The Forest School

THE FOREST SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 25 th – 27 th January 2000

p.1

THE FOREST SCHOOL

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.

p.1

THE FOREST SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, 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. The Forest School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Special school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Park Lane Knaresborough North Yorkshire

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: April 1996 The Forest School - 4

p.3

Team members

Sarah J Mascall Registered inspector Saleem Hussain Lay inspector Vanessa Wilkinson Team inspector Robert Sammons Team inspector

p.4

Team members

QICS “IBSLEY” 4 West Cliff Road Dawlish Devon EX7 9EB

p.4

Team members

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

p.4

Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE The Forest School - 5

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

p.5

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

The head teacher, together with the senior management team provide very good leadership The overall quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils make good progress; the teaching of literacy is very good. The excellent links with other schools together with the very good careers guidance, opportunities for work experience and the provision for personal, social and health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school Pupils enjoy going to school and have very positive attitudes to their work The provision for children under 5 is very good

p.5

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 13

Health and safety within design and technology (resistant materials) The recording of incidents of inappropriate behaviour Assessing how successful the school has been in whole school developments and establishing a clear time scale in which these improvements are to be achieved

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Forest school is a special school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. There are also a small percentage of pupils (13%) on the autistic spectrum and some pupils with severe learning difficulties (14%). As a result of pupils’ special needs, attainment is below that of national expectations and it is inappropriate to make judgements against those comparisons.

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

At present there are 116 pupils on roll aged between 2 and 16 years. This is an increase of 8 pupils since the last inspection. The school has an assessment unit with16 children attending part time and 4 full time. There are no pupils from homes where English is an additional language. The number of pupils entitled to free school meals has increased by 15 per cent since the last inspection to 36 per cent.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. It is very well led and expectations of what pupils will achieve are high. The school provides very good value for money.

p.6

What the school does well

• The head teacher, together with the senior management team provide very good leadership • The overall quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils make good progress; the teaching of literacy is very good. • The excellent links with other schools together with the very good careers guidance, opportunities for work experience and the provision for personal, social and health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school • Pupils enjoy going to school and have very positive attitudes to their work • The provision for children under 5 is very good

p.6

What could be improved

• Health and safety within design and technology (resistant materials) • The recording of incidents of inappropriate behaviour • Assessing how successful the school has been in whole school developments and establishing a clear time scale in which these improvements are to be achieved

p.6

What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the governing body.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There has been much improvement since the last inspection in 1996. The school has been very effective in addressing the main key issues and has also successfully adopted national strategies in literacy and numeracy and target setting in both subject and management areas. Monitoring by the mathematics co-ordinator ensures that there is a clear focus in a range of subjects to incorporate number work. There are more opportunities available within the curriculum to support pupils’ spiritual development and regular assemblies support this aspect. Teaching time has been increased for pupils over the age of eight and is now within recommended levels. There have been a lot of improvements to the accommodation particularly for science, food technology and the nursery. Health and safety concerns over access to the school have been addressed by the building of a new car park. Development planning has been improved and for subjects it is now good. Teachers’ planning

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

ensures that work is well matched to pupils’ ability and age appropriate. The standard of work in art is now good In order to address national initiatives including target setting, the school has prioritised areas of the curriculum As a result the school’s development plan recognises the need to address the issue concerning history and geography later this year. The issue with regards to the LEA has still to be addressed. The LEA is at presen reviewing its special educational needs provision and has not yet clarified the precise role of the school within its overall provision. The Forest School - 7

p.6

STANDARDS

The table summarises inspectors’ judgements about how well pupils achieve in relation to their individual targets by the time they leave the school.

p.7

16

Personal, social and health education A poor E

p.7

16

other personal targets set at annual reviews or in IEPs* B * IEPS are individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs.

p.7

16

Pupils achieve well in a range of accredited courses including the Certificate of Educational Achievement in English, mathematics, science, life skills, design and technology, food studies and French. One pupil has been entered for GCSE mathematics and there is an expectation that some of the present Year 9s will be taking GCSEs in more than one subject.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils settle well in lessons and work hard, concentrating for long periods of time. They are keen to do well and have very positive attitudes to their work.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good. Pupils act sensibly and responsibly both in and out of lessons. They respond to the very positive ethos within the school and are aware of the expectations of staff. Pupils are polite and friendly to each other and to staff and visitors.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good. They are involved in the school council and play an active role in making decisions that affect them. Pupils are keen to help and welcome opportunities to take on responsibility

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is good and pupils clearly enjoy coming to school

p.7

Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 aged 5-11 aged 11-16

Lessons seen overall Very good Good Good

p.7

Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 aged 5-11 aged 11-16

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

p.7

Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 aged 5-11 aged 11-16

The teaching of literacy is very good at all key stages because all teachers have successfully adapted their planning and methods to incorporate the literacy strategies. As a result pupils make very good progress in developing their speaking and listening skills and good progress in reading. The teaching of writing is satisfactory. The teaching of mathematics is good overall. In science all pupils make good progress and achieve well in science. They benefit from specialist teaching and the good use made of the accommodation The Forest School - 8 and resources. The teaching and support for personal, social and health education enables pupils to make very good progress. Teachers are confident to allow pupils to question and develop their ideas and encourage them to become independent and take on responsibilities. As a result pupils develop into mature, sensible individuals.

p.7

Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 aged 5-11 aged 11-16

All teachers have high expectations and planning and assessment are used effectively to enable pupils to develop their skills. A range of activities and resources ensures that lessons are interesting and that pupils are challenged. Those pupils on the autistic spectrum make very good progress in the nursery and good progress at Key Stage 2. Where their behaviour is more difficult to manage as in Key Stage 1 progress is satisfactory. For children under 5, teaching is very good and appropriate strategies are used well to enable children who have a wide range of special needs, to make progress.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant particularly for pupils in Key Stage 4 and children under five. There are very good opportunities for work experience and careers education. The provision for personal, social and health education is very good. Pupils greatly benefit from the opportunities to attend courses in other schools, which enables them to have an even wider range of curricular opportunities. Provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. There are particular strengths in social development; pupils benefit from the wide range of opportunities which support their development. These include outdoor pursuits and integration The ethos of the school and the positive role models offered by staff ensures that pupils’ moral development is good. Spiritual and cultural development are well promoted throughout the

p.8

Aspect Comment

curriculum How well the school cares for its pupils There are strengths within the monitoring and supporting of pupils’ personal development and in ensuring that attendance is good. However there are concerns with regards to the health and safety within design and technology (resistant materials), particularly the accommodation and safe working practices. The recording of incidents of inappropriate behaviour is not effective.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The head teacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by her senior managers. There is a clear focus on taking the school forward. The high expectations and very good relationships ensure there is a very good ethos which encourages pupils to achieve to a high standard. Development planning is effective in identifying and prioritising areas for improvement. How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities Governors are very supportive of the head teacher and school. The financial management is very good ensuring that spending is well matched to the priorities and initiatives that have been identified. The school’s evaluation of its performance Monitoring is good; in some areas such as teaching it is very good. This enables the school to identify its strengths and areas for development. There is a consistent approach to evaluating what has been achieved particularly in

p.8

Aspect Comment

comparing examination results with other similar schools. Target setting in subjects has been established and these are regularly evaluated. The lack of clear criteria to measure how successful whole school developments have been and specific time scales for these, prevents the school being able to formally evaluate how well it has done in these areas. The strategic use of resources Very good use is made of staff, time and resources. The limited accommodation for specialist teaching areas is used effectively. This is further enhanced by the equally good use of facilities within the local community and excellent links with other schools and colleges. The allocation of funding per pupil is slightly below average for other schools of a similar type. The school ensures that pupils make good progress and benefit from good teaching and as a result provides very good value for money. The Forest School - 9

p.8

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Support from the school • That children are making good progress • Children enjoy school • It is a good school • use of the home/school diaries • homework • details of the work children do in school

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team very much supports parents’ positive views. A very small number of parents expressed concern about the use of the home/school diaries and information about what their children had done in school. However, overall inspectors found the diaries to be an effective form of correspondence. In Key Stage 4 parents are well informed about the curriculum their children will be following and the school is considering extending this good practice for all key stages. A larger group of parents were concerned about homework, and the inspection team found there was some inconsistency by teachers in providing homework. The Forest School - 10

p.9

leadership

The aims and expectations of the school are clearly stated in the prospectus and reflected in the way the school is run. There are high expectations that all pupils will do well. Staff work closely together to achieve this and are very well led by a strong and determined head teacher who has a very clear vision for the school. She has ensured that the management team is well balanced in its expertise and has been very effective in bringing out the best in her staff. Staff respond well to changes that will improve the school and this is exemplified in the way staff have addressed the literacy and numeracy strategy. A very thorough monitoring process ensures that there is a clear understanding of teachers’ strengths. This system has been used well to ensure that new initiatives such as numeracy and literacy are effectively introduced. The use of advisors has also supported teachers well in developing their subject areas.

p.10

leadership

In order to ensure that the school provides a high standard of education for all pupils it is constantly monitoring and evaluating its performance. Teachers have written subject development plans and looked at ways of “proving improvement”. This has enabled them to evaluate their successes. In order to improve the quality of education further, targets have been set by which teachers can ensure that pupils will achieve in subject areas. Procedures such as shadowing pupils and the monitoring of all their work prior to their annual review are some of the methods used to enable senior staff to evaluate standards. Examination results are monitored and evaluated with comparisons made with previous years’ achievements and against similar schools’ results. Because of this the school has risen to the challenge of providing opportunities for pupils to study GCSEs and is looking at other forms of accreditation

p.10

leadership

to meet all ranges of ability. All these measures have had a positive impact on the improvement pupils have made over time. The analysis of data clearly shows improvements in results both in standard assessment tasks and in achievements at the end of Key Stage 4.

p.10

leadership

Pupils are given many opportunities to develop their confidence and self esteem through the broad and relevant curriculum. There is a clear academic focus which is well balanced with physical activities including swimming, outdoor pursuits and a good range of games; for example during the inspection older pupils were learning to play hockey and clearly enjoying the experience.

p.10

leadership

The importance parents play in supporting their children is well recognised and the head teacher and staff have worked hard to develop this. Home school diaries for younger pupils and homework diaries for senior pupils ensure parents are generally kept well informed. The school has accessed parents’ views through questionnaires. Comments from parents in the Ofsted questionnaire show that the vast majority feel they are involved in their children’s learning. The quality of information to parents is good and the excellent prospectus is presented in such a way as to be interesting and very readable.

p.10

The overall quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils make good progress; the

A scrutiny of teachers’ records and files showed that overall the quality of teaching is good. This was borne out during the inspection when all teachers were observed and the majority of teaching (72%) was good or very good with nearly all literacy lessons being very good. As a result of this effective teaching pupils make good progress in their learning.

p.10

The overall quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils make good progress; the

In order to achieve these standards teachers’ planning is very structured and detailed. Separate plans are established for teaching literacy and numeracy. These enable teachers to monitor closely the work being covered and ensure that pupils build upon their skills. Clear objectives The Forest School - 11 are established in planning for each lesson. Where teaching is very good, teachers ensure that pupils understand what is to be achieved during the lesson. This was evident in a design and technology/information and communication technology lesson where Key Stage 2 pupils were told what they would be doing in terms of making paper faces and also that during the lesson they would spend time in pairs working on the computer. Apart from clarifying the content of the lesson this also ensured that pupils knew they would all have a turn on the computers and avoided any arguments.

p.10

The overall quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils make good progress; the

Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high and to support this teachers ensure that the work and the groupings are matched to ability. In this way the work is challenging for each individual and enables each to progress. This good practice together with the ability to use a range of teaching methods has been developed well in the adoption of the literacy strategy. For example, in one very good lesson for Year 4/5 the pupils gathered at the start of the lesson and read together from a Big Book. The teacher used questioning well encouraging pupils to predict what would happen next and matching her questions to ability. For example, a lower attaining pupil was asked to name who lived at the top of the bean stalk whilst a higher attaining pupil had to explain why the sentence finished with an exclamation mark. As a result of this pupils gain confidence but also learn from each other. For example one pupil who was sure that there was a

p.11

The overall quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils make good progress; the

dragon at the top of the bean stalk knew by the end of the session it was a giant. Praise was used well so that pupils were encouraged to contribute even if they were not sure. After reading pupils moved into groups and worked on a variety of writing tasks based around the story. Pupils worked in small groups building on their ability to work together but also benefiting from the support they got from the teacher and support assistant. The tasks were matched to ability, enabling lower attaining pupils to make progress in writing simple sentences to describe a picture whilst higher attaining pupils develop skills in imaginative writing.

p.11

The overall quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils make good progress; the

Teachers’ subject knowledge is very secure and this is evident in a number of subjects including science, food technology and physical education. Pupils gain in their knowledge as a result of teachers’ confidence and enthusiasm for their subject. Evidence shows how much pupils have benefited from activities such as outdoor pursuits. They have not only gained through acquiring new skills for example in rock climbing and raft building but also in learning the importance of working co-operatively as a team. Advantage is taken of a variety of situations to encourage pupils to develop their basic skills. In science, food technology and design and technology pupils use their mathematical skills in weighing and measuring and there is an expectation that where possible they do calculations in their head. One of the reasons why pupils make very good progress in their speaking and listening skills is because teachers expect them to contribute

p.11

The overall quality of teaching is good and as a result pupils make good progress; the

their ideas and join discussions. Thus in all subjects opportunities are provided for pupils to talk and more importantly listen and value each others’ contributions. This is evident in registration each morning where pupils are greeted as they come into class and given the chance to talk about what they had done the night before or what they had watched on television.

p.11

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

The head teacher has successfully established very good links with other schools and colleges. This has greatly enhanced pupils’ learning opportunities in a number of ways. Pupils attend local schools on a regular basis. For younger pupils this helps develop their social skills and in some cases sets the path for them to return to mainstream. For older pupils integration has enabled them to take higher level courses, namely GCSEs, and benefit from the wider range of facilities available in larger schools. Pupils use the local school’s sporting facilities and benefit from the support of their information technology technician in work on computers. In other subjects, such as science, teachers borrow resources and as a result pupils use materials that would not otherwise be available to them. Pupils have been involved in music workshops and produced concerts together. There is clearly a benefit in terms of the wider curriculum available but pupils

p.11

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

also experience life in a larger school and learn to mix socially within larger groups. Older pupils The Forest School - 12 attend college courses and are well prepared for the different regime of college life when they leave school. That so many of them (85%) go on to attend college courses when they leave is a credit to the school.

p.11

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

The programme for personal, social and health education is very effective as it underpins much of the work in school. There are regular tutorials enabling pupils to look at their targets and assess how well they are doing. Lessons in personal, social and health education support a range of topics encouraging pupils to talk about issues such as bullying and develop a mature approach in listening and valuing each others’ contributions. Pupils readily take on responsibilities and there are clear expectations that they will carry out these sensibly. For example, at lunch times Key stage 4 pupils are responsible for answering the office telephone. When telephoning the school there is always a very polite response, messages are taken and pupils obviously enjoy the trust they have been given. The school council addresses a range of issues and again minutes of meetings show that pupils ask questions and put forward ideas.

p.12

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

The trust that is placed in the pupils and the degree of responsibility they are given has a very positive effect on their self esteem. A number of parents at the parents’ evening commented on how they felt their children had grown in confidence since starting school. The focus on outdoor pursuits adds further to this. Pupils learn to work as a team and through activities such as rock climbing, abseiling and canoeing develop a range of skills as well as increasing their self esteem.

p.12

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

There are very good links with the careers service. These start at the pupils’ transition review and they are given opportunities to consider a wide range of options. The careers officer visits the school regularly seeing pupils individually and in groups. Pupils benefit from visits to a variety of work experience work placements ranging from garages to department stores. They have opportunities to attend two two-week placements in a college and a local agricultural college. The school in recognition of its achievements in careers education is working towards accreditation for good careers guidance. The displays of evidence of pupils’ work experience around the school encourages all pupils to be aware of what they can achieve and further promotes the ethos of high expectation.

p.12

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

Pupils enjoy going to school and have very positive attitudes to their work.

p.12

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

When pupils arrive in school they come in smiling and cheerful and keen to share their news. They are always welcomed by staff; the head teacher tries to ensure that she is there to greet pupils whether first thing in the morning or when they return from trips out, such as swimming. This gives pupils a sense of caring and belonging and parents commented on how much their children enjoyed going to school.

p.12

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

The very good relationships between staff and pupils ensures that pupils look forward to school. The work in class is made enjoyable because it is varied and activities are interesting and challenging. Pupils rise to these challenges well, for example in a science lesson for Year 7, pupils looked at materials that were good/bad conductors and were expected to predict the outcomes and suggest which circuit would not work. Pupils were keen to have a go and come up with their own ideas. They concentrate hard and in lessons work well together helping each other out when necessary.

p.12

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

Pupils get on well with each other. They support those less able than themselves. There were a number of examples during the inspection of pupils showing kindness and care for each other. There is a sense of everyone being equal; this was expressed by a parent whose son, when he arrived from mainstream into The Forest, commented that he now realised that everyone was the same regardless of their ability. Teachers work hard in ensuring that all pupils cover the same topics and the work is matched to ability. As a result pupils achieve during lessons and this builds up their confidence further. They clearly enjoy their successes, such as in a Year 11 mathematics lesson when they were able to convert fractions into decimals. Pupils recognise their strengths and weaknesses as when in the same mathematics lesson one pupil realised The Forest School - 13 that as a class they were better at identifying fractions rather than converting them into

p.12

health education prepares pupils well for life when they leave school

In all classes pupils settle well to their work; they concentrate and listen to each other. This was shown in a number of lessons, including a Year 10 mathematics lessons where pupils responded well to mental arithmetic questions listening hard and responding quickly. The variety and pace of the lesson kept them busy and when written tasks were set they worked hard on these and were keen for them to be marked to make sure they had the right answers.

p.13

The provision for children under 5 is very good

Children under 5 benefit from very good accommodation, a good level of staffing and well qualified teachers. As a result, although some children only stay in the nursery for a short time, they make good progress in developing their skills in all areas of learning. This was reflected in the comments of one parent who felt that his child who had only been there a short time was settled and able to concentrate a lot better than previously.

p.13

The provision for children under 5 is very good

There is a very welcoming atmosphere, The children arrive happy and confident and parents are encouraged to stay and play with their children and talk to staff. Relationships between staff and children are very good and this helps boost children’s confidence. Effective planning ensures that activities are well organised and support staff are clear about their roles. Targets set for each child are very good and children benefit from very good support from outside agencies, including speech therapy and educational psychologists. This good partnership was recognised by a parent who commented on the effective support being provided for his child. Children’s needs are regularly assessed and, where appropriate, placements are found for them in other special schools, mainstream schools and units.

p.13

The provision for children under 5 is very good

The very good teaching enables children to make progress against the targets within the individual education plans. Children benefit from lessons with older pupils, with higher attaining children integrating into the main school for reading and other activities. Resources and accommodation are used well and allow for a range of activities to be offered which extend children’s skills. There are very good staffing levels and support staff are used well. They are very effective in their work with individuals and groups, providing good opportunities for children to learn and make progress. There is a sense of activity within the nursery which supports the strong learning environment. The good specialist knowledge ensures that the communication needs of children are met; signing is used effectively to encourage interaction. The good understanding of special needs is used well in working with a range of learning difficulties.

p.13

The provision for children under 5 is very good

Children on the autistic spectrum are handled well; praise and reward are used appropriately and effectively.

p.13

The provision for children under 5 is very good

The very good progress children make is clear. Lower attaining children are beginning to show anticipation during familiar songs and rhymes and wait patiently for their turn, whilst higher attaining children join in and know most of the words. Children are gaining in a range of skills, for example matching objects to pictures and identifying big and little. Their creative skills are developed through painting and music and playing with play dough. Their physical development is well promoted through the very good outdoor and indoor facilities.

p.13

Health and safety within design and technology (resistant materials)

Although the resources within the accommodation for this subject are appropriate there have been alterations to the original design of the teaching area which do not ensure that the environment is safe. When first designed the room was only planned to house three work tables but it now has five. As a result there is less space to manoeuvre and this in itself is a concern. A number of the machines are very high powered and the accommodation is too small to house them safely. Of concern are a number of actual health and safety practices; simple safety The Forest School - 14 regulations, such as removing the power key from the band saw and ensuring there is a guard on the blade are not being adhered to and this is very unsatisfactory and potentially very dangerous.

p.13

The recording of incidents of inappropriate behaviour

Although overall behaviour is good, because of the nature of a small number of pupils’ special needs there are incidents of inappropriate behaviour. At present the system for recording these is unsatisfactory. They are recorded in the accident book and there is no way of recording what action is taken in dealing with them. Although there are informal procedures for informing parents and relevant staff this is not secure and does not enable the school to monitor pupils’ behaviour and record how incidents are dealt with.

p.14

achieved

The school appropriately seeks to improve its provision through development planning and the process for this is very good, with staff and governors fully involved. Effective procedures exist for developing subject aspects and linking these in with long term planning. However, the whole school development plan lacks appropriate success criteria by which the school can assess how effective the improvements have been. There is an appropriate process for monitoring the developments but the time scales are not specific and some issues remain on-going for some time. The head teacher makes a detailed evaluation at the end of each year, however without any clear focus on the outcomes of the developments and what the final goal is, it is difficult to evaluate how successful the school has been in its developments.

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to further improve pupils’ progress and achievements the head teacher, senior management team and governors should: • Address the issues with regards to health and safety within the accommodation and working practices for design and technology (resistant materials) • Establish procedures for recording of incidents of inappropriate behaviour • Establish time scales for achieving the targets set within whole school development planning and ensure there are effective ways of measuring the success of each aspect. The Forest School - 15

p.14

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 20

p.15

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.15

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

36 36 28 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll No of pupils

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 116

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 32

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 16

p.15

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

p.15

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

School data 6.3 % School data 0.7 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. The Forest School - 16

p.15

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Due to the small number of pupils entered for these tests it is inappropriate to publish the results. However the majority of pupils were at level W in English, mathematics and science

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 12 4 16

p.16

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 12 12 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 4 4 4

p.16

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 6 7 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 2 2 2

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Due to the small number of pupils involved in the tests it is not appropriate to publish their results. However the majority of pupils were at level 3 in English and science and Level 2 for mathematics.

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Year Total Number of 15 year olds on roll in January of the latest reporting year 1999 15

p.16

Certificate of Educational Achievement Total

Pass or higher 100% The Forest School - 17 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school

p.16

year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.17

year

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.17

year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups This table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.17

Qualified teachers and classes: N – Y11

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14.00 Financial year 1999

p.17

Qualified teachers and classes: N – Y11

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 7.8

p.17

Qualified teachers and classes: N – Y11

Average class size 10.9 £ FTE means full-time equivalent. Total income 677485

p.17

Qualified teachers and classes: N – Y11

Education support staff: N – Y11 Total expenditure 682703

p.17

Qualified teachers and classes: N – Y11

Total number of education support staff 17 Expenditure per pupil 6381

p.17

Qualified teachers and classes: N – Y11

Total aggregate hours worked per week 442 Balance brought forward from previous year

p.17

Qualified teachers and classes: N – Y11

Balance carried forward to next year 98910 The Forest School - 18

p.17

Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 60 34 4 0 1

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good.* 55 37 0 1 3

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home.** 46 34 9 1 4

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 61 30 7 0 1

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 85 15 0 0 0

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best.* 72 24 0 0 3

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 58 34 6 0 1

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 81 18 1 0 0

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible.* 66 27 0 0 3

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons.* 58 21 4 4 10

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

*on each of these 1 parent did not respond ** on this question 3 parents did not respond

p.18

Other issues raised by parents

The parents’ evening was attended by 10 parents representing 8 pupils. Parents felt that the school was very good. They did have concerns about homework and the lack of home school books when pupils reached Class 4/5.

p.18