Osborne School

LANKHILLS SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr. R. Passant - 2728

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LANKHILLS SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 rd January to 26 th January 2001

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LANKHILLS SCHOOL

Full 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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LANKHILLS 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. Lankhills School- 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lankhills School Andover Rd, Winchester Hants Postcode: SO23 7BU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 2 nd December 1998 Lankhills School- 4

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Aspect responsibilities

Mr. R. Passant Registered inspector Physical education; Subject support How high are standards? How well are pupils or students taught? How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils or students? How well is the school led and managed? Mrs. E. Fraser Lay inspector Aspects of pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Aspects of how well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Mr. M. Mara Team inspector English; Art and design; Music. Aspects of leadership

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Aspect responsibilities

Mr. D. Walker Team inspector Mathematics; History; Religious education. Residential, provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Mr. B. Emery Team inspector Design and technology; Geography; Modern languages. Assessment, aspects of curriculum

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Aspect responsibilities

Mr. D. Haigh Team inspector Science; Information and communication technology. Finance, Post 16 curriculum and provision

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Aspect responsibilities

Mr. P. Sudworth Team inspector Subject support Personal and social education, careers

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Aspect responsibilities

NES Education Services Limited, Linden House, Woodland Way, Gosfield, Essex CO9 1TH

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Aspect responsibilities

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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Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar, Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE Lankhills School- 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Lankhills is a school for secondary aged pupils who have moderate learning difficulties. There are a few pupils with more severe learning difficulties and a minority with other identified special needs. There are 120 pupils on roll, all of whom are white UK heritage. Attached to the school and under its management is an extended education unit for post-16 students who have more severe learning difficulties. These students are admitted by the local education authority. There is a small boarding facility. At the time of the inspection there were 13 pupils and students in residence. Attainment on entry is low due to pupils’ special needs. The majority of pupils travel to the school from a wide area of Hampshire.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

A new school for pupils with special needs is currently being planned to open on the school site in September 2002 as part of a local education authority re-organisation of special needs in the Winchester and Eastleigh areas.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Lankhills is a good school and it is continuing to improve. The overall quality of teaching is good. There is a strong focus in the school on improving pupils’ achievement. Pupils make good progress across almost all subjects. Many older pupils achieve personal success in gaining accredited results in English, mathematics, science, art and design, and design and technology. Pupils also participate in an accredited course focusing on key skills, of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology, personal organisation and work in the community. The leadership of the school is very good. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school is led very well. • The quality of teaching is good and pupils make good progress. • The quality of care for the pupils is very good. • The provision for the pupils in residence is very good. • The school provides a good range of learning opportunities. • There is a very strong commitment by all staff working at the school to improve and develop the school.

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What could be improved

• Involving parents to a greater extent in their children's learning. • Preparing pupils to participate in a diverse multi-ethnic society. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the appropriate authority.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good improvement since the last full inspection in 1997 at which time it was judged to be in special measures because it was judged likely to fail ‘to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.’ The school also had a short inspection in 1998 by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate where the school’s progress was judged to be sufficient to take it out of special measures. It has continued to make good improvement since then. There has been a good level of improvement in the teaching and learning of English in the Lankhills School- 7 lower and upper parts of the school. There is now a whole school commitment to improving standards in literacy. Pupils’ performance in national tests shows an improvement in their attainment over time. In the same period, there has been a particular focus on grammar, handwriting, and free writing that has had a positive impact on learning. The range and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

scope of writing have improved and some aspect of English is now targeted in every lesson. In mathematics there has been good improvement and lower attaining pupils now make good progress. Progress in science in Key Stages 3 and 4 is now at least good. This represents very good improvement since the last full inspection where progress and teaching were judged satisfactory. Overall, the quality of teaching has improved considerably from the position in 1997 where the quality of teaching barely promoted sound educational standards. The quality of teaching is now good and pupils, overall, make good progress. The use of computers across the school has developed significantly. Detailed planning for the new school is underway.

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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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5 11 16 19

mathematics B B unsatisfactory D personal, social and health education B B poor E other personal targets set at annual reviews or in IEPs* B B

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5 11 16 19

* IEPs are individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs.

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5 11 16 19

It is inappropriate to judge the attainment of pupils for whom this school caters for against age-related national expectations or averages. Judgements about progress and references to attainment take account of information contained in the pupils’ statement of special need, annual reviews and individual education plans.

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5 11 16 19

Overall, pupils make good progress across almost all subjects. Pupils make satisfactory progress in music and very good progress in information and communication technology. In 2000, almost all pupils achieved the Certificate of Educational Achievement in English, science and design and technology. In English, almost all pupils achieved a pass, a half of those entered with merit. In mathematics, a half of those entered passed and a third of the cohort passed with merit. In science almost all passed, a half achieving merit. In design and technology, all achieved a pass with a quarter of the group achieving a distinction. In art, three-quarters of the group achieved a pass a third of these with distinction. All pupils were entered for the Award Scheme Development Accreditation Network (ASDAN). Lankhills School- 8 Students in the extended education unit participate in ASDAN and the national skills profile.

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5 11 16 19

The school is developing systems which monitor pupils' progress and their improved performance, identifying the difference the school is making. The school has a particular current target for improving pupils’ ability in mental mathematics and writing.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have good attitudes to school. They concentrate in class and stay on task. They are prepared to improve their work and not be satisfied with their first attempt. Classrooms often have a serious work ethic. Pupils respond well to challenge.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Overall, behaviour is good. Within classes, it is often very good. There are pupils who can behave badly but this is managed well by members of staff and often ignored by other pupils. Class behaviour can deteriorate when pupils return to the class having been participating in another activity. Behaviour around the school and in public is generally good. Behaviour can deteriorate when there is a lack of structure or expectations are not made clear.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development is good. Pupils demonstrate very good attitudes towards others and appreciate that their actions have an impact on other people.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Overall, attendance is satisfactory. Attendance in the summer term is often unsatisfactory because of the significant number of pupils who are taken out of school to go holiday. The attendance of a significant minority of pupils gives cause for concern.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-16 aged over 16

Lessons seen overall good No Judgement 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.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-16 aged over 16

Because of work experience it was not possible to make a judgement about the quality of teaching for students aged over 16. The quality of informal teaching within social settings for these students is good and often very good.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-16 aged over 16

During the week of the inspection, excellent teaching was seen in six per cent of lessons, very good teaching in 31 per cent, good teaching in 41 per cent and satisfactory teaching in 22 per cent Lankhills School- 9 Teaching in English, mathematics, science and personal and social education is good overall. Literacy and numeracy are taught well.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-16 aged over 16

Work is matched well to the range of abilities within the class. Teachers manage their classes well and provide warm support to individuals and groups. Lesson planning is good and the objectives for the lesson are shared with pupils. Questioning is effective and extends pupils’ ability to think and reason. Teachers are confident, have good subject knowledge and create a purposeful atmosphere in the classroom. Classroom organisation is very thorough. Lessons are often presented in an enthusiastic manner, which motivates the students.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum There is a good range of learning opportunities. The school makes good use of resources within the community to extend the learning opportunities. The personal and social education programme is very, good as is careers. The post-16 curriculum provides a good range of learning experiences. The National Literacy Strategy is adopted across the school but there is not quite the same consistency in the use of the approaches recommended by the National Numeracy Strategy.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The overall provision is good. The provision for moral, social and aspects of cultural development is good. Other faiths are taught in religious education but there are too few opportunities within the curriculum to develop pupils' awareness of living in a diverse multi-ethnic society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils A strength of the school is the concern and care it takes for its pupils. Child protection arrangements are very good. Academic performance and welfare are monitored very well.

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Aspect Comment

Partnership with parents is sound. The school staff always available for parents who have any concerns. Parents who responded to the questionnaire have a very positive view of the school. Developing a shared understanding of the use of the home-school book, so that parents are involved to a greater extent in their child's learning, is an aspect for development.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The management by the headteacher and the deputy headteacher is very good. There has been very good improvement since the last full inspection. Subject co-ordinators manage their subjects well. Management across the school is good. The headteacher's involvement in preparations for the new school is placing more responsibility on the deputy headteacher and some adjustment of senior teachers' roles is required to provide more day-to-day support for her. Lankhills School- 10 How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities The governing body has a good understanding of the strengths of the school and holds it effectively to account. Through reports and the work of the committees, it monitors progress in the identified school development plan effectively. It brings a range of personal and professional expertise and has undertaken training. It is highly involved

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Aspect Comment

in the re-organisation of education on the school site and takes its duties very seriously.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Internal monitoring of teaching and the work of the school by subject co- ordinators and senior staff is very good. The headteacher makes very good use of comparative data. The work on the monitoring of pupils’ progress is allowing for greater precision in determining the effectiveness of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes good use of funding and invests wisely. However, learning support assistants are not always used to best advantage.

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Aspect Comment

Members of staff have good subject knowledge and the school provides a balance of subject specialist and class teaching. Overall, accommodation and learning resources are satisfactory. The school considers any expenditure it makes very carefully and seeks to ensure that it obtains the best value it can.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The teaching is good. • Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best. • The amount of homework. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agree with the positive views parents have of the school. A significant minority of parents did not feel that their children get the right amount of homework; at the parents’ meeting it was clear there was some confusion about the role and use of the home- school diary and about what homework their children should be doing. Home-school diaries could be used more effectively to establish a useful dialogue between parents and teachers and to clarify what pupils should be doing at home. The school provides a satisfactory range of extra-curricular opportunities, given that the majority of pupils travel some considerable distance to and from school. The school makes good use of trips and residential provision to enhance and extend the learning opportunities. Lankhills School- 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. It is inappropriate to judge the attainment of pupils for whom this school caters against age-related national expectations or averages. Judgements about progress and references to attainment take account of information contained in the pupils’ statements of special need, annual reviews and individual education plans.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Overall, pupils make good progress across almost all subjects against their prior attainment. Progress in music is satisfactory and in information and communication technology, pupils make very good progress. Both boys and girls achieve well, and pupils with additional special needs make good progress against their targets.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The school does make use of National Curriculum tests at the age of 14 for those pupils for whom it is appropriate, as a diagnostic tool, to measure progress. Overall, pupils make good progress in mathematics, English, and science against their attainment at 11.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The school uses a broad range of accreditation to validate pupils’ work in the upper school. All pupils passed the Certificate of Achievement in science and design and technology, with four pupils achieving distinction in design and technology. All pupils passed the AEB 1 Level 1 Literacy, and all those entered for Level 2 passed. In the AEB 1 Achievement in Numeracy, three-quarters of those pupils entered passed at Level 1 and of those entered for Level 2, almost all passed. Five pupils were entered at Level 3 and all passed. In the Certificate of Educational Achievement in English, almost all pupils achieved a pass, a half of those entered with merit. In mathematics the majority passed, a third of the group with merit. In science almost all passed, a half achieving merit. In design and technology, all achieved a pass with a quarter of the group achieving a distinction. In art, three-quarters of the group achieved a pass a third of these with distinction. All pupils

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Post-16 students are entered for ASDAN Bronze award and participate in the National Skills Profile.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils make at least good progress overall in English at both key stages and in all aspects. In writing, progress is very good. Progress made by pupils with additional special educational needs is also good. There is good support for aspects of English across all subjects of the curriculum.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. By the age of 14, pupils work confidently in pairs and small groups. They make oral contributions to lessons and freely read their work aloud. A structured reading programme introduced in the lower school offers pupils support and a vehicle for learning phonics and spelling. With younger pupils and lower attainers the use of ‘big books’, shared together as a group, is an additional motivating factor to poorer readers. Lower and middle attainers read hesitantly and look to the listener for clues and some support. They begin to use their knowledge of initial sounds in attempting simple three letter words and identify characters

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 Ass ociated Examining Board 2 ASDAN (Award Scheme Development Accreditation Network) Lankhills School- 12 within the text. Higher attainers respond to a range of texts and apply their reading skills within other subjects. In the upper school, higher attaining pupils are able to offer opinions on Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'. They are able to make links with 'West Side Story' and then translate the issues of both to today’s youth culture

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. The availability of good quality fiction serves to inspire pupils in their free writing. There is an emphasis on creative writing from Year 7 with pupils being encouraged to develop their use of adjectives and adverbs. By the end of the key stage, creative writing is becoming longer, imaginative, and clear. Pupils’ own ideas are extended logically, and are legible; joined writing becomes a feature of presentation. Pupils are successful in attaining the Certificate of Educational Achievement.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Scrutiny of work in the extended education unit indicates that students extend their social sight vocabulary and learn to use the popular media of newspapers and magazines in maintaining their interest in reading. Lower attainers continue to improve on their spellings through supported reading. They also build on their speaking and listening skills in improving the accuracy with which they carry verbal messages. Higher attainers write reports on work experience as part of the ASDAN certification.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils' achievement in mathematics is good overall. Standards of achievement are good in the upper and lower school. Although it was not possible to observe teaching at post-16, evidence from pupils’ work and from discussion with pupils and their teachers indicates that their achievement is good also. Progress follows the same pattern as achievement, with pupils making good progress both in lessons and over time.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. By age 14, higher attaining pupils understand the range of probability. They can recognise acute, obtuse and right angles and measure them to the nearest degree. They can interpret graphs and use co-ordinates in the first quadrant. Most can add and subtract numbers to 99. Lower attaining pupils are beginning to understand rotational symmetry and can understand mathematical language such as high/low and largest/smallest. They can add to ten and recognise most coins.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. By age 16, higher attaining pupils know that 60 seconds equal one minute, 60 minutes equal one hour and 24 hours equal one day. They are confident with a.m., p.m., noon and midnight and tell the time to the nearest five minutes. They use television programme listings to practise these skills and work out the length of programmes. They can write tally charts and interpret bar and line graphs and pie charts. They understand place value and are able to add and subtract to 999. They recognise and name two- dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. Most pupils are successful in attaining the Certificate of Educational Achievement. Lower attaining pupils practise work on time, counting from one to 12, relating morning (a.m.) and afternoon/evening (p.m.) to the 24-hour clock. Some estimate the time it would take to walk a distance and then check their guess using a stopwatch. They match and name simple two-dimensional shapes, add pence and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

learn the equivalence of a number of different coins to the pound. Many are able to attain the Certificate of Basic Skills in Numeracy.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. By age 19, higher attaining pupils can add numbers, such as 25 and 30; using a number square and can tell the time to the nearest half hour. Lower attaining pupils can sequence numbers one to five and learn one to one correspondence by laying a dining table for up to eight people. Lankhills School- 13 14. Progress in science in Key Stages 3 and 4 is good for both boys and girls. This represents good improvement since the last full inspection when progress and teaching were judged satisfactory. In science, pupils learn how to think carefully, how to investigate and how to use the evidence they collect to come to conclusions. They also develop good knowledge and understanding about the world around them. In all of the lessons observed, the pupils showed that they could think very logically and work their way to a sound conclusion.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

15. All pupils develop an understanding of scientific names and their meanings. By the age of 14 pupils understand how the human body works, how light travels and about acids and alkalis and how the PH scale enables them to be measured. By the age of 16 pupils have added to their understanding of topics taught in the lower school. Pupils across the school and all levels of attainment consistently show an excellent recall of previous learning and a very good ability to link together learning from several topics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

16. Pupils have a wide range of information and communication technology skills and understanding. By the age of 14, pupils can use spreadsheets to portray data in a range of different ways. They know how to scan pictures and integrate them into text to make pieces of work for their history folders. Pupils use a digital camera to design Christmas cards and learn how to rotate and reflect patterns. They can use computers to design pie charts and graphs to illustrate information and use word processing to add text. Pupils in the upper school continue to develop these skills and increase the level of their independence in lessons. They use the Internet as well as digital cameras to gather material. Clip Art and Word Art programs are used extensively. Their word processing skills increase to include the use of text frames and they can modify font styles. Work is produced for inclusion in English, humanities, and other folders. Pupils of all levels of attainment know how to carry

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

out set procedures and how to get the best results.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

17. In religious education by age 14, pupils recognise symbols of the six major religious faiths. For example the Cross, the Aum, the Wheel of the Law, the Star of David, the Khanda and the Star and Crescent Moon. Lower attaining pupils show interest in the constituents of the Puja trays and are absorbed by Rangoli patterns. They enjoy learning about the Kippah and enjoy making one using a pattern from the Temple in Jerusalem and playing the game of Dreidal.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

18. By age 16, pupils show a high degree of maturity during a lesson devoted to stillness and reflection, recognising that smoke is often used as symbolism relating to the rising of wishes and prayers to a supreme being. At appropriate times, they discuss broader topics, such as love, marriage and divorce.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

19. In art, by the age of 14, pupils are able to integrate media and technique in work on the native American people. Higher attainers achieve national expectations in showing an understanding of the art of native Americans producing coiled pottery vases . Pupils in the upper school increase their knowledge of the influence of famous artists on their lives. Higher attainers arrange objects and explore visual imagery using a digital camera to help them frame their work. Lower achievers trace the work of famous pop-artists. At the end of Key Stage 4, pupils achieve national expectations. Drawings of buildings are analysed and represented with some accuracy, technical skill, and attention to detail. They then work on their subsequent digital images with the ‘Paint’ graphics programme to produce compositions in the style of a particular artist. Others, in certification groups, complete investigative studies of the Art Deco movement and in their observational drawings of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Cartier clocks, they make links with Egyptian history. Lankhills School- 14 20. In design and technology pupils by the age of 14, pupils know that different materials require different techniques to join them and they understand that the properties of materials can change by the way they are treated. Pupils are developing an understanding of design. They can analyse and research a problem. In textiles, pupils use computer aided design techniques to design and produce embroidered names on their drawstring bags. Pupils’ use of tools is developing well, they use a range of woodworking tools safely and effectively and know which tools to select for particular processes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

21. By the end of Key Stage 4, pupils’ ability to use tools and techniques effectively is good. Their work is of very good quality, uses traditional techniques and is finished and presented to a very high standard. Pupils also use electronics effectively in the production of their work and are comfortable with information and communication technology, particularly computer-aided design, as part of their work.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

22. Pupils in the lower school have a good general understanding of the world. Pupils are able to identify particular parts of the world on a map. They identify particularly rivers and rainforests and are beginning to demonstrate some understanding of the water cycle. Geography is now taught in the upper school as part of a humanities approach and by the age of 15, pupils have developed a good understanding of some key geographical concepts.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

23. In French, by the age of 14, pupils are developing good skills in listening carefully to how words are pronounced in the French language. Although a few pupils are hesitant or reluctant to speak in French, their confidence grows and they can use simple phrases well. They are developing a good social vocabulary. They know numbers up to twenty. Pupils achieve well in reading French words, although their ability to write in the language is less well developed due to their general difficulty in writing. By the age of 15, pupils can read worksheets in French and make appropriate responses. The higher attaining pupils have developed extensive vocabularies. They can translate sentences with a significant degree of accuracy and order food from a mock café from a French menu.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

24. In music lessons, pupils in the lower school listen to and reflect on, recorded music and recall the composer and the title from previous lessons. After careful listening, high attainers are able to identify the repeat pattern in ‘Mars’ by Holst or in a twelve bar blues. Over time, pupils have access to electronic keyboards, untuned percussion, and wind instruments. The use of ocarinas introduces an element of fun and novelty while providing opportunities for playing simple three note tunes together or individually. There are good cross-curricular links and during the inspection, pupils were observed practising and singing,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

25. Pupils make good progress in physical education, particularly in the upper school where the school makes good use of specialist community facilities. There is a detailed scheme of work, which ensures coverage of a full range of activities.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

26. As part of the leadership process the school sets effective targets for development so that it can monitor improvements. In mainstream schools, targets tend to relate to National Curriculum test and GCSE results. In Lankhills, the targets are identified over a broad range of activities and are divided into three broad areas. The first target area, termed ‘excellence’ relates to specific targeted development in pupils’ abilities in specific skills, currently the skills of writing and mental mathematics. The focus of this work is apparent in the very good progress in writing, for example. The school monitors pupils’ progress in these aspects particularly closely to judge the effectiveness of their initiatives. Lankhills School- 15 27. The second range of targets, ‘targets of expectation’ in the school’s terms, relate to monitoring the school's performance against particular baseline judgements. Thus there is

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the expectations that all parents will attend annual reviews, pupils' attendance will reach the school expectations and that pupils will make progress and achieve some form of certification, if appropriate to the pupil.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

28. The third level of targets are termed the ‘targets of process’ and relate to pupils involvement in residential experiences, productions and other such activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

29. There are significant strengths in pupils’ attitudes and behaviour and their personal development and few weaknesses. Overall, these aspects are good. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. In 80 per cent of the lessons seen, attitudes and behaviour were good or better and they were never less than satisfactory. They were often very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

30. In English, for example, relationships in the classroom are good. Pupils in all classes offer support to each other, share in each other’s successes, and value the close attention that they receive from adults. Pupils work confidently in pairs and small groups and are confident to read their work to the rest of the class. Pupils dropped into role-play without self-consciousness and were quite happy to refine their characters and their own performances. In mathematics, pupils show a keenness to learn and co-operate well with one another. They give respect to each other’s efforts and this promotes a good working atmosphere in which pupils remain on task for extended periods. In science pupils show a very high level of commitment to learning and on the few occasions when an individual pupil is disruptive, the rest of the group remains unaffected and continue with their work. When undertaking practical work, they set up their equipment quickly, work safely, and carefully

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

obtain accurate results. They also clear away the equipment quickly. They help those who are having difficulties and discuss the outcomes of their work in a sensible manner. Pupils are very eager to answer questions and to contribute to discussions. When they are required to work in groups, share ideas with other pupils and to come to shared conclusions, they work with great maturity and respect for others. This was particularly noticeable in a sex education lesson.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

31. Across all subjects, pupils are able to concentrate and stay on task. They are prepared to refine what they have done, and not just to be satisfied with their first attempt. There is a strong work ethic in most classes. Overall, pupils respond well to challenge and are motivated, through the good teaching, to want to learn. Pupils work well with each other, and show sensitivity towards each other. In one class for example, a pupil spontaneously provided support to a pupil who was disturbed by the sound an instrument was making. Pupils are prepared to take responsibility.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

32. Behaviour in lessons is good overall, and often very good. There is occasionally poor behaviour by an individual pupil. This is managed well by the teaching or support staff and, very often, the rest of the class ignored the poor behaviour of the individual pupil. A weakness occurs when pupils return from other activities, for example, half the class returning from using the computers. This can cause disruption for a brief time until the teacher has settled the group down. There are other occasions too, usually associated with an unstructured situation, such as sending a class off to another room without supervision when individual pupils take advantage. Behaviour around the school and indeed, for Lankhills School- 16 example, walking into the town to go swimming is good overall - albeit that one or two individuals disobeyed instructions and went their own way. There are some instances of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

pupils falling out with each other. These are dealt with on an individual basis. Members of staff are vigilant about the possibility of bullying, there is a strong anti-bullying culture in the school, and pupils do not think it is an issue.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

33. The attendance of the majority of pupils is good, and overall attendance is a little better than the average for this type of school. However, in the summer term, average attendance is often below 90 per cent mainly due to the number of families who take holidays in term time; this has an adverse effect on the progress and learning of pupils who frequently find it hard to catch up with work missed. There is a small number of unauthorised absences, and some of these are due to families taking more than the permitted ten days of holiday in a year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

34. The attendance of a significant minority of pupils gives cause for concern. Despite the school’s best efforts, not all parents keep the school informed about the reasons for absence and a small number of parents allow pupils to stay off school without very good reason. The school works in partnership with the Education Welfare Service to reduce levels of unauthorised absences and there are effective strategies in place to prevent truancy. In a number of instances, the attendance of individual pupils has improved since they enrolled at the school.

p.16

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

35. Punctuality at the start of the day is mainly dependant on taxis and buses, and can be affected by bad weather, adverse traffic conditions or poor time keeping by the firms involved. The school monitors times of arrival and contacts the appropriate authorities when poor punctuality persists. Lankhills School- 17

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

36. The quality of teaching is good. There are significant strengths and few weaknesses. The strengths in the quality of teaching are seen across the school and in almost all subjects and therefore pupils make good progress. It was not possible to make a judgement about the quality of teaching for post-16 students. During the inspection, 80 per cent of the lessons were good or better and no unsatisfactory teaching was seen. In 40 per cent of the lessons, teaching was very good. Some excellent teaching was seen. This indicates a significant improvement since the previous full inspection when teaching was judged as barely promoting sound educational standards and some 20 per cent of teaching was judged unsatisfactory.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

37. Teachers have good, and sometimes very good, subject knowledge and professional skills in working with pupils with a range of learning difficulties. This gives them the confidence to present the work with particular interest and enthusiasm, which in itself is motivating and engages the pupils’ interest. They provide effective leadership of the class; there is a clear sense of direction to the lesson and a drive to achieve the objectives within the time available. This sense of pace is also coupled with an attitude which is very positive - an ‘of course you can do it’ approach. As a result, most lessons are conducted at a good pace, use a range of strategies and pupils stay focused and on task; they work at a pace too, responding to the teacher’s approach. Good subject knowledge, by itself is not enough - it has to be coupled with the skill and knowledge of working with the particular pupils. In

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

music, for example, the temporary teacher has very good specialist knowledge but has yet to develop her understanding of the pupils, with the result that the pupils were somewhat swamped by too much detail.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

38. Classroom management is a significant strength across the school. Teachers are skilled at calming a class, focusing their attention on the task, managing behaviour in a manner, which stresses the positives, and praising specific achievements. They establish a purposeful working atmosphere, clearly explain what it is the pupils are going to do, give clear instructions and remain pleasant and courteous. They provide effective and warm support to individuals and groups and remain calm and apparently unflappable. They are confident to promote independent or group work and, having set the work up, they engage with individuals, helping them in their tasks. They do not simply circulate round the classroom once the task has been set, but develop individuals’ skills or work with a group.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

39. Lessons are planned well so that there is a clear structure and a progression, with one step leading to the next. Questioning skills are good and are used effectively to establish what the pupils remember from the previous lesson and to develop pupils’ ability to think about what they are doing and to work out the answer. For example, in science, the teacher effectively used questioning to determine that a boat floats because of a balance of forces. Teachers mark effectively and use day-to-day assessment well to guide their planning.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

40. Whole-class sessions are often, particularly in mathematics, used effectively towards the end of a lesson to establish what has been learnt. Teachers, in the main, have a very good knowledge of the pupils and their targets. This allows them to match the task to the groups well so that all pupils make good progress. A number of the staff has had additional professional training to teach pupils with additional special educational needs, for example, in autism, so that these pupils too make good progress against their targets. Lankhills School- 18 41. Given that the overall quality of teaching is good, there are, however, some relative weaknesses. Usually learning support assistants are used well and there are often high levels of co-operation and a clear understanding of their role within a given lesson. In a few lessons, however, the learning support assistants were not used as effectively as they might

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

have been. In a few lessons, whilst the teacher’s knowledge of the particular topic was satisfactory, it was not presented with the same degree of enthusiasm or precision seen elsewhere and whilst, overall, the lesson was satisfactory, pupils were not as engaged or as positive about the work. In a few lessons too, the teacher focused on a particular group in the class, for example the boys, without giving enough attention to the rest of the class. A few lessons were adequate but dull. This was particularly the case when basic skills were being taught as basic skills and not within a context. There were good examples seen of homework being set but there is a weakness in that it is not always a consistent feature.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

42. English teaching is good and very good in the teaching of basic skills such as phonics and grammar. There are high expectations in lessons involving literature and creative writing. Planning for speech and language and in some instances, reading is not so focused and consequently there are not the same high expectations. In some lessons, learning grammar skills can become dull and routine. Most lessons, across all subjects support an aspect of pupils’ development of literacy skills well.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

43. The quality of teaching of mathematics is good across the school. Teaching is consistently good in the lower school and good, overall, in the upper school. Teachers use skilful questioning to extend pupils' thinking. The mental arithmetic start to the lessons excites and motivates pupils but this was not a constituent of all lessons. Practical activities are used very effectively to engage pupils and reinforce learning. Teachers are careful to provide pupils with plenty of time and encouragement to choose solutions in problem-solving activities. This gives pupils an opportunity to develop their independence and improves confidence. Lankhills School- 19

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

44. There are significant strengths in the curricular and other opportunities provided and overall, the provision is good across the school, including that provided by the extended education unit. Essentially, it provides good opportunities for pupils and students to achieve personal success in the full range of National Curriculum subjects and religious education. All pupils study a modern language, French, and in the upper school all pupils study a humanities subject. The very good personal social and health education programme, makes a significant contribution to preparing pupils for the future. The curriculum, therefore, meets statutory requirements and provides a good balance of experiences during the course of the week. Careful planning and monitoring by subject co-ordinators ensure that all aspects of each subject are taught. The amount of time given to each subject is appropriate. Curriculum policies and schemes of work, which provide the framework of what

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

will be taught, are of good quality across the school and provide good support for more detailed curriculum planning. A particular strength is the way teachers make links between subjects, reminding the pupils where else they might have met, for example, this particular word before.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

45. The curriculum provision of the extended education unit has significant strengths. Many improvements have been achieved since the last report. The curriculum is now more extensive through the inclusion of religious education and expressive arts. The business enterprise takes the form of the school shop and is more developed, allowing students to practise skills developed in other parts of the curriculum. Use is made of published schemes such as ‘Towards Independence’ to ensure that the needs of the students are met fully. Links with other agencies are now strengthened. For example, the input of a speech therapist has recently been secured, trainee teachers from a local college are involved in the post-16 programme, and links are maintained with a theatre group experienced in working with special needs students. The schemes of work show that planning in the unit is thorough and of a good quality.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

46. Curriculum provision for those pupils with additional special educational needs is good. It is well planned and meets the requirements of the Code of Practice. Pupils with additional special educational needs make good progress because of the good levels of support they receive from teachers, many of whom have undertaken additional training for example in autism, and from skilled learning support assistants.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

47. Individual education plans are of good quality. Their content is well known to all staff and pupils. The arrangements for annual reviews are good and parents are fully involved with this process. Equality of access is good; teachers make appropriate arrangements to ensure that pupils with additional special educational needs are integrated fully into activities.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

48. The school provides a satisfactory range of extra-curricular opportunities, given that the majority of pupils travel some considerable distance to and from school. The school makes good use of trips and residential provision to enhance and extend the learning opportunities. For example, the physical education programme for the upper school makes extensive use of the specialist outdoor adventurous activities at Calshot and the local swimming pool. The links with other schools and colleges are good, although opportunities to take lessons in local secondary schools are limited. Lankhills School- 20 49. Arrangements and provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education are very good. Sex education and drugs awareness form an integral part of the curriculum. The programme of activities and contents is clearly laid out and includes awareness of self and others, personal hygiene, the law and society, personal goals and relationships and

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

prepares pupils well for their futures. There are plans to link personal and social education in the near future to ASDAN and certificated achievement with the intention of giving pupils a greater element of choice in the activities they undertake within specific areas of study. It is also intended to include citizenship. Post-16 students were involved in work experience during the period of the inspection. It is an indicator of success that all students remained in their placements and coped with the challenges successfully.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

50. The pupils receive very good advice and counselling about their futures through the very well led careers department. The course structure is very good and pupils engage in a range of activities, including work experience placements. Pupils are encouraged to become independent and to take an active part in the programme, for example by telephoning to arrange their initial visits to work placements. The scheme for careers is laid out carefully with cross-curricular links, with the aim of helping the pupils to make considered decisions for themselves. There is good involvement of the pupils and their parents in the decisions reached about plans for individual pupils. The school has good links with future education establishments, careers officers and agencies and link courses are provided. Targets for work experience are set out and pupils identify what they will do to achieve them.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

51. The overall provision for pupils’ and students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. There are significant strengths in the provision of this aspect. The provision is underpinned by the school’s ethos and teachers are asked to explore opportunities to incorporate these strands into all lessons.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

52. Opportunities for promoting the pupils’ and students’ spiritual development are good and occur in lessons, but these are often incidental to the main thrust of the lesson. Religious education lessons, such as those focusing on special places, and church visits play an important part. One planned example, in a religious education lesson, used candlelight and calming music to encourage pupils to explore and verbalise their feelings and resulted in a remarkable time of contemplation and reflection. The need to take care of the resources of the world was emphasised in the story of Lakshmi, the giver of prosperity, during the teaching of Hinduism. There are also smaller, more spontaneous spiritual moments, such as one in a design and technology class when pupils showed astonishment and pleasure during a demonstration of vacuum forming.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

53. Arrangements to promote moral development are good. Pupils and students clearly know the difference between right and wrong and have a strong sense of fairness. When pupils do forget and sometimes treat others unkindly, they are often remorseful afterwards and will apologise without any prompting from staff. Moral themes are explored and reinforced in lessons. Members of staff take opportunities to remind pupils of the appropriateness of their actions and their consequences. They also provide excellent role models, both in their dealings with each other and in their treatment of the children in their care.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

54. Provision for the pupils’ social development is good, and is very closely linked to the good relationships within the school community. A high quality formal program for personal, social and health education permeates every aspect of the school. Responsibilities and tasks are offered to those pupils and students who can handle them, thus visibly increasing their sense of pride and self-worth. A number of Year 11 pupils are designated as prefects. There is a constant but unobtrusive emphasis on appropriate behaviour, taking turns and Lankhills School- 21 thinking of others’ needs. The school provides some opportunities for pupils and students to interact with the local community, for example inter-school sports and through work experience. There are also some limited opportunities for pupils to integrate with their peers in mainstream schools. Students in residence frequently have opportunities to go out on

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

visits. For example, during the inspection a group went to a local restaurant for their evening meal. This had a significant impact, with pupils realising that they can relate very well to people outside the school and their known environment.

p.21

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

55. There are good opportunities to promote cultural awareness in subjects, such as literacy, art, music and religious education. Pupils study Shakespeare's ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in English, they are exposed to the work of well-known artists throughout the school, and they listen to a wide variety of music in daily assemblies and in music lessons. They are introduced in religious education to other faiths such as Judaism and Hinduism. Theatre and dance groups sometimes visit the school, and a programme of trips and visits takes place throughout the year, including trips to France and Holland. However, multi-cultural aspects are not as well emphasised as cultural ones and the lack of emphasis on living in a multi-cultural society is a weakness. Lankhills School- 22

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56. The school takes very good care of its pupils. The school gives a very high priority to ensuring pupils’ welfare and protection. Members of staff know individual pupils and their families very well. Members of staff are very vigilant and there is a high level of awareness and understanding aware of procedures for ensuring pupils' safety and their well-being at all times. The child protection policy and procedures are very well documented and include very useful guidance and information on a wide range of child protection issues and aspects of care of particular relevance to the pupils with learning difficulties. All members of staff receive regular training and attend workshops on a range of child protection issues. The induction of new staff includes very thorough briefing and training in child protection and welfare issues. The school has a very good understanding of the principles of the Children

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Act and works most effectively with other agencies where there are concerns. The school has very effectively addressed the concerns of the previous full inspection about the arrangements for child protection.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

57. Parents are positive about how well teachers, residential unit and support staff know their children and the level and quality of the support they are given. They are very pleased with how well their children’s self-esteem and confidence are promoted and they are confident that pupils feel valued and secure both in the school and the residential unit. Individual parents informed the inspection team how very pleased they now are with their children’s progress and personal development, despite some having had initial concerns when their children received a placement at Lankhills. In contrast, one parent had a negative view of the school.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

58. Throughout the school and in the residential unit there is a very effective focus on pupil’s personal development and independent living skills through lessons, work experience, and visits and trips. Pupils are given a good range of opportunities to take individual and school responsibilities. In some subjects, such as science, technology, and personal social and health education, there is a good focus on a wide range of health and safety issues, for example road safety, safety in the home, personal hygiene and drugs awareness.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

59. The personal, social and health education programme, in particular, most effectively promotes pupils self-awareness and self esteem. It is planned well to provide pupils with the skills to look after themselves, to become more self-confident and knowledgeable about themselves and their emotional and physical development and to give them strategies to cope with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Sex education is approached in a very mature and sensible manner, and pupils are able to talk about a range of potentially sensitive issues and raise concerns in a safe context. The residential unit’s after-school activities are very carefully planned to develop pupils’ social skills and provide them with structured and progressive opportunities to gain in independence and develop inter-personal skills.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

60. The pastoral system provides a very secure framework for pupils. Senior members of staff support class teachers in implementing procedures for promoting and managing behaviour and positive attitudes.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

61. Pupils appreciate that staff help them to do their best in lessons and they feel safe in school. Parents are confident that staff will listen to and deal with concerns well and they value how effectively the school promotes a very positive ethos and community spirit, a Lankhills School- 23 caring attitude, and an awareness of others. Pupils are confident there is an adult they can talk to and trust and that concerns will be dealt with. The school prefects also play a very valuable role in monitoring behaviour and bringing concerns to the attention of staff. School and care staff work closely with parents and carers where there are concerns.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

62. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic progress and personal development are good, as at time of last inspection. All pupils have good quality individual education plans. A particular strength is the very high profile which pupils’ targets have for themselves and the importance given to them by teachers. For example, in a Year 8 lesson registration period, the teacher asked each pupil to ‘remind’ him of their key target. Arrangements for annual reviews are very effective and efficient and are supported by good guidelines for staff and parents. All requirements of the code of practice are fully met.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

63. All subjects have effective assessment and recording arrangements and the core subjects of English, mathematics and science have particularly refined systems in place, which help teachers to monitor progress very carefully. All assessment is informed by a good baseline procedure on admission. Most subjects carry out informed, non-statutory tests. In geography regular ‘quiz’ type activities are enjoyed by pupils and used by staff to monitor progress in knowledge and understanding of issues covered in the subject and to aid future planning.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

64. The range of documentation within the assessment aspect is comprehensive and of good quality. Guidelines are clear and senior staff members carefully monitor assessment data obtained. Guidelines are in place for marking pupils’ work and marking is clearly regarded as part of the assessment process. Within lessons, teachers regularly use good question and answer sessions as part of an informal, but important assessment process. There are home-school diary/contact books but their use in keeping parents informed about their child’s progress is very variable.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

65. In the extended education unit, the assessment and recording systems have improved since the last full inspection. Clear and sequenced learning targets enable more accurate tracing of students’ progress. In English, mathematics and communication skills very specific targets are set. In areas such as performing arts, more use is made of photographic and video evidence. Three externally accredited schemes are used to add further structure to the curriculum and to enable students to gain validated qualifications. Reviewing of students’ progress is very thorough with formal reviews at half-termly intervals. Seven of the ten students in the post-16 provision are in residence at the school. Very close links are maintained with care staff and the two teams of staff work in harmony. The quality of the annual review documentation is excellent and ensures that parents and care staff are fully involved in the process. The students develop portfolios, recording their achievements

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

66. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are very good and staff members are consistent in calmly implementing the recently introduced behaviour and discipline programme. The emphasis on promoting good standards of behaviour and politeness by rewards and recognition is underpinned by a carefully structured programme of sanctions. Senior staff members support class teachers in monitoring pupils’ behaviour and addressing the problems of pupils with challenging behaviour. During lessons, individual good behaviour and effort are noted with positive ticks, and inappropriate behaviour with negative ticks. Team points are also awarded to good effect. Displays remind pupils of rules, and there is a high awareness of pupils’ individual personal targets which are highlighted regularly during lessons. The school reports on the behaviour of students to parents or carers on a weekly basis.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Lankhills School- 24 67. There are some instances of pupils falling out with each other and threatening and unacceptable behaviour. These are dealt with on an individual basis, and pupils do not see bullying as an issue. There is a strong anti-bullying culture. Members of staff are very vigilant and deal with any instances of unacceptable behaviour and harassment effectively. Pupils are given appropriate opportunities to discuss feelings and concerns. For example, in a Year 8 class at the beginning of a lesson, each pupil and the teacher chose a mask to show if they had had a happy, sad, or angry break time, and explored the reasons for their resultant feelings. Pupils who sometimes had bad experiences at break time were reminded of the strategies they should apply to keep out of trouble.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

68. The school has very good procedures for monitoring pupils’ attendance and for following up unexplained and intermittent attendance. Parents are contacted just after the start of the school day if they have not informed the school that their child will be absent, and this has revealed the occasional instance of truancy. The attendance of individual pupils, whose attendance gives cause for concern, is carefully monitored, patterns of absences are noted and the education welfare service involved as necessary.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

69. The school has very good procedures and arrangements for dealing with sick and injured pupils. Procedures for dealing with accidents and emergencies are well thought out and during the inspection, staff dealt very effectively with two medical emergencies that necessitated calling ambulances. All accidents and injuries are carefully recorded and parents informed as appropriate. Pupils are well supervised at break times, but there were some instances of pupils moving between lessons, involving leaving one building to get to another, without obvious supervision. Pupils with behaviour problems were observed leaving class to get their medication without adults accompanying them.

p.24

Residential Provision

70. The care arrangements for pupils in the residential unit are very good as is the overall provision. It gives those pupils and students who enjoy its benefits the best possible start to the day and continues to offer an extremely caring, very stable, and supportive, safe evening environment. A good variety of evening activities help to extend and promote pupils’ experiences, interests, self-esteem and self-confidence, foster positive behaviour and actions and promote the quality and standard of education provided by the school. Members of staff ensure that all pupils, especially those who are content to sit passively for long periods, take part in some stimulating activities each evening.

p.24

Residential Provision

71. Behaviour in the residential area is of a very high standard, building on that which exists in the school setting. Relationships between pupils and care staff are very good. Although members of the care staff are fully conversant with the individual characteristics and foibles of their charges and share the individual educational plans with the school, they have separate care plans. However, residential members of staff do contribute orally and by written report to annual reviews. Records of daily incidents are maintained, but generally, the passing of information between care and teaching staff is oral and informal. Residential members of staff are on-call within the dormitory area at night. Staff knowledge of child protection procedures and practices is very good.

p.24

Residential Provision

72. There is a very pleasant non-institutional, ‘family’ atmosphere in the unit, created largely by the quality of relationships, which exist between care staff and pupils and students in residence. Pupils are provided with good levels of privacy, and the two person rooms are Lankhills School- 25 particularly spacious. Pupils have good opportunities to make personal choices. There is a well-equipped kitchen provided for the students and they can make snacks and sandwiches as they wish and there are bowls of fruit to choose from on the tables in the student lounges.

p.24

Residential Provision

73. Residential accommodation is satisfactory except for the residential workers’ sleeping on-call facilities. Pupils have reasonable personal space and some pupils have individual bedrooms. Bedroom areas have been personalised by a few pupils, although the care staff expressed a wish that more students would chose to personalise their rooms with posters and personal belongings. There are opportunities for independent study or homework. Lounge areas have television, video, and computer facilities. There is a telephone accessible to the pupils independently, and calls in and out may be made with reasonable privacy. The school’s facilities are well used to supplement the residential provision.

p.25

Residential Provision

74. Care staff work effectively to promote links with families, encouraging their visits, welcoming their involvement in activities, and providing informal support for siblings as appropriate. The Head of Care is a very effective and enthusiastic with a very clear direction for this aspect of the school. The progress that pupils make, both academically and in their personal development, is enhanced by the guidance, opportunities and experiences that this good residential provision furnishes. Lankhills School- 26

p.25

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

75. The responses to the parents’ questionnaires and comments made by most of the small number of parents who came to the parents meeting were very positive. Parents are very supportive of the school. Parents value the way the school listens to and deals with their concerns and the approachability of staff. Almost all were positive that their children make good progress, and are expected to work hard and achieve their best. Nearly all were confident that the school keeps them well informed about how their children are getting on.

p.26

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

76. However, a significant minority of parents do not feel that their children get the right amount of homework; at the parents’ meeting it was clear there was some confusion about the role and use of the home-school diary and about what homework their children should be doing. From a scrutiny of home-school diaries during the inspection it appeared that generally these are not well used to establish a useful dialogue between parents and teachers or to clarify what pupils should be doing at home. In the residential unit, however, the home unit diary is used well to ensure parents are kept well informed of what their children have done over the past week and about their successes and achievements. Overall, however, the school could make more effective use of parents as a resource to support their children’s learning, through the use of the home-school diary.

p.26

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

77. The school provides parents with information about forthcoming events, visits, trips and sporting and other achievements, and with information about changes and future plans through the recently introduced termly school newsletter and letters home. Parents also get a class newsletter about some of the activities the pupils have undertaken over the previous term and what aspects of the curriculum they will be covering in the coming term. The prospectus does not give a clear picture of the life and work of the school, and has very little information on policies such as the behaviour policy and the pastoral system. Subjects are merely listed and parents are not given a clear picture of the school’s resources, the range of work and activities their children will undertake or how they will be taught. Better use could be made of displays around the school to inform visitors about the curriculum and the

p.26

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

78. Parents are kept informed of their children’s targets for learning and development and are given opportunities to discuss them at annual reviews and consultation meetings, and they are actively involved in setting targets for improvement. The annual pupil reports are good and give useful information on how well children are doing and on areas for development

p.26

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

79. A few parents help regularly in school, for example with riding for the disabled, and more help with specific projects, such as constructing the quiet garden from the former swimming pool and bar coding library books. The recently established parent’s support group provides very good opportunities for parents to meet and to share their experiences; the school greatly appreciates their contribution to, for example, the induction of new families to the school. Overall, however, the involvement and impact of parents in the life and work of the school are somewhat limited. Parents attend induction meetings, consultation meetings, annual reviews, open days and school events. Lankhills School- 27

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

80. There are significant strengths in the quality of leadership and management across the school. Overall, the leadership supplied by the headteacher and key staff is very good.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

81. The headteacher provides clear and purposeful leadership. There is a sustained focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning through close monitoring. There has been a significant improvement in the quality of teaching as a result. Teachers are professional and open, inviting support and sharing expertise. The headteacher has developed an ethos where members of staff share a commitment to improvement whilst at the same time developing a culture of teamwork where teachers are accountable to the pupils and each other. He makes good use of comparative data to monitor the school’s development and indeed to track pupils’ progress to ensure that the school is ensuring that pupils make good progress.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

82. The deputy headteacher has responsibility for developing the curriculum and increasingly is responsible for the day-to-day running of the school as the headteacher is drawn into preparing for the new school. 3 She, too, provides very good leadership. There is a very effective professional working relationship between the headteacher and the deputy. The challenge for the senior management over the next months is to maintain the quality of education at the school whilst preparing for the new one. It is planned to appoint a second deputy headteacher to start in January 2002 as part of the lead in to the opening of the new school. The senior teacher manages staff development effectively. Some realignment of his responsibilities is necessary in the short-term to provide the deputy head with additional support.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

83. Curriculum managers support colleagues well and they maintain a programme of monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in their area. They provide effective leadership to the subjects for which they have responsibility and have ensured that significant improvements have taken place in almost all subjects since the last full inspection.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

84. There have been significant improvements in the governance of the school since the previous full inspection report. The governing body fulfils its statutory duties effectively and it has a good understanding of the strengths of the school. Whilst the governing body is very supportive of the school, it has learned how to challenge and hold the school to account. Through commissioned reports and presentations and the active work of the committees it now questions the work of the school in order to satisfy itself that what should be done is being done and that the school is providing quality education to the pupils. It monitors the school’s progress in the school development plan effectively. At the same time it too is preparing for the development of the new school and is undertaking specific training in, for example, personnel matters as part of that process. It takes its duties very seriously.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

85. Financial management is very good. The headteacher and governing body thoroughly analyse the needs of the school and balance these against available resources. Planning is far-sighted, thorough and effective. Many factors are carefully considered before decisions are made and resources committed. Specific grants are used well. Financial administration is very good. The office staff has a great deal of experience and

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

3 A new school for pupils with special needs is currently being planned to open on the school site in September 2002 as part of a local education authority re-organisation of special needs in the Winchester and Eastleigh areas. Lankhills School- 28 expertise in ensuring that the financial systems work smoothly and all regulations are observed. The Local Education Authority audited the school in November 1999 and all the recommendations in their report have been fully carried out. Members of the office staff exercise a constant vigilance to ensure that the best value for money is achieved. The governing body regularly inspects financial records and checks audit trails to ensure high standards are maintained.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

86. Overall, there is a satisfactory match of staffing to the demands of the curriculum. The school has established a balance between specialist and generalist teaching. Staff in the residential unit is appropriate. Accommodation is broadly satisfactory, although there are areas, such as physical education and music where learning is restricted by the quality of the indoor space. The level of resources is satisfactory overall, with areas of strength, such as in English. In science, resources are poor.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

87. In view of the good quality of teaching and learning, good attitudes, behaviour and personal development of the pupils and very good overall management, the school gives good value for money. Lankhills School- 29

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

88. In order to build on the school’s many strengths the governors, headteacher and staff should ensure that:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

parents are involved to a greater extent in their child’s learning by :  clarifying the use of the home-school diary and developing its use as a means of involving parents in what is happening in school;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 ensuring that homework is set in a consistent fashion and the school policy about homework is clear to parents; (paragraphs 41, 76)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ensure that subject planning includes specific opportunities to develop pupils’ awareness of other cultures. (paragraph 55) Lankhills School- 30

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 85 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 28

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 6 31 41 22 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 Number of pupils on the school’s roll 120 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 20

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of 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 Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 11.8 School data 0.2 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Lankhills School- 31

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black– Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 120 White 7 0 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.

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Y13

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.0 Financial year 1999/00

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Y13

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 8.13

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Y13

Average class size 10.16 £ Total income 1,124,959 Education support staff: Y7– Y13 Total expenditure 1,119,874 Total number of education support staff 18 Expenditure per pupil 8,959

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Y13

Total aggregate hours worked per week 535 Balance brought forward from previous year 46,628

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Y13

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 51,613 Lankhills School- 32

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

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

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

My child is making good progress in school. 49 40 4 5 2

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

Behaviour in the school is good. 24 60 7 3 5

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 25 47 21 7 0

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 40 7 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 74 24 0 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 58 40 0 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

The school works closely with parents. 50 38 0 2 3

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

The school is well led and managed. 57 29 2 2 10

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 36 2 2 7

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 43 31 9 7 10

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Percentage of responses in each category 4

4 In some cases the numbers do not always add up to 100 per cent because of rounding. Sometimes, too, some parents chose not to give a response to a particular question and this affects the overall percentage response to the particular question. Lankhills School- 33

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ENGLISH

89. Since the last inspection, there has been a good level of improvement in the teaching and learning of English in both the lower and upper parts of the school. There is now a whole- school commitment to improving standards in literacy. Pupils’ performance in national tests, which are used for diagnostic purposes, shows a good improvement in their attainment over time. In the same period, there has been a particular focus on grammar, handwriting, and free writing that has led to improvement in these aspects. The range and scope of writing have improved and some aspect of English is now targeted in every lesson. The adoption of the National Literacy Strategy 5 approaches has introduced structure and routine across all English teaching. This has had a further positive impact on learning, enhanced by more versatile resourcing.

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ENGLISH

90. Pupils make at least good progress overall in English at both key stages and in all aspects. In writing progress is very good. Progress made by pupils with additional special educational needs is also good.

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ENGLISH

91. By the end of Key Stage 3 6 pupils have already been introduced to good quality literature and poetry. They listen carefully and with a great deal of pleasure when the teacher reads the story of Chaucer’s ‘Pardoner’s Tale’. When asked to recall the story, they do so in a clear and precise voice using key vocabulary from the story. In one lesson, their confidence in speaking was extended to a short play in which all pupils took a character. Pupils dropped into the role-play without self-consciousness and were quite happy to refine their characters and their own performances. There was equality of opportunity for all with pupils with additional special educational needs making as equal a contribution as their more able classmates. Social drama plays an important part in supplementing speaking and listening at Key Stage 3. Scrutiny of work revealed earlier work on role-play in a study of World War 2 evacuees. By the end of the key stage, pupils work confidently in pairs and

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ENGLISH

small groups. They make oral contributions to lessons and freely read their work aloud.

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ENGLISH

92. There is a range of reading ability at the end of each key stage. Lower and middle attainers read hesitantly and look to the listener for clues and some support. They begin to use their knowledge of initial sounds to attempt simple three-letter words and they identify characters within the text. Higher attainers respond to a range of texts and apply their reading skills within other subjects. They learn that ballads promoted speaking and listening in an historical age when many people could not read and the availability of books was limited. They begin to use deductions when expressing their own views. At the end of Key Stage 4 7 , higher attaining pupils are able to offer opinions on Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet.' They are able to make links with 'West Side Story' and then translate the issues of both to today’s youth culture.

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ENGLISH

5 The National Literacy and the National Numeracy Strategies have been introduced in all primary schools and are being tried out in secondary schools. The strategy requires teachers to teach specified material in a particular sequence using a range of recommended teaching approaches. 6 Key Stage 3 refers to pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9. 7 Key Stage 4 refers to pupils in Years 10 and 11 Lankhills School- 34 93. The availability of good quality fiction serves to inspire pupils in their free writing. There is an emphasis on creative writing from Year 7 with pupils being encouraged to develop their use of adjectives and adverbs. Lower achievers develop them in their speech. One lower attaining pupil described stew as being ‘hot, lumpy and spicy’ . Another was able to offer ‘ a carpet like grass’ as an example of a simile. By the end of the key stage, creative writing is becoming longer, imaginative, and clear. Pupils’ own ideas are extended logically

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ENGLISH

and legible, joined writing becomes a feature of presentation. The ghost stories of higher attainers at the end of Key Stage 3 are atmospheric with onomatopoeia, such as ‘oozy’ and ‘ squeegy’, adding to the mood of the writing. They also take to writing poetry and reporting in their work on the Battle of Hastings and a visit to Porchester Castle respectively. Those pupils who do not take readily to a joined writing are introduced to a handwriting programme to aid transfer. Lower attainers dictate a personal sentence and then print it with one to one help and prompting.

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ENGLISH

94. Technology plays a large part in developing writing skills and those pupils with poor skills are encouraged to use a simple word processing programme. One higher attainer used a more advanced word processing and graphics package to produce the cover for some sheet music of a song by Buddy Holly.

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ENGLISH

95. There is good improvement in pupils’ reading. A structured reading programme introduced at Key Stage 3 offers pupils support and a vehicle for learning phonics and spelling. With younger pupils and lower attainers, the use of ‘big books’ from the National Literacy Strategy are an additional motivating factor to poorer readers. Better readers are fluent and able to complete book reviews with confidence. All pupils are heard reading frequently by teachers and support assistants. Audio books loaned to pupils from the school’s library help to sustain the interest of reluctant readers. This not only promotes more independent interest in books but also usefully engages parents and carers. All reading records are comprehensive and well kept. Support assistants are well briefed and make a valuable contribution to reading activities. They work well alongside teachers and alone in the implementation of individual education plan targets. At both key stages, pupils

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ENGLISH

increase their response rates in their spellings and word recognition by pitting themselves against ‘Successmaker’, a structured spelling and word recognition computer software package.

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ENGLISH

96. The attention to grammar, spelling and writing continues through to Key Stage 4. The introduction of conjunctions and speech marks is combined with previous knowledge. The appetite of pupils for furthering their writing skills is supplemented by the use of thesauri and dictionaries. Using computer technology, they redraft their work and present it in varied and interesting ways. This also helps pupils to persevere in their learning tasks. Higher attainers identify alliteration in the works of Tennyson, for example ‘ bold brave Bedevere’ and try to incorporate examples in their own work. They interpret ancient language, such as ‘bore him’ meaning ‘carry him’ in the same works. Pupils develop the skills for writing in the present and past tenses and in summarising articles. A good example of all these higher skills is seen in a folder of work on mysteries and legends in which the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ is

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ENGLISH

investigated. Another pupil is able to locate and record relevant information in a review of ‘An Inspector Calls’. She is able to match characters with descriptions. Lower attainers are able to make a list of rules for a swimming pool, write a simple note of thanks on a postcard or write autobiographical details to a prompt sheet. In drama, social issues are re-visited in work on poverty and wealth. In this work, pupils are able to draw on their knowledge of the works of Chaucer and Dickens and make historical comparisons. Lankhills School- 35 97. Scrutiny of work in the extended education unit indicates that students extend their social sight vocabulary and learn to use the popular media of newspapers and magazines in maintaining their interest in reading. Lower attainers continue to improve their spellings through supported reading. They also build on their speaking and listening skills in

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ENGLISH

improving the accuracy with which they carry verbal messages. Higher attainers write reports on work experience as part of the ASDAN certification.

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ENGLISH

98. The quality of teaching at both key stages is good overall and very good in the teaching of basic skills, for example phonics and grammar. The effectiveness of planning is good and high expectations abound in lessons involving literature and creative writing. However, planning for speech and language and in some instances reading is not so tightly focused to generate the same high expectations. The acquisition of grammatical skills features highly in most lessons and, while many are well resourced and interesting, learning can become too routine in some lessons. Notwithstanding this, relationships in the classroom are good. Pupils in all classes offer support to each other, share in each other’s successes, and value the close attention that they receive from adults.

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ENGLISH

99. There is attention to planning for special educational needs and there is well-planned withdrawal of some pupils to a communications and skills group. Work in this group relates directly to individual education plans and pupils improve their word sequencing and their understanding of speech. Another small group of pupils at Key Stage 3 join a reading support group where they use ‘Talking Pendown’ in an attempt to accelerate learning.

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ENGLISH

100. Learning is most significant where planning is good and relates directly to individual education plans. At Key Stage 3, the adoption of the National Literacy Strategy pattern has influenced positively the promotion of small group work. Pupils have quickly acquired the skills of working as a class, in small groups and as individuals. In these groups, the introductory and plenary sessions are adhered to and teachers use effective questioning techniques in order to ensure understanding. Teachers are developing the use of symbols and where these are used they promote effectively the development of independent skills. A pupil with additional special educational needs uses a class display of symbols very successfully to plan the sequence of her lessons and activities for each day. Where there is good pace, the interest of pupils is maintained in both key stages and few holding exercises are seen. Pupils are praised and challenged throughout lessons by adults offering them an

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ENGLISH

101. Assessment in the subject is good throughout the school. Pupils are assessed termly and this information is used to inform the end of key stage record file. Teachers then use these assessments to adapt and change future work and to make sure that any gaps in pupils’ learning are identified and addressed. The assessment systems assist the school to determine the value-added element in English in individual pupils’ learning and attainment.

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ENGLISH

102. The leadership of English is very good. The subject manager has a high level of subject knowledge and commitment. Her dynamic approach to the subject and her enthusiasm are reflected in the response of both other staff and pupils. The manager has good relationships with the learning support staff who make significant contributions to the implementation of individual programmes. Training for support staff and new teachers of English in the school is good. Both benefit from a lengthy induction alongside the subject manager. The subject is well integrated into the curriculum and features highly in other subject areas. Its emphasis on literature makes a good contribution to spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. The emphasis on clear writing is also apparent in other subjects. The same attention is given to writing a science report as it is in any English lesson. The strong emphasis on this is having a positive effect but other aspects of English

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ENGLISH

could benefit from a similar focus. Lankhills School- 36 103. The subject is well resourced and monies are used strategically. Attention has been given to the need for structured reading schemes, fiction and non-fiction in stocking a library and resources area. The library technician works closely with the English co-ordinator and other subject managers to ensure best value is derived from budgets. This clear management of the resource budget results in children, for example studying 'Romeo and Juliet' having access to set readers, videos, schools television programmes and the Internet. There is a subject development plan in place that is costed and prioritised. The speech and language therapist visits termly and it is at this juncture that the communications and skills group is revised and the progress of pupils assessed. Trained support assistants then work with selected groups with specific problems. Plans for the subject include providing more

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ENGLISH

resources to support the literacy initiative and further expansion of the use of information and communication technology.

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MATHEMATICS

104. Pupils' achievement in mathematics is good overall. Standards of achievement are good in Key Stages 3 and 4. Although it was not possible to observe teaching at Post-16, evidence from pupils’ work and discussion with pupils and staff indicate that their achievement is good also. Progress follows the same pattern as achievement, with pupils making good progress both in their lessons and over time. Progress in numeracy is best when closely linked to the modified National Numeracy Strategy, which has been adopted by the school. Overall, there has been good improvement in this subject since the 1997 inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

105. By age 14, higher attaining pupils understand the range of probability and are able to order events on a seven-point scale from certain to impossible. For example, they consider that a holiday from school tomorrow is very unlikely, whilst the possibility of rain tomorrow is very likely – with some considering it as certain. They can recognise acute, obtuse, and right angles and measure them to the nearest degree. They can interpret graphs and use co-ordinates in the first quadrant. Most can add and subtract numbers to 99. Lower attaining pupils are beginning to understand rotational symmetry, using whole body movements to reinforce the concept. They understand mathematical language such as high/low and largest/smallest. They can add to ten and recognise most coins.

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MATHEMATICS

106. By age 16, higher attaining pupils know that 60 seconds equal one minute, 60 minutes equal one hour and 24 hours equal one day. They are confident with a.m., p.m., noon and midnight and tell the time to nearest five minutes. They use television programme listings to practise these skills and work out the length of programmes. They can write tally charts and interpret bar and line graphs and pie charts. They understand place value and are able to add and subtract to 999. They name and recognise two-dimensional and three- dimensional shapes. Most pupils are successful in attaining the Certificate of Educational Achievement. Lower attaining pupils practise work on time, counting from one to 12, relating morning (a.m.) and afternoon/evening (p.m.) to the 24-hour clock. Some estimate the time it would take to walk a distance and then check their guess using a stopwatch. They match and name simple two-dimensional shapes, add pence and learn the

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MATHEMATICS

equivalence of a number of different coins to the pound. Many are able to attain the Certificate of Basic Skills in Numeracy.

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MATHEMATICS

107. By age 19, higher attaining pupils can add numbers such as 25 and 30 using a number square and can tell the time to the nearest half hour. Lower attaining pupils can sequence numbers one to five and learn one to one correspondence by laying a dining table for up to eight people. Lankhills School- 37 108. The school provides well for mathematics throughout the school day and across subjects. For example, in registration they learn to order the day in relation to the activities they will undertake. They count to twenty and do simple mental calculations in French as well as recognising and naming colours. In science they use the results they have obtained to produce graphs.

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MATHEMATICS

109. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good across the school, which is a very good improvement since the 1997 inspection. Teaching is consistently good at Key Stage 3 and good overall at Key Stage 4. Teachers use skilful questioning to extend pupils' thinking. In particular, the mental arithmetic starter session excites and motivates the pupils as they compete to demonstrate their knowledge, but this was not a constituent of all lessons. Teachers generally provide demanding work and have high expectations of behaviour and learning, which brings successful results. They use practical activities very effectively to engage pupils and reinforce learning, for example, measuring the height of other members of the class when extending their measuring abilities beyond one metre. The detailed planning that is used in most lessons and shared with the learning support assistants builds upon frequent assessments and good knowledge of what individual pupils

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MATHEMATICS

already know. Progress is easily measurable through the good records that are kept.

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MATHEMATICS

110. Teachers have clear learning objectives and use pupils’ individual education plans to ensure that specific needs are met. They are careful to provide pupils with plenty of time and encouragement to choose solutions in problem-solving activities. This gives pupils an opportunity to develop their independence and improves confidence. Classroom management and organisation are good. Pupils show a keenness to learn and co-operate well with one another. They give respect to each other’s efforts and this promotes a good working atmosphere in which pupils remain on task for extended periods. In the best lessons, whole-class sessions are used well to help pupils understand and reinforce their own learning and recognise the progress they are making. However, opportunities to promote learning are sometimes lost by a hasty or omitted final whole-class discussion. Information and communication technology is used in many lessons to give variety and

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MATHEMATICS

111. The subject manager for mathematics has worked with enthusiasm and energy since the last inspection to ensure that the mathematics policy and scheme of work are updated, suitably modified, in line with the National Numeracy Strategy and adapted so that appropriate learning opportunities are presented to the pupils. He has a clear vision for future development, and has moved the subject forward successfully. The monitoring and evaluation of teaching by the subject manager have raised its quality effectively. Teaching staff have received training in the National Numeracy Strategy, although further training is necessary to ensure consistency in implementing some of the numeracy structures; particularly, there is some inconsistency in the quality of introductory mental and plenary sessions. There is good and continuous monitoring and assessment of pupils’ achievement. The school has introduced assessment on entry to set targets and track pupils' progress as

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MATHEMATICS

they move through the school. As a result, teachers know pupils’ skills and abilities well, and use assessment information successfully to plan the next steps. There is an appropriate range of external accreditation for pupils at both sixteen and afterwards. Pupils' progress in mathematics is reported to parents in pupils’ annual reviews, which show clearly what pupils know, understand and can do. Resources have improved substantially since the last inspection, and are satisfactory in mathematics across the school. Lankhills School- 38

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SCIENCE

112. Progress in science in Key Stages 3 and 4 is good for both boys and girls. This represents good improvement since the last full inspection when progress and teaching were satisfactory. Pupils achieve two goals. First, they learn how to think carefully, how to investigate and how to use the evidence they collect to come to conclusions. Secondly, they develop very good knowledge and understanding about the world around them. In all lessons observed in both key stages pupils showed that they could think very logically and work their way to a sound conclusion. For example, pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 use the results of their practical work to decide which of the forces gravity, friction, air or water resistance, affects a boat floating on water. They construct parachutes and test which shape is most effective. Pupils in Key Stage 3 make electrical circuits and can explain why they work and what happens if the wiring is changed. They know how to undertake a range

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SCIENCE

of tests to identify the effects that heating and stirring have on the rate of dissolving salt in water.

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SCIENCE

113. The results of external assessments at 14 years old show good progress against pupils’ prior attainment at 11. The year 2000 Edexcel Certificate of Educational Achievement results, for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4, show that all passed with 29 per cent gaining merit and 12 per cent distinction. During Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, all pupils work through the topics in the National Curriculum. Pupils’ work completed over a long period shows that all pupils make at least good progress. There is clear evidence of an increase in the depth and extent of their knowledge but also the quality of their writing and general presentation improves. The high level of commitment and skill of the teacher are evident in the way that pupils are enabled to work at their own level. For example, lower attaining pupils cover all topics but higher attaining pupils cover them in more detail and write reports in their own words. All pupils develop an understanding of scientific names

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SCIENCE

and their meanings. At the end of Key Stage 3, pupils understand how the human body works, how light travels and about acids and alkalis and how the PH scale enables them to be measured. At the end of Key Stage 4, pupils have added to their understanding of topics taught in Key Stage 3. For example, they learn about the human nervous system and senses. Pupils in both key stages and all levels of attainment consistently show an excellent recall of previous learning and a very good ability to link together learning from several topics.

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SCIENCE

114. In Key Stages 3 and 4, the response of pupils in science is consistently very good and is sometimes excellent. Pupils show a very high level of commitment to learning and on the few occasions when an individual pupil disrupts, the rest of the group remains unaffected and continue with their work. Pupils are very eager to answer questions and to contribute to discussions. When they are required to work in groups, share ideas with other pupils and to come to shared conclusions, they work with great maturity and respect for others. Boys and girls work together excellently and a class of Year 9 pupils, learning about the human reproductive organs, showed maturity of the highest possible level. When undertaking practical work they set up their equipment quickly, work safely, and carefully obtain accurate results. They also clear away the equipment quickly. They help those who are having difficulties and discuss the outcomes of their work maturely.

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SCIENCE

115. The quality of teaching in science at Key Stages 3 and 4 is very good overall and sometimes excellent. It is the consistent high quality teaching, which accounts for the good progress that pupils make. The quality of the teacher’s planning is excellent and extends the National Curriculum to meet the needs of the pupils. The teacher of science has very good knowledge and understanding of the subject. Opportunities for pupils to develop their Lankhills School- 39 ideas and investigative skills, as well as extend their knowledge and understanding, are very skilfully created. In all lessons observed, and in the scrutiny of the pupils’ work, there is clear evidence that the highest expectations are maintained and pupils work hard to meet these. The management of pupils is consistently very good and is achieved through a calm, caring and very supportive teaching style. This incorporates very clear explanations, very

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SCIENCE

effective questioning of pupils, well-organised lessons and clear goals. Recording of pupils’ attainment and progress in Key Stage 3 includes grades for development of investigative skills, as well as knowledge. The very effective system has been designed by the teacher and is specific to the school. Key Stage 4 pupils all follow the Edexcel Certificate of Educational Achievement course which has its own recording and grading system.

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SCIENCE

116. The range of resources available to support science is poor. The specialist room is fitted out with appropriate furniture but space is limited. Store cupboards for chemicals meet health and safety requirements. Teaching of the topic ‘light’ is limited by the absence of blackout equipment. Teaching of ‘motion’ and some chemical reaction topics are very seriously restricted. Information and communication technology is not available in the science room and this seriously restricts the development of recording and analysis skills. The range of display materials such as posters is very limited.

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ART AND DESIGN

117. Improvement in art and design since the last inspection is good. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 4 has improved with the introduction of a subject specialist. Teaching and progress at Key Stage 3 have been maintained. Art and design is a developing strength of the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

118. At Key Stage 3, pupils’ achievement is good and occasionally very good. Pupils extend their knowledge of various media and develop recognition of the limitations of pencil, paint and clay. Lower attainers are offered novel approaches to developing their observational skills. In one lesson, a teacher used a ‘feely box’ to very good effect. Pupils used imagery from their tactile experiences to then draw what they thought objects were. In developing their observational skills, they extend their use of descriptors and adjectives. Middle attainers build on their knowledge and understanding to mix a palette of greens and then investigate the visual qualities of tones and shades. One boy produced an excellent watercolour of a variegated leave that demonstrated both understanding of technique and personal progress. At the end of Key Stage 3 pupils are able to integrate media and technique in work on the native American people. Higher attainers achieve national

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ART AND DESIGN

expectations in showing an understanding of the art of native Americans. They produce coiled pottery vases with scraffitoed surfaces that clearly show the influence of native American art and experience and were awe-struck when they saw the changes of the glaze when fired. There is a strong relationship between their two- and three-dimensional work through the use of colour and native motifs.

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ART AND DESIGN

119. The theme is explored further through the Internet and in making papier-mâché masks. Pupils at Key Stage 4 continue to increase their knowledge of the influence of famous artists on their lives. Using source material of the work of Roy Lichtenstein and the Cubists, pupils develop their compositional skills. Higher attainers arrange objects and explore visual imagery using a digital camera to help them frame their work. They develop knowledge of foreground and background and their influence on composition. Lower Lankhills School- 40 achievers trace the work of famous pop-artists and use ‘speech bubbles’ in their style to identify feelings and emotions. At the end of Key Stage 4, pupils achieve nationalexpectations. Drawings of buildings are analysed and represented with some accuracy, technical skill, and attention to detail. They then work on their subsequent digital images with the ‘Paint’ graphics programme to produce compositions in the style of

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ART AND DESIGN

Hundertwasser. Others, in certification groups, complete investigative studies of the Art Deco movement and in their observational drawings of Cartier clocks they make links with Egyptian history.

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ART AND DESIGN

120. It was not possible within the inspection to view the extended education unit in operation. Scrutiny of work within the unit confirms that exposure to art and artists continues. Displayed in the unit are examples of students’ designs and psychedelic posters in the 1960s' pop-art style, references to gallery visits and string jewellery made earlier.

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ART AND DESIGN

121. Pupils benefit from effective and well-planned teaching at both key stages with some aspects of Key Stage 4 being very good. All teaching is characterised by high expectations of pupil outcomes. Members of staff place a high value on pupils’ work. Teachers and support assistants interact well with pupils and continually give them supportive and encouraging comments. This, and very resourceful teaching methods, ensure that pupil management is always satisfactory and learning is good. Very good resourcing and variety of content within lessons promotes pupils' understanding and interest, and their concentration is invariably good. Pupils enjoy art and have a high regard for their teachers and peers. They routinely show respect for personal artefacts brought in to resource lessons and help each other. Pupils respond to challenge and do not shy from having a second attempt at a topic if the initial one failed.

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ART AND DESIGN

122. Art and design is very well managed by an enthusiastic and very skilled subject manager. There is a clear vision for the subject with a strong focus on access for special needs groups and a commitment to quality. However, full advantage is not taken to celebrate the work of pupils in the corridors and more public areas. The subject is well resourced but lacks a specialist room. This imposes some limits on the range of work that can be undertaken, for example, three-dimensional sculpture. The subject manager offers good support to other members of the art team and continually monitors how well pupils’ needs and potential are being met. There are comprehensive programmes of study in place that include modules for less able pupils. The present system of assessing and monitoring progress is comprehensive but somewhat onerous. The subject manager is piloting a more manageable format in order to make individual planning and assessment more accessible.

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ART AND DESIGN

One innovation is the development of a ‘photographic assessment folder’. This clearly indicates to teachers those pupils who are working towards, achieving or working beyond the target levels within each topic. Good use is made of sketchpads and occasionally homework is set when it is thought manageable within the home. Certification at the end of Key Stage 4 is well matched to the varying potential of pupils. The school is now building on its success with Certificates of Achievement for art by introducing a GCSE group.

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ART AND DESIGN

123. The subject manager has only recently been appointed. In a short time, she has introduced much innovatory practice. There are strong cross-curricular links with most subjects and aspects of English and information and communication technology are incorporated on a daily basis. Art and design makes a significant contribution to spiritual, moral, social, cultural and personal development and current issues are addressed within the context of lessons. For example, in studying the work of Henri Rousseu, the attention of pupils is drawn to the environmental issues of sustainable tropical rainforests and the effects of deforestation on lives and cultures. Lankhills School- 41

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

124. Pupils’ achievement in design and technology is good, on occasion very good. By the end of Key Stage 3, pupils have developed an understanding of the characteristics of different materials. They know that different materials require different techniques to join them and they understand that the properties of materials can change by the way they are treated. For example, the Year 8 class used the vacuum forming process to change flat sheets of plastic into particular shapes and the Year 7 class working with textiles used a range of techniques, including a sewing machine, to join and decorate material in the manufacture of a drawstring bag. Pupils are developing an understanding of design. They can analyse and research a problem. For example, Year 9 pupils are making a card model of a working mechanism using levers. They understand the link with work they have undertaken within science on levers. In textiles, pupils use computer aided design

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

techniques to design and produce embroidered names on their drawstring bags. Pupils’ use of tools is developing well, they use a range of woodworking tools safely and effectively and know which tools to select for particular processes.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

125. By the end of Key Stage 4 pupils are developing and refining the skills, knowledge and understanding of previous learning. For example, a Year 10 class is making working models using cams and levers directly linked to earlier design and research work carried out in Key Stage 3. Pupils’ ability to use tools and techniques effectively is good. In a Year 11 class, pupils are making a range of products, such as tables and cabinets as part of their examination programme. Their work is of very good quality, uses traditional techniques, such as mortice and tenon joints, and is finished and presented to a very high standard. Pupils also use electronics effectively in the production of their work and are comfortable with information and communication technology, particularly computer aided design, as part of their work. In food technology lessons, pupils are developing good knowledge, skills and understanding. A Year 11 class as part of their examination work prepared a range of foods

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

linked to their study of healthy eating and diet. They understood that some foods have high fat content and the disadvantages of this, analysing, for example, the amount of fat in 100g of Cheddar cheese.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

126. Improvement since the last full inspection has been good. Progress in pupils’ learning is now good and the food technology curriculum is much more comprehensive, encompassing the making and preparing of food, as well as issues of health, safety and consumer awareness.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

127. The quality of teaching and learning in all aspects of the subject is good. All aspects of the subject are taught by subject specialists who have very good knowledge and understanding of the subject, very high standards and good awareness of the fine balance required between support and challenge in the teaching of practical subjects to pupils with learning difficulties.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

128. Pupils make good progress throughout both key stages in their understanding and knowledge of the importance and possibilities of technology, their ability to solve design problems, use tools and techniques and produce work which is well finished is constantly improving. The impact of the skilled, specialist teaching in pupils’ progress and competence in a range of technological activities is clearly evident. As a result, pupils achieve success in the subject, show high levels of interest and motivation, and behave well. Their performance in examinations is testament to their own efforts and the high quality teaching in the subject. Lankhills School- 42 129. The subject manager, who is an experienced design and technology specialist, leads the subject very well. He works well with a colleague who leads on the textiles/food technology aspect of the subject and, between them, they manage a subject which is a

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

strength of the school. Resources for the subject are very good; two well-equipped specialist rooms encourage and promote high standards, which are carefully monitored by good quality assessment and recording procedures.

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GEOGRAPHY

130. Pupils’ achievements in geography are good. By the end of Key Stage 3, pupils have a good general understanding of the world. For example, in a Year 9 lesson, pupils are able to identify particular parts of the world on a map. They identify particularly rivers and rainforests and are beginning to demonstrate some understanding of the water cycle. In another Year 8 class, pupils are studying Ghana as part of work on locations contrasting with life in the UK. They are able to suggest with reasonable accuracy similarities and differences such as in education and climate. As part of this topic, pupils have studied the Meridian line and have very good knowledge of the countries on the line between the UK and Ghana. For example, they could identify key features of France ‘close to us, a bit like us’, Spain ‘good weather, lots of beaches’, Algeria ‘lots of desert’ and Mali ‘very dry and poor’. Pupils were eager to share this knowledge and the higher ability pupils have a very

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GEOGRAPHY

good understanding of life in some of these countries. Lower attaining pupils made good progress in their understanding of how countries can be very different even though quite close geographically as in Spain and Algeria.

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GEOGRAPHY

131. Geography is now taught in Key Stage 4 as part of a humanities approach and by the end of the key stage pupils have developed a good understanding of some key geographical concepts such as the water cycle. Pupils in a Year 10 class note that 70 per cent of the world is covered by water and the importance of water both in the life cycle of animals including humans and plants, and also the important link between clean water and health.

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GEOGRAPHY

132. In Year 11, pupils are undertaking a local study of Winchester. They are looking at a map of the city, identifying and successfully using grid references to locate them. Lower attaining pupils in this class can successfully describe a location as ‘the cathedral is at grid reference D-E’ whilst more able pupils quickly identified all the key sites and described routes to reach them.

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GEOGRAPHY

133. Since the last inspection pupils’ progress has improved in geography, lower attaining pupils show enthusiasm for learning within the subject and teaching is now good. The subject is now taught in Key Stage 4.

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GEOGRAPHY

134. The quality of teaching and learning in geography is good, on occasion outstanding. Teachers have good subject knowledge, the National Curriculum is closely followed and the more able pupils are challenged by an emphasis on a research approach to the topic. Pupils make good progress throughout both key stages in their knowledge and understanding of the world. The high quality of the teaching has a very positive impact on pupils’ learning. For example, in a Year 8 lesson the teacher's production of a parcel which had arrived from Ghana excited and stimulated pupils’ interest and elicited some excellent response from pupils - ‘I know what that is’ and ‘we don’t use those anymore in England’. Lankhills School- 43 135. In Year 11, excellent teaching of lower attaining pupils studying grid references meant that by the end of the lesson, all the group could describe the grid reference process and this was followed up by a brief visit into Winchester to check routes to particularly sites.

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GEOGRAPHY

Pupils’ interest was captured and clear gains in knowledge and understanding were evident. This supportive, sensitive, but challenging teaching has a clear and positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

136. The subject is well led by a subject manager who has good subject knowledge and understanding, uses resources including field trips well and monitors the quality of the subject across the school very effectively.

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HISTORY

137. Pupils achieve well and make good progress in history in Key Stage 3 and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils’ sense of time develops and they learn to compare current life styles with those of previous generations. History is only taught in Key Stage 4 during the summer term, so it was not possible to see teaching, nor was there sufficient evidence from pupils’ work to make secure judgements about teaching, learning, achievement or progress in this Key Stage. It is not taught to pupils in the extended education unit.

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HISTORY

138. By age 14, pupils know the day and the date, and changes to the day’s routine. They are developing a clear understanding of historical periods and can recognise and discuss differences in clothing. For example, they distinguish between clothes worn by the Stuarts and those worn today, commenting how awkward and bulky they feel. They can use prepared statements saved in the computer and ‘drag and drop’ them against the correct date relating to incidents during the Civil War.

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HISTORY

139. The quality of teaching and learning is good and shows improvement since the previous inspection. Teachers plan thoroughly and in the best lessons carefully explain to the pupils what they are going to do and what it is intended they should learn. They select resources carefully to help pupils acquire historical ideas. For example, Year 8 pupils were able to dress in clothes similar to those used by the people at the time of the Civil War. Teachers make very effective use of time so pupils remain interested by the use a variety of activities. For example, a video and facsimile of letters written during the Civil War were provided to deepen and extend the understanding and learning of the pupils. Teachers assess the effectiveness of learning by carefully phrasing questions to match pupils’ abilities. In a lesson concerned with the opening up of America, Year 9 pupils were asked to give reasons why they would not want to be a pioneer. Activities are presented so that

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HISTORY

pupils with different abilities have similar experiences using different levels of skill, some writing independently, some copying words and sentences and others gluing pre-written sentences in the correct order. However, an occasional lack of pace results in pupils becoming unsettled and not making as much progress as they should. Teachers generally manage pupils with great skill so pupils remain interested and keen to take part in lessons. Teachers and support staff constantly encourage pupils to make comparisons. Pupils do this well, volunteering ideas when discussing artefacts. Lankhills School- 44 140. The subject manager is effective and resourceful. She has developed a good scheme of work and medium-term planning, which provide pupils with appropriately broad experiences of National Curriculum history and contribute to successful teaching and learning. Assessment profiles are well used. She gives helpful support through the

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HISTORY

organisation of resources, the development of a moderated bank of examples of pupils’ work and the monitoring of planning and teaching. Visits to places such as the local museums and castles have a good effect on learning, social, and cultural development. Good displays of pupils’ work have a positive effect on pupils’ self-esteem.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

141. Progress made by boys and girls in information and communication technology lessons in Key Stages 3 and 4 is very good overall and sometimes excellent. Pupils have a wide range of skills and understanding. In Key Stage 3, pupils learn how to use the keyboard and icons. They develop their skills and at the end of Key Stage 3, they can use spreadsheets to portray data in a range of different ways. They know how to scan pictures and integrate them into text to make pieces of work for their history folders. Pupils use a digital camera to design Christmas cards and learn how to rotate and reflect patterns. They can use computers to design pie charts and graphs to illustrate information and use word processing to add text. Key Stage 4 pupils continue development of these skills and increase the level of their independence in lessons. They use the Internet as well as digital cameras to gather material. Clip Art and Word Art programs are used extensively. Their

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

word processing skills increase to include the use of text frames and they can modify font styles. Work is produced for inclusion in English, humanities, and other folders. Pupils of all levels of attainment know how to carry out set procedures and how to get the best results. For example, a year 11 boy, who has severe learning difficulties, explained why a picture file could not be saved onto a floppy disk and how it would need a CD which has greater storage capacity. He also explained how it would be possible to compress the file using a zip package.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

142. The response of pupils in information and communication technology lessons is very good overall and is sometimes excellent. Pupils work very well and follow instructions carefully. They listen with great concentration and are very willing to go to the large demonstration screen to illustrate points to the class. Behaviour is consistently very good. On a limited number of occasions individual pupils are disruptive but the rest of the class continues with its work. Pupils help each other and show each other great respect. They clearly enjoy information and communication technology lessons, work with commitment and concentration and show very positive attitudes.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

143. The quality of teaching is very good overall and sometimes excellent. Many improvements have been made since the last inspection. Planning is very thorough and includes detailed schemes of work. The full range of topics in the National Curriculum is taught and teachers have a clear understanding and knowledge of information and communication technology. Teaching is consistently very effective and members of staff have high expectations. Teachers explain tasks clearly, their questioning is very good and pupils are enabled to work independently. Information and communication technology lessons are characterised by a brisk pace, clear goals and effective support for pupils all leading to very effective learning. Management of pupils is always good and is sometimes Lankhills School- 45 very good or excellent. Pupils know the routines of the computer room and quickly move through tasks with the minimum of supervision. Assessment of pupils and recording of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

results are currently unsatisfactory but the school is working hard to develop ways of improving this. Members of the support staff are used effectively and make a good contribution to lessons. Award bearing courses have been introduced in Key Stage 4.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

144. Since the last inspection, the school has successfully bid for funding for information and communication technology through the National Opportunities Funding scheme and the National Grid for Learning and this is to be used for future staff development in information and communication technology. Staff development already completed has been very successful and has contributed to the very good quality of teaching overall. Individual members of staff have been paired with colleagues who have a good knowledge and understanding of information and communication technology. The two teachers have then taught classes as a team so that the relatively less able teachers have developed their skills. 'Successmaker' is a computer program designed to increase the pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy. It has only recently been introduced to the school and, therefore, its effectiveness cannot yet be assessed. However, disruption is caused by pupils leaving

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

information and communication technology lessons to attend 'Successmaker' sessions and by the other half of the class returning. There is a need for the school to identify ways of minimising this problem.

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French

145. Pupils’ achievement in French is good, sometimes very good. By the end of Key Stage 3 they listen well and are developing good skills in listening carefully to how words are pronounced in the French language. This good achievement is a direct result of the good quality of teaching in most lessons which uses the target language; pupils are used to the teacher speaking in French. Although a few pupils are hesitant or reluctant to speak in French, their confidence grows as a result of the skilled and supportive teaching and they can use simple phrases well such as ‘ça va’, ‘bonjour Madame’, and ‘Je m’appelle Mark’. They are developing a good social vocabulary. They know numbers up to twenty and can describe simple addition sums, for example, ‘six et sept font treize’. Pupils achieve well in reading French words, although their ability to write in the language is less well developed due to their general difficulty in writing.

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French

146. By the end of Key Stage 4, pupils continue to make good progress and they can read worksheets in French and make appropriate responses. The higher attaining pupils have developed extensive vocabularies; they can translate sentences with a significant degree of accuracy. In one Year 10 lesson the excellent quality of the teaching enabled pupils to order food in French from a menu written in French and translate into English what they had ordered. The teaching very successfully promoted pupils’ correct pronunciation and alerted pupils to the importance of correct intonation when speaking to a French person as one could when ordering food in a French café. This particular lesson was taught almost entirely in French, which the pupils are comfortable with; they too rarely converted to English.

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French

147. Pupils’ achievements have steadily improved since the time of the last inspection, particularly at Key Stage 4. Pupils continue to develop their confidence and their vocabulary is impressive. Lankhills School- 46 148. The quality of teaching and learning in the subject is of a high standard. The teaching is never less than satisfactory, usually good or very good and on occasion excellent. This has a clear and positive impact on pupils’ learning. They enjoy the subject and have overcome their reluctance to speak French. They behave well and show interest. In one Year 7 class pupils themselves identified that learning numbers after twenty would be relatively easy because of the method used of repeating numbers they are comfortable with below ten added to ‘vingt’, ‘trente’, ‘quarante’, one pupil remarked ‘it’s the same as we do’. The subject is taught by a number of teachers all of whom have good command of the

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French

language and find the subject enjoyable, if challenging to teach to pupils with a range of learning difficulties. The subject manager is very skilled she manages and co-ordinates the subject very effectively and her specialist skills and background make a major impact on the quality of teaching and learning in the subject. She has successfully addressed the weakness identified in the last inspection of pupils at Key Stage 4 making unsatisfactory progress; it is now good. Expectation levels of the teachers teaching the subject are very high, assessment and record keeping are good and used effectively to inform teachers’ planning which is uniformly of good quality. The subject makes a major contribution to pupils’ social and cultural development, for example, visits to France are organised, visitors from France received and pupils communicate with French pupils via letter and e-mail. The subject is a significant strength and an impressive aspect of the school’s work.

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MUSIC

149. Progress in music has been maintained since the last inspection through a structured approach to teaching. It is taught mainly at Key Stage 3 but the opportunities for pupils at Key Stage 4 are limited. Students in the extended education unit have taster sessions through arts modules. Although only a small number of lessons were seen during the inspection, pupils’ achievements in music are satisfactory overall and it continues to have status within the curriculum. Pupils make satisfactory progress in performing and composing simple pieces as well as listening and appraising music. At the end of Key Stage 3, pupils have advanced from identifying instruments of the orchestra to making comparisons between instruments and identifying their contribution to the mood of pieces heard.

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MUSIC

150. All pupils in the lower school have one music lesson each week. During these sessions, they listen to, and reflect on recorded music of, for example, ‘Emperor’ by Beethoven and recall the composer and the title from previous lessons. After careful listening, high attainers are able to identify the repeat pattern in ‘Mars’ by Holst or in a twelve bar blues. Over time, pupils have access to electronic keyboards, untuned percussion, and wind instruments. The use of ocarinas introduces an element of fun and novelty while providing opportunities for playing simple three note tunes together or individually. There are good cross-curricular links and during the inspection, pupils were observed practising and singing, ‘Au clair de la lune’ and ‘Frère Jacques’ for a forthcoming assembly. Scrutiny of the work of Key Stage 4 and post-16 students indicated a continuing access to natural and recorded sounds. Students develop an appreciation of the music of

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MUSIC

other cultures in listening to tapes and CDs as a recreational interest.

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MUSIC

151. Teaching by the specialist supply teacher is satisfactory. The teacher has a very good subject knowledge to teach the subject and is personally a very skilled musician. Lessons are well planned for progression with clear objectives. Good planning produces wonder and surprise in the response of pupils when a strange instrument, the tuba, is introduced and played by the teacher. This contrasts with their reflection when listening to Lankhills School- 47 the work of Grieg. The work is explained to pupils clearly but sometimes they are overloaded with detailed subject information and expectations for concentration are too high. On these occasions, less attentive pupils resort to improvising with equipment and disturb the lesson. Some children are similarly distracted when copying exercises set for them are too difficult. However, the judicious deployment of support staff helps to bring these pupils

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MUSIC

back on task. Teachers cater for special needs pupils and ensure their inclusion in practical work. During the inspection, pupils across the key stage display sensitivity to those less confident than themselves. One child showed spontaneous feelings of compassion and, without prompt, offered physical reassurance to a child physically distressed by the playing of a tuba.

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MUSIC

152. There is a good policy in place. The present supply teacher follows the scheme of work that is built around programmes of study and covers all aspects of the National Curriculum. Occasional homework is appropriately set and marked. Progress is recorded through the continuous assessment of performance and acquired knowledge. The school has very good resources and they are very well used. There are sufficient keyboards, percussion, and wind instruments for all pupils to be involved. While music is offered in a specialist room, this is small and becomes cramped due to the large number of instruments stored there. This restricts movement and occasionally is the cause of minor incidents of poorer behaviour. Scrutiny of work and records indicates that music has raised the community profile of the school. The performance at Christmas of the school choir at the United Reform Church in Winchester was noted as being a particularly uplifting experience.

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MUSIC

‘Yanomama’, described as a musical extravaganza, involved pupils from the school performing at St. Alfred’s College. The subject continues to make a satisfactory contribution to the cultural and spiritual development of pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

153. There has been significant improvement since the previous full in inspection where pupil progress was judged satisfactory. Particular improvements relate to the rate of pupils’ progress, the quality of teaching, particularly teachers’ subject knowledge, and the time allocated to the subject.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

154. Pupils make good progress in physical education, particularly in the upper school where the school makes good use of specialist community facilities. There is a detailed scheme of work, which ensures coverage of a full range of activities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

155. At the time of the inspection Year 9 pupils developed their skills in tag rugby. The lesson planning identified the possibility of the girls feeling alienated and their full inclusion was a specific aim of the lesson. In order to develop teachers’ skills, the school had arranged for one session to be taken by a qualified rugby coach. The quality of teaching was very good and resulted in pupils working at a very good rate. The teacher led them through a series of activities designed to develop their skills, eventually leading to a game. The size of the hall was a restriction, the session had been planned to take place outdoors but because of rain, the class had to use the hall. Inevitably, there was some sitting around as pupils waited their turn. However, they played the game well, understanding simple tactics, such as drawing the opposition towards them and how to create space. Specific

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

rules, designed to ensure that individual higher attaining pupils did not dominate the game, such as the need for a minimum of three passes before a try could be scored, ensured that teamwork was developed. Girls were integrated well - there was an easy camaraderie with the boys. One able boy, thwarted in his attempts, lost his temper at one point and almost gave himself a ‘time-out’ to cool off. Lankhills School- 48 156. In another class, taken by a member of the school staff, pupils were similarly well motivated and again girls and boys worked together well with no fuss and certainly with no element of particular individuals, including those with additional special needs, being marginalised. One athletic girl competed strongly with two higher attaining boys. The lesson was well organised and led to a good understanding of the basic skills. Younger pupils in Year 7 practise and reinforce ball control skills through a variety of exercises,

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

including dribbling, rolling and catching.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

157. In the upper school, the school makes particularly good use of specialist community facilities, such as the adventurous activities available at Calshot or the local swimming pool. Progress in swimming is very good due to the very good teaching and quality of support. The range of ability, as in most classes within the school, is wide. For example, in the session seen, whilst the majority of pupils were at the stage of developing their skills, there were also two very competent swimmers and one pupil who was still developing her confidence to get her face wet. All pupils were appropriately challenged and made very good progress as a result.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

158. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. Lessons are prepared well and subject knowledge is good. Teachers are confident and enthusiastic and consequently pupils are motivated, work at a good rate and the sessions are fun and enjoyable. Physical education lessons make a very good contribution to pupils’ overall social development. For example, in one lesson with younger pupils, a particular pupil with additional special needs, struggling somewhat to get around the obstacle course, was positively encouraged and praised by a higher attaining girl rather than being blamed for causing their team to lose.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

159. Standards of achievement and pupils’ progress are good in Key Stages 3 and 4. Until very recently students at post-16 did not study this subject and there were no lessons to be observed during the inspection as work experience placements were in force. Consequently, there is insufficient evidence to make judgements about teaching, learning, achievement and progress.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

160. By age 14, pupils recognise symbols of the six major religious faiths. For example the Cross, the Aum, the Wheel of the Law, the Star of David, the Khanda and the Star and Crescent Moon. Lower attaining pupils show interest in the constituents of the Puja trays and are absorbed by Rangoli patterns. They enjoy learning about the Kippah and enjoy making one using a pattern from the Temple in Jerusalem and playing the game of Dreidal.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

161. By age 16, pupils show a high degree of maturity during a lesson devoted to stillness and reflection, recognising that smoke is often used as symbolism relating to the rising of wishes and prayers to a supreme being. At appropriate times, they discuss broader topics, such as love, marriage and divorce.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

162. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and shows improvement since the previous inspection. Teachers have good understanding of what is to be taught and of the needs and abilities of the pupils. Questioning encourages the use of communication skills as teachers encourage the pupils to engage in discussion. The use of multi-sensory resources is well thought through and lessons are well organised, with special needs assistants playing a positive role in the pupils’ learning and ensuring that pupils enjoy their work. All members of staff are aware of the desired outcomes of the lessons and work together to enable success. Opportunities for pupils to experience times of quiet and reflection are incorporated into the best lessons and particularly mature attitudes and depths Lankhills School- 49 of personal revelation were observed in a Year 10 lesson. Pupils respond well. Attitudes

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

and behaviour are never less than satisfactory and sometimes they are very good. Pupils show interest in the subject and a feature of much of the work is the ability they show to work together and help each other.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

163. The subject manager for this subject has supported good improvement since the previous inspection. There is a comprehensive scheme of work based on the locally Agreed Syllabus. Provision for religious education is improved, particularly resources which are satisfactory and can be readily augmented from other sources. Assessment is developing well, with pupils demonstrating at the end of each module what they know and understand.

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