of personal value and pride.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Students enjoy their learning. They value the opportunity to achieve formal qualifications in recognition of their work. Post-16 students play an active part in the rest of the school. Where it is appropriate, students are encouraged to support younger pupils, for example, acting as leaders within the school’s forest school provision. Students are proud of these roles. Younger pupils look up to post-16 students as positive role models.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Staff have high ambitions for pupils. They develop and refine students’ learning pathways to help them achieve aspirational personal and academic goals. The curriculum is generally taught well. However, sometimes, learning activities are not as purposeful as they could be. Students achieve well. They make secure progress through their individualised learning pathways. They are well prepared for life after school.

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

All pupils at Churchill Park Academy have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and each has an education, health and care plan. Pupils love coming to school and attend well. There is a palpable sense of excitement as pupils skip off their buses and taxis. Staff are on the door to greet pupils with a warm welcome and a reassuring smile. This helps settle pupils into the start of a new day of learning and exploration. Pupils value the positive relationships with staff, who know them extremely well. This creates a safe and secure space for pupils to flourish. Pupils know they are cared for. They know there is a safe adult for them to talk to about worries or concerns.

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

Pupils respond positively to their teachers’ aspirational goals. They engage in learning with enthusiasm. Staff support pupils highly effectively to overcome their challenges and barriers to learning. Consequently, pupils achieve well. They learn how to communicate their thoughts and emotions. Pupils develop a keenness for books, stories and poems. Where it is appropriate, pupils develop their reading knowledge and skill.

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

Pupils behave well. Staff intervene quickly when pupils need support to manage their emotions. These interventions are sensitive and caring. They help pupils to re-establish their emotional balance and engage with learning. Pupils respect each other. They value each individual’s uniqueness. This means that unkind behaviour is rare.

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

Pupils are well prepared for adulthood. They develop a sense of independence and resilience. They learn key skills such as money management and cooking. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, enjoy a range of life-defining experiences. Walks in the woods in the autumn or visits to the planetarium create a sense of awe and wonder about the world around them. Pupils enjoy eating fish and chips on the beach when they visit Hunstanton in the summer term. They enjoy the thrills and spills of the rides at the fair with their friends.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that they use the information from assessments to accurately identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and inform future teaching. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the expertise to use their checks on pupils’ understanding to adapt their teaching to ensure that pupils access learning activities that support them to achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that they use the information from quality assurance and monitoring activities to sharpen the focus of improvement strategies to secure improvement.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Unity Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Glyn Hambling, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Baumber.

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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, deputy headteacher, other senior leaders, staff, the CEO of the trust, other trust leaders and representatives of the trust board, including the

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Team inspectors:

Rachael Judd, Ofsted Inspector Sally Garrett, 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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215

chair. Inspectors also spoke to pupils about their learning and what life is like as a pupil at the school.

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215

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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215

The school is a special school catering for pupils with a wide range of complex special educational needs and/or disabilities. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.

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215

The school's post-16 provision is on a separate site, a short walk from the main school. It is located at Centre Point, Fairstead Estate, King's Lynn, PE30 4SR.

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215

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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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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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).

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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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