New Woodlands School

NEW WOODLANDS SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 th -13 th November 2000

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NEW WOODLANDS 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.

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NEW WOODLANDS 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. New Woodlands School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Special school for emotional and behavioural difficulties

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 49 Shroffold Road Downham Bromley Kent Postcode: BR1 5PD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Miss G Harewood

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 09/06/97 New Woodlands School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Sarah J Mascall Registered inspector Elaine Parrish Lay inspector Vanessa Wilkinson Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

“Ibsley” 4 West Cliff Road Dawlish Devon EX7 9EB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE New Woodlands School - 5

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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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent 10 and ensure that teaching and achievement are very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and results 12 in their attitudes and behaviour being good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The excellent practice in the teaching of literacy and numeracy by the co-ordinators 13 has been shared with staff and this has lead to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in pupils’ skills.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school’s very strong commitment to building an effective partnership with parents 14 enables parents to support their children’s learning well.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Excellent links with local primary schools have resulted in mainstream pupils 15 benefiting from the expertise of New Woodlands staff.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

New Woodlands School is a primary school for boys and girls who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. At present there are 30 pupils on roll, all of whom are boys. All pupils have Statements of Special Educational Need and because of the nature of their special needs they start school achieving standards below nationally expected levels. The majority of pupils are from the Lewisham area, although some travel in from Kent, Greenwich and Westminster. There are no pupils from homes where English is an additional language. 45% of pupils come from black or black African families and 4 pupils benefit from funds allocated by the Ethnic Minorities Achievement Group (EMAG). All are from inner city areas and 50% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. At the time of the inspection there were only 3 pupils under the age of seven and as a result judgements are only made about pupils’ achievements over the age of seven. Since

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

the last inspection the school has moved to new premises which are excellent. Apart from this and the fact that there are no girls presently on roll the characteristics of the school are very similar to when it was last inspected.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides outstanding provision for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The inspirational leadership and vision of the head teacher results in a clear sense of purpose and very good team work amongst staff. Teaching is very good and as a result pupils make very good progress in developing basic skills in literacy and numeracy as well as improving their behaviour. The school provides excellent value for money.

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What the school does well

• The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and ensure that teaching and achievement are very good. • The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and result in their attitudes and behaviour being good. • The excellent teaching of literacy and numeracy by the co-ordinators has been shared with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in pupils’ skills. • The school’s very strong commitment to building an effective partnership with parents enables them to support their children’s learning well. • Excellent links with local primary schools have resulted in mainstream pupils benefiting from the expertise of New Woodlands staff.

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What the school does well

There are no significant areas for improvement.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very significant progress since the last inspection in 1997. It has addressed all the key issues well. Assessment and the recording of pupils’ work are now excellent. Curriculum planning is very good and teachers make clear reference to attainment levels. There is a consistent approach by staff to behaviour management. Since the previous inspection the school has successfully adopted the numeracy and literacy strategies and has developed an innovative project to support mainstream schools in dealing with pupils who are in the process of being statemented for emotional and behavioural difficulties. New Woodlands School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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Mathematics A Unsatisfactory D Personal, social and health education B Poor E Other personal targets set at annual reviews or in IEPs* A

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The school has set itself high targets concerning the way pupils are taught; for example “100% of English lessons to follow the Literacy Hour strategy” and these are well met. Pupils’ achievements are very good in literacy and numeracy. There is clear evidence that pupils’ skills in reading, writing and speaking and listening improve considerably from when they start school to when they leave. In science pupils’ progress is good and this is reflected in their good achievements in SATs at the age of eleven. The teaching of personal, social and health education (PSHE) has only recently been introduced. Evidence shows that pupils are making good progress and are well supported through the social and moral provision of the school. Achievements in other subjects are good and often very good. In information communication technology (ICT) pupils achieve satisfactory standards. The school recognises that these are not

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as good as in other areas of the curriculum and there are appropriate plans in place to improve pupils’ skills more effectively as they move through the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy school. They are keen to be in lessons and concentrate well. They are not usually distracted by the inappropriate behaviour of others.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils respond well to the high expectations of staff and work hard to achieve their targets. They remind each other how to behave as for example in assembly when listening to others reading. On trips out of school they behave well.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils are learning to take responsibility for their behaviour and enjoy opportunities to help staff. The relationships between staff and pupils are very good. During the inspection there were examples of pupils working well together and helping each other.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Pupils like coming to school and, as a result, attendance is good. Punctuality at the start of school can be affected by late transport because of traffic congestion. Once in school pupils are punctual to lessons. New Woodlands School - 8 Pupils respond very well to staff and are learning to modify their behaviour. There is a high level of fixed term exclusions although there have been no permanent exclusions this year. Fixed term exclusions are used when a pupil is likely to be a danger to himself or others. Records show that these are used more with new pupils and gradually reduce as pupils respond to the school’s systems and approach to improving behaviour.

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Teaching of pupils: Aged 5-11

The quality of teaching is very good. This is because teachers’ planning and preparation, together with the focus on meeting the needs of individual pupils are very good. This ensures that achievements are very good. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good and this has had a positive effect on all other subjects enabling pupils to write accounts of events in history and make calculations in science. During the week of the inspection 24 lessons were seen. All but 3 lessons were good or better, with 8 being very good or excellent. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. There is an appropriate emphasis on literacy and numeracy. The full range of National Curriculum subjects and religious education is taught. Planning for information communication technology is not as secure as in other subjects but there are appropriate plans to develop this provision.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The school uses the small amount of funding from EMAG to provide extra resources in school to support pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Moral and social development of pupils is very well promoted through the high expectations of staff, who provide very good role models. Parents comment on how much their children’s behaviour has improved. Provision for the cultural development of pupils is very good, and includes a very wide range of experiences - from theatre trips to learning how to play steel pans. Spiritual development is good and is well supported by religious education lessons and well planned assemblies. Pupils learn respect for people from different faiths and cultures.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The pupils are at the heart of everything the school does. All members of staff make a very good contribution to meeting the children’s needs. The school carefully monitors and assesses pupils’ progress so that staff are very aware of what pupils’ achieve.

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Aspect Comment

Links with parents are very good and parents are very supportive of the school. The school has developed an innovative project to support pupils in mainstream schools. This provision is excellent and valued highly by participating schools. The school has very good links with the community particularly with Calabash, the African-Caribbean support group. Good use is made of local facilities including leisure centres and museums. New Woodlands School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. The head teacher brings out the very best in the staff team through genuine consultation and effective delegation. He has a strong sense of purpose and very clear vision for the development of the school. He is well supported by his senior management team.

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Aspect Comment

How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities Very good. Governors are actively involved in developing the school and have a clear picture of what goes on. They are supportive and offer helpful advice. The mission statement is appropriate although the school’s aims do not truly reflect what the school achieves.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school never stops questioning how it can improve its provision for pupils. Through the excellent monitoring of teaching and planning it ensures that standards are constantly improved. Development planning is regularly evaluated and supports the work of the school well. Targets are set for ensuring that teaching is consistent throughout the school and there are appropriate plans to set targets with regards to pupils’ achievements.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Excellent. The school makes best possible use of all resources, maximising every opportunity through careful allocation of the budget and the effective use of all grants. The school successfully ensures that it gets best value when spending money on resources.

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Aspect Comment

Accommodation is excellent and contributes well to pupils’ attitudes and learning. The school is very well maintained and the site manager contributes greatly to the life of the school. Staffing and resources are good and support staff play an important role in supporting teachers and pupils.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• That they are made to feel welcome in the school • They enjoy the school productions • They like the contact sheets • The school’s regular telephone contact with them • The information the school provides for them in reports and at meetings. • There were no significant concerns.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents are very supportive of the school. At the parents’ evening and from the results of the very small number of questionnaires returned there were no criticisms of the school. There was some concern about the change of escorts in the taxis, which had resulted in a lack of understanding of the pupils’ special needs. The school is aware of these concerns and there are plans to reinstate training once permanent escorts are established. New Woodlands School - 10

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

ensure that teaching and achievement are very good.

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

The head teacher has developed very effective systems for checking that teaching and the curriculum are of a good standard. As a result he is very aware of the strengths and weaknesses of his staff and has used this knowledge well to improve standards in the school. The improvement is very evident since the last inspection. At that time teaching was unsatisfactory in 9% of lessons; only 20% was very good or excellent with over 50% being good or better. Now 91% is good or better with 34% being very good or excellent. There is now no evidence of unsatisfactory teaching. Because of the very good teaching pupils achieve very well. They make very good progress in their skills particularly in literacy and numeracy. Pupils make good progress in their learning in all subjects except information communication technology (ICT), where achievements are satisfactory.

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

Pupils start school with low levels of achievement but by the time they are eleven the majority are at least at Level 2 in the SATs and many are achieving at Level 3 or 4 in English, mathematics and science.

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

Since formal systems for looking closely at teaching and the curriculum were established three years ago, very detailed records have been maintained by the head teacher. Where there are concerns about teaching, suggestions and advice are given as to how practice can be improved further and follow up visits focus on these. Co-ordinators also visit teachers’ lessons to check how they are teaching their subjects. This has enabled them to see where there are weaknesses and address these through staff in-service. For example in numeracy teachers were not using the first part of the mathematics lessons effectively to introduce the work. The use of the introduction to lessons was not effective. Through discussion and example staff have developed their expertise in ensuring pupils understand what is to be taught and this strategy has been extended to other subjects. Opportunities to share practice and team teaching help further. The very high expectations of staff concerning the quality of

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

their teaching is set out very clearly in the staff handbook. The handbook is of a very high quality and also provides help and guidance to teachers particularly with regards to managing behaviour. The presence of the head teacher, deputy and senior teacher during the day to support teachers is very effective and ensures that staff know they can get assistance when required.

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

Teachers’ planning is collected in every week and monitored by the head teacher and deputy head teacher. Planning is also checked by co-ordinators and this is particularly effective in ensuring that the strategies for teaching of numeracy and literacy are followed. There are very clear expectations of staff. Each term teachers are given an information booklet that outlines aims for the term and any areas that are to be focussed upon. Other information including details of meetings, visits out of school and rotas are also included. This reinforces expectations of what is to be done and provides staff with effective guidelines. There are open discussions in staff meetings about areas for improvement as it is widely acknowledged that all teachers need support and recognition of good practice. Hence opportunities to share experiences are welcomed; for example, recently two models of teachers’ planning were shared with staff and opinions gathered as to which was felt to be

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

Pupils’ work is checked on a regular basis by the head and deputy head teacher. There is formal feedback to teachers and clear evidence of improvement. For example the quality of marking has improved; teachers’ written comments in pupils’ books are now of a very high standard, praise is used appropriately and there are suggestions about how to improve their New Woodlands School - 11 work. These are clearly valued by the pupils who take great care over the presentation of their work. Pupils’ work is assessed each half term and teachers decide the levels pupils have achieved. This is then checked by the head teacher and deputy head teacher. A range of tests are used regularly to check pupils’ progress and where pupils are not achieving as well as they should this is discussed and ways forward are considered carefully.

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

It is very clear when visiting lessons how much of an impact all these systems have had. All staff work in the same way so that planning, organisation, and managing pupils’ behaviour support teaching well. Pupils obviously feel secure because all teachers use the same approach. They are confident to ask questions and listen well to each other. They contribute well in lessons and teachers ensure that there are opportunities for discussions. Teachers make a point of listening and valuing pupils’ ideas and suggestions in lessons. This was evident in a very good history lesson where pupils watching a video, were encouraged to display their knowledge of Tudors. This focus on developing communication skills has had a dramatic effect on pupils’ achievements in speaking and listening. At the time of the last inspection this aspect was judged to be satisfactory; it is now very good. The best indication of pupils’ skills is in assembly where all pupils sit and listen very well and many are confident

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

to read out their work, such as stories or poems they have written in English.

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

Through these effective systems weaknesses are highlighted quickly and appropriate plans are made to ensure standards are as good as in other areas of the curriculum. This is very evident in ICT. The senior management team is aware that this area of the curriculum is not as strong as others. The development plan for the National Grid for Learning, which will support ICT in school, is appropriate and makes clear where improvements can be made. Until recently all teaching had been done by the co-ordinator but because of the change of her role, class teachers are now teaching the subject. There is insufficient planning to support teachers and although plans are being developed pupils are not making as good progress as they should. However because teachers have planned carefully to ensure pupils get a range of experiences, pupils’ achievements are at present satisfactory. Improvement plans for the subject are appropriate and include training and the completion of planning to

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

support teaching. These should ensure that achievements are improved.

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

There has been a consistent approach to checking that IEPs are always very good. Targets are reviewed regularly and procedures ensure that pupils’ progress is monitored. This has had a very positive impact on teaching because teachers know the pupils and what their targets are. Pupils have target books and many, particularly those in Years 5 and 6, know their targets well and can tell teachers and visitors what they are. Teachers make sure that the work is matched to pupils’ ability. In the most effective lessons there are a range of activities to meet pupils’ needs. Different worksheets are provided and matched to ability and support staff are used effectively to support those needing the most help. Teachers evaluate their lessons and this information is used to guide planning for subsequent lessons.

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The systems that are used to check what happens in classrooms are excellent and

The senior management team and governors check and ensure that school development planning remains up-to-date. Staff meetings are used effectively to look at developments over the year and co-ordinators monitor their own subject improvements in order to establish new priorities for the next year. There is an annual target setting conference which is attended by staff and governors in which the development plan is evaluated and new targets established. Governors have established targets for whole school provision such as ensuring that all numeracy lessons follow the numeracy strategy closely. They recognise that there is now a need to set targets with regards to achievements particularly in numeracy and literacy. There are appropriate plans to review the school’s aims as these are too long and do not fully reflect the excellent work of the school. New Woodlands School - 12

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The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and result in

their attitudes and behaviour being good.

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The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and result in

When pupils start at New Woodlands they have already failed in mainstream primary schools. They arrive with low self-esteem and very little awareness of what is appropriate behaviour. Through improving their behaviour the school aims to get as many pupils as it can back into their primary mainstream schools. Last year 10% of pupils were able to go back into primary education and the year before, an even greater number. By the time pupils leave New Woodlands they understand how to behave and many have developed strategies to cope with their anger. Parents are very positive about what the school has done for their children, not only in improving their learning, but also their behaviour.

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The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and result in

The school is as successful as it is in managing behaviour because it has high expectations of how the pupils should behave and staff are consistent in their approach. There is a points system by which pupils are rewarded for good behaviour. Pupils clearly understand this system and value gaining points. There is “time out” where pupils who are struggling to settle to work in class but sit separately from the others. Some pupils have made such good progress in managing their behaviour that they are getting to the stage where they recognise their behaviour is inappropriate and will remove themselves to take time out to calm down. Where this does not work pupils leave the lesson and sit with a member of the senior management team in isolation. Pupils do not enjoy this and try hard not to be isolated. They are very motivated by the reward system and the school has established a very good system for rewards based on the number of points gathered. Pupils are able to go out on trips as a

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The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and result in

reward at the end of the week. The school has thought this through carefully and ensured that activities support the curriculum well particularly in terms of physical education. Because of the appropriately high allocation of time given to literacy and numeracy, the time given to physical education is below that of similar special schools. However, opportunities for physical education are well increased through the reward trips. These are to leisure centres, activity centres or simply to the park where pupils learn to play together.

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The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and result in

There is little doubt that the children are at the heart of everything the school does. Every effort is made to meet the needs of the individual. There are a few pupils who cannot conform to a classroom structure. In an effort to meet their needs the school has established a nurture class. The pupils in this group display extremes of behaviour and much work has gone into trying to develop an appropriate structure for them. This project had only been in place for two months when the school was inspected. Staff have already seen an improvement in the behaviour of the pupils, but evaluation and consistent checking has resulted in a recognition of the need for further teaching support and for a larger classroom to enable pupils to have more space. The progress these pupils’ have made was very evident in an excellent physical education lesson. Pupils from the nurture group benefited from, and responded well to, the very firm and consistent approach of the teacher in terms of

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The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and result in

expectations of behaviour. In this lesson pupils developed their skills in ball control and were gradually learning to work together in pairs.

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The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and result in

Until recently the majority of pupils were six years old or older when they started at New Woodlands. However at present there are now pupils as young as five. The school has quickly recognised the need to adapt a way of recording points and monitoring behaviour for its youngest pupils so that they understand it. As one teacher commented “Words such as isolation do not mean much to a five year old”. The very patient and caring approach of the teacher for this group results in very effective management of behaviour. Teachers throughout the school consistently reward good behaviour and work. Pupils’ self-esteem is built up because they know they can succeed. In the very best teaching pupils’ responses are always valued so that even when the answer is wrong the teacher will pick up on a positive aspect such as “That was a very good try” or “You’ve thought hard about that” without deflating the child for giving an incorrect answer.

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The high expectations of behaviour are readily understood by pupils and result in

New Woodlands School - 13 Pupils attending New Woodlands benefit greatly from the consistent approach of staff in addressing inappropriate behaviour. The very good relationships that staff have with pupils, the continual positive reinforcement when pupils do something well and the respect teachers’ show to pupils’ contributions ensure that pupils make very good progress in improving their behaviour.

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with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in

The school’s philosophy of ”If they can’t learn the way we teach, we must teach the way they learn ” has been well adapted particularly in developing the national strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy. The school has been extremely successful in developing pupils’ skills in English and mathematics and this has also had a very positive impact on teaching in all subject areas. The success of the strategies lies in no small part to the excellent teaching of the two co-ordinators. They are both very experienced in teaching primary aged pupils and have adapted the literacy and numeracy strategies well to meet the special needs of the pupils at New Woodlands.

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with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in

Pupils make very good progress in developing their reading and writing skills. When they start school they often have very limited, if any, reading or word recognition skills. By the time they are eleven all pupils can read and many are achieving at Level 2 or 3. For example out of fifteen pupils who were assessed in their SATs in 2000 90% were at Level 2 or 3. The school’s regular reading tests show pupils’ reading ages improving from below 6 years to anything from 7 to 10 years. One pupil, for example, had a reading age of 6.2 in 1997 and now has a reading age of 9. There are a number of similar examples of this very good progress. Having confidence in their ability to read has also had an impact on the way pupils behave. They know that they can read and no longer have to find ways of avoiding completing the work given to them. Pupils are a lot more confident to put their ideas down on paper and to write independently, for example stories about a scary house. Their pride in

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with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in

their achievements was clearly evident through their eagerness to read out their stories to the whole school.

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with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in

The structure of the literacy hour has ensured that pupils know the aims of the lesson, and effective discussions at the end give pupils the opportunities to recall what they have learnt. Lessons are made enjoyable with very good use of humour. For example the use of a word - bingo game reinforces and extends pupils’ knowledge of key words. The enthusiasm the co- ordinator has for her subject is passed on to pupils and staff. Pupils settle quickly to work and are keen to read. When there is a change of task to writing they are equally eager to get on with this and work hard in ensuring their writing is neat and well presented. There is a clear understanding of pupils’ ability and the high expectations of teachers enable pupils to make very good progress in their learning.

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with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in

In numeracy staff and pupils benefit from the very secure knowledge and enthusiasm of the co-ordinator. A comparison of the SATs results over the last few years shows that pupils’ levels of achievements have improved. Many who were working towards Level I or 2 at Key Stage 1 are achieving Levels 3 or 4 by the age of eleven. This year’s SATs results show over half the pupils reaching levels within national expectation by the time they leave school. Last year one pupil missed Level 5 by only two marks.

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with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in

Teaching by the numeracy co-ordinator is excellent. There is excellent management of pupils’ behaviour and very high expectations of what they can achieve. Lessons are very challenging and it is very clear that pupils enjoy them and concentrate exceptionally hard. The first part of the lesson encourages pupils to use mental mathematics and they sit together well to respond to the teachers’ questions. In one lesson for Years 4 and 5, pupils showed very good knowledge of their times-tables; calculating the value of squares on a New Woodlands School - 14 ruler bar which had a changing value of ten, fifty and a hundred. An activity whereby pupils had to take turns in counting up to 20 in two’s and then back down to zero was very effective. It encouraged them to think quickly and also made them work as a team. They worked well together and were beginning to celebrate each other’s achievements. The wide

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with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in

range of strategies used by the teacher reinforces learning well and it is made fun. For example the teacher introduced a session saying “I am thinking of a number and I multiply it by 2 and I get 16. What is the number?” This enabled the pupils to start thinking the problem through with high achievers showing a good understanding of what they had to do. By writing the problem on the board the sum was then made easier for all pupils and there was a clear sense of competitiveness in getting it right.

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with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in

In order to ensure that literacy and numeracy are well developed in school there have been several in-service training sessions and lesson plans are based on the literacy and numeracy strategies. These are monitored by the co-ordinators and support provided where needed. The co-ordinators have also ensured that all staff observe their own teaching and as a result excellent practice has been shared. All teachers’ literacy and numeracy lessons have been observed and this has enabled the co-ordinators to help staff maintain high standards in their teaching.

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with staff, leading to very good teaching in these areas and very good progress in

There has been a significant improvement in both subjects since the last inspection. Pupils’ progress in English was then judged to be satisfactory although weaknesses in speaking and listening and writing were identified. Both of these are now strengths and pupils’ achievements are very good. In mathematics pupils’ progress was judged then to be good but there were weaknesses in behaviour management, the response of pupils and in teaching. These weaknesses no longer apply and pupils now make very good progress.

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The school’s very strong commitment to building an effective partnership with

parents enables parents to support their children’s learning well.

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The school’s very strong commitment to building an effective partnership with

Links with parents are very good because of the importance the school places on ensuring that parents are well informed about how their children are doing. This aspect of the school’s provision is managed by the deputy head teacher and a great deal of work goes into building and maintaining effective relationships. Parents receive very good quality information which helps them to understand the school’s systems. It is written in such a way that it is clear and easily understood. This was particularly evident in the annual governors’ report to parents which covered all the aspects required in a brief and colourful format.

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The school’s very strong commitment to building an effective partnership with

Parents are kept well informed through contact sheets. These tell them what their children have done and how they have behaved during the week. At the parents’ meeting held as part of the inspection, it was clear that parents valued this information and that they understood the rewards system used by the school. Their involvement in setting targets for their children and their knowledge of these was also very evident reflecting their interest in what was going on. There is regular contact between the school and home; where there are incidents of inappropriate behaviour parents are contacted by phone and concerns discussed with them.

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The school’s very strong commitment to building an effective partnership with

The school has operated a system of short fixed term exclusions when a pupil's behaviour is dangerous either to himself or others. This is often most used with newer pupils and is effective because over time these exclusions reduce considerably as pupils’ behaviour stabilises. It has also had the beneficial effect of encouraging some parents to be more responsible for their children’s behaviour because they have had to remain at home with them. The combination of the support of parents and the school’s own structures are very effective in improving pupils’ behaviour. The school’s plans for spending funds obtained through the Educational Action Zone include improving the support further by providing a “learning mentor” who would link in more closely to families. New Woodlands School - 15 The school values its close links with parents. The head teacher and deputy visit some families at home; if there are continued problems with a pupil at school they will visit more

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The school’s very strong commitment to building an effective partnership with

regularly. The focus of these visits is to work in partnership with parents and the school will help parents through referring them to family support groups. Parents appreciate the support they get. They recognise the need to get together as a group to support each other but because of the distances they have to travel this is not always possible. The school is considering how a parents support group could be established.

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The school’s very strong commitment to building an effective partnership with

The school has initiated very good strategies to encourage parents to support their children at home and in school. One of the most successful is encouraging reading at home. Pupils earn points for reading; this is a great incentive for them and also ensures that most parents are involved, as they have to sign that their child has read. One parent comes into school each week and teaches pupils to play the steel pans. This has been extremely successful and the pupils take great pleasure in showing their skills to visitors. Parents show support of their children and the school through their attendance at school events. The deputy head teacher works very hard in encouraging parents to attend events and the two performances she organises each year are attended by up to one hundred people. The school links these into Governors’ annual meeting and to open evenings which ensures that parents remain well informed.

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benefiting from the expertise of New Woodlands staff

In line with the school’s concerns for all children with emotional and behavioural difficulties the head teacher has initiated a project to support pupils in mainstream primary schools. The project is well lead by the senior teacher and there has been considerable work done to ensure its success. Since its initiation it has been developed and extended and is greatly valued by those mainstream schools that are involved. Pupils who are in the process of being statemented for emotional and behavioural difficulties attend New Woodlands each morning for four weeks. They go back to their mainstream schools in the afternoon and are supported by staff from New Woodlands.

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benefiting from the expertise of New Woodlands staff

The quality of teaching whilst these pupils are at New Woodlands is very good and this has a very positive effect on their learning and behaviour. There is very good liaison with mainstream schools so that the work the pupils do in the mornings supports the work they do in their mainstream classes. The pupils work hard and concentrate well. They clearly enjoy their time at New Woodlands and are learning to modify their behaviour. In the afternoons they generally settle well back into their mainstream classes and evidence shows they make every effort to improve their behaviour.

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benefiting from the expertise of New Woodlands staff

One of the strengths of this project lies in its benefits for teachers in mainstream schools. They observe teaching at New Woodlands and receive training in working with pupils with difficult behaviour. There is considerable respect for the teaching and the support provided by the senior teacher and discussions with staff and head teachers reflect how much the work is valued by them. It is a credit to the local education authority that it has agreed to fund this initiative and recognises the value it has in supporting pupils and teachers. New Woodlands School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

There are no key issues for the school to address. However the following minor issues which have already been identified by the school should be addressed:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Completing planning that will support teachers’ work. Ensuring that teachers’ are trained appropriately to work on the new computers.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Develop the school’s aims so that they fully reflect the excellent work of the school New Woodlands School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 30

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

14 21 56 9 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 30

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 0

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Attendance

School data 9.5 School data 2.3 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

No pupils were involved in tests in the Year 2000 New Woodlands School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Tests Teacher assessment English Level 2 - 53% Level 3 - 27% Mathematics Level 3 - 14% Level 4 - 29% Level 2 - 33% Level 3 - 33% Level 4 - 27% Science Level 3 - 67% Level 4 - 25% Level 5 - 8% Level 2 - 36% Level 3 - 36% Level 4 - 21% Level 5 - 7%

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 2 Black – African heritage 12

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups This table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 1999-2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Average class size 8 £ FTE means full-time equivalent. Total income 504082

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y1 – Y6 Total expenditure 485901

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Expenditure per pupil 12148

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 144 Balance brought forward from previous year 8694

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 26875 New Woodlands School - 19

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Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

Parents are very supportive of the school. At the parents’ evening and from the results of the very small number of questionnaires returned there were no criticisms of the school. There was some concern about the change of escorts in the taxis, which had resulted in a lack of understanding of the pupils’ special needs. The school is aware of these concerns and there are plans to reinstate training once permanent escorts are established.

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