Educational Diversity

The Blackpool Behaviour Support Service

Reporting inspector: Mrs. K. Halifax 25439

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The Blackpool Behaviour Support Service

Dates of inspection: 28 February to 3 March 2000

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The Blackpool Behaviour Support Service

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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The Blackpool Behaviour Support Service

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the unit. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the unit 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. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Unit address: The Oxford Centre 278a, Whitegate Drive Blackpool

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Appropriate authority: Blackpool Local Education Authority

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Name of responsible officer Mr. Z. Kulbacki Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 4

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Kath Halifax Registered inspector Geography History Equal Opportunities The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are the pupils taught? How well is the unit led and managed? Guy Hirst Lay inspector How well does the unit work in partnership with parents? Kay Charlton Team inspector English Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Mike Warman Team inspector Mathematics Art Music Special educational needs How well does the unit care for its pupils?

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Stuart Charlton Team Inspector Science Design and technology Information technology Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Stuart Charlton also covered the following aspects within the college-based provision : How well are the pupils taught?, How well is the unit led and managed?, How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?, and How well does the unit care for its pupils?

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

West Yorkshire Inspection & Consultancy Services 6, Lees Moor Road Cullingworth Bradford BD13 5HG

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Phone: 01535 274318 Fax: 01535 271892 E-mail: WestYorks@emaail.msn.com

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Subject responsibilities 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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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

The Blackpool Behaviour Support Service makes provision for pupils aged 11 to 16 who have been excluded from their mainstream school, or are at risk of losing their mainstream school placement. The provision for all pupils in Key Stage 3 is made at the Oxford Centre and that for Key Stage 4 pupils is made through other agencies, particularly Blackpool and Fylde Further Education College and Wyre Community Services. The Oxford Centre opened in March 1999 and the Key Stage 4 provision commenced in September 1999. Nearly half of the Year 11 pupils are enrolled on the Bridging Programme run by the College which was established in 1993.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

In total there are 89 pupils and students on roll; 74 are full-time and 15 are dual-registered. Eighteen pupils have a Statement of Special Education Need. The pupils and students are all white European and come from within the Blackpool Local Education Authority area. None of the pupils and students speaks English as an additional language. There are 24 pupils in the Key Stage 3 provision at the Oxford Centre and five full-time equivalent staff work with these pupils. There are two full-time and one part-time Project Worker for the Key Stage 4 students. All pupils are referred through an Admissions Panel.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

The Oxford Centre is the old Blackpool and Fylde Education Offices which have been extensively re-furbished. It is open from 9.00am to 12.00pm each day, 5 days per week with afternoon sessions, which are optional, run from 12.30pm to 3.00pm, Monday to Thursday. There are no lunch facilities at the Centre. The Year 10 programme does not have a permanent base while the Year 11 students are based at the College. There have been no exclusions from the provision and six pupils have been re-integrated into mainstream schools and others have moved to alternative provision in other schools in the Authority.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

The area has high social deprivation and this is complicated by a transient population. In general, the socio- economic circumstances of the pupils and students are below average. On entry to the Centre or the Key Stage 4 provision, the attainment of most pupils and students is below that which would be expected for their age. They have poor literacy and numeracy skills and their social skills are weak.

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HOW GOOD THE UNIT IS

Overall, the provision made by the Blackpool Behavioural Support Service for Key Stage 3 pupils, and for Key Stage 4 students through the Bridging Programme at the college, is effective. All pupils and students make good improvements in their attitudes to learning and in managing their behaviour. Teaching and learning for pupils in the Oxford Centre and students at the college is at least satisfactory, with many good, and some very good features. However, there are weaknesses in the programme for Year 10 students which limits the progress these students make. The Local Education Authority, through the Behaviour Support Service and the Oxford Centre Manager, provides clear direction for the work of the Centre and there is a clear rationale for the college- based provision. Overall, the provision provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the unit does well

• The Local Education Authority, the Head of the Behaviour Support Service and the Oxford Centre Manager provide clear direction for the provision for pupils in Key Stage 3 and students in Key Stage 4. • Pupils and students make good improvements in their attitudes to learning and in managing their behaviour. • The good teamwork between all staff is effective in supporting the pupils’ and students’ behaviour and their personal development. • A good start has been made in setting up the Key Stage 3 provision and the teaching and learning in this key stage is effective. • The Bridging Programme provided by Blackpool and Fylde College for Key Stage 4 students is good, and enables them to make good progress in their learning. • The community is used effectively and makes a positive contribution to pupils’ and students’ learning. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 7

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What could be improved

• The quality of the provision for Year 10 students. • The quality and use of individual learning plans. • The systems and structures to support the re-integration of pupils into mainstream schools. • The written information to parents about all aspects of the provision. • The standards which are achieved by pupils at the Oxford Centre in the Key Skill of information technology. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the local education authority.

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HOW THE UNIT HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Not applicable as this is the first time the provision has been inspected under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996.

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STANDARDS

The table summarises inspectors’ judgements about well pupils are achieving in relation to their individual targets by the time they leave the unit.

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Progress in: by age 16 Key

personal, social and health education B unsatisfactory D

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Progress in: by age 16 Key

other personal targets set at annual reviews or in IEPs* C poor E * IEPs are individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs

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Progress in: by age 16 Key

Overall, by the age of 16, pupils make satisfactory progress in English, mathematics and science. They make good progress in their personal, social and health education programmes and satisfactory progress against the targets in their individual education plans.

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Progress in: by age 16 Key

At the Oxford Centre, pupils make good improvement in developing their literacy skills and satisfactory improvement in developing their numeracy skills. They make only limited gains in developing their skills in information technology. Pupils and students make good progress in their personal, social and health education development. Pupils in Key Stage 3 generally make very good gains in their learning in science and they make good gains in their learning in humanities. Students in Year 10 make satisfactory improvement overall, in developing their Key Skills of communication, application of number and information technology. However, many of their portfolios show that their progress is not as good as it could be. Generally, the students in Year 10 and those in Year 11 not on the Bridging programme, make satisfactory progress in their vocational programmes. Students on the Bridging Programme make good gains in developing their Key Skills and many

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Progress in: by age 16 Key

achieve nationally recognised qualifications at levels which are in line with those which would be expected for students of their age. Progress for many of these students is good in the vocational aspects of the provision. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the unit Good overall. Generally, pupils and students persevere at their tasks and many concentrate well.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. All pupils and students have made good improvement in managing their own behaviour.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Relationships between staff, pupils and students are good and make a very significant contribution to improvements in the attitudes of pupils and students.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good in Key Stage 3 and satisfactory overall in Key Stage 4. The lack of a permanent base for Year 10 students and those in Year 11 not on the Bridging Programme adversely affects their attendance.

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Teaching of pupils:

Lessons seen overall Satisfactory 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:

During the inspection, judgements about the quality of teaching could be made for all lessons seen at the Oxford Centre. However, it was only possible to make judgements about the quality of teaching for those lessons in Key Stage 4 which were provided solely for students from the Blackpool Behaviour Support Service.

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Teaching of pupils:

The quality of teaching across the provision is satisfactory overall. Teaching was satisfactory in 42 per cent of lessons, good in 33 per cent and very good in 17 per cent. Unsatisfactory teaching was seen in 8 per cent of lessons, all of which were lessons for Year 10 pupils. The teaching of science at the Oxford Centre was consistently good and often very good.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The Local Education Authority has a clear curriculum policy for the Behaviour Support Service provision for pupils in Key Stage 3 and students in Key Stage 4, and overall this is effective in practice.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory overall.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Programmes for personal development and social development for pupils at the Oxford Centre, and students on the Bridging programme, are very effective. Those for students in Year 10 are less effective due to the lack of a permanent base through which to administer a systematic pastoral care system.

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Aspect Comment

How well the unit cares for its pupils Satisfactory overall. Good for pupils at the Oxford Centre and for students on the Bridging Programme. There are weaknesses in the provision for Year 10 students and those in Year 11 not on the Bridging Programme. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory with some good features. Much has been achieved in a short time, particularly at the Oxford Centre. However, there is a weakness in the management of the provision for Year 10 at all levels.

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Aspect Comment

How well the management committee fulfils its responsibilities Satisfactory. The management group is at an early stage of its development and has only met on two occasions.

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Aspect Comment

The unit’s evaluation of its performance Good overall. There is a clear vision for the development of the provision and action has already been taken to address some of the weaknesses identified in this inspection.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Effective overall and the principles of best value are applied. The lack of a base for Year 10 students and those in Year 11 not on the Bridging programme is a weakness.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The improvements in the behaviour of pupils and students. • They are well-informed about the progress their child is making. • They feel comfortable in approaching the Centre with questions or problems. • The Centre is very supportive. • Teaching at the Centre is good. • The Centre is well led and managed. • The information they receive about the provision. • The amount of work that pupils are expected to do at home.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agree with parents about the strength of the provision. The quality of information provided for parents about the provision, particularly curriculum information and information about re-integration is unsatisfactory. Whilst the homework which is set is of a good quality and consolidates and extends pupils’ learning, the inspection team consider that overall, pupils receive too little homework and this reduces the effectiveness of their learning. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 10

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The unit’s results and achievements

1. The characteristics of the pupils and students within the provision, make it inappropriate to judge their attainment against national expectations or averages. The report does, however, give examples of what pupils and students know, understand and can do. Judgements about the progress and achievements of pupils and students reflect their accomplishments in relation to what would be expected, taking account of their prior attainment.

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The unit’s results and achievements

2. When they are referred to the provision most pupils and students have made little progress in their previous schools due to their behavioural difficulties and patterns of irregular or poor attendance. They are attaining levels below those expected nationally of their age group in most subjects of the National Curriculum. Overall across both key stages, all pupils and students, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. In their time at the Oxford Centre, pupils make good progress overall in their learning and most make very good gains in their learning in science. The progress in learning which is made by students in Year 10 is generally satisfactory in the vocational programme but there are weaknesses in the programme for the development of their Key Skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy and in these areas their progress is not as good as it could be.

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The unit’s results and achievements

Overall, students in Year 11 make at least satisfactory progress in developing their learning, with those on the Bridging Programme making good and sometimes very good progress. Overall, pupils and students make good progress in their personal, social and health education lessons.

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English

3. At the Oxford Centre, Key Stage 3 pupils make good gains in their skills of speaking and listening. Most listen well in class and are keen to answer questions. They improve their understanding about speaking in an appropriate register to match the situation and they learn to establish eye contact with the listener so that communication is improved. They usually respond well to instructions, often remembering a series of requirements; for example, when they were asked to carry out tasks concerned with their ‘Spy Trail’ topic. There are suitable opportunities for them to present their opinions to an audience and there are good planned opportunities for them to speak and listen during ‘circle-time’ in personal and social education lessons.

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English

4. Pupils make good improvement in developing their reading skills. Several show good understanding about the books they have read and give clear opinions about whether or not they like the story; for example, when a Year 9 pupil explained why he enjoyed reading ghost stories. Most are learning to be successful in reading new vocabulary and are increasing their understanding of the relationships between sounds and letters. The clear focus given to phonic work is helping pupils to distinguish sounds and decode unfamiliar words, such as ‘Colusia’ more accurately. All pupils are confident to approach text and show that they are prepared to ‘have a go’ at finding the meaning.

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English

5. Pupils’ progress in writing is generally good. They learn to write for many different purposes taking account of the reader; for example, they write letters and fill in forms, such as applications for a passport. They often use a set format, such as a ‘story planner’ to help them express their ideas and they understand the need to redraft their writing to make it more effective. Many produce work which shows good use of similes; for example, when writing a story about ‘A Golden Shark’s Tooth’ one pupil wrote about a ship which was ‘cutting through the waves like a knife’. Progress in spelling is good with many pupils showing confidence in the use of a dictionary. In handwriting, pupils make satisfactory progress overall. They produce some very good work in handwriting lessons, but they do not readily use a cursive script in other situations.

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English

6. The Year 10 students undertake suitable work in the development of the Key Skill of communication through nationally recognised programmes. Most develop a reasonable level of confidence in using the spoken word by discussions in class and also through planned presentations about their work. They suitably read both for information and pleasure, and write for a wide range of purposes; for example, they compose adverts to attract visitors to Blackpool and write letters to local firms asking for information. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 11 However, there are a significant number of students for whom their portfolio of evidence shows too little progress overall, and this is linked to weaknesses in the overall provision. The wide range of individual needs is not catered for effectively.

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English

7. The Bridging Programme at the college has clear structures and systems in place to help students and ensure that they become effective learners. Careful attention is given to induction and staff and students design learning plans for each individual. Once students are part of an agreed programme, the college staff work closely and sensitively together to provide continuing support and guidance. In this climate, students make satisfactory progress and are motivated to achieve of their best. They develop suitable communication skills across all aspects of speaking, listening, reading and writing. There are many examples of this, such as the Key Skill assignment related to planning, developing, costing and advertising a business in Blackpool.

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Mathematics

8. Overall, across the Oxford Centre Key Stage 3 pupils make satisfactory progress in mathematics. Pupils’ mental agility skills are regularly developed and suitable attention is given to the presentation of their work. Nevertheless, clear targets for the development of numeracy skills are not identified for all pupils and the application of numeracy skills is not planned for sufficiently in other subjects of the curriculum. Pupils make satisfactory progress in learning to use the four rules of number and to recognise number patterns and odd and even numbers. Suitable progress is made in understanding shape and angles, and how to make graphs and interpret data. A particularly good example was the work based on a survey of the football results and the presentation of the data in the form of graphs and pie charts. Pupils demonstrated a sound knowledge of how to represent data in different ways, and of angles and their

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Mathematics

measurement using protractors. Other work involved pupils using a variety of two-dimensional shapes to design masks. Work in pupils’ folders shows they can measure accurately using centimetres and millimetres, understand the nature of reflective and rotational symmetry and manipulate simple algebraic formulae. Pupils are currently gaining a sound understanding of place value and of fractions. There is little use of information technology in mathematics.

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Mathematics

9. Students on the Bridging Programme make satisfactory progress in developing their numeracy skills. However, the individual education plans for students in Year 10 are not used effectively to ensure satisfactory development of their numeracy skills.

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Science

10. Key Stage 3 pupils at the Oxford Centre make very good gains in their learning in science. They benefit from the interesting range of work and make clear gains in all aspects of the subject. Topics cover sections of the National Curriculum programmes of study on Living things, Materials and their Properties, Physical Processes and Experimental and Investigative Science. Pupils make sensible predictions based on previous learning; for example, when Year 8 pupils predicted what would happen when a ray of light passed through a D shaped glass block. Pupils realise the importance of approaching investigations in a systematic way and show a good level of respect for the resources they use. Many pupils show an understanding of the relative positions of the planets in the solar system and can begin to relate changes in position to the phases of the moon. Pupils gain good awareness of the environment and

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Science

this aspect of the work is supported very effectively by the ‘allotments club’. In work linked to technology, pupils have made bird boxes and through other topics concerned with plants and animals they have developed good understanding about caring for living things.

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Science

11. There is no direct teaching of science for Key Stage 4 students, but they continue to make generally satisfactory progress in developing appropriate aspects of their science skills through the vocational programmes. For example, there is suitable emphasis on forces and materials in motor vehicle technology and on food hygiene in catering.

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Information Technology

12. Key Stage 3 pupils at the Oxford Centre make limited gains in the development of the skills of information technology. Most show suitable understanding about the use of the icons when using basic programmes such as those associated with word processing. They realise how to change fonts and text, and how to make text stand out by making it bold. A few can describe ways in which information can be Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 12 presented in different forms such as in bar charts and pie charts but they have little understanding about the ways in which data can be manipulated electronically. The computer suite in the centre has only been operational for a few weeks. Currently it is used mainly to support pupils’ work in basic literacy and numeracy and in general there is insufficient emphasis given to the systematic development of skills associated with information technology. The computer club, is however, effective in this respect; for

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Information Technology

example, pupils imaginatively designed a brochure to promote a computer club. The Centre has appropriately highlighted the development of information technology as a priority in its development plan.

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Information Technology

13. Year 10 students, and those Year 11 students on the Bridging Project, have good opportunities to develop their skills in information technology. There are carefully worked out programmes which emphasise the use of information technology as a tool through which to communicate, and search for, a variety of information.

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Humanities

14. The humanities programme for Key Stage 3 pupils at the Oxford Centre includes history, geography and religious education. Overall, in comparison with their prior achievements, pupils make good progress in developing their learning in humanities. In history, pupils have developed suitable knowledge of American Indians and are able to compare forms of transport and describe the meaning of American Indian traditions such as totem poles and masks. They have developed a good understanding of the passage of time through their study of the history of Blackpool. Almost all are able to use source materials, such as old photographs, effectively to compare features of the town in the past, to those of today. The majority of pupils can recall the dates when features of the town of Blackpool such as the piers and the Tower, were built. In their study of Britain from 1500 to 1750, a good number of pupils

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Humanities

recall their previous learning well, and know that the Great Plague and the Fire of London occurred in this time period.

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Humanities

15. In geography, pupils are able to use their mapping skills well when planning routes around the town and when producing a plan of Stanley Park. All have developed a good knowledge of the land use around Blackpool and understand the reasons that make the town a tourist attraction.

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Humanities

16. Pupils are developing a growing understanding of the Christian faith through the close link with the local Church. Following a visit to the church they have a suitable knowledge of Baptism and of some of the events of the Liturgical Calendar, such as Easter. Through their topic ‘Christmas around the World’, many have developed an awareness of the meaning of Christmas. An awareness of other major faiths is fostered through celebrating festivals such as Hanukah.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Overall, pupils and students have good attitudes to learning. Many concentrate well, listen carefully to the teacher and are keen to answer questions. They show an appropriate level of perseverance, although in the few lessons where teaching is unsatisfactory, students lose interest and their concentration is adversely affected. Pupils and students enjoy practical lessons and work hard to achieve good standards. In these lessons, pupils show pride in their achievements.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Overall, the behaviour of pupils and students is good. All are making good progress in managing their own behaviour. The behaviour policies, for those pupils in the Oxford Centre and those students on the Bridging Programme in the College, are particularly effective in ensuring a consistent approach to rewards and sanctions by all staff. In the Breakfast Club, and during breaktimes at the Oxford Centre, pupils behave well. They take appropriate responsibility for their actions and show consideration for others. The Centre has an appropriate anti-bullying policy and pupils understand what to do in such circumstances. The students who attend the Bridging Programme at the College continue to make good gains in developing their attitudes and values and in taking responsibility for their actions and for their learning. Key Stage 4 students who are not on the Bridging Programme are supported by two Project

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Workers and although this support is helpful and effective for individual students, the lack of a permanent base adversely affects the consistency with which policies and strategies can be implemented. The behaviour of these students is satisfactory. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 13 19. Relationships between staff and pupils and students are good and make a very significant contribution to the improvements in the attitudes and behaviour of pupils and students. In most lessons, adults, pupils and students treat each other with respect, setting a sound basis for teaching and learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Overall, pupils and students make good progress in their personal, social and health education lessons. Generally, pupils and students co-operate well together, both in class and in other activities. Pupils in the Oxford Centre are very pleased with the successes they achieve. They are always keen to beat their own previous scores when using the computer-based assessment programs. Students on the Bridging Programme at the College make particularly good gains in developing their personal and social skills in the adult environment and are well-supported by the tutorial and teaching programmes. A particularly good example was the use made in a personal and social education lesson of an incident involving the loss of a student’s deposit on a pool cue during breaktime.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Overall, across both key stages, pupils’ attendance is satisfactory. The attendance of Key Stage 3 pupils at the Oxford Centre is good, taking account of their previous experience in their mainstream school. The attendance of students on the Bridging Programme is satisfactory and mirrors that of other student groups in the College. The attendance of students in Year 11, who are not on the Bridging Programme, has been a cause for concern and is being addressed through the establishment of the new provision through Wyre Community Services. The attendance of students in Year 10 is variable, but overall, it is unsatisfactory. The lack of a permanent base adversely affects the attendance of these students. Sessions are held at a variety of venues across the town and students are expected to make their own way to these and many arrive late. This impacts adversely on their learning and that of others in the group. Overall,

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

attendance patterns in Year 10 tend to reflect the students’ enthusiasm for particular aspects of the programme. On the whole they enjoy the vocational programmes and attendance at these sessions is satisfactory; they are less enthusiastic about Key Skills particularly, literacy and numeracy, and so attendance at these sessions is unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. During the inspection, judgements about the quality of teaching could be made for all lessons seen at the Oxford Centre. However, it was only possible to make judgements about the quality of teaching for students in Key Stage 4 in those lessons which were provided solely for students from Blackpool Behaviour Support Services. Consequently no judgements could be made about the quality of teaching for students on the Bridging Programme and in only four of the lessons seen for Year 10 students could judgements be made. Students in Year 11 not on the Bridging Programme were being inducted during the week of the inspection and it was not possible to make judgements about the quality of teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The quality of teaching across the provision is satisfactory overall. Teaching was satisfactory in 42 per cent of lessons, good in 33 per cent and very good in 17 per cent. Unsatisfactory teaching was seen in 8 per cent of lessons, all of which were lessons for Year 10 pupils. The teaching of science at the Oxford Centre was consistently good and often very good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. Teachers at the Oxford Centre are very confident in their subject specialist knowledge and have a good deal of experience in teaching disaffected pupils. This enables them to provide work which challenges and motivates the pupils, and stimulates their interest. For example, in humanities, pupils’ interest is gained through a study of Blackpool which takes account of the development of the town, including the history of the Pleasure Beach. As a result almost all pupils have a good knowledge of the history and geography of their home town and produce good quality work to support this. Whilst college teachers of students in Year 10 have satisfactory knowledge of their own subject, they have little experience of teaching disaffected pupils, and in some lessons, the work provided is not always well matched to the interest and ability of the pupils. Across the provision, teachers’ expectations of pupils’ work and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. At the Oxford Centre, teachers pay attention to developing pupils’ basic skills in literacy and numeracy, but these developments are not sufficiently systematic because there is a lack of lack of specific targets related to literacy, numeracy and information technology in the pupils’ individual education plans. Pupils make good progress in their writing through the use of writing frames and through the many opportunities they are given to write for different purposes, such as instructions in science and accounts in history. All staff at the Centre develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills effectively through Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 14 highlighting key vocabulary. For example, in a science lesson staff constantly reinforce new terms such as ‘incident ray’ and ‘reflected ray’. Students in Year 10 develop their literacy and numeracy skills appropriately through an Entry Level Key Skills programme. Staff try hard to provide work which

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

matches the interest of students. They recognise that students respond more willingly when the work is of a practical nature and are modifying the activities to take account of this. Students on the Bridging Programme make good gains in the Key Skills of communication and application of number through good quality provision.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. Overall planning at the Oxford Centre is clear and suitably matched to National Curriculum Programmes of Study, to enable pupils to re-integrate into mainstream education. The teaching of English takes suitable account of the Literacy Strategy and this results in pupils’ making appropriate progress in developing their reading, writing and spelling. The knowledge and skills pupils will acquire is clearly identified and communicated to them at the start of the lesson. As a result, pupils are clear about what is expected of them and learn effectively. Most lessons identify how work will be matched to pupils of differing abilities and how achievement will be recorded. This enables pupils to work at an appropriate level and make suitable gains in their knowledge. Planning for Year 10 students focuses on covering evidence indicators in the specification and is not well-matched to their individual needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. Teachers at the Oxford Centre use a good range of methods to maintain attention and motivate pupils. For example, in science, a forty-five minute lesson contained discussion, demonstration, a video clip, practical work, a quiz and pupils recording their findings. As a result, pupils maintained interest and acquired new skills and knowledge effectively. Most lessons at the Centre are organised into whole class, individual and group work. In addition to making best use of staff time, this also enables pupils to develop the skills of independent learning and working collaboratively. Teachers are acutely aware of the dynamics within groups which often change on a daily basis and prepare their classrooms accordingly. Teachers working with Key Stage 4 pupils use a suitable range of methods to encourage and motivate students. However, the lack of a base for Year 10 pupils means that teaching methods are

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

adversely constrained by the unsuitable nature of the accommodation in which many lessons take place.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. All staff at the Oxford Centre manage pupils’ behaviour well. They know the pupils extremely well and all have a working knowledge of the weekly behavioural targets set in individual education plans. Very good relationships are built on mutual respect and trust. As a result pupils strive hard to please. Strategies for managing behaviour are well developed and unobtrusive. For example, if a pupil demonstrates inappropriate behaviour or makes a derogatory comment the words ‘not appropriate’ are used sharply. Pupils understand this and generally respond immediately. This enables the lesson to continue with minimum disruption and ensures good quality learning and good improvement in the pupils’ attitudes and behaviour. The individual education plans for students in Year 10 are not readily available to all their teachers, many of whom have little experience of working with disaffected pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Consequently the management of the students’ behaviour is not effective and this has an adverse effect on the quality of their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

29. Time and resources are used well at the Oxford Centre. Lessons are conducted at a good pace and this maintains the pupils’ interest. In English lessons there is a clear sense of urgency and this results in pupils producing a good volume of work. Staff provide good quality resources and work sheets. This enables pupils to feel valued and as a result they take a pride in their work. Project workers are used effectively. The close liaison between project workers and teachers contributes significantly to the rate of pupils’ progress. Time and resources are used well by the teachers at the College for those students on the Bridging programme and those students in Year 10 who attend for vocational classes. Resources for students in Year 10 in the parts of their programme which is not college-based are unsatisfactory.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

30. Staff at the Oxford Centre constantly assess work alongside pupils and enable pupils to produce work which is of a good quality. All teachers use marking well to praise effort and give targets as to how pupils might improve their work. Pupils respond well to the comments and try hard to meet the targets. Other forms of assessment, such as the regular challenge of a quiz in science, motivate pupils. During such quizzes, pupils showed intense concentration and each was determined to be the first to complete the activity correctly. In addition to assessing knowledge and understanding, pupils demonstrate an increasing ability to cope with winning and losing. Whilst behavioural targets in individual education plans are appropriate and clear, targets for pupils to improve their numeracy and literacy skills are not sufficiently focused and not easily measurable. As a result it is not always easy to identify pupils’

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

progress in these areas. Individual education plans for students in Year 10 are not easily available to Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 15 teachers. Although teachers regularly assess students’ work and record achievement this does not relate to the targets in the individual education plans and it is difficult to judge the progress which students make in this respect.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS AND STUDENTS TAUGHT?

31. Parents responding to the questionnaire and attending the meeting were of the opinion that pupils receive too little homework. The inspection findings show that whilst the homework given is of a good quality and consolidates and extends pupils’ learning, overall, pupils receive too little homework and this reduces the effectiveness of their learning.

p.15

AND STUDENTS?

32. The Local Education Authority has a clear curriculum policy for the Behaviour Support Service provision for pupils in Key Stage 3 and students in Key Stage 4, and overall this is effective in practice. A good start has been made in ensuring that there is a suitable programme at the Oxford Centre for Key Stage 3 pupils and there are many strengths in the programme for the Year 11 students who attend the well-established Bridging Project at Blackpool and Fylde Further Education College. However, the newly established provision for Year 10 pupils, which is located in various venues around Blackpool, has weaknesses.

p.15

AND STUDENTS?

33. The Centre has a clear commitment to ensure that wherever possible pupils are re-integrated into a mainstream school and it has had a limited amount of success in this area. However, the structure and systems to ensure that this happens quickly and smoothly are not sufficiently established.

p.15

AND STUDENTS?

34. The curriculum for Key Stage 3 is reasonably broad and balanced and relevant to the pupils’ needs. All statutory requirements are met and suitable attention is given to the National Curriculum programmes of study. In line with the centre’s aims there is good emphasis on literacy and numeracy. All staff make a particularly strong contribution to the development of pupils’ personal and social skills and pupils make very good progress in this area.

p.15

AND STUDENTS?

35. There is a commitment to the principle of equality of opportunity and girls and boys have suitable access to all activities. The requirements of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice are met and pupils’ individual needs, particularly in terms of behaviour, are catered for appropriately. The Centre has appropriate policies and schemes of work in place for the subjects taught and these provide a helpful framework for teachers’ planning. There is an effective programme of health education, including sex education and appropriate attention is given to raising pupils’ awareness about drug misuse.

p.15

AND STUDENTS?

36. Opportunities for extra-curricular activities are good and enhance the provision. Most pupils participate in a wide range of activities such as the art club, the puzzle club, tending a local allotment or visiting the local sports centre to play football, netball or take part in weight training. There are a number of educational visits out of school which last for a day or sometimes longer. These are well planned and they make a particularly positive contribution to the curriculum. Good examples of this are the visits to the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. The centre has developed a good range of community links, such as the ones with the local church, the Youth Service and nearby businesses. These also make an important contribution to the overall programme.

p.15

AND STUDENTS?

37. Pupils in Year 9 and students in Key Stage 4, have suitable access to Careers Guidance with objective and impartial advice given by both the Centre and outside agencies. During many lessons, including those in personal and social education and English, pupils are encouraged to consider what they would like to do at the end of their school career and the necessary steps they might need to take in order to achieve their aims.

p.15

AND STUDENTS?

38. The curriculum for Year 10 students has weaknesses. It is ad hoc, having been established as a ‘stop gap’ measure when plans for the base which had been identified for this provision did not materialise in the Summer of 1999. Students are able to access a curriculum which is made up of a Key Skills programme based on Entry Level requirements and a vocational taster programme, both of which are staffed by the College. The vocational taster programme includes painting and decorating, plastering, catering, motor vehicle and paint spraying. This provision is supported by a Project Worker and the facilities of the College Learning Support Service. However, the lack of a permanent base means that Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 16 lessons are held in a number of venues in the town of Blackpool and students have to make their own way to these. Consequently, students attend the sessions which they enjoy and find useful, particularly

p.15

AND STUDENTS?

some of the vocational options, but they are less enthusiastic about other aspects, particularly Key Skills numeracy sessions.

p.16

AND STUDENTS?

39. The College Bridging Programme provides a very effective and appropriate curriculum for Year 11 students. It is based on a Key Skills programme for Communications, Application of Number and Information Technology which is accredited at an appropriate level to the students’ needs. Currently students are working in Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2 of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) Key Skills programme. Students can also access a range of vocational programmes including catering, construction, sport and leisure, as appropriate. These programmes are accredited at NVQ Level 1 or 2. In addition, the college provides a very effective tutor-supported pastoral care system, with identified Project Workers for each group.

p.16

AND STUDENTS?

40. As a result of monitoring and evaluation by the Project Workers, the Head of the Behavioural Support Service and the Oxford Centre Manager, the provision for pupils in Year 11 who are not enrolled on the Bridging Programme, was deemed not to be appropriate and was revised during the week of the inspection. From September 1999, the curriculum had been provided by Blackpool and Fylde College, with the support of a part-time Project Worker. This provision was based on individualised programmes but was not successful in motivating students to attend regularly. Starting on the Tuesday of the inspection week this was replaced with a Key Skills programme at Entry Level and a vocational programme, both provided by Wyre Community Services. This appears to provide a suitable curriculum for these students but no judgements could be made during the week of inspection as students were only just being inducted into the programme.

p.16

AND STUDENTS?

41. At the Oxford Centre, the provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. The role models provided by adults are effective in establishing a calm and courteous approach and this is a noticeable feature of the Centre. Relationships between pupils and staff and between pupils themselves are good and these help to establish an ethos where pupils are able to discuss their own experiences in a way which develops their self-knowledge. There are good examples of pupils learning to appreciate the wonders of the world; for example, in science when pupils wonder at the way in which the colours of the rainbow can be created when shining light through a prism, and also when pupils gain insight into the beauty of nature, especially through visits such as the one to the Lake District. They are encouraged to reflect on the importance of religion in people’s lives and during a visit to the local church their understanding was

p.16

AND STUDENTS?

significantly enhanced as they learned about the importance of Baptism in the life of Christians. Pupils responded very well to this situation showing a good sense of reverence, especially when one of them carried a lighted candle down the aisle of the church. The College makes no specific provision for students’ spiritual development.

p.16

AND STUDENTS?

42. At the Oxford Centre the provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. Parents expressed their appreciation of the aims and values promoted by the Centre. Pupils are taught the difference between right and wrong very effectively and the importance of truthfulness and honesty is stressed. The procedures for ensuring that pupils respond appropriately both in lessons and at other times, such as at breaktime and dinnertime, are well understood by all. Awards and loss of privileges are clear and these are considered to be fair by the pupils. Targets to help individual pupils improve their behaviour are carefully drawn up and all staff who work with the pupils are made aware of these so that there is consistency of approach. The Centre is particularly effective at supporting and promoting self-awareness and ensuring that pupils take responsibility for their own behaviour. The College makes good provision

p.16

AND STUDENTS?

for the moral development of students on the Bridging Programme. The staff provide good role models and students are effectively taught the difference between right and wrong. The pastoral care provided for students through the tutorial system and through informal contacts between staff and students is very effective in developing their moral awareness. The provision for Year 10 students is satisfactory overall but the lack of a base and the ad hoc nature of the curriculum reduce its effectiveness. The irregular patterns of attendance by some of the students also hamper the development of their moral awareness.

p.16

AND STUDENTS?

43. The provision for pupils’ social development at the Oxford Centre is also very good. It is an orderly community in which adults interact well with pupils to establish an ethos which promotes self-esteem and confidence. Pupils are valued and their successes are celebrated. Social skills are taught to enable pupils to become successful members of other schools and the wider community. Visits and activities, such as working at the allotment, playing pool and football, help pupils to understand that each individual Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 17 has different strengths and also how to relate to one another. A healthy sense of competition is encouraged when pupils play games, for example, in the puzzle club. They are taught to consider ways in which they might help others and have willingly used some of their leisure time to help improve the environment, for example when covering up a gas pipe in the Lake District. The provision for the social

p.16

AND STUDENTS?

development of students on the Bridging Programme at the College is good, that for Year 10 students is satisfactory.

p.17

AND STUDENTS?

44. Cultural development for pupils at the Oxford Centre is satisfactory overall. During humanities lessons, in particular, pupils learn to appreciate their own cultural heritage. Effective use is made visits both into the nearby environment and also further afield, such as to the Yorkshire Dales, to raise their awareness about local traditions. Pupils are beginning to learn about aspects of different cultures and faiths, for example about North American Indians and they have gained understanding about the significance of Hannukah for those who believe in Judaism. They have also learned about many different ways in which Christmas is celebrated around the world. Overall, however, this element is not well established and there are limited opportunities for pupils to gain appreciation of the work of artists and musicians. However, plans for the development of an Arts/Media/Drama Centre in the Pavilion in Stanley Park are

p.17

AND STUDENTS?

to be implemented in the very near future. The cultural development of students at the College is fostered satisfactorily through personal, social and health education sessions, as well as through the adult-oriented ethos of the college.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS AND STUDENTS?

45. Overall, the provision which the Behaviour Support Service makes for the care of pupils and students is satisfactory.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS AND STUDENTS?

46. The work done by the In-school Team ensures that almost all pupils are known before they are admitted to the Oxford Centre. The teaching arrangements and support systems for pupils and students are effective in ensuring that they make good progress related to their personal development. All pupils and students are aware of their targets for behaviour or personal development and respond well to these.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS AND STUDENTS?

47. The monitoring of behaviour is satisfactory overall. The consistency with which the behaviour policy is implemented at the Oxford Centre ensures that pupils make good progress in managing their behaviour. The Centre is a calm and purposeful place where good behaviour is expected. The work of all staff, and especially the Project Workers, is effective in ensuring that where misbehaviour does occur the interruption to lessons is minimised. The knowledge which all staff have of the pupils and how to deal with them are important factors in the success of these measures. Pupils are given clear guidelines about acceptable behaviour and they understand the boundaries. There are suitable policies in place to combat bullying and harassment. The arrangements for monitoring and recording attendance across the provision are satisfactory. At the Oxford Centre, there are effective systems for checking on lateness and

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS AND STUDENTS?

ensuring that pupils arrive at lessons punctually.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS AND STUDENTS?

48. Monitoring of behaviour for students on the Bridging programme at the College is good and is effective in ensuring an appropriate context for learning. The systems for behaviour monitoring of students in Year 10 are at an early stage of development and do not ensure that learning is effective for all students in all classes. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, teachers are not aware of the behaviour targets in students’ individual education plans.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS AND STUDENTS?

49. The arrangements for child protection at the Oxford Centre are satisfactory and staff are appropriately trained in the procedures. The arrangements in the College and at Wyre Community Services meet requirements and are satisfactory.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS AND STUDENTS?

50. The Oxford Centre provides a safe and secure environment. It is clean and well maintained and the pupils respect the facilities. The personal, social and health education programmes across the provision very effectively supports all the pupils and students. There are suitable programmes for sex education and drugs misuse awareness.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS AND STUDENTS?

51. Overall, procedures for assessing pupils’ and students’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory. All pupils undergo an initial assessment at the Oxford Centre which forms the basis of their educational programme and the targets identified on their individual education plan. However, there are insufficient Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 18 opportunities for pupils to assess their own performance and set new targets. Assessment procedures for pupils with special educational needs meet the requirements of the Code of Practice. Pupils’ individual education plans contain suitably focused targets to enable pupils to improve their behaviour. However, whilst a small number of the pupils’ individual education plans have subject specific targets, including those for numeracy and literacy, these are not in the plans for all pupils and where such targets are identified, these are not sufficiently focused to enable pupils’ progress against them to be judged

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS AND STUDENTS?

effectively. The individual education plans for students on the Bridging Programme which are developed through initial assessment during the Induction Programme are used effectively to provide a means of judging their progress. Not all teachers in Year 10 are aware of the students’ individual education plans and these are not used to identify individual needs and judge the progress the students make. Overall, teachers do not use the targets in pupils’ and students’ individual education plans effectively when planning future work.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. Parents feel that the Blackpool Behaviour Support Service provision for pupils in Key Stage 3 and students in Key Stage 4 is good. They would like the time their children are able to spend at the Oxford Centre and that available to Year 10 pupils to be extended. The inspection shows that teaching time for both Key Stage 3 pupils and Key Stage 4 students is in line with the Local Education Authority policy.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The parents’ questionnaire returns and those parents who attended the Parents’ Meeting prior to the inspection indicate that parents feel that the staff work closely with them and that they are happy to approach the Centre or the Project Workers, with questions and problems. They feel they are well informed about their child’s progress. Parents who attended the Parents’ Meeting felt that their child’s behaviour and attendance have greatly improved. However, the questionnaire returns show that some parents are not happy with behaviour. The inspection confirmed that the behaviour of pupils and students is good and that the systems used to ensure discipline are effective.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. Many questionnaire returns and comments at the Parents’ Meeting indicate that parents are not content with the amount of homework set. The inspection findings show that the setting of homework at the Oxford Centre is not consistent and that homework is not used effectively to support pupils’ learning. This makes it difficult for parents to contribute systematically to learning at home.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. There are generally good links between the staff at the Oxford Centre and parents, and similarly, the Project Workers linked to the Key Stage 4 provision make effective links with the parents of these students. All staff maintain good informal contacts with parents and these are effective and much appreciated by parents, many of whom live at a distance from the teaching sites. Staff make occasional formal home visits where these are considered to be necessary to discuss with parents how they can help to support their child to develop effective ways of learning.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. Written reports to parents are detailed and thorough, particularly for behaviour and personal development but they often lack clear targets for improvement in academic subjects. The quality of information provided for parents about the provision, particularly curriculum information and information about re- integration is unsatisfactory. The Behaviour Support Service has identified this as an area for development.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. Parents are appropriately involved in the Annual Review procedures for pupils with statements of special educational needs and these meet the requirements of the Code of Practice. There is a parent representative on the Management Committee for the Service and this provides an effective channel through which parents can influence decisions about policy and spending plans.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

58. Overall, the leadership and management of the provision is satisfactory with some good features. Much has been achieved in a very short period of time, particularly at the Oxford Centre. However, there is a weakness in the management of provision for Year 10 pupils at all levels. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 19 59. The Local Education Authority, the Head of Behaviour Support Service and the Oxford Centre Manager, work closely together and have a clear, shared vision for the educational direction of the provision. The close liaison between the Head of the Behaviour Support Service and the Centre Manager ensures good provision with a well-established ethos at the Oxford Centre. The leadership and management of the College Bridging Programme ensures that good provision is made for the students.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

60. There is a clear vision for the provision for all Key Stage 4 students, but the development of provision has been hampered by the Local Education Authority’s inability to secure a permanent base for those students who are not on the College Bridging Programme. This has adversely affected the curriculum, particularly for Year 10 students, and hampered the development of good patterns of attendance for these students. However, monitoring of the provision has identified the weaknesses in the provision for Year 11 students not on the Bridging Programme and action has been taken to restructure the curriculum through Wyre Community Services. In consultation with the College, some changes have been made to the programme for Year 10 students, but there are still weaknesses in this provision.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

61. The Local Education Authority, as the Appropriate Authority for the provision, has all the legally required polices in place and statutory requirements are met. The management committee, is in the early stages of its development. It has suitable terms of reference and, although having only met twice, is already developing its role as critical friend. All levels of management are acutely aware of the strengths and areas for development in the provision and have already recognised many of the issues identified by this inspection in their development plan.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

62. The aims and values of the provision underpin the work of the Oxford Centre and the Bridging Programme. However, the curriculum for students in Year 10 is ad hoc and lacks a clear rationale. Whilst the aim of the provision is to re-integrate pupils into mainstream education, the systems and structures in place are not sufficiently rigorous to ensure this happens in practice. However, since the Oxford Centre opened, six pupils have been returned to mainstream education.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

63. Subject co-ordinators at the Oxford Centre have made a good start in their management role. All are hard working, enthusiastic and have a clear overview of their subject. All have ensured that an effective curriculum is provided and they have expectations of standards which will enable pupils to re-integrate back into mainstream education. Whilst there has been little monitoring of the impact of teaching on learning this is identified as the next stage of development in their plans. The role of the Key Stage 4 Project Workers is not fully developed due to the lack of a permanent base for the provision for Year 10 students and those Year 11 students who are not on the Bridging Programme. Much of the time of these Project Workers is currently taken up with providing pastoral support and transport for the students. The Behaviour Support Service has recognised the need to develop their role.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

64. The development plan is detailed, of good quality, and clearly linked to the needs of the provision. Targets are clearly prioritised and success criteria are easily measurable. However, not all timescales are sufficiently urgent; for example, those for establishing the systems and strategies for the re-integration of pupils do not recognise the short term nature of the provision for Key Stage 3 pupils and Year 10 students. The Service has not set performance targets other than recognising the Local Education Authority target for children in care. This is acceptable as the provision is in the first year of its development. It is intended to use the outcomes of monitoring and evaluation of the provision in the present academic year to set targets for the future. All levels of management and staff share a commitment to improve. The Oxford Centre is developing suitable systems and structures to enable it to

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

65. Financial planning is of a good quality and carefully monitored by the appropriate authority. Specific grants are used appropriately and the principles of best value are applied at all levels. Communications within the Oxford Centre and within the Bridging Programme are good. The lack of a base reduces the effectiveness of communications within the provision for Year 10 students. Day-to-day administration at the Oxford Centre is sound. The Centre Manager makes good use of new technology as a management tool. The Centre has a good range of up-to-date computers, however, these are not used effectively to teach pupils the skills of information technology.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

66. Overall, the provision is well staffed by suitably qualified teachers. The decision by the management to employ subject specialist teachers in Key Stage 3 ensures that high expectations are set and enables pupils to make good gains in their learning. The Centre Manager has ensured a member of staff is Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 20 always on standby at the Centre in order to provide support for pupils who need time out of lessons to consider their actions or to discuss concerns. Across the provision, there are a good number of well- qualified Project Workers who make an effective contribution to the learning of pupils and students and ensuring their well being. For example good use is made of their skills in counselling and other areas of pastoral care as well as in supporting the academic development of pupils and students. There are effective systems to support new staff. The Oxford Centre has suitable procedures in place for staff

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

appraisal. All staff have a professional interview each term with the Centre Manager, the outcomes of which are taken into account when planning staff training. Staff at the Centre have taken part in a wide range of in-service training which is having a positive impact on the achievement of pupils, for example, in literacy.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

67. Overall, the accommodation for both Key Stage 3 pupils and Key Stage 4 students is unsatisfactory. However, accommodation and the Oxford Centre and at the College is good. The accommodation arrangements for Year 10 students is unsatisfactory and adversely affects their learning.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

68. The Local Education Authority, as the Appropriate Authority, has demonstrated its commitment to the provision through the development of the Oxford Centre. The building has been refurbished to a high specification and provides good accommodation through which to deliver the curriculum and which enables the pupils to feel valued. The pupils have responded appropriately; there is no evidence of vandalism or graffiti and pupils are proud to discuss the high quality displays which celebrate their work and support their learning. Although the science room in the Centre is not a fully equipped science laboratory, it provides suitable accommodation to enable pupils to follow programmes of study which will enable them to access the science curriculum at the appropriate level on their return to a mainstream school. Imaginative use has been made of the accommodation. The good use which is made of small

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

rooms for counselling and withdrawal work, has enabled pupils to make good progress in their personal and social development. Although the internal accommodation is of a high quality, there is no outdoor area for recreation and a lack of catering facilities.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

69. Plans for a base for Key Stage 4 students not on the Bridging Programme did not materialise in the summer of 1999. Consequently, there is no base accommodation for these students, and this particularly affects those in Year 10. Year 10 students, and those in Year 11 not on the Bridging Programme, receive their education in a range of venues in the town, including a Boys’ Club and church halls. This is unsatisfactory and adversely affects their learning.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

70. There is a good range of learning resources at the Oxford Centre which are used effectively to motivate pupils and contribute to their learning. Staff at the Oxford Centre make very good use of the environment; for example, in the study of the history of Blackpool and in geography relating to land use in the town. Students on the Bridging Programme benefit greatly from the excellent range of resources and facilities available at the College. Facilities and learning resources for Year 10 students are not easily accessible and overall, are unsatisfactory.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

71. Unit costs are low for provision of this type. Taking into account the good attitudes of the pupils and students, the effective learning for pupils at the Oxford Centre and for students on the Bridging Programme and the weakness in the provision for Year 10 students, overall, the Blackpool Behaviour Support Service gives satisfactory value for money. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 21

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The numbers in brackets after each key issue indicate the paragraphs in which the weaknesses are discussed.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to maintain present standards and further develop the strengths of the provision, the Centre Manager and the staff in conjunction with Blackpool Local Education Authority, as the Appropriate Authority for the provision, should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve provision for pupils in Year 10 by: - providing suitable accommodation as a matter of urgency; - improving the quality of teaching; - developing the use of individual education plans; - providing appropriate in-service training and support for college staff; - devising systems to ensure attendance.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(6, 9, 18, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 51, 60, 63, 67, 69, 70)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the quality of, and the use of, individual education plans by: - including targets which take account of pupils’ and students’ literacy and numeracy needs; - ensuring targets are focused and easily measurable.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Establish more rigorous systems and structures to support the re-integration of pupils and students into mainstream education;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve information to parents by: - producing a school brochure which identifies the curriculum the pupils and students will study; - providing regular newsletters regarding the activities of the provision.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve standards in information technology for pupils at the Oxford Centre by: - providing appropriate in-service training for staff; - giving pupils more opportunity to develop their information technology skills in discrete lessons; - identifying opportunities for pupils to use their IT skills in other subjects.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan. These are included in the paragraphs indicated in brackets.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Homework (30, 54) Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 26 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 69

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

15 31 38 8 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.22

Information about the unit’s pupils

Pupils on the unit’s roll No of pupils Number of pupils on the unit’s roll 89

p.22

Information about the unit’s pupils

Special educational needs No of pupils Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 18 Number of pupils on the unit’s special educational needs register 89

p.22

Information about the unit’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % Unit data 7.4 Unit data 0.6 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for last whole term before the inspection Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 23

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White 89 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

. This table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y9

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.0 Financial year 1998 - 99

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y9

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 5.0

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y9

Education support staff: Y7 – Y9 Expenditure per pupil [ ] Total number of education support staff 6.5 Balance brought forward from previous year [ ]

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y9

Total aggregate hours worked per week 180 Balance carried forward to next year [ ]

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y9

The nature of the provision for Key Stage 4 students which is made through Blackpool and Fylde Further Education College and Wyre Community Services, makes it inappropriate to give information about teaching staff, classes or education support staff. Blackpool Behaviour Support Service - 24

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child likes school. 50.0 44.0 6.0 0.0 0.0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 56.0 38.0 0.0 6.0 0.0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 38.0 44.0 19.0 0.0 0.0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 13.0 13.0 40.0 27.0 7.0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The teaching is good. 50.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 75.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 88.0 12.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62.0 19.0 0.0 0.0 19.0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 75.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 62.0 38.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50.0 38.0 6.0 0.0 6.0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 67.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 13.0

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