The Linden Centre

ADMASTON HOUSE CENTRE

Dates of inspection: 22 nd - 24 th May 2000

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ADMASTON HOUSE CENTRE

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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ADMASTON HOUSE CENTRE

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. Admaston House Centre - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Type of school: Centre for pupils with EBD, SpLD, Autistic, ADHD, DAMP and MLD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Unit address: Wrekin Council Community Centre Wellington Road Telford Shropshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Appropriate authority: Telford & Wrekin Education Authority

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Name of responsible officer Mr D Johnson Admaston House Centre - 4

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responsibilities

M Whitehead Registered inspector Mathematics; science; information technology; art; physical education The characteristics and effectiveness of the school. The school's results and achievements. Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development. Leadership and management. Key issues for action. D Shields Lay inspector Equal opportunities Partnership with parents and carers C Gribble Team inspector English; geography; history; special educational needs; personal and social education Teaching and learning. Quality and range of opportunities for learning. Pupils’ welfare health and safety.

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responsibilities

The Croft Brierley Way Oldcroft Lydney, Gloucestershire GL15 4NE

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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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responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Admaston House Centre - 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

Admaston House Centre is a primary pupil referral unit situated in the village of Admaston in the county of Shropshire. It is housed in an Edwardian building which shares its facilities with Telford & Wrekin County Council. Additionally the building is used by a playgroup, a community centre and a home tuition base. The unit caters for 24 primary aged pupils (19 boys and 5 girls) with emotional and behavioural difficulties; ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) autistic spectrum disorders and other conduct disordered children. All pupils attend the centre part time and there are currently two pupils of black Caribbean heritage. The attainment levels of pupils on admission are poor when compared with the national averages. There are no pupils for whom English is an additional language. The over-riding aim of the centre is to work towards full re-integration of pupils back into mainstream schools within a year. The

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

centre also aims to maintain pupils within their mainstream school during the session when they are not attending Admaston House.

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HOW GOOD THE UNIT IS

The centre makes very effective provision for pupils with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties, nine of whom have statements of special educational needs. Standards of teaching are good and often very good. The leadership and management of the school are excellent. Taking into account the high quality of teaching, the very good progress that all pupils make, the good content and organisation of the curriculum and the high level of support and guidance that pupils receive, the centre provides very good value for money.

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What the unit does well

• The teacher-in-charge of the centre and head of services provide excellent leadership and management. • The quality of teaching within the centre is very good. • Integration between the centre and the pupils’ mainstream schools is very effective. • There is an extremely effective system in place to promote pupils’ well being, health and safety, including effective measures to ensure that behaviour is good and to eliminate bullying, sexism and racism. • The pupils’ behaviour throughout the centre is very good. • The pupils have very good opportunities to experience and appreciate the cultural wealth of the area.

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What could be improved

• Accommodation is limited, the lack of any playground area restricts the opportunities for physical activities at break times. • There are few opportunities for pupils to mix in a social situation other than in the classroom. • Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities for experiences that contribute to spiritual awareness and self-knowledge. 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

This is the centre’s first inspection. Admaston House Centre - 7

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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 11 Key

personal, social and health education A unsatisfactory D

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Progress in: by age 11 Key

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

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Progress in: by age 11 Key

The standard of pupils’ written work is very good. Pupils take great care with presentation and are proud of their work which is well displayed in the classroom and elsewhere in the centre.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the unit Pupils have a very good attitude towards their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour throughout the centre is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships throughout the centre are very good and pupils demonstrate a good sense of personal responsibility.

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Aspect Comment

The centre provides good opportunities for all pupils to acquire very good attitudes and behaviour which, in turn, develop their own personal responsibility for their actions. This is a very strong feature of the centre. Pupils’ responses are very good. They are learning self discipline and personal responsibility for their actions.

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Teaching of pupils:

15 Lessons were observed The quality of teaching is very good 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:

The quality of teaching in English is very good. Teachers ensure that each pupil understands the work. Individual teaching is very effective because tasks are well matched to prior learning and levels of ability, and good use is made of discussion and question and answer. Pupils who have difficulty in communicating are given a great deal of help with the key skills of listening and speaking. Teaching is Admaston House Centre - 8 then focussed on understanding the topic before pupils begin to read about the topic. The teaching of mathematics is very good. Basic concepts are introduced skilfully at levels that are appropriate to pupils’ individual needs and levels of attainment. Mathematics also plays a part in many other subjects during the week. For example, counting skills are used in English lessons when word cards are numbered and then pupils are asked to arrange them in order. Mathematics is also used in art

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Teaching of pupils:

and technology. Pupils learn about geometrical shapes and make three-dimensional models of castles and homes.

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Teaching of pupils:

The teaching of literacy and numeracy skills forms a major part of the centre’s curriculum and is of very high quality. The literacy and numeracy sessions are planned carefully to support the work that is being covered in the pupils’ mainstream schools.

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Teaching of pupils:

Teaching in science is very good. The planning is excellent. Teachers use ‘big books’ successfully to introduce topics that pupils find difficult because of reading and understanding. Despite the difficulties caused by the limited space available, suitable equipment is well prepared before lessons begin. All pupils take part in experiments and are given appropriate guidance to make sure that they can record the results.

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Teaching of pupils:

Personal, social and health education topics are taught very well. Relevant issues such as drug and alcohol abuse and the dangers of smoking are covered. Discussion, visits from other professionals to talk to pupils about misuse of substances and the dangers of getting involved with strangers are all topics included in personal, social and health education.

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Teaching of pupils:

During the inspection, no unsatisfactory teaching was observed; 67% of lessons were very good or excellent and 33% of lessons were good or satisfactory. All teachers have good subject knowledge and clear understanding of the pupils they are teaching. Good organisation and management of lessons is a strength of the teaching. Relationships between teachers, support staff and pupils are very good.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is appropriate to the needs of the pupils and the range of subjects ensures that pupils are not disadvantaged when attending the centre.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The centre ensures that the individual special educational needs of the pupils are being met effectively.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for moral development in the centre is very good. Pupils are taught and learn the difference between right and wrong. They have a good understanding of local heritage and culture in the Wrekin and Ironbridge areas. However, opportunities for the pupils to develop social skills and spiritual awareness are limited by the confines of the building.

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Aspect Comment

How well the unit cares for its pupils Good procedures for child protection and for promoting health, safety and well being of pupils are in place.

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Aspect Comment

The centre works very well with parents of the pupils. Parental involvement is encouraged by staff. Opportunities for meeting members of the community who visit the centre are very good. Admaston House Centre - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The head of services and the teacher-in-charge of the centre provide excellent leadership, guidance and clear educational direction.

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Aspect Comment

How well the management committee fulfils its responsibilities In the absence of a management committee, the appropriate officers fulfil their responsibilities well.

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Aspect Comment

The unit’s evaluation of its performance Good procedures are in place to monitor and evaluate the performance of the centre.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The centre makes good use of its adequate resources.

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Aspect Comment

The adequacy of teaching staff in meeting the demands of the curriculum is excellent. The learning support assistant is very good at helping teachers to deliver the curriculum and in the management of pupils’ behaviour, she is a highly valued member of staff. Lack of on-site clerical support affects the administration and the smooth running of the centre. This puts increased demands on other staff, particularly the teacher-in-charge. Resources are adequate and they are used efficiently. The accommodation is unsatisfactory. Weaknesses include: unsatisfactory access to the hall and classrooms, poor facilities for extra-curricular activities and lack of an outside play area. Principles of best value are applied through consultation and discussion with the education officers. The leadership and management are excellent.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The centre works closely with parents. • They feel comfortable in approaching the centre with questions or problems. • They are well informed about the progress of their children. • Parents feel that the quality of teaching in the centre is good. • The centre is well managed and led. • Homework. • Activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Homework is provided for the pupils by their mainstream schools and the pupils are supported in this work by the staff of the centre. Parents feel that the centre is very effective in meeting the special educational needs of their children. The inspection team supports the positive views of the parents. Admaston House Centre - 10

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The unit’s results and achievements

1. Because of the pupils’ special needs and their learning characteristics, it is inappropriate to report attainment in terms of age related expectations. Judgements about pupils’ attainment therefore, are based mainly on the progress they make in relation to prior attainment and targets set in their statements, annual reviews and individual education programmes. The pupils at the Admaston House centre attend part time. All are registered at mainstream schools. Pupils take National Curriculum tests at the mainstream schools and their results are below the national average. Pupils make very good progress towards their targets in English and mathematics and good progress in science. Pupils also make very good progress towards their targets on their individual education plans and in personal, social and health education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

2. Pupils are enthusiastic about their lessons and clearly enjoy attending the centre. They respond well to the teachers and are eager to please. Pupils are very clear about what is right and wrong and are fully aware of the rules of the centre. English lessons that involve handwriting skills are very popular with the pupils. They persevere well in order to produce the best standard of work of which they are capable. In one lesson pupils showed interest and concentrated as they wrote up the story of ‘Rosa’ which they had read together.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

3. Pupils also behave very well in mathematics lessons. Levels of concentration are very high. They take great care in the presentation of their work. They are successful in learning the values of different coins and how to add these values together. Pupils taking part in a practical mathematics lesson were very well behaved and co-operate well with each other as they worked outside the centre collecting data. They took responsibility for themselves and were well supported by the teacher.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

4. During the inspection there was no evidence of any oppressive behaviour or bullying of any kind. Pupils related well to the staff and with each other. Throughout the centre there is an atmosphere that is calm and conducive to work. Pupils greet each other and the staff with smiles and form constructive positive relationships. These positive attitudes are fostered well by the teacher in-charge and the other staff as they all work very effectively together.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

5. Great emphasis is placed upon good behaviour and the pupils respond very well to this. When they return to their mainstream schools, this is one of the most impressive changes that teachers comment upon. Pupils are so well behaved, they raise their hands when they wish to speak to a teacher, wait quietly and do not speak when someone else is speaking. Pupils learn successfully to take responsibility. At the end of lessons they are expected to put away equipment and materials that they have been using. This they do very well and clearly take a pride in their growing responsibility and ability to sustain concentration.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. Attendance is good. Pupils enjoy attending the school and almost all pupils attend regularly. Pupils are aware that they are making progress in their work and their behaviour is better. Almost all absence is accounted for by medical reasons. Unauthorised absence is very low at 0.5%.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

7. The quality of teaching in the centre in all subjects taught is at least good and in over two thirds of lessons, it is very good or excellent. In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils are taught very well in all the subjects covered. The limitations of a part-time curriculum do not affect the quality of Admaston House Centre - 11 planning, organisation and challenge involved in teaching. The teaching is based on the staff’s thorough knowledge and understanding of the needs of individuals, including the good use of statements, reviews and individual education plans. In addition, pupils with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autistic spectrum disorders, conduct disorders and medical conditions are integrated very well into all classes. Teaching is planned to ensure that they achieve good results. Teaching includes very good organisation and individual educational plans, good knowledge of subjects taught and teaching is linked very well with assessment to inform

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

teachers of the new targets for all pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

8. Pupils acquire new skills in English, mathematics and science. They enjoy the lessons show interest in the work and learn to concentrate. Small group and individual teaching is very effective. There are good opportunities for discussion and recording to be completed before the pupils have to return to their mainstream school. All pupils take great pride in their workbooks. They have good knowledge of the subjects taught and this is evident in their answers to questions, in books and in class discussion.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

9. In English and literacy, pupils are making good progress. In Key Stage 1, pupils enjoy the literacy hour, speaking and listening and reading aloud. Pupils are successfully encouraged to listen to poems and write their own humorous poems. They read, with support, a range of suitable books and poems. In Key Stage 2, pupils are working at good levels in most lessons. Excellent work was seen in a group of older pupils when they followed up a class story by reading out their own written stories and then word processed them for displaying in class. There is good systematic feedback to pupils through discussion and marking. Pupils are successfully encouraged to develop their communication skills in a variety of ways. They respond to new topics in English and their individual views are encouraged on a range of literature. Pupils in both key stages are given lessons on handwriting and grammar to support

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

their reading, speaking and listening and presentation. All pupils achieve good results despite lower than average levels of attainment. Pupils are making very good progress in English and literacy skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

10. Mathematics lessons are of at least a good standard and mostly very good. An excellent mathematics lesson was taught in Key Stage 1. The lesson was planned to give pupils opportunities to learn the value of coins and work was then extended exceptionally well to include addition of coins using novel and appropriate resources. All the pupils were then given individual support to help them record their answers. Levels of concentration in mathematics lessons are very good. Attainment in mathematics is below average because of pupils’ special needs, but teachers successfully employ every opportunity to raise the standards of pupils’ knowledge in mathematics.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

11. The centre makes very good use of resources to teach science to the pupils. Teachers have good subject knowledge and expertise, which enable them to provide high quality teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

12. In Key Stage 1, a sequence of very well planned and organised lessons looked the skeleton and muscles and then moved on to the lungs and breathing. Excellent lesson planning went into introducing the first topic and pupils' previous knowledge was encouraged and praised. Pupils are given opportunities to take part in experiments on breathing rates before and after exercise followed by a lively period of discussion. Each pupil taking part is encouraged at his or her own level of ability and questions and word processing is used to record their results, which show excellent progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

13. Lessons in personal, social and health education are very good. An excellent lesson in Year 6 followed up a series of discussions relating to bullying, racism and alcohol and drug abuse. Each pupil prepared a series of commentaries on a number of issues, which had been discussed in previous lessons. These topics are of particular interest for some of these pupils. The lesson was very well planned to give all pupils a clear and valuable message regarding the moral issues in these topics. The level of support in these sessions is very good. The class effectively uses a variety of resources to record their results and evidence is displayed around the classroom. The centre has a number of supporting agencies who visit the school on a Admaston House Centre - 12 regular basis and help the pupils to understand and benefit from learning about the issues in personal and health education. These visitors provide very good social opportunities for the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils ranges from very good to satisfactory. This is due in part to the limitations of a part-time placement for every pupil and the need for the staff to focus on key curriculum subjects. The teaching of moral and cultural issues is very good. The centre is based in an area with very rich national and local history. All pupils go out on visits to local places of interest. Library visits and walks and trips to Ironbridge and other historical landmarks are regular and part of a very well planned curriculum. Opportunities for pupils to work and play together informally are unsatisfactory. Space in the building is too limited and so pupils stay in their classrooms at break times, and travelling time between schools takes up much of their lunch break. However, this enables them all to increase their opportunities for good liaison with other schools and integration is very well organised. There are

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop their spiritual awareness.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. No pupils have been excluded, either for a fixed term or permanently.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

16. The curriculum in Admaston House Centre (Primary Pupil Referral Unit) is broad, balanced and differentiated both by task and outcome.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

17. All pupils are provided with very good and appropriate individual education plans, which are targeted and evaluated on a regular basis. These plans are carefully used to formulate the teaching aims of lessons. Scrutiny of pupils' work shows that teaching the curriculum is carefully organised to enable pupils to learn at a level appropriate to their ages, abilities and special educational needs.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

18. The curriculum provides very good learning experiences for all the pupils. Teachers and pupils alike enjoy the subjects of the curriculum. Pupils are taught the differences between good and bad, right and wrong and their behaviour targets are both meaningful and pupils are capable of achieving them. The teachers give very good examples to pupils of leadership, care and consideration. In turn, pupils show a good standard of respect and caring towards each other, their belongings and to visitors. Even difficult situations are resolved in a positive and constructive way. Members of the centre share a common goal and commitment.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

19. There is a great deal of emphasis in the curriculum on pupils acquiring positive attitudes to learning, appropriate skills, awareness and understanding of every aspect of school and everyday life. The main aim of the pupils' modified curriculum is to establish a good self-image; to explore the need for independence and to go forward into society as full participants.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

20. Many aspects of learning are covered in the curriculum. Particular emphasis is placed upon the need for staff and pupils to have a very good self-image, positive self-esteem and to make very good use of skills and knowledge they have acquired.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

21. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum offered, which is planned to complement and support the curriculum offered at pupils’ primary schools. The curriculum is appropriate for boys and girls and all pupils have equal access to all lessons. The organisation and the accommodation do not lend themselves to any extra curricular activities for the pupils.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

22. The school makes good use of the local community as a learning environment. Pupils benefit from a range of educational visits, for example to Shrewsbury castle and museum. These visits not only enrich pupil’s curricular experiences but also make a good contribution to developing pupils social skills. The school has benefited from sponsorship from local commerce. For Admaston House Centre - 13 example, pupils visited a local company who donated a computer for pupils to use. Currently, national retailers’ vouchers are being collected to supplement resources. Links with local primary schools are good. There are good liaison arrangements in place and information is regularly shared concerning the assessment and re-integration of the pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

23. The day-to-day care of pupils is good. Staff have good knowledge and understanding of all pupils, relationships are very positive and every effort is made to meet sensitively pupils’ social and emotional needs. Because of this, pupils readily ask staff for help and guidance. Regular review meetings take place. These involve a wide range of specialist agencies. This ensures that pupils are very well supported and all involved in their care are well informed.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

24. The medical and welfare needs of pupils are well catered for and records are efficiently maintained. Child protection arrangements are clear and procedures are correctly followed. Good attention is given to health and safety in lessons. However, the cramped accommodation and a number of specific health and safety issues adversely effect the quality of care the staff are able to provide.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

25. Pupils in the centre receive very good teaching regarding issues of care and protection of themselves and others. Teachers reinforce the need for the pupils to be safe and how to feel safe through topic work and discussion. Work which has been completed on these topics is evident around the centre on display. Access to the classrooms is difficult as they are on the first floor and can only be reached by awkward stairs. The building is well used by a number of other groups and the centre rooms are located on the first floor. This means that staff and pupils have to be mindful when moving around and getting to the toilets which are on the ground floor. This situation is not satisfactory. Staff make good attempts to overcome these difficulties by using outside visits to help social interaction and inviting other professionals and visitors in to talk to the pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

26. The teaching is good. Work is well planned and organised and procedures for monitoring and assessment are discussed regularly at staff meetings. These meetings are important in raising awareness of difficulties arising from pupils' welfare and academic progress. Assessment is used very well as an aid to curriculum planning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

27. Pupils' attendance is good even though there are occasional difficulties arising from a split placement because of the need for transport to and from the centre. Relationships between drivers and pupils are very good. Currently, members of the WRVS are transporting pupils between school, in the main. This has proved to be a very good arrangement. Attendance is monitored very effectively. If a pupil is absent, contact is made with parents on the first day. There is good liaison with primary schools regarding pupil’s attendance. The relationships between the Centre and the pupils' feeder schools are excellent. The support and liaison between staff in feeder schools, support agencies and staff in the centre and the reports of successful re-integration from parents and schools, help to contribute to the very good results of the pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

28. Parents of most pupils support the centre very well. Good use is made of home-school books. They play an important part in maintaining good liaison between the centre, the home and the mainstream schools.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

29. Staffing at the centre is adequate. Provision of clerical assistance would enable teachers and support staff to devote more time to the pupils. The accommodation is unsatisfactory. It would be improved if there was better access to the hall and toilets, suitable facilities for extra- curricular activities and an outside play area. Break-times usually are taken in the classrooms Admaston House Centre - 14 and this means that pupils do not have the opportunity to take responsibility for themselves at times when they are not under direct tuition. These issues are currently being addressed. There are adequate resources for teaching but there is a need for more and satisfactory storage space and display areas. All the areas currently available are used very well by staff and pupils to display children's work and to provide information and resources for art and craft-work.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

30. Parents view the centre as being excellent. At the meeting with parents they described the school as brilliant! Parents say they feel able to contact the school with concerns and are reassured when they can talk to staff.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

31. Links between parents and the centre are very effective. They are based on very good relationships and information. The head of service establishes very good relationship with parents from the time of the initial home visit. This initial meeting is effectively built upon when parents visit the centre before their children start. The very positive light in which they view the centre’s provision has a significant impact on the way parents work with the school, to encourage their children to improve their behaviour and attitudes to work.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

32. The home/school diary is used very effectively to communicate between home, the centre and primary school. This ensures that all parties are fully aware of both achievements and concerns. In addition, parents are contacted by telephone on a regular basis, especially to celebrate pupils’ achievements. Parents appreciate this. Formal reports on pupil’s progress, for those pupils still attending the centre at the end of the academic year, are satisfactory. Although they provide an overall view of social and behavioural development, there is need for more detail about what pupils know and can do.

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INTEGRATION

33. The centre is very successful in its programme of integration for pupils. The majority of pupils integrate successfully back into their mainstream schools. A small minority of pupils, for whom re-integration is not appropriate, are found places in appropriate special schools 34.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

35. The teacher-in-charge and head of centre provide excellent leadership and management for the centre. The direction is strong and the aims are clear. The teacher-in-charge and the head of services work very effectively in the management of this pupil referral unit. They have ensured that roles are very clearly defined and that parents and pupils are fully aware of the very high expectations that are part of the ethos of the centre.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

36. The teacher-in-charge has a clear over view of the centre and gets the very best performance out of the staff and pupils. There is constant striving to enable pupils to return to their mainstream schools and the teachers ensure that there is a very close liaison between Admaston House and the feeder mainstream schools.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

37. Although there is no governing body, steering group or management committee, there is a clear line of management. Each of the officers holds a different responsibility and has different experiences and qualities. These include the services of business managers and education officers. Officers report regularly to the chief education officer and ensure that monthly strategy meetings are productive.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

38. Arrangements for assessment when pupils are admitted are good. The results are used effectively in planning appropriate schemes of work and individual education plans. A great deal Admaston House Centre - 15 of time is spent in interviewing parents and their children before the children are admitted to the centre. This ensures that there is no doubt about the aims and objectives of the centre. The prime aim is to enable pupils to return to mainstream education because they have made sound progress in relation to prior attainment and targets set in statements and individual education plans. Planning, monitoring of the curriculum and checks on individuals and groups ensures equality of opportunity for all pupils and this is reflected in all that they do.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

39. The centre works closely with the staff of the mainstream schools, which enables them to meet the special educational needs of the pupils. The arrangements are very effective and help to ensure that pupils remain in mainstream schools. The outreach work of the centre is valued highly by the headteachers of mainstream schools.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

40. The management of the centre is very concerned about the accommodation and acknowledges the many shortcomings. The head of services and teacher-in-charge of the referral unit are very effective and this view is endorsed by the headteachers whom we interviewed during the inspection. Parents were unanimous in their support of the centre and in their appreciation of the strong effective management.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

41. The centre is committed to further improvement, this is borne out by the history of change and development that has taken place in the centre. The centre has good arrangements to monitor the quality of teaching and the head of services is very actively involved in the work of the centre. Information and communication technology is used effectively throughout the centre. The centre makes good use of computers and CD ROMs to provide information for lessons. The centre soon will have access to the internet which will strengthen links with the wider community.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

42. The head of services securely and effectively manages the centre’s finances. The leadership of the centre makes comparison with costs involved and looks at them in a competitive light. Consultation ensures that the centre applies principles of best value soundly.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

43. Taking into account the high quality of teaching in the centre, the good progress that pupils make and the low cost per pupil, the centre provides very good value for money.

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WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to improve even further the quality of education provided for the pupils at Admaston House Centre, the teacher-in-charge, the head of services and the responsible officers must:

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WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

∗ take steps to improve the premises and their use in order to provide pupils with an appropriately wide curriculum and suitable social experiences. (Paragraph 28)

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WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

∗ ensure that there are opportunities for pupils to mix in a social setting outside of the classroom to enable them to take some social responsibility. (Paragraphs 14 and 28)

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WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

∗ offer more opportunities for pupils to develop their spiritual awareness and self-knowledge. (Paragraph 14) Admaston House Centre - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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 unit’s pupils

Number of pupils on the unit’s roll (full time equivalent) 24 (14.5)

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Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 9

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Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils on the unit’s special educational needs register 24

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Information about the unit’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for last whole term before the inspection Admaston House Centre - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 2 Black – Caribbean heritage - -

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage - Black – African heritage - -

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group - Other minority ethnic groups - -

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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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.6 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y1 – Y6 Expenditure per pupil 5,957

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Balance brought forward from previous year Nil

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 27 Balance carried forward to next year nil Admaston House Centre - 18

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 65 30 0 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 35 55 0 0 10

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 20 15 10 5 50

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 85 10 5 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. 85 10 0 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 80 15 0 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 85 15 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 75 10 0 0 15

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 70 15 0 0 15

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 40 10 0 5 45

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Other issues raised by parents

Parents are overwhelmingly in support of the centre and believe that there should be much more provision like this for their children.

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