HILLINGDON MANOR SCHOOL MOORCROFT COMPLEX HARLINGTON ROAD HILLINGDON, MIDDLESEX UB8 3HD

Date of Inspection: 18-19 June 2001

non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim, without adaptation, and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. This report is on the OFSTED web site (www.ofsted.gov.uk), together with a list of independent special school inspections.

p.1

Information about the school

Type of school: Pupils with Asperger's syndrome and high functioning autism

p.1

Information about the school

School address: Moorcroft Complex Harlington Road Hillingdon Middlesex UB8 3HD

p.1

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

p.2

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

p.2

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

Partnership with parents and the community

p.2

THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

p.2

MAIN FINDINGS

Hillingdon Manor is a good school, which very effectively meets the needs of pupils on the autistic spectrum, and has the potential to develop even further. The pupils make good progress over time with effective consolidation of their learning in communication, cognition, self-awareness and socialisation. The school does not currently enter pupils for National Curriculum Assessment tests or any other accredited courses. However, plans are in place to introduce ASDAN and Duke of Edinburgh awards. Further account should be given to alternative forms of accreditation for all pupils.

p.2

MAIN FINDINGS

The majority of pupils are dependent on adult support but they are given, within the supportive ethos, opportunities to promote good standards of behaviour and communication. Pupils are positive about their work and develop and maintain interest in their lives. Personal development is a priority and is encouraged by all staff in a planned and cohesive manner.

p.3

MAIN FINDINGS

Pupils enjoy coming to school which is reflected in their good attendance; it is very good in the senior classes for both Key Stages 3 and 4.

p.3

MAIN FINDINGS

Teaching is good in 100 per cent of lessons and is very good or better in 42 per cent of lessons. Teachers plan lessons well, carefully differentiating material to ensure that pupils gain maximum access to the curriculum. They are secure in their subject knowledge and in their management of pupils within the autistic spectrum.

p.3

MAIN FINDINGS

The curriculum is broad, balanced and effectively meets the needs of the pupils. It is firmly based on the programmes of study of the National Curriculum and covers all areas except a modern foreign language and careers education and guidance for pupils in Key Stages 3 and 4.

p.3

MAIN FINDINGS

The school has recently developed baseline assessment against which pupils' subsequent progress can be measured. These procedures form a secure basis for assessment but require further development in order to ensure that the good progress made by pupils is fully recorded. Assessment of pupils' progress is expressed in terms of 'P' levels and National Curriculum levels. For some older or more able pupils these assessments are sometimes over cautious and do not always fully reflect the extent of the progress and levels achieved.

p.3

MAIN FINDINGS

The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is well promoted through assemblies, work in lessons and through lunchtimes which are well-organised social occasions. Pupils and adults are respected and treated with dignity, with pupils responding well to the very good role models provided by the staff. They show care and concern for each other and, as they overcome their own difficulties, they support and help other pupils.

p.3

MAIN FINDINGS

There are effective arrangements which promote good quality support and guidance to pupils. All staff are well informed about the pupils and their particular needs. They support pupils well in their learning and personal development. There are effective arrangements in place to ensure the health and welfare of pupils.

p.3

MAIN FINDINGS

The school has built upon the commitment of the parents of the original pupils and, as the school has grown, has extended this into an effective working partnership with all parents. Effective partnerships have been established with local and national organisations, many of which have generously supported the school. The headteacher provides very effective leadership and management. She has a clear vision for the development of the school which is shared and owned by the directors, staff and parents. The deputy headteacher and curriculum, pastoral and support managers, who form an effective management team, provide good support.

p.3

MAIN FINDINGS

The school is well staffed with suitably qualified and experienced teachers, therapists and support staff, who are effectively deployed. The accommodation is good following major refurbishment, and is very appropriate for pupils within this disability group. Additional post-16 provision will be available from September 2001. The school has sufficient resources for teaching and learning, including a developing library.

p.4

MAIN FINDINGS

The school is well managed financially with new mechanisms in place to monitor the education budget and capital expenditure. Properly audited accounts are submitted as required by company law.

p.4

MAIN FINDINGS

The school is effective in its management of health and safety issues. There is a need to provide an additional lockable medical cabinet in some class bases for the storage of restricted drugs, in addition to the one in the medical inspection room. The school should also review the toilet provision off the main hall with a view to ensuring the privacy of the pupils.

p.4

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

In order to maintain and improve the quality of education the directors, headteacher and staff need to:

p.4

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• continue to refine policy and classroom practice to meet the needs of all pupils on the autistic spectrum but particularly at Key Stage 4 and post-16; • extend opportunities for the external accreditation of progress and achievement for all pupils, but especially at Key Stage 4; • carry out a number of health and safety recommendations.

p.4

Characteristics of the school

Hillingdon Manor is an independent day school for 40 pupils between the ages of 31/2-19 years with a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome, high functioning autism and/or semantic-pragmatic disorder. A small number of pupils may have a diagnosis of pathological demand avoidance syndrome.

p.4

Characteristics of the school

The school was opened in September 1999 in response to a need identified by parents, who were looking for provision to meet the needs of their own children, and was finally registered with the Department for Education and Employment in November 2000. With the co-operation of the local education authority (LEA), the current school site was leased to the directors of the limited company, who have completely refurbished the building and site creating very appropriate specialist provision. The school aims to provide a curriculum of "connective" education which gives pupils a range of opportunities that give meaning to the world in which they live and work, through the provision of a supportive learning environment.

p.4

Characteristics of the school

A strong staff-parent team approach surrounds the pupils within a consistent language environment, which addresses the triad of impairments associated with autistic spectrum disorder.

p.5

Characteristics of the school

One of the primary aims of the school is to provide a calm, trusting environment with clear boundaries where the emotional, social and physical needs of pupils are met, encouraging them to be responsible for and to manage their own thoughts, feelings, actions and learning within a no-blame culture.

p.5

Characteristics of the school

Individual targets are set for all pupils to support the whole-school target for all pupils to work towards access to mainstream education.

p.5

Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year:

p.5

Exclusions

Fixed period 7+ 1 in Y5, 1 in Y8, 3 in Y9 and 2 in Y11

p.5

Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is:

p.5

National Curriculum tests - See Appendix 3

National Curriculum tests are not completed in the school.

p.6

Public examinations - See Appendix 4

There have been no entries for public examinations, although plans are in place for future cohorts of pupils.

p.6

Attainment and progress

The characteristics of the pupils for whom the school caters make it inappropriate to judge attainments against age related national expectations. Judgements in the report are therefore made solely in relation to pupils' progress and capabilities.

p.6

Attainment and progress

Many pupils, particularly those who join the school subsequent to Key Stage 1 have had a very disrupted educational history due to the nature of their difficulties. However, they now make progress over time. Often the progress is unpredictable and is achieved with great and consistent effort by pupils and staff.

p.6

Attainment and progress

Progress is satisfactory in all lessons and good in the majority. It is enhanced by adults' awareness of individual learning targets, which are carefully monitored.

p.6

Attainment and progress

Through the whole-school approach, progress in communication is good and is consolidated as pupils move through the school. The use of the Picture Exchange System (PECS) and signing is very beneficial and supports the language environment. Most pupils can interpret the graphics and symbols and many can read single words and simple sentences. Some pupils in Key Stages 3 and 4 are able to enjoy reading with some developing their independent writing skills.

p.6

Attainment and progress

Pupils make good progress in numeracy. They benefit from the shared and group activities which the school has adapted from the National Numeracy Strategy. Some of the pupils with Aspergers Syndrome show competency in computation, mental strategies and oral mathematics. All pupils in the nursery are able to count to 10 with prompts and to identify simple geometric shapes.

p.6

Attainment and progress

Work in personal, social and health education (PSHE) underpins all the practice in the school and is reinforced in the daily circle time activity, during which pupils participate fully, and effectively exchange social communications. A full range of physical education programmes, including Sherbourne movement, aerobics, dance, relaxation and swimming covers most aspects of the National Curriculum PE programmes of study and also meets the developmental needs of autistic pupils enhancing their awareness of space and their own bodies.

p.6

Attainment and progress

Appropriate therapies are available in class, small group and individual sessions for speech, drama and music therapy and counselling. The provision of a part-time dance teacher also gives pupils good opportunities to develop co-ordination and rhythm. The therapists work closely with staff to measure the progress of individuals and to plan appropriate intervention.

p.7

Attainment and progress

Information technology is developing well in the school and is used as an extension of classroom activities. This rightly steers pupils from over reliance on technology for communication, but could be further developed in Key Stages 3 and 4 with accredited training programmes and through the use of specific specialist software.

p.7

Attainment and progress

The school has not yet entered pupils for externally recognised accreditation as a result of which progress made by pupils is not fully acknowledged. The school plans to make use of the ASDAN and the Duke of Edinburgh award programmes with the current Key Stage 4 pupils but staff should consider a wider range of accreditation for other pupils as they move through the school.

p.7

Attainment and progress

A limited amount of teaching was seen in other subjects. However, evidence from pupil files and records indicates that progress is good with pupils' knowledge increasing through multi-sensory experiential learning. For example, in a science lesson in the lower school individual experimental models were set up where vinegar was mixed with bicarbonate of soda to illustrate how volcanoes erupt, and in an art lesson in the senior school pupils drew their own facial reflections to express surprise, anger and happiness.

p.7

Attainment and progress

The development of post-16 provision planned for September 2001 will enable a transition to a more adult focus to learning. The school will need to develop appropriate vocational and academic courses available to meet the individual needs of pupils who progress through the school and for those who join post-16.

p.7

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Despite the difficulties which pupils experience as a result of their autism, they usually respond very positively to adult requests. Their responses were good in the majority of lessons; in the few instances when pupils were non co-operative the staff responded calmly, with pupils quickly returning to appropriate activities.

p.7

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Whilst all pupils are dependent on adult support in lessons, break, lunch and play activities, they are learning to make choices that enable them to take greater control of their own feelings, communication skills and behaviour. Some pupils are able to complete some tasks independently, for example, a pupil from each class takes turns to collect the register from the school office and some can now complete the task without support. It was very encouraging to note that pupils were aware of other pupils' needs and in some cases were able to give support to one another.

p.7

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Pupils are genuinely interested in their work and in the leisure activities. They are keen to make progress and regularly achieve their own daily and weekly targets. Staff and pupils share in the celebration of these targets in a celebration assembly held on Monday mornings and in the reflection sessions at the end of the day, where achievements are reviewed and recorded in home-school diaries.

p.8

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Adults show great skill in encouraging pupils to pay attention, respond appropriately and to remain calm whilst engaging in tasks. Classrooms are generally very positive working areas where pupils are fully engaged. However, on the few occasions where pupils cannot tolerate the proposed activities, staff are flexible in their response. They redirect and calm the pupils and return to planned activities as soon as possible.

p.8

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

The lunch procedures are completed within a calm social environment, where the pupils eat well and enjoy their food.

p.8

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

The school has a good behaviour management policy, which promotes a positive ethos. All staff are consistent in their approaches. This consistency confirms the secure environment and enables pupils' social and communication progress to be maintained.

p.8

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

The school's positive and caring ethos does much to help pupils to develop their self- esteem and respect for others, whilst maintaining the dignity of both staff and pupils. The restraint procedure 'holding for well-being' is well understood by pupils and staff and has been developed through extensive staff and parent training. The school properly records incidents and sanctions associated with pupils inappropriate behaviours. The seven fixed period and one permanent exclusions have been appropriate responses to aggressive behaviour from four pupils. In three cases the pupils have successfully addressed the identified inappropriate behaviours. The pupil permanently excluded is currently under reassessment for placement within another disability grouping.

p.8

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Detailed pastoral and communication plans are prepared and recorded for each pupil to enable staff to use appropriate language and intervention actions consistently. These provide evidence of excellent progress over time for the majority of pupils. Staff manage the personal and social development of pupils with confidence and success.

p.8

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Parents adapt the same procedures and language following training at shared workshops with staff. Thus pupils experience a consistent response to their actions which provides structure and reality in their lives.

p.8

Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Personal and social and health education is timetabled for every class and underpins the work of all staff in the school. This is a strength of the school.

p.8

Attendance

The attendance for all pupils in the school is good. It is particularly good for pupils in Key Stages 3 and 4. The school makes clear its expectations about attendance and properly completes registers on a daily basis. Parents are in close contact with the school informing staff of causes for absence. This means that the school understands the circumstances relating to individual pupil absence and can respond appropriately upon the pupil's return.

p.9

Attendance

The pupils enjoy coming to school. However, in some cases pupils experience specific challenges related to entering buildings or classrooms but these are dealt with in a constructive, non-threatening manner and pupils feel supported and able to join in activities.

p.9

Attendance

School and lessons start and finish punctually with pupils encouraged to settle quickly to activities within supportive procedures. Local traffic congestion and long distances travelled sometimes delay the arrival of pupils although they quickly integrate into activities once they have arrived.

p.9

Attendance

The school properly maintains an admissions book.

p.9

Teaching

The quality of teaching is good or better in 100 per cent of the lessons. It is very good or better in 42 per cent of lessons. Lessons are well planned with a range of differentiated activities for each individual matching the various levels of ability in each class. The activities are motivating and varied and maintain the interest of pupils.

p.9

Teaching

Teachers follow a comprehensive planning format, which is clearly displayed, on classroom walls as a point of reference for all adults. This process is co-ordinated with pastoral, communication and education plans for all pupils and culminates in comprehensive reporting and recording of progress.

p.9

Teaching

Targets are set within each plan, with detailed descriptors of how the target is to be achieved. Pupils understand the process of target-setting and most pupils are able to contribute to the process of setting daily targets and the choice of appropriate reward or choice activities.

p.9

Teaching

A range of teaching strategies is employed which include direct teaching to the whole group, as well as small group and individual work. The work is well matched to individual need so that pupils experience success and enjoy the challenge of the planned activities.

p.9

Teaching

Teachers are secure in their knowledge of teaching pupils on the autistic spectrum and have high expectations for the pupils in their care. They have additional qualifications or have attended a range of professional development courses to extend their skill in managing the teaching and learning of autistic children.

p.9

Teaching

The pace of lessons is good with pupils aware of the structure of lessons, often reinforced with PECS or Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) strategies wherever appropriate. Adults are very secure in their classroom and behaviour management.

p.9

Teaching

Senior managers in the school complete regular classroom observations in all key stages to monitor progress and evaluate practice. Pupils' progress is also reviewed through a series of meetings and in the daily staff briefings.

p.10

Teaching

The planning of lessons is part of a termly thematic approach to enable a cross- curricular and connective approach to the curriculum. The longer term planning, which will continue to evolve as the school develops, will build up to a comprehensive range of programmes appropriate for the wide and diverse needs of pupils on the autistic spectrum.

p.10

Teaching

The marking of and commentary on pupils' work is consistent and regularly takes place in all key stages. Pupils receive genuine feedback that informs their own perception of their abilities.

p.10

Teaching

Homework is regularly set and completed by pupils with parents using the home- school diary to communicate any issues that arise during the process. This allows independent working to develop over time.

p.10

The curriculum and assessment

The curriculum is broad, balanced and appropriately meets the needs of the pupils. It is firmly based on the programmes of study of the National Curriculum, suitably adapted to meet the particular needs of the pupils; it has a particular emphasis on the development of communication and social skills. This is well supported by the use of signing and symbols to aid the pupils' communication and understanding.

p.10

The curriculum and assessment

The curriculum for younger pupils is properly based on the Early Learning Goals in the nursery, and on the Guidance for the Foundation Curriculum in the reception class. There is a strong and appropriate emphasis of the use of play to extend pupils' communication and social skills.

p.10

The curriculum and assessment

The curriculum covers all subjects of the National Curriculum, except for the inclusion of a modern foreign language, and careers education and guidance for pupils in Key Stages 3 and 4. There are policies and schemes of work for each subject. Some of these are in draft form and are about to be reviewed. When this has been done they should be formally agreed by the staff and advisory team.

p.10

The curriculum and assessment

The policies and schemes of work are sound and promote continuity and progression in the teaching and learning. The curriculum is well supported by good medium-term planning, with a clear overview of the areas to be covered in each subject over each term. Each lesson also has clear learning objectives identified and includes differentiation to ensure that the work in the lesson is well matched to the individual needs of each pupil in the group. The curriculum includes work in health education and sex and relationships education. However, these should be continued and further developed to produce a comprehensive PSHE policy to include citizenship and careers education and guidance. The recent addition of specialist science and design technology rooms will now allow for further development of the current Key Stage 4 curriculum and give pupils experience of a wider range of practical and table top activities.

p.10

The curriculum and assessment

The curriculum is enriched by a variety of educational visits. These extend the pupils' experience and provide additional opportunities for social and personal development. For example pupils have visited British Airways and have been taken aboard Concorde.

p.11

The curriculum and assessment

The curriculum for older pupils in Key Stage 4 covers the key skills through work for the ASDAN award at bronze level. While this is appropriate and serves as an introduction to external accreditation of the pupils' attainments and progress; the school should consider the ability of all pupils and prepare them for external assessment and accreditation, where appropriate, to fulfil the aim of the school to return pupils to a mainstream environment, where possible.

p.11

The curriculum and assessment

The school has recently introduced baseline assessment, against which the pupils' subsequent progress can be measured. These procedures form a secure basis for assessment and recording of the pupils' attainment and progress, but require further development in order to ensure that the good progress which pupils make is fully recorded. The collection and careful annotation of pupils' work in portfolios and records of achievement form another part of the evidence that pupils are making good progress.

p.11

The curriculum and assessment

Recording and reporting to parents, and to placing LEAs, is expressed in terms of 'P' levels and National Curriculum levels. For some of the older or more able pupils these assessments are sometimes over cautious and do not always fully reflect the extent of the progress and the levels achieved by the pupils.

p.11

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is well promoted through assemblies, circle times, work in lessons and through the lunchtimes, which are well-organised social occasions. The assemblies and circle times provide good opportunities for pupils to celebrate their own and others' achievements and successes, as well as for personal reflection. Work in lessons also provides good opportunities for pupils to learn about and develop understanding of other countries, cultures and their beliefs and values. The school is a very calm, happy environment which effectively promotes spiritual development.

p.11

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

The pupils are treated with respect and dignity by all staff, who provide very good role models for the pupils teaching them how to behave and relate to other pupils and adults. Pupils are helped to have a clear understanding of what is right and wrong. They are encouraged to make choices about appropriate behaviours and to understand the consequences if they choose not to behave in this way. They respond positively to the high expectations of the staff in both their work and behaviour.

p.11

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

The pupils show concern and care for each other and increasingly, as they get older, learn to overcome or deal with their own difficulties. They support and help other pupils. For example, in a mathematics lesson on angles, a more able pupil completed the work set for the group, and then went on to do harder examples which challenged and extended his own understanding. He then willingly spent time supporting and explaining the work to another pupil who found it more difficult. The explanations and support he gave both reinforced his own understanding and extended his social skills.

p.11

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

Pupils in the middle groups of the school are involved in a 'circle of friends' arrangement where pupils from a local independent school visit Hillingdon Manor regularly and pair up with the pupils and act as 'buddies'. Both sets of pupils gain from this arrangement in the development of social skills and in making relationships.

p.12

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

Older pupils demonstrate good awareness and understanding of social issues and are able to discuss these sensibly. A Key Stage 4 pupil who had not gone swimming with his class group, but was working in a room with a younger pupil, readily joined in the discussion about the coronation and showed a keen interest and knowledge about the commemorative items brought in by the teacher.

p.12

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

The arrangements to provide good quality support and guidance to pupils are very effective. All staff are well informed and knowledgeable about their pupils. They are successful in using this information to support the pupils in their learning and personal development.

p.12

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

Many of the pupils have had experience of 'failure' before they join the school and initially some expect to fail in the school. However, the staff make every effort to praise pupils and help them become aware of their progress. This builds their confidence and self-esteem.

p.12

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

The pupils are encouraged from the earliest stages to make choices between alternatives. As they move through the school, this is extended into their making choices about their behaviour, so that they are encouraged and enabled to make positive choices to promote appropriate behaviours. They are made aware of the consequences of poor choices: this positively influences their behaviour. This approach enables the pupils to take increasing responsibility for their own actions and behaviour.

p.12

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

All staff consistently follow the 'no blame' approach operated in the school, which reinforces the strong messages of socially acceptable behaviours.

p.12

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

There are effective procedures in place with regard to child protection issues with appropriate training for all staff. The school is careful to ensure the welfare and health and safety of the pupils.

p.12

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

New pupils are prepared for transition through visits to the classroom and there is an effective parent handbook. The school should devise multi-sensory pupil handbooks using signs and symbols, where necessary, to give reality to the forthcoming change in circumstances and routines.

p.12

Partnership with parents and the community

The school was set up by a group of parents and others who were keen to establish local provision to meet the particular needs of their children. It has built upon the commitment of the original parents to the school and has extended this into an effective working partnership with all parents as the school has grown in numbers. A strong emphasis is placed on working with parents. Staff are given time to do this and they do it well. Parents appreciate and value this, particularly the joint training of staff and parents. They feel involved in the school and understand how the school is working with their children.

p.13

Partnership with parents and the community

Parents are well informed about the progress made by their child through good and timely annual reviews and termly reports. Regular newsletters inform parents about what is happening in the school. Parents are involved in supportive working with their child at home. This reinforces and contributes to their children's learning. The home- school diary completed daily is a very good communication tool which is well used by both parents and school. Some parents are involved more widely with the work of the school; for example one parent is working with other parents to improve behaviour management in the home.

p.13

Partnership with parents and the community

The school has developed a co-operative working relationship with the LEA which originally made the premises available for the establishment of the school and also with a growing range of other local education authorities who are placing pupils at the school.

p.13

Partnership with parents and the community

Good use is made of local community resources for swimming and for educational visits. These extend the pupils' educational, social and cultural development.

p.13

Partnership with parents and the community

Effective partnerships have been established with local and national organisations including businesses, many of which have generously supported the school by providing funding or other resources. For example, some local companies have refurbished classrooms and a sensory garden has been developed.

p.13

Leadership and management

The headteacher provides very effective leadership and management of the school. She has a clear vision for the work and further development of the school, which is shared and owned by the directors, staff, and parents. The aims and values of the school are positively reflected in the practice of the school. Effective policies and procedures have been established in the relatively short time that the school has been open to ensure that the school is well run and that statutory requirements are satisfactorily met.

p.13

Leadership and management

Good support is provided by the deputy headteacher, who has quickly established good relationships with staff and has their confidence and trust. Good curriculum support is also provided by the two curriculum leaders with special responsibilities for the lower and upper parts of the school. Together, the headteacher, deputy headteacher, two curriculum leaders, pastoral and support managers form an effective management team. They provide effective monitoring and evaluation of planning, the quality of teaching and of the individual progress made by the pupils. They are supported by the whole staff.

p.13

Leadership and management

Staff morale is very good and all staff are, justifiably, proud of what has been achieved in the time since the school opened. The school has successfully established a strong ethos where learning and personal success are effectively promoted, valued and celebrated.

p.14

Leadership and management

There is effective strategic planning for the work of the school. Present and future priorities are clearly identified in the school development plan and targets are set for these to be achieved in a realistic timescale.

p.14

Leadership and management

The directors have been heavily involved in the initial establishment and strategic management of the school. They recognise the very good quality of leadership and management of the headteacher and are handing over increasing levels of responsibility for strategic management, including financial responsibility, to her. The creation of an advisory board, known as the non-executive advisory team, is a positive development.

p.14

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

The school has an appropriate number of teachers with suitable qualifications and experience to meet the needs of the pupils. Two unqualified teachers are on the registered graduate training programme and are mentored by the headteacher. Teaching staff are assisted by good quality classroom support staff who make a significant contribution to the support of individual pupils and to management within the classroom.

p.14

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

Several of the support staff have experience as parents of pupils with special educational needs and this gives them valuable insight into the needs of pupils and parents. There are good arrangements for the induction and continued training of staff and good use is made of the expertise of staff within the school. A comprehensive and helpful staff handbook is provided which clearly reflects the ethos of the school.

p.14

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

The school is housed in the premises of a former school made available by the LEA. The premises have been adapted and refurbished to a high standard meeting the particular needs of the autistic pupils. There are attractive displays of pupils' work in the classrooms and around the building which reinforce and celebrate the work of the pupils.

p.14

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

The class bases are of good size and are furnished and resourced to reflect the growing independence and maturity of the pupils as they move through the school. Specialist facilities for the teaching of science and design technology have been recently established. The nursery and reception group has a secure play area which is used well to promote learning through play activities. There are satisfactory play facilities for other pupils. The school plans to establish a separate teaching base for the group of post-16 students from September 2001.

p.14

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

The school has sufficient resources to support teaching and learning. However, these will need to continue to be supplemented to cover the wide and diverse needs of pupils on the autistic spectrum. A library has been developed and is used for class lessons and for reference purposes by the older pupils. It also has a developing collection of fiction books. It will be important to ensure that as the school caters for a growing number of older pupils, including post-16 students, there are resources which are age-appropriate.

p.14

The efficiency of the school

The day-to-day management of administration and financial control are good with detailed recording of all educational activities by the member of staff who is responsible for administration.

p.15

The efficiency of the school

Following the first successful year of the school's operation the directors of the limited company have designed appropriate education and capital budgets with financial management systems to inform and support the headteacher's planning and monitoring.

p.15

The efficiency of the school

The financial director of the company is responsible for the overall monitoring of financial expenditure and for the preparation of annual accounts. Audited accounts for 1999-2000 have been lodged with Companies House.

p.15

The efficiency of the school

The headteacher has, with her staff, designed a school development plan, which has been properly resourced and reviewed by the advisory body. This good practice continues to develop as the school properly plans expansion to meet the constant demand for pupil places.

p.15

The efficiency of the school

The school has made substantial improvements to the school site and accommodation with high quality resources being provided on a need basis. These include the development of specialist areas for therapy, home-living skills and art. There are plans to start the required re-roofing during the current year.

p.15

The efficiency of the school

A director, responsible for marketing the school and its public relations, works part- time in the school and has successfully raised funds from local business to develop a science room, a design technology room and the home-living skills area. The school benefits from other donations and charitable funds.

p.15

The efficiency of the school

In September 2001 a refurbished base for post-16 provision will be opened on the site and will complete the development on the site for nursery provision through to post- 16. The school will need to consider the staffing implications for the teaching of specialist subjects at Key Stage 4 and post-16 as they continue to grow.

p.15

The efficiency of the school

The majority of pupils are placed by local education authorities. They are appropriately informed of any increases to fees. The latter have proved necessary to maintain the standard of the provision and to ensure that staff are paid according to national pay scales.

p.15

Health and safety issues

The school has an effective health and safety policy. Health and safety issues are very well managed with all staff vigilant in their regular checking for potential hazards. Risk assessments are completed every term with the site manager responding to the tasks recorded in a maintenance log. The health and safety officer should ensure the proper recording of completed risk assessment forms to enable regular reviews and to inform the planning of improvements over time.

p.15

Health and safety issues

Two members of staff were due to attend Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations training, however, due to the provider cancelling the course this has been rescheduled.

p.16

Health and safety issues

First aid boxes are in place in all areas of the school and in the minibus, but are not yet in place in the newly opened science/design technology area. Medication logs, accident reports and fire logs are appropriately completed and monitored by the headteacher.

p.16

Health and safety issues

The minibus is regularly checked for faults and has the appropriate seat belts required by legislation. As this is a new minibus no servicing has yet taken place, however, the school plans to implement a yearly programme of servicing. Staff receive recognised training for driving the school minibus.

p.16

Health and safety issues

The school has a very adequate proforma for pupils who abscond. This should now be supported with a policy outlining procedures.

p.16

Health and safety issues

Once the new science area is fully in use a metal cabinet will be required for the storage of hazardous chemicals.

p.16

Health and safety issues

Two issues were brought to the attention of the management. These were the need to:

p.16

Health and safety issues

• provide lockable medical cabinets in class bases, where necessary, in addition to the suitable medical room arrangements, for the storage of prescription drugs to be administered throughout the day; • review the toilet provision off the main hall area, to ensure the privacy of both boys and girls using the facilities.

p.16

Summary of inspection evidence

• 10 hours of classroom observation in 16 lessons.

p.16

Summary of inspection evidence

• administration, policy, procedural and curriculum documentation; • pupil records including statements of education and annual reviews; • pupil files, books and records of achievement; • admission and attendance registers; • incident, sanction, accident and medication books and fire logs.

p.16

Summary of inspection evidence

• assembly; • lunch; • playtime; • departure from school.

p.16

Summary of inspection evidence

• headteacher; • deputy headteacher; • curriculum and pastoral managers; • class teachers; • classroom assistants; • lunchtime assistants; • administration staff; • parents; • pupils.

p.17

Pupil and teacher numbers

Number of full-time pupils Girls: 8; Boys: 30; Total: 38

p.17

Pupil and teacher numbers

Number of part-time pupils Girls: 1; Boys: 1; Total 2

p.17

Pupil and teacher numbers

Part-time speech and language therapists

p.17

Pupil and teacher numbers

Part-time music therapist 1 Part-time dance teacher 1

p.17

Attainment at Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for latest reporting year : 1 boy.

p.19

Attainment at Key Stage 2

Pupils are not entered for National Curriculum tests.

p.19

Attainment at Key Stage 3

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 3 for latest reporting year: 3 boys.

p.19

Attainment at Key Stage 3

Pupils are not entered for National Curriculum tests.

p.19

Attainment at Key Stage 4

Number of 15 year olds on roll in January for latest reporting year: 3 boys.

p.19

Income Last financial year (£) Forecast this financial year

Income from facilities and services 1,200 1,500

p.19

RESPONSES:

I am happy with the school my child attends. 16 1

p.20

RESPONSES:

I think this school meets my child's special education needs. 17

p.20

RESPONSES:

I believe that the school helps me to understand what my child is taught. 16 1

p.20

RESPONSES:

I think that the school keeps me well informed about my child's progress. 17 1

p.20

RESPONSES:

I am happy with the standards of behaviour at this school. 16 1

p.20

RESPONSES:

I believe that this school helps my child have positive attitudes to school work. I believe that this school helps my child to mix well with other children.

p.20

RESPONSES:

I believe that this school promotes the personal and social development of my child. 17 1

p.21

RESPONSES:

I think that this school prepares my child for the next stage of education and training. 17 1

p.21

RESPONSES:

I feel that my child is safe at this school. 16 1

p.21

RESPONSES:

I believe my child likes this school. 18

p.21

Positive points raised by parents

Many of the parents who responded described how much improvement their children had made both socially and academically since joining the school. Parents feel very supported by the school and welcome the shared response to meeting the needs of their children.

p.21

Issues that concerned parents

One parent expressed concern about the distance their child has to travel to attend the school.

p.21