Children's Hospital School at Gt Ormond Street and UCH

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

Under OFSTED contract number: 708290 Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children Great Ormond Street London WC1N 3JH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Michael Oakley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6-9 November 1995 Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Kathy Hooper Registered Inspector Design and technology Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management John Brasier Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Links with parents and the community Rosemary Adams Science Art Modern foreign languages Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Efficiency Mary Cureton Mathematics History Geography Equal opportunities Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mary Last English Information and communications technology Music Physical education Special educational needs Curriculum and assessment

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: PkR Educational Consultants Ltd 6 Sherman Road Bromley Kent BR1 3JH Tel: 0208 289 1923/4/5

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to: The Registrar

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 5

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What the school does well

• . Very good teaching enables the pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, to make very good progress. • . Pupils enjoy coming to school despite being sick. • . A broad curriculum is delivered through a range of interesting activities. • . Individual learning needs are carefully assessed and the targets set for pupils by their home school are effectively addressed. • . The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development; provision for spiritual development is excellent. • . The high quality of care, support and attention to pupils’ welfare enables them to make very good progress. • . Teachers work very well with parents and the hospital to enable pupils to make very good progress in meeting the targets set for them. • . Excellent opportunities are provided for enriching pupils’ learning through links with the

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What the school does well

community. • . The school is very well led and managed; the quality of support and monitoring of teaching and curriculum development is excellent and there is an excellent ethos in the school. • . The school deploys its resources very well; there are excellent arrangements for the professional development of staff. • . The school’s systems for financial control and administration are excellent. • . The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

· Where the school has weaknesses The school has no significant weaknesses, but refinements are needed in the following areas: I. Objectives for literacy and numeracy are not always clear in lesson planning; II. The relationship between subjects and topic work is not always clear; III. The flow of information from the hospital to the school limits the school’s ability to plan for Example, improvements in the accommodation and facilities.

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What the school does well

The school has very many strengths and some excellent features.

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What the school does well

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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What the school does well

The school has made very good progress in addressing the issues raised in the last inspection. All subjects have schemes of work. Assessment is in place and full records are kept of the progress of individual pupils. The assessments are becoming increasingly well focused and clearly identify what pupils have learned. Planning is well focused on individual learning needs. There is a well conceived special educational needs policy which is effectively implemented. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in meeting the targets set for them. All subject co-ordinators evaluate their schemes of work although some of these are descriptive rather than evaluative. There is a clear school development plan and this is well linked to individual targets for each teacher. Longer-term development planning is limited by the lack of appropriate information from the hospital such as projections of trends in patient numbers. All long stay

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What the school does well

pupils have a long stay education plan which is drawn up, often in discussion with their home schools, and their progress is regularly reviewed. The number of pupils with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties continues to increase, and there are staff with appropriate expertise. The school’s management system enables continuous improvement. The school therefore has an excellent capacity to continue to improve. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 7 · Whether pupils are making enough progress Progress in: By 5 By 11 By 16 By 19 Targets set at annual reviews or in IEPs* English: Listening and speaking Reading Writing Mathematics Science Personal, social and health education (PSHE) A

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y

very good A good B satisfactory C unsatisfactory D poor E

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y

*IEPs are individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs · · Pupils make very good progress in meeting the targets set for them. They make very good progress in English, design and technology, information and communications technology and music. Pupils make good progress in mathematics, science, art and history. There were insufficient lessons and evidence of prior learning in dance, modern foreign languages, geography and religious education to make a judgement on pupils’ progress in these subjects. ·

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Overall quality Most effective in: Least effective in:

5 – 11 years Very good Very good in English, information and communications technology and music. It is good in mathematics, science, art, design and technology and history. 11 – 16 years Very good Very good in English, information and communications technology and music. It is good in mathematics, science, art, design and technology, and history. English Very good Speaking and listening Mathematics Good Number Personal, social and health education (PSHE) Very good Pupils’ social and personal development

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Overall quality Most effective in: Least effective in:

Teaching was very good or excellent in 40 per cent of all lessons. It was good in 50 per cent of lessons and was never less than satisfactory. Teaching in music is outstanding. There was insufficient evidence available to make secure judgements about the teaching of dance, geography and religious education. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 8 Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses ·

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Very good. Pupils enjoy their lessons both in the schoolrooms and on the wards. Attendance N/A

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Aspect Comment

Ethos* Excellent. The school has a clear focus on learning and carries out its work with a high level of professionalism. Leadership and management Very good. There are very good systems for ensuring that the school continues to improve. Curriculum Very good. There is a broad and flexible curriculum. There are very good links with pupils’ home schools to ensure pupils continue to make progress. Provision is made for pupils in hospital to continue their learning during the school holidays. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Very good. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is excellent; that for moral social and cultural development is very good. Staffing, resources and accommodation Very good. The school is very well resourced: teachers and support staff are very well qualified and skilful and the school is very well equipped. The level of information and communications technology

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Aspect Comment

makes a significant impact on the pupils’ ability to make progress. Accommodation is very cramped and limits teaching activities. Value for money Very good

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Aspect Comment

* Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

IV. Children enjoy schoolwork. V. The school enables children to achieve a good standard of work. VI. Parents are well informed about their child’s progress. VII. Parents find the school easy to approach with questions or problems. VIII. Pupils achieve a high standard of good behaviour. IX. The school encourages children to become involved in more than their daily lessons. X. There were no negative comments.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

· Parents unanimously appreciate the opportunities provided. They spoke warmly of the way in which the school enables continuity in their child’s education. One parent of a pupil who has recurring periods in hospital reported that, in the past, the teacher had not encouraged her child to participate, but is now very appreciative of the school because of the benefits for her child from teaching. The team’s findings support the parents’ views. There were some comments about the lack of teaching time for children in isolation . The team found that the school effectively monitors teachers’ use of time and as a result, has increased the teaching time with pupils on the wards as a result. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 9 · KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

There were no significant weaknesses. However, in order to refine and further improve the work of the school, the governors and senior management team of the school should take action in the following areas:

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XI. in partnership with the hospital, pursue ways of extending the accommodation and agree details about future developments; paragraph 62. XII. ensure that lesson objectives for literacy and numeracy in subjects across the curriculum focus on particular skills; paragraph 28, 33. XIII. monitor the delivery of the topic work to ensure that, where subjects are taught through topics, the activities reinforce learning elsewhere on the timetable; paragraph 38. XIV. establish ways of increasing the flow of information between the hospital and the school to allow better long-term planning; paragraph 58. · Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 10

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Characteristics of the school

1 The school provides for the education of sick children aged 5-19 who are mainly inpatients at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Some pupils who are inpatients at University College Hospital are also taught. Great Ormond Street Hospital is a tertiary referral centre and pupils come from all parts of the United Kingdom and abroad. The hospital has expanded since the previous inspection and now has approximately 360 beds. The school’s weekly number of pupils taught fluctuates between 80 and 159 with an average of 123 in 1998-9.

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Characteristics of the school

2 Pupils have a wide range of serious illnesses, some of which are life threatening. Advances in medical treatment have an impact on the profile of the pupils in the school. The hospital treats children with ever more serious conditions and, as a consequence, more pupils have profound and multiple learning difficulties. For many children the periods of time spent in hospital are getting shorter and there is an increasingly rapid turnover of patients and therefore pupils in the school. Admissions and discharges are made on medical grounds rather than on educational ones. Pupils are taught in the schoolroom or on one of 22 wards including the Mildred Creak Unit for children with psychiatric illnesses. Children who have been admitted to University College London Hospital are taught in two wards. Almost all pupils are on the roll of a school near their own homes.

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Characteristics of the school

3 The ethnic and social backgrounds of the pupils are very wide. Many pupils have recurring illnesses which have affected their academic progress and others are unable to reach their potential level of attainment because they are sick. Nevertheless, pupils reflect a wide range of educational needs. The main first languages of pupils whose first language is not English are Arabic and Greek. Only those pupils under five who have a statement of special educational needs (or are in the process of being statmented) are taught by the school. During the week of the inspection, there were no pupils under five years of age and none of them were over 16.

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Characteristics of the school

4 The school aims to minimise the disruption to the education of sick children who are hospitalised. It seeks to meet the needs of all pupils from those who are studying for the General Certificate in Education at advanced level to those who have profound and multiple learning difficulties. It aims to provide enriching and enjoyable experiences for pupils, which are an integral part of their overall treatment, in order to prevent anxiety about the interruption of their education. The school strives to be a centre of excellence for the teaching of acutely and chronically sick children, both in this country and abroad, through its systems of self evaluation.

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Characteristics of the school

5 The school’s priorities include issues relating to the improvement of the curriculum, management and leadership, school partnership, efficiency and effectiveness and the professional development of staff. One of the school’s current priorities is to provide continuity of education through the use of information and communications technology and liaison with home schools. Priority in teaching is given to long-stay pupils and those who have recurring treatment. The school tries to ensure that policy planning is kept in-line with national initiatives. The school would like to develop further its teaching programme through an extended school year in order to support pupils and their parents during school holidays. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 11 5 Key indicators

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Characteristics of the school

The school is not required to and does not itself enter pupils for tests/examinations.

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Characteristics of the school

5 Quality of teaching Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 40 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0 Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 12 5 PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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Attainment and progress

6 Great Ormond Street Hospital School provides education for pupils who have serious illnesses, some of which are life threatening. As a consequence, the majority of pupils have significant special educational needs, albeit of a temporary nature. Many pupils have had disrupted patterns of education which extend over a considerable period of time. Reporting on progress is complicated by the high turnover of pupils and the short length of time that many are in hospital and hence the school. Judgements about progress over time and key stage judgements are, therefore, difficult.

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Attainment and progress

7 As a consequence of their special educational needs, the attainment of many pupils is below the age related norm. Comparisons will not normally be made with national expectations or averages, although this report will refer to what pupils know, understand and can do. Judgements about their progress and references to attainment take account of information contained in pupils’ statements, annual reviews and individual education plans.

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Attainment and progress

8 The school makes very good provision for its pupils. It has significant strengths and very few minor weaknesses. Overall, pupils, including those with special educational needs and those whose first language is not English, make very good progress. Pupils make very good progress because of the teachers’ high levels of subject knowledge, their skills in transmitting knowledge and understanding and their awareness of the individual needs of pupils.

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Attainment and progress

9 Pupils make very good progress in English. They make very good progress in reading and speaking and listening and good progress in writing. Higher-attaining pupils debate issues with teachers and give thoughtful views about their own work. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties make very good progress because of the imaginative use of information and communications technology equipment, which they use as a tool for learning; for example, for selecting symbols when writing a poem. Higher-attaining, older pupils analyse their own writing in order to amend the style and also research and select facts for projects.

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Attainment and progress

10 In mathematics, pupils make good progress. When studying shape, the youngest pupils progress from using everyday words to describing three-dimensional shapes such as the cuboid, cone, sphere and cylinder, to using technical vocabulary. One of the oldest pupils in Key Stage 4, worked out for himself the formula for the internal angles of a polygon. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties develop an understanding of number.

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Attainment and progress

11 Pupils make good progress in developing their literacy and numeracy skills and there are opportunities provided across the curriculum. The lack of focus on specific skills in lesson plans for topics, however, limits the progress of some higher-attaining pupils.

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Attainment and progress

12 Pupils make good progress in science. The youngest pupils are beginning to make predictions; for example, about which surface would allow a car to move the fastest and give reasons for their conclusions. Higher-attaining, older pupils explained the ‘Big Bang’ theory of evolution. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties are developing an understanding of cause and effect.

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Attainment and progress

13 Pupils make very good progress in information and communications technology. Pupils are very confident and most of them use equipment independently. Many younger pupils construct sentences, at least using pre-selected words, and using a database; for example, to find prices to compare. By Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 13 the end of Key Stage 4, the older pupils are working effectively towards an external certificate. One of the youngest pupils with severe learning difficulties learned to recognise shapes by using a touch screen to complete a jigsaw. The widespread use of information and communications technology allows all pupils to make better progress within the hospital setting than would be the case otherwise. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties and those with medical conditions that restrict their movement are able to make very good progress in learning because of the availability of

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Attainment and progress

information and communications technology equipment.

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Attainment and progress

14 Pupils make very good progress in design and technology and music. Younger pupils gain a very good understanding of the relationship between designing and making by making choices about appropriate materials. Older pupils are beginning to understand the application of control technology to everyday life. In music, pupils learn to sing and play instruments together. Activities are used very effectively to help pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties and those pupils whose first language is not English to make very good progress.

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Attainment and progress

15 Pupils make good progress in art and history. Pupils make particularly good progress in art when it is taught by an art specialist. They learn to use a wide range of media. Higher-attaining older pupils develop their designs from sketches from first hand observations to other media; for example, batik. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties are learning about colours. Pupils who have English as an additional language are able to make good progress because of the support for bilingual support assistants.

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Attainment and progress

16 The limited amount of evidence available during the week of the inspection made it impossible to make secure judgements about pupils’ progress in geography, modern foreign languages, religious education and dance.

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Attainment and progress

16 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Attainment and progress

17 Attitudes to learning are very good. Pupils are interested in their work, collaborate well in those lessons where opportunities are provided, such as in information and communications technology lessons, and show very good levels of concentration, even in the rather cramped conditions of the classroom. They concentrate well even when they are in some discomfort. They show enthusiasm in lessons, such as the history lessons where teachers and pupils were dressed in Victorian clothes and pupils enjoyed handling and using the resources.

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Attainment and progress

18 Behaviour is very good. It was rated as good at the last inspection. Pupils are pleasant and polite, and keen to co-operate with their teachers. Teachers take care to engage pupils at an appropriate level of difficulty and this is a strong inducement to behave well. In the Mildred Creak Unit, where behaviour problems are the reason for their admission, the behaviour of pupils is good, and for the most part, lessons proceed smoothly with few interruptions.

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Attainment and progress

19 Relationships are very good, as they were at the last inspection. Teachers and pupils get on very well with each other. In a lesson about bullying, pupils showed respect and concern for each other’s views and experiences. Racial harmony is evident in pupils’ acceptance of and their interactions with pupils from different countries. Pupils are respectful of the difficulties of others; for example, those hampered by medical equipment.

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Attainment and progress

20 Personal development is good. Pupils take responsibility for clearing up and collecting their things together. They help each other in design and technology lessons, and to make choices in information and communications technology; for example, by deciding when and what to print. Work is often left on the wards for pupils to complete in their own time, which they do. The hospital setting limits Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 14 opportunities for pupils to contribute to the community. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 15

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Attendance

21 Pupils receiving education from the hospital school service are under medical care and are formally recorded as being absent on their home school attendance registers. It is not appropriate to report on attendance in a hospital special school.

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Attendance

22 Each morning every ward is visited by a teacher and discussions are held about which pupils are fit enough to have lessons. Arrangements are then made to teach these pupils, either on the wards or in the schoolroom. Punctuality is generally good and delayed starts to lessons are due to pupils receiving treatment.

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Teaching

23 Teaching is very good overall. It was very good or excellent in 40 per cent of all lessons seen. It was good in 50 per cent of all lessons and was never less than satisfactory. This shows a clear improvement since the previous inspection. Teaching is particularly strong in English, information and communications technology, and music. It is at least good in mathematics, science, art, design and technology and history. There was insufficient evidence to make clear judgements about the quality of teaching in geography, modern foreign languages, dance and religious education.

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Teaching

24 Teaching is particularly good because there is a high level of subject expertise among teachers many of whom are enthusiastic and talented. The school’s system for assessing the progress of pupils and the very good links with pupils’ home schools enables teachers to gain a clear understanding of the individual needs of pupils. Teachers are skilful in matching activities and resources to individual learning needs even when new pupils arrive; for example, in English, teachers were seen to adapt plans appropriately when pupils arrived unexpectedly, and were sufficiently well prepared to find out that one pupil was bilingual. Art, music and dance teachers understand the therapeutic value of their subjects. Lessons are extremely well prepared to cater for pupils with special educational needs, those whose first language is not English and for the higher-attaining pupils. Teachers focus clearly on individual pupils’ learning, for example, in art, lessons were structured to build systematically on

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Teaching

pupils’ previous learning. Detailed schemes of work, very good resources and very good sharing of information about subjects and pupils’ needs are significant features of the school.

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Teaching

25 Teachers have high order social skills which are used to put pupils at their ease quickly. This results in efficient and effective learning for pupils. Activities are frequently exciting and resources are used imaginatively to engage and sustain pupils’ interest. During the week of the inspection a topic on the Victorians was used to make learning in a range of subjects relevant and accessible. Very good use was made of costumes and appropriate artefacts to bring the learning alive and pupils responded very well. Despite their medical conditions, pupils are supported to maintain concentration and value their learning. Some pupils are provided with access to laptop computers to encourage them to continue learning even when there are not lessons.

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Teaching

26 Teachers manage learning very well. Objectives for lessons are clearly stated and shared with pupils at the beginning of lessons. In information and communications technology, the teacher reviewed previous learning by using a series of quick-fire questions. Assessment opportunities are identified and questioning is very well targeted to ensure that pupils understand and apply their knowledge to their own experiences; for example, in design and technology, pupils were effectively questioned until the teacher was sure that the pupils understood how control technology can be used in the home. In Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 16 the best lessons, for instance in English and mathematics and when pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties are being taught, teachers record even very small steps in learning and this information is very well used to plan further lessons. There are clear endings to lessons when the

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Teaching

main points of the lesson are reinforced. Some teachers encourage pupils to assess their own work; for example, in English for older pupils and in design and technology for younger ones. Outside taught lessons, many older pupils continue with work from their home schools.

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Teaching

27 Teachers deal competently with pupils who have a wide range of needs and abilities. Among the staff there is a high level of awareness of the needs of pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, those with English as an additional language and higher-attaining pupils. However, in some lessons where activities are planned to address several subjects, pupils do not make good progress in the subsidiary subjects because they are not sufficiently well linked to the Programmes of Study or to learning in other parts of the curriculum.

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Teaching

28 Literacy and numeracy are reinforced throughout the curriculum. However, there is some inconsistency between teachers in the precision with which specific skills are reinforced; for example, in writing. Similarly, where subjects, such as science and design and technology, are taught within topics, the learning is not well matched to the work in progress in subject specific lessons.

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Teaching

29 The school has successfully addressed the weaknesses highlighted in the previous inspection report. This has been achieved through regular observation of lessons by the senior management team followed by feedback. There are regular meetings between senior managers and individual teachers to set targets for improvement and each teacher has access to a mentor. There are regular opportunities for joint review and planning of lessons.

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assessment

30 The curriculum is very good. Assessment procedures are good. The school has made very significant improvements since the last inspection by developing schemes of work for all subjects and implementing clear procedures for monitoring what is taught in lessons.

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assessment

31 The curriculum is broad. It provides access to all subjects of the National Curriculum, although hospital schools are not bound by the statutory requirements. The major strength of the curriculum is the inbuilt flexibility which enables staff to cater for the needs of pupils who have a very wide range of abilities and medical conditions. The curriculum fully promotes pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development and is designed to reflect the emotional and health needs of the pupils. This is done very sensitively. Personal social and health education is well integrated into topics and themes of lessons and enables pupils to explore issues of relevance and concern, such as bullying. After full discussion with governors, the school has decided not to teach sex education; it is only taught on the Mildred Creak unit as it is not considered appropriate to the needs of the other pupils.

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assessment

32 There are policies and schemes of work for all subjects which are closely linked to the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. All subjects except physical education are taught. It is inappropriate for many pupils to be taught physical education given the nature of their medical conditions. Pupils at the Mildred Creak Unit take part in a dance project which effectively caters for their physical needs. The curriculum is well structured and balanced to ensure that pupils make progress whether they attend on a short or long-term basis. The school makes exceptional efforts to liaise with the pupils’ own schools and to obtain copies of individual education plans or other details of pupils’ work. Teachers use this information effectively to continue work on pupils’ targets or to use them as a base for setting new learning challenges. The current system works very well and Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 17

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assessment

enables pupils to feel that they are still in touch with their schools and their peers and teachers; for example, one pupil was particularly motivated to attempt work in a literacy session when she heard that it had been provided by her classteacher and was what her friends were also completing. For older pupils this very good liaison helps teachers to plan to support examination work for example, focused, individualised support for one pupil has helped her to exceed forecasted grades. The school provides opportunities for pupils to study for an external certificate at Key Stages 3 and 4. This represents a valuable addition to the curriculum.

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assessment

33 The school has made good progress in implementing the National Literacy Strategy and provides regular lessons in the Literacy Hour at Key Stages 1 and 2. This is proving valuable in focusing pupils’ attention on literacy skills and also in linking the work in the hospital school to that in their home schools. The school recognises the need to extend the focus into Key Stages 3 and 4. In all lessons, reference is made to literacy and numeracy and how they are to be emphasised both within subject and topic work. Whilst this is a strength, opportunities are lost to identify which skills will be taught and how success will be measured; for example, plans frequently allow for writing opportunities but the range of technical skills, such as the use of full stops and capital letters, or the use of specific vocabulary in writing are not identified in all curriculum planning. Similarly, numeracy skills are emphasised and practised in many other subjects such as history, music and

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assessment

information and communications technology. However, the specific numeracy skills are not always identified in teachers’ plans.

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assessment

34 The school makes very good arrangements for moving pupils on to the next stage of their lives; most often a return to their home school or admission to a new one. Part-time reintegration, if necessary, initially supported by an adult, provides good opportunities for some pupils. When necessary, the school provides work experience for older pupils, for example, pupils have worked in the hospital reception and the pathology laboratory. The curriculum provides equal access to all pupils and the school makes every effort to meet pupils’ needs by drawing up individual learning programmes for pupils on the wards, in the intensive care unit and, for pupils in the dialysis unit who are regularly readmitted.

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assessment

35 Arrangements for providing pupils with special educational needs with an appropriate curriculum are very good; for example, there is a very good curriculum for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Individual educational plans provide a focus for teaching and additional plans are set in place for long stay pupils. These are very well linked to the National Curriculum and the school’s schemes of work. The school is developing well its support for pupils who speak English as an additional language. The good liaison between school, translators and families has a positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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assessment

36 A very good range of extra curricular activities enhances the curriculum including visits to many places of interest in central London. Visitors to the school add interest to the curriculum. Pupils contribute to a major dramatic production at Christmas and this is well received by staff and parents.

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assessment

37 The school year is effectively extended by five weeks during which creative art projects take place. Thus, each half term and for two weeks each summer, there is a programme for continuing the education for pupils still in hospital which is less intensive and more activity based than the termly curriculum. Photographic evidence illustrates the stimulation and enjoyment that these projects engender.

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assessment

38 There are very good procedures for monitoring the curriculum. Teaching teams meet regularly to evaluate the effectiveness of schemes of work and coverage in lessons. This evaluation is overseen by the senior management team with regular reports to the governing body. However, in some Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 18 lessons where subsidiary subjects were identified on teachers’ plans, the emphasis was insufficient to promote pupils’ progress.

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assessment

39 Assessment is good overall. It is generally linked to targets on individuals education plans. These are reviewed twice termly and then used effectively to inform the content of future lessons. In the best practice, every step of achievement is identified and incorporated into teacher and pupil records. Additionally, pupils are encouraged to assess their own progress by recording what they have been studying and how well they have achieved. Such good practice has yet to be disseminated across the whole school. Teachers have started keeping samples of pupils’ work but these do not routinely identify the amount and nature of support which adults have provided. This limits their value as records because pupils’ attainment and progress cannot be identified. Moderating and evaluating work in literacy in conjunction with mainstream schools is proving to be very effective in establishing a method of gathering information as a contribution to a whole-school approach to data collection.

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assessment

This promising beginning has yet to be implemented in other curriculum areas.

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assessment

40 Overall the school has made very good progress in the development of the curriculum and its assessment since the last inspection. Where areas for development have been identified, they feature in current development planning.

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assessment

40 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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assessment

41 The provision for the spiritual, social, moral and cultural development of pupils is very good. Since the last inspection, the school has maintained its very good provision for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development. It has made substantial improvement to its provision for pupils’ spiritual development. This is now excellent and central to much of its planning. Pupils’ spiritual development is particularly well promoted by the consistency of the excellent standard of care provided by the hospital and by the school. All pupils are unconditionally welcome whatever their illness or disability. The school emphasises and develops the strengths of the individual child and provides the supportive environment which allows them to begin to cope with some of their difficulties. The school plans for pupils’ spiritual development by arranging a termly multi-faith service in the hospital chapel, where

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assessment

those pupils who are able are encouraged to write their prayers and hopes and fears in a book provided for this purpose. The school celebrates Christmas, Easter, Divali, Eid and Chanukah. The pupils are taught about Remembrance Day and spend two minutes in silence reflecting on the sadness of war. The curriculum in both the schoolroom and the Mildred Creak unit is designed specifically to enable pupils to participate in spiritual experiences such as music or dance. In the week of the inspection, pupils were well prepared to appreciate the spiritual dimension of Van Dyke work when they visited an important exhibition of his work. Older pupils are helped to see the beauty and spirituality of the romantic poets and of Shakespeare. In the schoolroom, younger pupils experienced with amazement chicks hatching. They have watched tadpoles become frogs and delighted in seeing their plants grow. The school’s liaison with the hospital chaplaincy has resulted in a valuable

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assessment

spiritual dimension, not only to religious education lessons and religious services but also in the guidance of pupils and teachers. The school has further valuable links with representatives of the major world faiths. The curriculum allows pupils to gain insights through reflection on their own beliefs and those of others; for example, in the lessons on Hindu belief during the week of the inspection. A tree planted on the patio in remembrance of Anne Frank provides a focus for further reflection.

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assessment

42 The school promotes pupils’ moral development very well. Pupils are taught to be kind and not hurtful about others’ illnesses and disabilities. In their sensitive everyday dealings with the pupils, teachers are excellent role models for them. Moral issues are explored in the curriculum through careful choice of topics. This allowed the environment to be discussed as part of the work on Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 19 rainforests. Moral issues such as waste are considered through work in science on forces. A study of the morality and the inequalities between rich and poor are part of the topic on the Victorians. Pupils tackle such issues as bullying in personal and social education lessons. At times these lessons encompass more demanding ethical issues such as euthanasia. Moral issues are studied in English literature, particularly in the Mildred Creak unit, where a wide variety of classical authors,

p.18

assessment

43 The school’s provision for pupils’ social development is very good. The school provides an important link with normal society for pupils who are very sick. Pupils are gently but persistently encouraged to attend the schoolroom. Group rules are explained clearly and pupils learn the importance of taking turns, behaving safely with others in mind, tidying up, and beginning to understand others’ difficulties. Pupils are encouraged to help each other and they do so. They learn the importance of speaking and listening to others. Those with additional special educational needs are taught to make eye contact and learn Hello and Goodbye. The learning of Makaton is seen as important in the teaching of communication to these children and some staff are receiving appropriate training. The pupils participate well in such events as open days. They collaborate to produce the school magazine. They read plays together and take part in a play at Christmas. There is good liaison with the hospital

p.19

assessment

play specialists who for example, work with teachers to help pupils make the most of break-time. From time to time pupils take part in educational visits to further develop their social competence.

p.19

assessment

44 The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ cultural development. The multicultural nature of the school is fully reflected in the curriculum. British culture is taught in the schoolroom in themed lessons on the Victorians and English literature is taught in the Mildred Creak Unit. Benin is taught in geography and aspects of Egyptian and Aztec cultures in history. Thengapalli, reflecting the culture of the Asian sub-continent is about to be introduced. There has been an African open day. World-wide cultures are represented in the school’s stock of books and in the pictures decorating its walls. The school makes use of London’s museums, theatres and other facilities to broaden pupils’ cultural education and awareness. Parents believe that the school has a positive effect on their child’s values and attitudes.

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

45 The provision for support, guidance and pupils’ welfare is very good and is a particular strength of the school. Detailed records of pupils’ academic progress are maintained and these are overseen by key stage co-ordinators. The school’s very good links with home schools help to ensure that pupils’ progress is disrupted as little as possible. The individual education plans for pupils who have special educational needs are well used by teachers in their planning. Since the last inspection, each long stay pupil has a learning education plan which is reviewed half termly. There is very good liaison between teachers and records are very well used by staff to inform lesson planning. Teachers are attached to each ward to ensure that as many pupils as possible benefit from the work of the school. This allows them to gain important knowledge of the medical, personal and social needs of pupils. Hospital staff are aware of the value for pupils of school activities in speeding their recovery and they

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

collaborate well with teachers. When medical treatment is necessary, they interrupt sensitively, which allows pupils to take full advantage of learning opportunities. Parents are encouraged to visit the schoolroom to support less confident pupils. Parents and carers are appropriately involved in activities on the wards and speak warmly of their child’s positive reaction to school sessions. The collective support and care of teachers, hospital staff and parents enables pupils to make very good progress in their learning.

p.19

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

46 In the Mildred Creak unit, there are joint meetings between teachers and other professionals to analyse the diagnosis and progress of all pupils and to decide upon further action. Teaching staff are Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 20 fully involved in these meetings and their contribution is highly valued by the medical staff. Teachers provide information on behaviour and attitudes, on the background of pupils from their contact with their home schools.; for example, where pupils have been traumatised by their experiences, teachers provide a reference standard for behaviour by speaking to their home schools. Teaching staff from the Mildred Creak unit attend referral meetings which are always held near the home of the child. They also help with recommendations of further placements and appropriate colleges and schools. The activities in the unit are extremely closely allied to medical and therapeutic treatments. The

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

quality of support and guidance is very high and is crucial to pupils’ ongoing welfare.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

47 The school is successful in providing activities which stimulate yet educate pupils. School activities both on the wards and in the schoolroom provide a measure of normality. The anxiety of those pupils who are aware of the need to maintain their educational progress is, therefore reduced. Parents spoke of some pupils’ weaknesses; for example, in literacy, being successfully addressed whilst in hospital. Other pupils who have had negative experiences of learning in school are successfully engaged in activities. The teachers are skilful in supporting pupils because of the depth of their knowledge of the individual needs of pupils and their extensive repertoire of teaching strategies. Pupils often become more communicative and less isolated through involvement with the school. Registers of the pupils attending the schoolroom are maintained.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

48 The school year is extended by five weeks during which there is a modified curriculum. This is an innovation since the last inspection and provides valuable experiences for pupils who are in hospital during school holidays. Whilst the pupils’ behaviour is very good when in hospital, bullying of pupils in their home schools is often an issue. As a consequence, bullying is successfully addressed in the school’s personal health and social education lessons. Child protection procedures are very good. The headteacher is the nominated person. All staff have been, or are due to be trained. Any potential child protection issues are dealt with in collaboration with the hospital staff. Individual cases are sensitively and objectively discussed and lead to clear decisions, further evidence to be sought and the approach to be taken.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

49 Provision for health and safety is very good. There are well defined procedures in the event of a fire. Staff are vigilant in identifying hazards, such as trailing leads, in the cramped conditions of the classroom. The school is very much aware of cross-infection and consults the Nursing Officer where necessary. There are two first-aiders, all staff are trained in resuscitation techniques and a crash box is on hand.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

49 Partnership with parents and the community

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

50 Partnerships with parents and the community are very good. The school has effectively improved its links since the previous inspection. Where parents are present when pupils are taught on the wards, they often become involved in the teaching and continue to work with their children afterwards. This does not always happen but it is valuable when it does. In one lesson a French-speaking grandmother was included in the lesson using a bilingual approach. Parents are always welcome in the schoolroom. There are valuable open days which have specific themes, such as the Caribbean, Africa or the 1930s. Some parents help with schoolroom activities.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

51 The school provides good information through its welcoming information, the annual report to parents and the school magazine. Reports are provided after every 20 sessions. These are informative and the best of them have full information about attainment and targets for improvement. Parents are informed about the statutory assessment procedures if their child is to be the subject of a Statement of Special Educational Needs. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 21 52 The views of parents, hospital staff and pupils are gathered regularly and analysed. Parents’ comments about the school in the questionnaire and at the parents’ meeting were all positive. Some parents commented that they would appreciate more than one hour’s teaching per day on the wards. The school has extended time available as a result of an effective system for monitoring the teachers’ use of time.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

53 Links with the community are excellent. There is very good co-operation between the school and the hospital. Hospital staff at all levels hold the school in high regard. There are very good links with the hospital chaplain and the play specialists. Teachers make very good links with the pupils’ home schools. They persist until they receive a response from the home school and they make every effort to match the curriculum accordingly. They use these links productively to gain valuable background information about the pupils where this is appropriate.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

54 There are very good links with local schools; for example, when moderating work in literacy and when celebrating Christmas. Practical help has been received from The Anne Frank Educational Trust, the National Gallery, the Royal Institution, the Science Museum, the London Symphony Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, the London Contemporary Dance Trust and Green Candle Dance Company. There are also several projects that help with computing and there are valuable financial contributions from the business community.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

54 THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

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Leadership and management

55 Very strong leadership provides clear educational direction for the school. The school strives continuously to improve its curricular provision for pupils. Despite the complex nature of the pupils’ needs, the school continuously improves its flexibility and effectiveness. The governing body is rigorous in its expectations and well focused in carrying out its role. They function effectively through sub-committees and fulfil their legal responsibilities. The headteacher and her senior management team work closely and productively to ensure a common sense of purpose. Curriculum co-ordinators have a very clear perception of their role.

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Leadership and management

56 Teaching and curriculum development are very well monitored, evaluated and supported. Regular observations of teaching and detailed feedback have resulted in teachers having a common understanding of good teaching. The systems for continuous improvement have resulted in a staff group which is self critical and mutually supportive. All issues raised in the previous inspection report and those in an interim progress report have been addressed and significant progress has been made. Pupils’ progress is assessed and that of long stay pupils is monitored on a regular basis. There has been some moderation of pupils’ work in relation to their literacy. Teachers do not have experience of moderating work in a mainstream setting and this reduces their confidence in establishing attainment levels for pupils. The school is now in a strong position to analyse pupils’ progress in ways which would provide more feedback to governors on the progress of pupils across

p.21

Leadership and management

57 The school’s aims are very clear and are very well reflected throughout the school, in the schoolroom, the wards and the Mildred Creak unit. The management system enables all staff to feel involved in the central purposes of the school and encourages their full involvement. Parents’ views are actively sought. Some parents regretted the small amount of time available for their children to be involved with teachers because they recognised the progress made in one-to-one contexts especially on the wards. Through its monitoring procedures, the school has been able to extend the time given to long stay pupils. Ways of increasing this further should be kept under review. Pupils clearly value their Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 22 time in school and some pupils who have previously been disaffected by their experiences in mainstream schools become involved in their learning.

p.21

Leadership and management

58 The school plans very well and the school development plan is very well focused on appropriate priorities. Surveys are carried out each year of the hospital staff, parents, pupils and staff to identify the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This information is used to shape the school development plan. The headteacher, her deputy and all the teachers are set targets which relate to the school development plan and the staff development programme. Teachers’ targets are reviewed each term. This process ensures a continued focus on appropriate priorities throughout the year and enables the school to make very good progress in improving its provision. There is scope for extending the expertise of curriculum co-ordinators more substantially to the work of the Mildred Creak unit, for a closer oversight of the interpretation of subject schemes of work, including literacy and numeracy, into the topic work and for extending the expertise of staff, such as the special needs co-ordinator

p.22

Leadership and management

who works with pupils who have profound and multiple learning difficulties, to other members of staff. The school’s capacity to plan long-term developments is limited by the lack of information provided by the hospital. Discussions are currently taking place to improve communication through an extension of appropriate links with the governing body. Nevertheless, the excellent management systems and the progress made by the school indicate that it has an excellent capacity for improvement in the future.

p.22

Leadership and management

59 There is an excellent ethos in the school. Pupils’ very good progress indicates that the school is successfully minimising the disruption to their learning whilst in hospital. The pupils have very good attitudes to their learning and there are very good relationships throughout the school. The school is providing high quality learning experiences and maintaining pupils’ confidence in their learning. The school is a centre of excellence for the teaching of acutely and chronically sick children.

p.22

Leadership and management

59 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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Leadership and management

60 The school has a very good level of staffing to meet the wide age range and individual and learning needs of its pupils. Teachers are suitably qualified and experienced. Eight teachers have been appointed since the last inspection and governors have taken the opportunity to strengthen the subject knowledge on the staff by appointing specialist teachers for information and communications technology, numeracy, literacy, science and special educational needs. A special needs co-ordinator and teaching assistant have also been appointed. Approximately one-fifth of the staff are members of ethnic minorities and one is an Arabic speaker. These appointments have enhanced the quality of education in science and supported further development in the provision of information and communications technology, literacy, numeracy and equal opportunities.

p.22

Leadership and management

61 Arrangements for professional development are excellent and the staff appraisal process is firmly linked to school’s priorities with teachers’ personal targets forming part of the school development plan. Staff work together effectively in teams and critically evaluate their work regularly. Subject leaders take their responsibility to provide in-service training seriously and an extensive programme of training is provided throughout the year covering all aspects of school development.

p.22

Leadership and management

62 Although improvements have been made to the accommodation in the main teaching area and in the Mildred Creak unit, conditions remain cramped and are distracting particularly when pupils of all ages have to be taught in the same room. Staff make the best use they can of the limited space. The welcome addition of an outside space adjacent to the schoolroom is used in good weather. A small study room is used for older pupils and individual tuition. In the Mildred Creak unit there is space for discussions; for example, in personal and social education activities in the community area. However, the classroom in the unit becomes overcrowded if more than eight pupils are present. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 23 63 Much of the teaching is with individual pupils on the wards where space is limited. It is often conducted in restricted areas at the bedside. Whenever possible, pupils are brought down to the

p.22

Leadership and management

schoolroom. Space is further curtailed when pupils are in beds or wheelchairs or carrying medical equipment with them. Plans are in place to increase the hospital capacity and this will affect the school. This is recognised by the hospital management and outline plans for the school to expand have been proposed. If the high quality of education offered in the school is to be maintained and the situation to remain manageable, a co-ordinated approach and joint planning with the hospital about accommodation will be necessary.

p.23

Leadership and management

64 The school is very well resourced with books and materials in all areas of the curriculum. Subject leaders are responsible for managing resources and identifying future requirements. This is done efficiently because it is closely linked to teachers’ targets and the school development plan. Storage space is at a premium and care is taken to ensure that equipment is available, but the limited space often prevents pupils from accessing what they need indepently. The school’s main library is well stocked with reference and fiction books that take into account the wide age range, differing backgrounds, interests and abilities of the pupils. In addition there is a very good range of tapes, videos, slides and computer disks that pupils use for pleasure and research purposes. There is a system of cataloguing and signing out, that can be understood and used by pupils of all ages. The school has added to its resources in many areas since the last inspection. In information and

p.23

Leadership and management

communication technology video conferencing facilities are available.

p.23

Leadership and management

65 Educational developments are very well supported by careful financial planning. The school development plan is now fully costed for the academic year. Governors have taken appropriate steps to ensure that any changes to funding arrangements from the year 2000 onwards are minimised. The school’s systems for continuous improvement are very effective and feed directly into the whole- school plan.

p.23

Leadership and management

66 Very effective and efficient use is made of staff, accommodation and learning resources. This year the school aimed to increase the amount of teaching time for long stay pupils who have to remain on the wards. The school has reviewed the time available and the headteacher has established a system to ensure maximum flexibility for the deployment of staff in response to the daily variations in pupil numbers. Staff deployment logs are kept and monitored closely. These show that the average amount of teaching a pupil receives on the ward has increased from three-quarters of an hour in May 1999 to one hour and ten minutes in October 1999. Since the last inspection the school has introduced an extended year which means that the school is now open for forty-four weeks in a year. Excellent use is made of this extra teaching time to enable pupils who have lost schooling to catch up. Exciting projects take place involving visiting artists and visits to exhibitions and places of interest. These

p.23

Leadership and management

changes have made a positive contribution to the quality of education provided for pupils and enable them to make good academic progress as well as accelerating their recovery. The accommodation is extremely limited, but exceptionally well used. Pupils’ records and learning resources are very well stored yet accessible to all staff.

p.23

Leadership and management

67 Staff and governors constantly strive to improve and enrich the quality of education they provide through a positive culture of self-evaluation throughout the school. Priorities for school development are identified through a review and evaluation of the previous year’s work. All staff have a leadership responsibility and contribute to the review. Detailed questionnaires are sent to parents and pupils’ home schools and the information is used as part of the annual evaluation. The school is now compiling some useful data that identifies pupils’ progress. It is, therefore, well placed to begin to Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 24 evaluate more precisely for governors the success of the school’s developments. The school’s ability to plan for the long term is limited by the lack of information from the hospital.

p.23

Leadership and management

68 The financial management is very good and governors manage the school’s finances very efficiently. Financial management and controls are very secure and there are detailed and effective checking systems in place. The school administrator undertakes the day-to-day financial administration very efficiently. The finance committee monitors the budget monthly against the annual budget forecast. The school employs a bookkeeper to prepare the monthly statements. A full audit is undertaken annually and the responsible officer undertakes spot checks. The auditor’s recommendations are dealt with promptly and effectively.

p.24

Leadership and management

69 The pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are very good despite the discomfort and disruption they are experiencing and they make very good progress. The quality of education and teaching provided is very good. The leadership and management is very efficient and has enabled the school to make very good progress since the last inspection. The school has an excellent capacity to continue to improve and provides very good value for money. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 25 69 PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

p.24

English

69 Pupils make very good progress in English overall. By the end of Key Stage 2, progress is good and at the end of Key Stage 4, progress is very good. The successful introduction of the National Literacy Strategy has had a positive effect on progress at Key Stages 1 and 2 by focusing upon specific skills and by linking more closely the work in the hospital school to that in the pupils’ home schools.

p.25

English

70 Throughout the school, pupils’ skills in speaking and listening are very good. Often pupils do not know their teachers well and yet make very good progress in expressing their thoughts and asking and answering questions clearly and with confidence. Higher-attaining pupils are able to engage in verbal debate with the teachers and give considered views on their own work.

p.25

English

71 Pupils make very good progress in reading. They read for a variety of purposes and from a range of sources. By the end of Key Stage 1 several use a computer independently to read and redraft text. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils use a dictionary to check the spelling and meaning of words with little help from an adult. Pupils read with confidence and try hard to communicate the rhythm when reading poetry or the expression of different characters in stories. Older pupils at Key Stages 3 and 4 use books to research facts for project work and show interest in the construction of a word such as ‘autocrat’ and its relationship to ‘biography’ and ‘autobiography’.

p.25

English

72 Pupils make good progress in writing. There is a wide range of ability represented within groups and pupils’ progress is supported through the teachers’ flexibility and skill in matching tasks to individual needs. Some younger pupils struggle to produce a fluent style of writing and need help with ordering their thoughts onto paper. The use of information and communications technology is a great help as pupils choose the words they wish to use from a pre-selected range on the screen. Several pupils write movingly about their own situations and the difficulties they face in hospital or school whilst others use their imagination to write about characters in books such as Peter Pan. Older pupils make very good progress in understanding the difference between subjective and objective writing. They analyse their own accounts, for example, of an art exhibition they have visited, and alter the style

p.25

English

73 Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties also make very good progress in English by communicating with staff using a range of techniques; for example, one pupil at Key Stage 3 used a ‘Big Mac’ switch to choose between two or three symbols which were then used to construct a poem of her own. Pupils with English as an additional language also make very good progress because teachers have a clear understanding of their needs, for example, a Greek speaking pupil took part in a discussion on bullying because a classroom assistant helped her to understand instructions from the teacher. She was, therefore, able to demonstrate her skills and her self confidence was boosted.

p.25

English

74 Pupils’ response to, and behaviour in, English lessons is very good. Pupils clearly enjoy coming to school or having the teacher visit them. They are very co-operative and listen well to instructions. Pupils settle to work quickly and the majority are able to work independently for short periods of time. Older pupils demonstrate sustained concentration and ask for help when necessary. All pupils are particularly eager to ask and answer questions and show enthusiasm for class discussion, although these opportunities are sometimes limited due to the size or nature of the class groups. By Key Stage 4, pupils accept criticism of their work from the teacher and discuss in a positive way how Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 26 they will improve their standards of writing. Pupils’ positive attitudes represent great achievement for those pupils who suffer from low self esteem and lack self-confidence.

p.25

English

75 The teaching in English is very good. Teachers are very secure in their knowledge of the subject and plan a very good range of activities in lessons. A major strength of the teaching is the flexible and adaptable way teachers respond to pupils’ needs and ability levels. Pupils frequently arrive at school unexpectedly yet teachers are always ready to accept them and adapt their plans to include them; for example, one pupil arrived in an English lesson unexpectedly and it was only through the judicious use of an ‘All about Me’ questionnaire that the teacher discovered she was bilingual, speaking Spanish and English. This information then helped the teacher to focus upon the pupil’s reading of ‘The Lady of Shallot’ in order to improve spoken delivery, rhythm and intonation. Teaching starts as soon as pupils arrive although late starts are due to medical treatment or other appointments. Teachers ensure that pupils are immediately involved in a task and they work until the end of the

p.26

English

lesson when teachers remind pupils of the main teaching points. Teaching is well focused towards the pupils’ individual needs. Home schools are contacted for copies of individual education plans and, where appropriate, these are used with the work from the home school to maintain continuity in learning. Long stay pupils have learning plans that include targets for literacy. These are well addressed in lessons.

p.26

English

76 Teachers are very skilled at quickly establishing good relationships with their pupils. They are sensitive to their particular emotional and medical difficulties but, nevertheless, set high expectations of work, concentration and behaviour. Other aspects of very good teaching include clear links to other subjects such as information and communications technology, art and history; imaginative use of resources, such as paintings and timelines and attention to the technical aspects of the language such as letter patterns. The planning and teaching of topic work is particularly well managed, for example, work about the Victorians was successfully addressed in all lessons for pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2.

p.26

English

77 Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and they put samples of work into portfolios. Group stories are also compiled as are samples of work on common themes. Whilst these provide an interesting insight into pupils’ experiences, there is insufficient detail in the teacher annotation for progress to be clearly identified, for example, teachers’ comments rarely identify the amount and level of support the pupil has received in completing the task featured. This applies to the work of pupils of all abilities.

p.26

English

78 Assessment procedures are well established and linked to individual education plans and other learning plans where appropriate. Records are regularly completed and used for useful reference by other teachers but they do not consistently identify the small steps of progress that each pupil has made. This results in a lack of information about the progress of pupils who only attend spasmodically. However, teachers are rigorous in recording what has been taught. Opportunities for younger pupils to assess their own work are missed. Where self-assessment is in place, for older pupils, it helps them to appreciate exactly what they have learnt and the value of coming to school.

p.26

English

79 The curriculum for English is good. Much developmental work has taken place since the last inspection and schemes of work and National Curriculum coverage are good. The Literacy Hour has been successfully implemented and the school has recently introduced a system for levelling pupils’ work and moderating it in conjunction with a cluster of other local schools. This is a valuable opportunity to identify data for future target setting.

p.26

English

80 Literacy and oracy feature strongly in the school’s ethos and in plans for other subjects This is a strong feature of the curriculum but it currently lacks sufficient focus in lesson planning. Whilst ‘writing opportunities’ are identified in some subjects other than English the skills and techniques that Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 27 might be appropriately targeted are not clearly stated, for example, opportunities for pupils to learn or practise the use of full stops and capital letters or to use a dictionary are not identified. Reading skills are also promoted through the use of very attractive displays in and around the school. Many of the displays are interactive and engage pupils’ imagination and interest.

p.26

English

81 English makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils read and have access to a wide variety of texts including those of a multi-cultural nature. They read stories about right and wrong, discuss issues such as bullying and express their thoughts and concerns in writing. Through poetry, fiction and role-play they reflect on their lives and those of others. Pupils pay visits to local theatres and exhibitions and benefit from the many visitors coming to the hospital.

p.27

English

82 Resources for English are good. Although accommodation is limited there is a very good stock of books, artefacts and computer software, all of which is used efficiently to help pupils are to learn. Pupils’ work and other information is well displayed in classrooms and corridors and the pupils’ very good work in word processing clearly enhances the presentation of such displays.

p.27

Mathematics

83 Progress in the subject is good. It is good by the end of Key Stage 1, very good by the end of Key Stage 2, and good by the end of Key Stages 3 and 4.

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Mathematics

84 Key Stage 1 pupils, reached their individual targets sequentially as the lesson progressed when studying shape and space. They moved rapidly from using every day words to describe shapes in the classroom, such as flat, side and edge to describing three-dimensional shapes such as the cuboid, cone, sphere and cylinder, using more technical vocabulary. A Key Stage 2 pupil on a ward made very good progress from a minimal knowledge of the concept of time to having some knowledge of units of time and how they are calculated. Key Stage 3 pupils made good progress in understanding the nature of equilateral and isosceles triangles. In this lesson, one girl used the practical exercises to find formulae for calculating exterior and interior angles of these figures. A Key Stage 4 boy made very good progress when he worked out for himself the formula to ascertain the sum of the interior angles of a polygon. When progress is less than good, pupils on the wards are too ill to make more

p.27

Mathematics

than progress which is satisfactory. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties make very good progress in developing a concept of number; for example, through matching model frogs that jump into the pond to the numbers in a song.

p.27

Mathematics

85 Pupils show interest in the subject and there is a buzz of activity in the lessons. Pupils are eager to learn, absorbed and often delighted in their success. The high standard of help allows all pupils to concentrate on clearly defined tasks. In one lesson, Key Stage 1 pupils were cheerful and eager to accomplish all the tasks. On the wards, response ranged from polite co-operation from pupils who were feeling ill, to the complete dedication of one pupil who realised he had missed a great deal of schooling and intended to get better.

p.27

Mathematics

86 Pupils are well taught. Teaching is good with some very good features. Teachers have very good subject knowledge. They are flexible in their approach and their planning is such that they are able to adapt to pupils’ needs without notice. All lessons have very clear objectives, and make good use of a wide range of specially adapted resources. In one exceptionally good lesson on the ward in Key Stage 2, the teacher had planned very clearly. She had an excellent relationship with her pupil and kept a very full and helpful record of progress. There had been very useful contact with the home school so that both task and materials were well matched to the pupil’s needs. In another lesson in Key Stage 3, one pupil was drawn aside from a class and shown how to programme a robot, using a program on Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 28 the computer, first through 45 degrees, and then along a triangle, before trying more complex figures.

p.27

Mathematics

The match of activities to individual needs in this lesson was of a high order. Individual tasks flowed naturally from previous work and progress was well supported by good record keeping. Explanations were knowledgeable and lucid. The support assistants in this lesson were well used in supporting the individual activities. Class management was very good.

p.28

Mathematics

87 Since the last inspection, the curriculum of the Mildred Creak unit has developed to include investigative mathematics. The subject is well managed. Schemes of work both in the units and the schoolroom are now very good as are the arrangements for the assessment of pupils’ progress. Recent curriculum development has included the planning and delivery of an adapted version of the Numeracy Hour, which is proving highly effective in teaching and motivating the pupils, thus ensuring their progress.

p.28

Numeracy

88 The thematic elements of the curriculum are well planned to contain elements of numeracy, and this helps pupils to consolidate their skills. Pupils compare prices then and now in their studies of the Victorians. They handle authentic Victorian coins, and calculate prices and give change in pounds, shillings and pence. In geography, some pupils are taught the points of the compass and basic navigational skills. They are able to use map references. In science, pupils measure accurately. They handle data confidently, use tables to record information and display information using graphs. In Key Stage 2, pupils are able to identify inaccurate results. They know what measurements to collect when finding out which material makes the most efficient parachute. In Key Stages 3 and 4, pupils are able to conceptualise and compare distances between planets and know how to record very large numbers. In design and technology, pupils count spoonfuls of ingredients, but no recognition is given

p.28

Numeracy

to differing abilities. They count notes in music. They readily identify rhyming patterns in poetry. Pupils are able to survey other’s preferred foods and present their findings in graphical form using information and communications technology.

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Numeracy

89 Pupils make good progress across all the key stages. The opportunities for one-to-one tuition and small group work often help pupils to catch up on work they have missed. Key Stage 1 pupils are beginning to predict outcomes and provide plausible reasons for their conclusions, for example, they could explain why they thought that a car would travel faster over a smooth laminated surface. Higher-attaining pupils understand some of the principles of a fair test; for example, that all cars must start their run from the same point. They measure the time cars take to run down the ramp accurately. All pupils are encouraged to describe and record their observations and say whether the information they collected supported their prediction.

p.28

Numeracy

90 Key Stage 2 pupils construct experiments with the help of the teacher, understand the principles of a fair test and can identify important variables. When conducting an experiment to find out which materials make the best parachute, one pupil understood that the air resistance slows down the descent of the parachute. She recorded her observations systematically measuring the time reasonably and presented the information in a chart. She was quick to identify errors in the data and discard them. Displays of pupils’ work show that they present their findings using diagrams, charts, and written descriptions.

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Numeracy

91 Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils can name all the major organs and parts of the body and describe their position and function using appropriate scientific language. When studying the Earth and the universe, pupils use models to explain effects caused by the Earth’s movements on the standard Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 29 intervals of time. They are beginning to understand the relative position in the universe of the Earth, moon and planets and the distances involved. They are able to use a standard form to express the distances between planets. The higher-attaining pupils explained to the class how stars are made and the ‘Big Bang’ theory. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties make good progress in understanding cause and effect; for example, through the use of switches.

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Numeracy

92 Pupils have a good attitude to learning and their behaviour is very good. They show a lively interest in what they are doing and are keen to answer questions and join in the practical work. They often work together and show good levels of concentration even when they find the work difficult.

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Numeracy

93 The quality of teaching is good. The appointment of two science specialists has enabled the school to develop relevant schemes of work, based on the National Curriculum Programmes of Study, that can be delivered in a hospital setting. In the best lessons, teachers are well qualified and knowledgeable. They plan lessons in detail and prepare equipment and resources very carefully so that they are well matched to the individual needs of the pupils. Lessons are carefully structured so that pupils receive clear explanations of what they are expected to learn. Very good use is made of a range of good learning resources to provide visual demonstrations. Teachers’ very good relationships with pupils encourage pupils to work hard and there are high expectations that pupils will succeed.

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Numeracy

94 There has been a significant improvement in the quality of provision in science and the progress pupils make since the last inspection. The school provides a very practical approach to science and pupils are given good opportunities to undertake scientific investigations. Science is taught as part of a topic in the morning and as a separate subject in the afternoon. The amount of time allocated to the subject is now appropriate. However, the science content of the topic does not necessarily relate to the science schemes of work. Greater monitoring is required to ensure that there is a coherent approach to teaching science and a balanced coverage of the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. Arrangements for assessment of pupils' progress are appropriate and work is marked regularly. Pupils are encouraged to evaluate their learning with the teachers at the end of each lesson. The lack of a specialist teaching room places some limitations on the practical experiences of learning

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Numeracy

about materials and their properties at Key Stages 3 and 4 but effective experimental work is undertaken in the classroom covering other aspects of science.

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Art

95 Progress in art is good. It is very good when taught by specialist teachers. The work that is displayed in the hospital and classroom is of a very high standard. Pupils, including those with complex physical and medical needs, are developing an understanding in a range of techniques and use the tools competently. Pupils who have English as an additional language often make very good progress. Key Stage 1 pupils use a range of media including paint and clay and make models from junk objects. They use wire, feathers, beads, card and fabric to produce two and three-dimensional work such as designing and making Victorian jewellery and head decoration. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils draw from direct observation producing self-portraits and draw pictures of family scenes from memory. Pupils’ work shows the influence of artists they have studied such as the strong lines in the style of Van Gogh and colour blending techniques in sea and landscapes

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Art

reminiscent of Monet and Seurat. They draw on first-hand experiences such as items of Victorian costume that they have handled in history lessons. They design patterns for decorative tiles made from clay, make figurative models and use traditional Ancient Greek geometric patterns to decorate a vase. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 30 96 At Key Stages 3 and 4, pupils build upon their drawing and design skills. They develop designs from sketches of direct observations, which are translated into batik fabric prints and ceramic tiles. Pupils who had visited the Van Dyke Exhibition at the Royal Academy discussed how the artist communicated with the observer and recognised how ideas, feelings and meaning are conveyed. When working on batik work, pupils experimented with brush technique to produce lines of different thickness and quality. When designing with clay, they used different methods using tools, fingers and

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Art

97 The pupils’ attitudes to work are good. They work with interest. With the skilled support from staff, they overcome their apprehension of making mistakes and become more confident. Pupils respond very positively to the opportunities to work with new material and experiment with new ideas. They listen carefully to the teacher’s instructions and work co-operatively, share tools and equipment, and talk about what they are doing and evaluate their work at the end of each session. Art lessons contribute to pupils’ social development.

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Art

98 The teaching of art is good. It is very good when an art specialist is teaching. The best teaching is characterised by meticulous planning and preparation. Lessons are very well structured to sequentially build and develop pupils’ skills knowledge and understanding. Teachers are skilful in enabling pupils to articulate their intentions, develop and modify their work and use a critical approach to evaluations. Teachers ensure that evaluations are firmly based on the aims of the task. Clear learning objectives are shared with pupils. Teachers build well upon pupils’ prior learning and artistic experience. When art is taught as part of a project or by non-specialist teachers the development of skills, knowledge and understanding is not so effective and expectations of pupils are moderate. Teachers plan age appropriate activities. Visiting artists and the introduction of a wider range of media, such as batik, have effectively extended the range of opportunities for all pupils.

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Art

99 Art is used as a therapeutic experience, enabling pupils to express their feelings and make sense of their life in hospital. Art has a high profile in the Mildred Creak unit and in the activities in the extended school year; for example, pupils worked with a visiting artist on the study of traditional Benin art and crafts. Art is taught as a discrete subject in the afternoons and as part of a thematic project in the morning. Teaching programmes are guided by the National Curriculum and informed by the school’s medium-term curriculum plan. Learning resources are carefully selected to provide good opportunities for pupils to learn about the visual arts within the limitations of a hospital environment. Very good use is made of information and communications technology, especially for older pupils. They use the Internet to research themes and collect information for designs. Excellent use is made of resources within the community to help pupils to appreciate the richness of art and

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Art

craft traditions of other cultures. The school does not have an overall scheme of work and there is little evidence of a systematic approach to assessing pupils’ work. The curriculum leadership in this subject is unsatisfactory. However, there is sufficient critical overview of the quality of provision throughout the school and the developments required to ensure that all lessons in the school are as good as the best.

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Design and technology

100 Pupils make very good progress across the key stages. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to identify resources for a given task and label their sketches; for example, of a hobby horse, in order to work out how to make things. They are beginning to experiment with different materials in order to find the best for the task. They confidently explain how they have made things and they are developing an understanding of how to evaluate their work through good written accounts. By the end of Key Stage 4, pupils are beginning to appreciate the application of control technology to everyday life; for example, they work out the timing for opening a garage door using a computer Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 31 model. They understand the function of an interface between the computer programme and the model. They are learning about structures, mechanisms such as cams and a range of different

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Design and technology

materials, including food and textiles when making such things as photograph frames, mechanical toys, sandwiches and clothing for models. They have experience of both designing and making. Their ability to plan and make products over an extended length of time is limited by the length of their stay in the hospital.

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Design and technology

101 Pupils enjoy the practical nature of the activities. Younger pupils were very proud of their hobby horses and older pupils of their certificates gained from their work on computer control. Their motivation is very well maintained despite the considerable challenge of some of the activities set for them. This is due to very good over-sight by adults, the good match between teachers’ planning and the needs of pupils and, in some instances, the provision of a translator for pupils with little English. Older pupils ask good questions to clarify their understanding. There are very good relationships between pupils and between staff and pupils. Pupils are tolerant of the difficulties of others in the class.

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Design and technology

102 Teaching is good. In a third of lessons, it was very good. In the best lessons, teachers have a clear understanding of the scope of problem solving activities related to everyday life. Their expectation of pupils is high and pupils are very well supported to understand concepts and processes. Planning and questioning is thorough, well focused and targeted to individual needs and abilities. The activities are very appropriate for the hospital environment; for example, lessons are complete experiences but can be built upon the following week if the pupils’ stay in hospital is protracted. Since the last inspection, computers are used much more extensively and to good effect. Support staff are very well deployed to support individual pupils. Although assessment opportunities are planned, these are not always well related to learning intentions. Lesson objectives are not always well grounded in the

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Design and technology

context of the lesson, for example, skills are identified but they are not always related to the lesson topic. Assessments of pupils are becoming increasingly well focused and lessons are thoroughly evaluated. The subject makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ social and cultural development; for example, groupwork encourages the social skills of older pupils and younger pupils learn about toys used in Victorian times. Opportunities are missed to ensure a sound basis for the pupils’ and teachers’ evaluations by identifying the criteria for success when making products. The approach to design and technology within the topic work; for example, in food activities, is not always consistent with the schemes of work.

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Design and technology

103 The subject is very well managed and the co-ordinator has a clear perception of the value of the subject. The curriculum has been well developed and, since the last inspection, is now appropriately broad and balanced. Although planning is now clearly linked to the National Curriculum, assessments are not well enough linked to National Curriculum Levels; for example, portfolios are valuable records of what work has been covered, but do not show the progress made by pupils or the levels they have reached. The accommodation limits the range of pupils’ activities, particularly for older pupils.

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Geography

104 Insufficient lessons in geography were observed to make secure judgements about progress or the quality of teaching. Pupils consolidate and extend their knowledge; for example, of erosion and how it affects the landscape. Others used sophisticated software to organise a journey, using a computer program. One pupil completed a simple mapping exercise to a satisfactory standard. In a lesson on the ward, a pupil with no real understanding of geographical concepts found the lesson difficult. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 32 105 Pupils respond well and pupils are eager to learn. They are very well motivated by the use of computers. Liaison with the pupils’ home schools is good and informs teachers’ lesson planning and pupils’ progress. Planning is adequate. Resources are generally well chosen. The use of an uninteresting worksheet with a pupil who was de-motivated by schoolwork limited his progress.

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Geography

106 Since the last inspection, a geography co-ordinator has been appointed. The subject is soundly managed. Planning continues to take account of National Curriculum requirements. The time for the subject and content of the schemes of work are now appropriate. Record keeping is now satisfactory.

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History

107 Pupils make good progress across the key stages. Younger pupils replied to an invitation to the wedding of Victoria and Albert and began to choose clothes for the occasion. They understand that costume changes over time. They identified the main features of a crinoline and could say how inconvenient it was for the wearer. Pupils made drawings of their own crinolines in the style of the 1840s. They very clearly understand that facts about costume can be found both by examining authentic examples and also by consulting reference books. Both these skills encourage pupils to achieve a measure of independent learning. Pupils’ progress was limited in a lesson introducing Victorian food because not enough reference was made to the Victorian era. Key Stage 4 pupils are developing good research and presentation skills through the use of information and communications technology; for example, they interrogated a database to find information about transport in the time

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History

of the Victorians and used a desktop publication program to present their findings.

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History

108 Pupils respond to the lessons very well. They delight in choosing costumes, dressing up and in handling authentic Victorian artefacts. They love to look at the well chosen reference books. Older pupils concentrate very well throughout lessons. Behaviour is very good.

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History

109 Teaching is good overall. In the best lessons, the teachers have excellent knowledge of the period. Excellent use is made of themes and resources to engage pupils’ interest, for example, the theme during the inspection week was the Victorians. In one of the most successful lessons, teachers had hired authentic Victorian costumes for both adults and pupils to dress up in. The wedding invitations came tied with ribbon. The lesson was well supported by contemporary prints and cartoons commenting on Victorian dress. The lesson strategy motivated and interested pupils and allowed them to make the best possible progress. In a satisfactory lesson on Victorian shops, pupils knew very little about shops of any kind and crayoning, cutting and sticking pictures of foods onto supermarket shelves did not provide the well focused historical experience of the lesson previously mentioned. Older pupils make excellent use of information and communications technology. Lessons are well

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History

used to work towards an external certificate in information and communications technology.

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History

110 The subject is well managed. Since the last inspection, there has been a good level of improvement. Assessment and recording are now good. Good quality resources for the subject have now been extended to Key Stages 3 and 4.

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Information and Communications Technology

111 Pupils make very good progress across all key stages. The subject is taught both as a discrete subject and as an integrated tool in many other lessons. Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils demonstrate their very good progress by using the computer independently. Many can access information from a database or construct a sentence using pre-selected words from the screen; for example, in a link to a history Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 33 lesson pupils were comparing past and present prices of everyday items by searching a database to find the information and then using the computer to complete the total. Other pupils were identifying different power sources for transport in Victorian times and entering their findings on to a written worksheet. Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils make very good progress in all uses of information and communications technology. Several are working effectively towards an external certificate.

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Information and Communications Technology

112 One Year 1 pupil with severe learning difficulties made good progress when using a touch screen to complete a simple jigsaw whilst a higher-attaining pupil at Key Stage 1 was able to manipulate his way through several programs before making a choice. He then presented a set of data in graphical form. All pupils use computers to enhance the presentation of their work and many illustrate stories and verse with sophisticated graphics programs that provide brightly coloured pictures.

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Information and Communications Technology

113 Response to lessons and pupils’ behaviour is very good. Pupils are highly motivated by the range of tasks they can complete with computers. They are always eager to work at the screen and try very hard to complete their work accurately. They follow instructions carefully and treat the equipment with respect. Some print multiple copies of their work so that they can share their success with ward staff and parents. One pupil was so encouraged by his success that he demanded to do the work again to experience the pleasure of succeeding again. His pride was absolute when he offered his father a copy of his completed work.

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Information and Communications Technology

114 Teaching is very good and is a strength of the school. All teachers have very secure knowledge and skills and understand how best to enable pupils to make very good progress. They plan interesting activities with plenty of variety to maintain pupils’ interest and motivation whilst developing their technical skills. They skilfully target their teaching to provide extra support to those who need it and set appropriate challenges to higher-attaining pupils, for example, a teacher looking at some Key Stage 4 examination work said to the pupil, ‘In the examination you would lose two marks. Do you know why?’ This challenged the pupil to re-examine his work whereupon he discovered some omissions.

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Information and Communications Technology

115 Teachers use questioning very well to check on understanding and extend learning. At the start of lessons, teachers recap on previous learning and challenge pupils with a series of quick fire questions about the computer and its functions. Explanations are clearly and precisely given, sometimes on a ‘need to know’ basis so that pupils acquire skills, as they go along, almost without realising how much they are learning. Teachers employ a calm and friendly approach and treat the pupils with dignity and respect. Although most work is undertaken individually, teachers encourage pupils to work together; for example, a new pupil was shown how to access fields on a spreadsheet by an older long stay pupil. The display of pupils’ work around the school indicates the wide range of opportunities for pupils to make effective use of information and communications technology. Subject specific work and general information is very much enhanced both by the pupils’ efforts and

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Information and Communications Technology

the very good range of equipment and applications available.

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Information and Communications Technology

116 The curriculum is very good and demonstrates a great improvement since the last inspection. There is a detailed scheme of work and well defined opportunities for the use of information and communications technology in all areas of learning. Teachers keep good records of what has been taught but less detailed records of the progress pupils have made. Little use is made of self- assessment. The significant investment in equipment and staff training has resulted in outstanding opportunities for pupils to experience the wealth of modern technology, they connect to the Internet, use digital cameras, take part in video conferencing, and access word processing in Arabic, Persian, Hindustani and Gujerati. The school is a part of the ‘Anytime Anywhere’ project and has established links with industry through a variety of organisations in order to develop support groups and communities. These widespread opportunities contribute very effectively to pupils’ spiritual, moral,

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Information and Communications Technology

Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 34 social and cultural development.

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Information and Communications Technology

117 Pupils have access to laptop computers, which they use away from the school setting. This allows them to practise their skills and complete homework. Computers are also taken to the wards to support the learning of day pupils and those with profound and multiple learning difficulties. In music, information and communications technology is used to maximise pupils’ response and aid their progress in playing an instrument or demonstrating a choice between activities. This comprehensive and very flexible response to meeting pupils’ needs ensures access for all and exceptional opportunities for progress and enjoyment.

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Information and Communications Technology

118 Resources are outstanding and used extremely well for the benefit of pupils. Staff have increased their skills by appropriate training and access to laptops. Very good use is made of the limited accommodation in the schoolroom and computers are equally available in wards and units. Given the high level of resourcing, the very good progress made by pupils and the outstanding teaching, the subject is a strength of the school.

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Modern Foreign Languages - French

119 French is offered to Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils as part of the curriculum for those who are following a course at their home school. The home school sets the work which is completed while pupils are in hospital and the work is returned to the school. Insufficient teaching and examples of pupils’ work were seen during the inspection to make secure judgements about pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching.

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Modern Foreign Languages - French

120 The school has a policy for French that stresses the importance of continuity of study for the pupils. For this reason, the school has not developed its own scheme of work but adopts that of the pupil’s own school. The subject is appropriately co-ordinated and there are four teachers who are qualified to teach French. A satisfactory range of learning resources is available and adequate for the number of pupils who study French.

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Modern Foreign Languages - French

121 Pupils make very good progress in music throughout the school. Lower-attaining pupils demonstrate clear responses to musical stimuli by increased movement or signs of pleasure; for example, one pupil with very limited mobility stroked the strings of a guitar placed nearby to accompany the teacher’s playing. Another pupil who speaks no English, made clear progress in stopping chimes by grasping them firmly when the teacher said ‘Stop’ and later clearly said ‘bells’ for the first time. Innovative music technology has a significant impact on the progress pupils make; for example, a ‘bubble bear’ connected to a pressure switch provided a pupil with profound and multiple learning difficulties the opportunity to reject the device by turning her head away. Higher-attaining pupils make very good progress in singing, playing and listening together. They play instruments in time and are beginning to hold a musical conversation with the teacher.

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Modern Foreign Languages - French

122 Response to music lessons is very good and pupils behave very well. They all enjoy music and pay good attention to instructions from the teachers and to their performance on instruments. Pupils are making very good progress in holding instruments correctly and working in groups taking turns to play. They listen well to each other and enjoy the opportunity to work in a group. Some more confident pupils demonstrate their skills by playing solo in front of their peers.

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Modern Foreign Languages - French

123 Teaching is outstanding. All teachers have very high level musical skills and are enthusiastic and Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 35 talented. Particularly good use is made of resources, many of which have been specifically crafted to meet the needs of individual pupils to enable them to interact with teacher and instrument. Thus, simple switches are used to help the pupil to understand ‘cause and effect ‘. Teachers are skilful and use very clear, simple instructions to develop pupils’ skills in playing the keyboard or untuned percussion. Teachers form very good relationships with all their pupils. Despite the complexity of some pupils’ learning difficulties, teachers have high expectations of them and acknowledge even the smallest response or step of progress; for example, a guitar accompaniment was recorded onto tape for later transfer to a compact disc which was sent to the pupil’s home school. This helps the pupil

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Modern Foreign Languages - French

to maintain his links with friends and the school and to demonstrate the very good work he is doing. Teachers treat all pupils with respect and dignity and involve parents in their work whenever possible. This is greatly valued by the parents as they see the increased involvement and reaction of their children.

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Modern Foreign Languages - French

124 All pupils have access to music through a flexible approach to the subject including taking instruments to wards and units as appropriate. The curriculum does not strictly adhere to the National Curriculum but provides very good opportunities for singing, playing, listening, composing and appraising. Teachers keep good records and the generous resources are used very well. Music makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral social and cultural development through songs, which reflect the customs and beliefs of others and musical activities where pupils interact with each other. Literacy is reinforced through attention to the words of songs, many of which also have a numeracy focus such as counting frogs jumping from a log or counting fingers and toes. The imaginative, flexible and highly skilled teaching and the associated very good progress made by pupils’ results in music being a strength of the school.

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Physical education

125 The school does not offer a full curriculum for physical education as it is inappropriate for many pupils. However, relevant opportunities are available for pupils’ physical development through appropriate sensory work for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, outdoor play activities during breaks and an exciting programme of creative dance for pupils in the Mildred Creak unit. The latter is designed to enable pupils to work in teams and pairs through the medium of dance. Pupils demonstrate good levels of creativity in choreographing and performing; for example, in a short dance around the theme of a star. There are valuable opportunities for pupils to work as equal partners with staff and to develop and extend their movement repertoire. Given the medical conditions of many pupils, the opportunities provided for physical development are appropriate.

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Religious education

126 The subject is taught across the key stages. However, an overall judgement cannot be made on progress because of the limited evidence which was available during the inspection. Pupils extend their knowledge of other religions; for example, of Divali and the Hindu deities. One girl made the connection between the goddess Lakshmi and the coin Drachma and understood that Hindus pray to Lakshmi for worldly wealth and comfort. She did not, however, understand that the language Sanskrit united them. Pupils understood that Sitar had four arms because he is powerful. They understood the stories of the deities at least at a basic level. Pupils made good progress towards the idea that Divali is, besides being a festival of light, a period of cleansing, both bodily and spiritually and a time in which Hindu families pray for divine protection during the coming year. Pupils listened to the stories with attention. They enjoyed handling the statuettes of the deities and other artefacts

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Religious education

typical of a Hindu home. They delighted in dressing up in Hindu clothing and took pleasure in Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 36 lighting the divas.

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Religious education

127 Teaching is good. There is a collection of interesting artefacts and stories are told in an interesting manner. Teaching strategies are inventive and successful in catching pupils’ interest and imagination. In one good lesson, a Hindu visitor brought divas, incense and sweetmeats. Visitors are used well and frequently invited. Good use is made of a wide range of resources from within the school and the local community.

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Religious education

128 The curriculum is based on the locally agreed syllabus. The standards and provision described have been maintained since the last inspection. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 37 129 PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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Religious education

64 lessons or parts of lessons were observed over 53.2 hours. A wide range of observations was made of activities before and after the end of the school day; Observation of staff and SMT meetings and meetings with hospital staff; Discussions were held with every member of staff, 3 governors including the chairman of governors and chairmen of the Education and Finance committees, a wide range of hospital staff, play specialists, the hospital chaplain and parents. Questionnaires were sent out to 62 parents and a parents’ meeting was held to hear parents’ views. Four parents attended.

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Religious education

A wide range of school documentation was scrutinised: - a wide range of pupils’ records; - records of past pupils’ work and the work of current pupils; - teachers’ planning and records; - records of meetings at all levels. Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 38 129 DATA AND INDICATORS 129 Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 7.36

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

129 Education support staff (Y5 - Y11) Total number of education support staff: 1 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 35

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

£ Total Income 759372 Total Expenditure 721361 Expenditure per pupil 5383.29 Balance brought forward from previous year 50577 Balance carried forward to next year 88588 Great Ormond Street Hospital School - 39 129 PARENTAL SURVEY Number of questionnaires sent out: Number of questionnaires returned:

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

Responses (percentage of answers in each category): Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 38 33 29 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 54 41 15 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

The school handles complaints from parents well 42 21 37 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 41 36 23 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 52 24 23 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 56 39 4 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 59 45 4 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 40 30 30 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 43 52 4 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 50 36 14 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

My child(ren) like(s) school 59 37 4 0 0

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Qualified teachers (Y5 - Y11)

All parents were positive about the school. One parent would have liked more teaching time for her child in an isolation ward.

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