Icknield School

ICKNIELD SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 – 21 September 2000

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ICKNIELD SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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ICKNIELD SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Icknield School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School category: Severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: River Way Andover Hampshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Rosemary Wilson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1996 Icknield School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities Dr D. Alan Dobbins Registered inspector Modern foreign language; physical education Standards achieved; teaching; leadership and management B. Rance Lay inspector Attendance; links with the community; welfare, health, safety and child protection; partnership with parents J. Hall Team inspector Science; music; personal, social and health education Curriculum

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

M. Smith Team inspector English; information technology

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

J. Coop Team inspector Under-fives; art; history Assessment and monitoring of academic and personal development; support and guidance C. Gribble Team inspector Geography; religious education Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development; efficiency N. Watling Team inspector Post-16; mathematics; design and technology Attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Baker-Phillips Inspection Services The Croft Brierley Way Oldcroft Lydney Gloucestershire GL15 4NE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway Icknield School - 5 London WC2B 6SE Icknield School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Icknield School is a local education authority mixed, day special school. The school provides for 72 full-time pupils, 42 boys and 30 girls, from 2 to 19 years of age. The registered admission number is 66. As a consequence of their learning difficulties, pupils’ attainment on entry is considerably below expectations for age.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school provides specialist provision for the Andover area of the County of Hampshire, but also admits a large number of pupils from the adjacent County of Wiltshire. Thirty-three percent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Sixty-nine pupils have statements of special educational need. Three pupils are currently being assessed for a statement. One pupil is from an ethnic minority. Pupils travel to the school on transport provided by their local authority. A small number of pupils spend up to one hour travelling to and from school.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school aims to prepare pupils to be as independent as possible in adult life. To this end a bungalow has been acquired close to the centre of Andover. Post-16 students are taught there. From it, they regularly walk into town to take part in activities that help prepare them for their life after school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Icknield School is a good school. The quality of teaching is very good. It is a strength of the school. Pupils learn very well. The relationship between pupils and staff is excellent. The local community makes an excellent contribution to extending pupils’ learning through the provision of goods, money and expertise. In English and mathematics, the standards pupils achieve and the progress they make are very good. In most of the other subjects they are good or better. Pupils who are under-five are prepared very well for their work at Key Stage 1. Post-16 students are very well prepared to be as independent as possible when they leave school. The curriculum is relevant to the needs and abilities of pupils. The particular needs of a small number of pupils are very well met through the good application of sensory teaching approaches and the excellent use of TEACCH* procedures. The leadership of the school is

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

excellent at gaining grants to extend curricular opportunities and to support teaching and learning. The school provides good value for money. *TEACCH is specialist teaching procedure for the Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Teaching is of a very high quality and makes pupils very good at their learning. • The relationship between pupils and students and all staff is excellent. • It promotes very good behaviour and very good personal and social development. • It helps prepare pupils very well to be as independent as possible when they leave school. • It has very good provision for pupils with particular special needs. • It makes excellent use of the people and facilities in the local community and is excellent at gaining grants and awards to support and extend its work.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The roles and responsibilities of the senior managers. • The procedures for assessing the attainment of pupils and the progress they make. • The procedures for judging the effectiveness of the school. • The role of the subject co-ordinators. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the appropriate authority. Icknield School - 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection (September, 1996), although not all of the key issues for action identified then have been met in full.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

• A senior management team has been formed. It is not yet fully effective because of insecurity in recognising roles and responsibilities.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

• All subjects of the National Curriculum that are required are taught. The programmes of study for some subjects, for example art, information technology and physical education are not met in full.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

• The school development plan has been considerably improved and now provides very good guidance for identifying, directing and monitoring future developments.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

• The accommodation has been considerably improved. It now provides a good base from which the curricular and special needs of all pupils can be met. The lack of specialist teaching areas, especially for science, art and design and technology continues to restrict the easy access of pupils, especially at Key Stage 3, to all of the elements in the relevant programmes of study. The absence of good library provision limits progress in the skills of investigative learning.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In other areas, the quality of teaching has improved and is now very good. Pupils are better as learners and have a greater commitment to their learning.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Progress in: By age by age by age by age Key 5 11 16 19

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STANDARDS

Speaking and listening A A A A Very good A

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The school’s statutory targets are appropriately formed. Pupils and students are confident in their learning, comfortable with themselves and with the staff. The targets for learning written in the IEPs of some pupils are too general to recognise the small gains they make, and contribute too little to the planning of future teaching and learning. Icknield School - 9

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to all their work. They work very hard at their learning and are committed to doing well for themselves and for their teachers and support assistants.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good in lessons, at lunch and break-times. Also, when they use the facilities of the local area, such as the leisure centre, local stables for horse riding or when they visit the shops in the town.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. The very good progress made in personal and social skills is underpinned by the excellent relationship, which exists between pupils and staff.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

The excellent relationship between pupils and students and all staff makes a significant contribution to the progress they make and to the standards they achieve in their learning and, especially, in their personal and social development.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Very good Very good Very good 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 AND LEARNING

In lessons in English, mathematics, science and personal, social and health education the quality of teaching is very good. It is very good for pupils who are under-five, for those who are taught through primarily sensory methods and for post-16 students. It is most often excellent for pupils who are taught by TEACCH procedures. It is excellent in 14%, very good in 45%, good in 36% and satisfactory in the remaining 5% of lessons. In the excellent and very good lessons, planning is detailed, teachers’ expectations for learning are very high, and the work of the support assistants is very effective. As a consequence, the match between pupils’ abilities and needs and the lesson tasks is very good. Lesson time is very well used. Pupils make a considerable intellectual and physical effort and are frequently inspired as learners. Icknield School - 10

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum meets the needs of pupils. Children under-five are very well prepared for their work at Key Stage1 and post-16 students are very well prepared for life after school. The local community makes an excellent contribution to learning by providing many opportunities to extend the curriculum, most notably by making a significant contribution to the purchase of the bungalow, which acts as the teaching base for post-16 students.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good. Provision for cultural development is good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school is a safe and secure environment. The procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal and social development are good. Those that assess pupils’ work in the subjects are not sufficiently precise to help monitor their progress or to help plan future lessons.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school makes a good effort to involve parents in its work. They are very appreciative of this and of the quality of the work of the school. The curriculum pays due regard to the National Curriculum. Adaptation of the schemes of work to meet the requirements of Curriculum 2000 has yet to begin. The school makes no provision for teaching a modern foreign language to pupils at Key Stage 3 because each of the current group of 12 pupils is dissapplied from learning the subject.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher is very good at gaining extra grants and awards. The lack of clarity in the roles and responsibilities of senior managers limits their effectiveness in further developing and in monitoring and evaluating the work of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities The governing body meets its statutory responsibilities. Insufficient formal procedures operate to keep them fully informed of the effectiveness of all the work of the school, especially the effectiveness of the work of the senior managers.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The availability of P-scale* information and the imminent granting of Investor in People status provide a good base from which to judge the effectiveness of all the work of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good. Excellent use is made of the extra grants and awards gained by the school to extend the curriculum and enrich the learning experience of pupils and students. Teachers and administrative staff make good use of new technology in their work.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

* P-scales allow the recognition of small steps in learning at a level of attainment that is below Level 1 of the procedures for assessment of the National Curriculum.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The number of teachers and support assistants is sufficient to teach the curriculum and Icknield School - 11 meet the needs of pupils and students. The recently appointed teachers, who have considerable experience in mainstream education, have beneficially extended the staff’s range of curricular experience. Financial management is very good. The school operates very good procedures to ensure best value for money. The school is maintained to a very high standard of cleanliness.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • That their child likes school. • The good standard of behaviour. • The ease with which they can approach the school when they have a question or a problem. • The good quality of the teaching. • The way in which children are helped to become mature and responsible. • The length of time some pupils spend travelling to and from school. • The provision of speech therapy and occupational therapy.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team broadly agrees with the positive views which parents have for the work of the school. Icknield School - 12

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The school’s results and achievements

1. It is inappropriate to judge the attainment of pupils for whom this school caters against national expectations or averages. The report does, however, give examples of what pupils know, understand and can do. Judgements about progress and references to attainment and achievement take account of information contained in pupils’ statements and annual reviews.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. In English, the standards achieved and the progress pupils make in all aspects of the subject are very good over all four key stages. Pupils under-five and post-16 students also achieve very good standards and make very good progress. During Key Stage 1, pupils are encouraged to communicate by the effective use of signing. Reading is very well supported by the use of symbols so that by the end of the key stage, the highest attaining pupils can read Big Books using a combination of words and symbols. They learn pencil control through early writing activities. By the end of the key stage, the highest attaining pupils can overwrite a simple pattern with very good accuracy. As a consequence of the very good progress which is made over each key stage most pupils, at the end of Key Stage 4, confidently use their speaking and listening skills in many different situations, for example when telling of the activities they took part in over

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The school’s results and achievements

the weekend or when ordering and paying for a purchase in a shop in the town. By this time, the best readers read at a very good level. They have a very good knowledge of grammar and of different word types, for example verb and noun. Writing is now very good. The highest attaining pupils can write to different styles, such as report writing and for advertising a product, as well as more imaginative writing. They use punctuation with appropriate accuracy, for example, capital letters, question and exclamation marks and full stops. The lowest attaining pupils form their letters with increased accuracy and a better regard for shape. When they leave school, most pupils are functionally literate.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The National Strategy for Literacy has been very well incorporated into English. The principles also permeate through lessons in other subjects. Its implementation is making a significant contribution to pupils’ very good standards and their very good progress in English.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. In mathematics, the standards pupils achieve and the progress they make is very good over all key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, they have learned to count objects to five and to match the numbers. During Key Stage 2, they learn to count to 10 and to recognise the numbers on a number line. By the end of the key stage, they have learned to use non-standard units of measurement for measuring length, for example hand spans. The highest attaining pupils can chose an appropriate unit, such as, stride length to measure a greater distance. By the end of Key Stage 3, the highest attaining pupils can count forwards and backwards to 20 and, using a number line can add and subtract in single or multiple numbers. They have also learned to handle data through, for example drawing bar charts to depict running speed, the length jumped and the number of balls caught by members of the class. By the end of Key Stage 4, most pupils count

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The school’s results and achievements

confidently to 100 and can apply their skills in addition and subtraction to money, time and distance. Post-16 students have learned to use calculators to help gain answers to simple and serial addition, subtraction, multiplication and division tasks that relate to the requirements of everyday living, such as when planning the estimated cost of a shopping list or the cost of an evening out to the cinema. Most students leave school with a functional knowledge of mathematics sufficient for them to deal with many of the Icknield School - 13 day to day routines of their life.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. The standards achieved and the progress pupils make in science, as it is taught, is good over all key stages. In many lessons at Key Stage 2, pupils achieve very good standards and make very good progress. However, because of the limited time allocated to the subject and the absence of specialist facilities for teaching, which limits what can be taught over the full range of the subject, the standards achieved and the progress made are satisfactory. By the end of Key Stage 2, the highest attaining pupils draw scientific diagrams with good accuracy. They know about the life cycle of farm animals through their study of life processes and living things. Pupils who are taught through TEACCH procedures make very good progress in sound and movement by learning to feel and control the vibrations of cymbals and to distinguish loud and quiet sounds. By the end of Key Stage 4, the highest attaining pupils know the difference

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The school’s results and achievements

between solids, liquids and gases. They can explain their knowledge using appropriate vocabulary such as ‘dissolve’ and ‘ions’. All pupils can identify and name the external features of a flowering plant and of the human body. Most understand that living things grow and reproduce. They know that electricity and movement are sources of energy, as is the sun and the wind.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. In the other subjects, the standards achieved and the progress made over the four key stages are very good in design and technology and in religious education at Key Stages 1 and 2. They are good over all key stages in music and physical education and in religious education at Key Stages 3 and 4. They are satisfactory in art, geography and in information technology. Due to timetable constraints it was not possible to judge standards and progress in history. A modern foreign language is not taught. Over all their work children under-five, and post-16 students, achieve very good standards and make very good progress.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Over all the school, very good gains are made in personal and social development. As a consequence, students leave school as young adults who can respond confidently and appropriately in social, leisure or work situations.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Boys and girls make equivalent progress. Pupils with additional special needs who are taught primarily through sensory methods make good progress. Those who are taught through TEACCH procedures make very good progress.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Since the last inspection, there has been good improvement in the standards achieved and the progress pupils make in English, mathematics, design and technology and religious education for pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2. Satisfactory improvement has been made in art, information technology, music and science. The high standards in swimming reported at the last inspection have been maintained. No judgement on improvement in pupils’ performance in history and geography is possible because no judgement on the standards achieved or the progress pupils make was made at the last inspection. The very good progress made by pupils in their personal development last time has been maintained.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils’ and students’ attitudes to their work are very good and have improved considerably since the last inspection. Now, in 64% of lessons they are very good or better. In 90% of lessons they are good or better and are satisfactory in the remaining 10%. Pupils and students are enthusiastic when they arrive at school. They greet adults and peers appropriately and with respect. They actively engage in all of the activities offered by the school, for example the gymnastic club after school and when Icknield School - 14 they use the local leisure centre, secondary school or college.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The behaviour of pupils in lessons, at lunch and break-times is very good. Pupils are polite and friendly. They readily welcome visitors and, when they can, are proud to share their achievements. Behaviour is also very good when they use the facilities of the local area, such as the leisure centre, local stables for horse riding or when they visit the shops in the town. The highest attaining pupils and students have a clear understanding of the impact of their behaviour on others. For example, one boy quietly expressed displeasure when another boy was unkind to a girl by saying, “We don’t do that sort of thing here”.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. The ambience of the school is purposeful and respectful. Pupils and students are routinely respectful towards adults, property and resources. The very good displays throughout the school are valued by all. The accommodation is free of damage or graffiti.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Good use is made of the routines of the day to allow opportunities for pupils to show initiative and take responsibility. For example, they take turns in collecting and returning registers to the office. They routinely clear up equipment at the end of lessons. In some lessons they take turns at washing dishes. In registration periods, pupils help count and welcome others into the class. A major aim of the curriculum for post-16 students is to promote the skills of independent living. They learn these skills very well and use them outside of the timetable, for example when they brought food to school, which they cooked as part of a surprise birthday party for one of their peers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Throughout the school the relationship between adults and pupils and students is excellent. It is a strength of the school. It provides considerable support for all the work of the school. All adults respect the privacy and integrity of all in their care. They encourage all to achieve socially to the highest possible standard given their individual needs and capabilities. Within lessons and at other times, for example playtime and lunchtime, pupils mix well with each other and work and play co-operatively. Post-16 students relate particularly well with each other. The very good progress they make in their academic and personal and social development is helped by the considerable support they provide for each other. The school is free from oppressive behaviour of any kind, including bullying.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The school actively and successfully encourages pupils and students to respect the feelings, values and beliefs of others. For example, pupils spontaneously applaud each other for their good achievement. They tolerate very well the occasional outbursts of the small number of pupils who have difficulty in controlling their actions. There are too few pupils in school from different cultures for pupils to learn in a direct way of different beliefs and life styles. Nevertheless, in lessons, especially in religious education and music, for example when they listen to music from the Buddhist religion, they are taught about the values and beliefs of other cultures.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils' attendance at school is very good. The school is always informed why a pupil is absent. The level of authorised absence is very low, being half the national average for equivalent schools. Most pupils arrive at school on time. Occasionally, some are late because of difficulties in travelling long distances in busy rush hour traffic or because routes have to be re-scheduled. A small number of pupils spend up to one hour each way travelling to and from school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Icknield School - 15 17. Teaching is a strength of the school. At the last inspection the quality of teaching was very good or better in 14% of lessons, satisfactory or better in 94% and unsatisfactory in the remaining 6% of lessons. Now, it is excellent in 14% of lessons and very good or better in 58% of lessons. It is satisfactory or better in all lessons. These figures represent a considerable improvement in the overall quality of teaching. Teaching is very good throughout the school, with the percentage of excellent teaching being high.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Teachers and support assistants have a very good knowledge of their pupils and students. They know them very well as individuals and are expert at matching lesson tasks to their needs and abilities. Even when they teach subjects in which they hold little specialist knowledge or training, this makes a significant contribution to the overall very good quality of teaching,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. The very good communication skills of pupils is in part a reflection of the very effective introduction of the National Strategy for Literacy and the attention given to promoting these skills in lessons in all the subjects. Teachers and support assistants are particularly good at encouraging pupils to communicate through speech. They are also good at explaining the meaning of specialist words in the subjects in simple terms. This allows pupils to understand them and to add them to their growing vocabulary. This also applies to the skills of numeracy, especially for the post-16 students, who have very good opportunities to use their skills in mathematics when, for example, as part of their curriculum they visit shops in the town.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Planning for lessons is very good and is based, in part, on the high expectations teachers have for learning. The teaching methods chosen are appropriate and in most lessons fully meet the needs of pupils and students. The school has recognised the requirement of meeting the learning difficulties of some pupils mainly through TEACCH procedures or through a predominantly sensory approach to teaching. The very good and good progress pupils make in these classes is the result of the appropriate choice of teaching method skilfully presented by very competent and knowledgeable teams of teachers and support assistants.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Pupils’ behaviour is routinely very good. It is managed very well, by teachers and support assistants alike. On the odd occasion when behaviour is inappropriate it is well dealt with according to guidelines identified in individual behaviour plans, most often without disrupting the learning of others in the lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. As a consequence of the very good knowledge teachers and support assistants have of pupils and students, their very good planning, high expectations and the routine good behaviour of pupils, lesson time is very well used and pupils’ progress in the great majority of lessons is good or better.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. In many lessons teachers recognise what pupils know, can do and understand. They quickly recognise the good work or the good effort of pupils with immediate and appropriate verbal encouragement. However, in most subjects the use of assessment information to help plan future lessons is not well done. Over the longer term, such as a term, year or key stage, the better recognition of what pupils know, understand and can do will help promote even better progress. This is especially so for those pupils whose progress is made in very small steps.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. Homework is satisfactorily used to promote pupils’ learning. For the small number of pupils whose parents are actively linked with the work of the school, homework provides good support for teaching and learning Icknield School - 16 25. The school’s ethos makes an important contribution to the standards pupils and students achieve and the progress they make. They quickly recognise that they have a responsibility to themselves, to their teachers and to the school to learn as best they can. They accept very well their role as learners. In 14% of lessons learning is excellent. In 44% of lessons it is very good, good in 35% of lessons and satisfactory in the remaining 7% of lessons. Routinely, pupils are interested in their work. Despite their learning difficulties they strive to concentrate over all their lessons. They make a considerable intellectual effort to learn their work. In lessons in swimming, horse riding

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

and gymnastics they make an equal physical effort. Pupils’ very good attitudes to their learning are seen over all classes, but especially so in the class taught primarily through TEACCH procedures. In this class pupils with complex learning difficulties routinely make as great an intellectual and physical effort to learn their work, as is possible for them.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. The curriculum is satisfactorily broad, balanced and relevant to meet the academic, personal and social needs of pupils. Emphasis is given to the development of the skills of literacy and numeracy and on the personal and social development of pupils and students. Children under-five are very well prepared for their work at Key Stage1 and post-16 students are very well prepared for life after school. Statutory requirements, which relate to the National Curriculum over Key Stages 1 to 4 are met, but adaptation of the schemes of work for Curriculum 2000 is not well advanced. Satisfactory improvement has been made since the last inspection.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. Planning documents are generally good. Subject policies guide the curriculum for individual subjects, except for religious education. The policy for drugs education is still in draft form. Teaching time is in line with national recommendations at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3. At Key Stage 4, weekly lesson time is nearly one hour less than recommended. Also, there is a slippage of time at the start of lessons and a significant number of timetable changes. Both act to limit the effectiveness of the very good quality of teaching and learning that is routinely seen in lessons.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The timetable allocation for science is less than typically seen in equivalent schools and is less than recommended for a core subject. This results in a superficial coverage of parts of the National Curriculum programmes of study for the subject and limits the standards pupils achieve and the progress they can make over all the full range of the subject. Each of the 12 pupils at Key Stage 3 is disapplied from their entitlement to study a modern foreign language. Whilst the dissapplication procedures have been appropriately followed, it is unlikely that not studying a modern foreign language will benefit the educational experience of each pupil who enters Key Stage 3 in the future.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The provision for pupils with additional special educational needs who are best taught through predominantly sensory procedures is good. The provision for pupils best taught through TEACCH procedures is very good. For a small number of pupils their educational experience is beneficially extended through participation in good quality music therapy that is provided through the use of funds donated by parents and friends of the school. Sufficient time is allocated for speech and language therapy to meet the provision as is set out in pupils’ Statements of Special Educational Need. Nevertheless, the allocation of time and expertise does not meet with parents’ expectations. The language skills of many pupils would benefit from the increased support of speech therapists. The small number of pupils with physical disabilities and problems with Icknield School - 17 movement receive insufficient occupational therapy. As a consequence, their access to

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

the curriculum is limited and the standards they achieve and the progress they make are also limited. Physiotherapy support is satisfactory. Use of the excellent hydrotherapy pool and the very good sensory room very effectively extends the curriculum for a small number of pupils.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The National Strategy for Literacy has been very effectively introduced into the curriculum. All teachers have a very good knowledge of the principles involved and apply these in the lessons in all subjects whenever possible. The National Strategy for Numeracy has also been introduced very effectively. Both make a significant contribution to the very good standards pupils and students achieve in English and mathematics. Information technology is not taught as a discrete subject. Planning for the subject is not precise enough and limits pupils’ opportunities to develop and use their emerging skills in the other subjects of the curriculum.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. Extra-curricular provision is good and, despite the constraints imposed by the need to transport pupils considerable distances to and from school, helps extend the curricular opportunities for most of the pupils through a wide range of visits and, for older students, good residential opportunities. For example, taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme makes a valuable contribution to the personal, social and physical development of older pupils and post-16 students. The weekly meeting of the gymnastics club and the Brownie pack help enrich the curriculum for pupils at each of the four key stages.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. All pupils have good and equal access to the curriculum. Within the school, pupils with additional special educational needs take some of their lessons with pupils in other classes. A small number of pupils take part in lessons in local mainstream primary and secondary schools. These links have been established for many years. They are very well organised. For example, the pupils who visit the secondary school do so wearing the uniform of the school. Pupils gain academically from learning with mainstream pupils and make considerable gains in their social skills, especially in their self- confidence. Children under-five have only limited opportunities to join with others in the work of the school.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The schemes of work for personal, social and health education for pupils at Key Stages 1 to 4 are still being developed. The provision at Key stages 1 to 4 is good, including that to do with drug awareness and sex education. The close links many parents have with the school enables them to make an important contribution to progress their children make in personal and social skills. Personal, social and health education is excellent for the post-16 students. Completion of the planning documents will make more secure the good progression between Key Stage 4 and the post-16 provision.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. Work related education for post-16 students is good. All pupils, as far as they are able, gain work placements over the wide range made available by a large number of local employers. The career service provides good guidance during the preparation of the transition plans for pupils at age 14 years. The statutory requirement for careers education and guidance in Year 9 is met. For pupils at Key Stage 4, the progress they make in experiencing and understanding the world of work is limited by the absence of a clear policy and appropriate planning documents.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. The use made of the local community to enhance pupils' learning is outstanding. It has improved further on the good practice identified in the last inspection report. The curriculum is extended through frequent visits to places of worship, art galleries, and theatres and to places of historical, geographical and scientific interest, such as the Icknield School - 18 Anton Lakes nature reserve. Pupils also take part in musical performances in various locations in the community and in a range of sporting activities in the local area, including horse riding, swimming and gymnastics. Each term, they attend the Elim Pentecostal Church for a special service. The minister supports these visits through his regular attendance at school to take part in assemblies. Individuals, other schools and businesses, including Stannah and Ducal, have provided exceptional support for the school in raising very substantial funds to establish the Icknield Trust. This has

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

allowed the purchase of a bungalow near to the centre of Andover, which acts as the base for teaching post-16 students and that considerably extends and enriches their curriculum. For example, from the bungalow pupils regularly make trips into town to practise the skills of independent living. Funds have also been gained for equipment and furniture, thereby improving the learning environment, throughout the school. Co- operation with other local schools and colleges in the area is very good. Post-16 students gain from their frequent visits to the local college for gymnastics and swimming and for other curriculum activities according to each pupil's individual development programme.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. Provision for spiritual development is very good. Pupils across all the key stages are provided with very good opportunities to reflect and contemplate the immediate world around them. Staff use the opportunities very well within lessons to promote spiritual awareness. For example, they give pupils who are troubled time for reflection so that they can regain a more appropriate orientation to their friends and their work. Sometimes, this will involve taking a pupil to watch and feel the cascading waters of the unique water feature in the atrium. Pupils have learned to appreciate the contributions of others, show respect and tolerance towards staff and each other during lessons and are respectful of the efforts of all staff to make each school day happy and purposeful. Throughout the school, lessons in religious education emphasise the spirituality of world religions. In most classes, collective worship takes place during the last few minutes of

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

each day. During this time, staff use a very good range of reflective and contemplative activities, such as meditation, and resources, such as music and lighted candles.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. Provision for moral development is very good. Pupils and students know right from wrong. Staff lead pupils towards recognition of the benefits of good behaviour by their own examples. Appropriate behaviour is encouraged and praised. Teachers make good use of stories and songs in their lessons to reinforce the principles of moral behaviour. This makes a good contribution to the very good ethos of caring and sharing, which is obvious in the school.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. Throughout the school, there is very good support for pupils’ and students’ social development. They support each other very well, share friendships at recreation times and they show genuine concern when someone is upset or ill. Pupils help others in wheelchairs and care for the less able with warmth and affection. Doors are held open and good manners are shown in class, around the school, during outside visits and towards members of the community.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. Provision for cultural development is good. The curriculum across the key stages offers good understanding of the diversity of traditional cultures through lessons in English, art, music, and religious education. The current cultural theme is the celebration of Divali, the Hindu festival of light. Pupils become aware of the richness of the traditional dress, which they enjoy trying on and of the relevant customs and prayers. They listen to appropriate music, make equivalent use of ultra violet light strands and enjoy good presentations of traditional dancing.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Icknield School - 19 40. The school’s procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare, health and safety are very good. As a consequence of major changes to the accommodation, the health and safety issues identified in the last report have been fully addressed. The health and safety policy outlines appropriate procedures for maintaining the safety of pupils. A formal risk assessment was recently completed prior to pupils returning to school at the beginning of the academic year. Checks on the electrical wiring, mechanical equipment such as hoists and the hydrotherapy pool are carried out regularly by specialists. The administrative staff are meticulous in their procedures for booking children and adults in and out of school, so that there is an accurate picture of who is on the premises at any time. Practice emergency evacuations are carried out every half term with their success, time taken and problems encountered recorded in a logbook. The procedures

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

for dealing with first aid, medicines and accidents are well established. Child protection procedures are properly in place. The school is a safe and secure place for pupils and students.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The procedures for promoting attendance and punctuality are very good. Parents co- operate fully by notifying administrative personnel of the reasons for the absence of their child. The school works hard with the various transport providers, and in reviewing the routes of school's own minibuses, in order to manage the complex logistics of getting all the pupils to school on time, so that they can all benefit from a full day's learning. Even so, a small number of pupils spend up to one hour travelling to and from school.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The procedures for managing pupils’ behaviour are very good. There is a clear policy, with appropriate rewards and sanctions, which is implemented consistently by all the teachers and numerous support staff, including mid-day supervisory staff, and this contributes significantly to the very good behaviour of the pupils. Targets in individual behaviour plans are, generally, well written. They form a very good base for judging the progress pupils make in limiting inappropriate behaviour. On the very few occasions that pupils need to be restrained the measures taken, in accordance with the policy, are properly recorded and reported to the local education authority.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. For the foundation subjects especially, the school’s arrangements for assessing pupils’ attainment and recognising the progress they make are complex and over burdensome. The procedures are followed in English and mathematics and provide an accurate measure of what pupils know, understand and can do. They act as a good base for the planning of future lessons. In the other subjects this is not so. Too little account is taken of the special educational needs of pupils because the assessment procedures do not recognise the small gains pupils make. They do not record attainment in sufficient detail to recognise progress between and within the key stages or provide good help in planning future teaching and learning. Because of this, the information gained is of little help in judging the effectiveness of the very good quality of teaching and learning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school is in a very good position to begin to judge its overall effectiveness by using P-scale data gained, from other special schools in the county, in English, mathematics and personal, social and health education. However, procedures to do this are not operating at this time.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. In addition, pupils’ IEPs, which are well linked to the annual reviews, vary in quality. Yearly targets are broken into termly targets but are too often written in general terms and do not provide sufficient help in recognising the progress pupils are making or in the planning of future lessons. Individual teachers use different systems for annotating the work of pupils, which adds difficulties in recognising the progress pupils make over and Icknield School - 20 between key stages.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. Personal and social development is closely monitored. Pupils’ individual behaviour plans provide good support for their personal and social development. Very good guidance is provided for the post-16 students. For example, the information leaflets that relate to personal issues, such as menstruation, are especially helpful. The provision identified in pupils’ statements of special educational need is mostly met. However, in order to gain unrestricted access to all of the curriculum many pupils would benefit from increased contact with speech and occupational therapists.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The high level of satisfaction that parents had for the work of the school at the last inspection has been maintained. Parents are appreciative of the commitment all staff give to provide the best possible educational experience for their children.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The information provided to parents is good. Their relationship with the school is open and friendly. They feel welcome when they visit the school. They find the daily dialogue with the school, conducted through the notebook, to be very helpful in informing teachers of events at home and in reading of achievements gained in school. Most often, parents attend the annual review meeting. These are well organised and are based on a full and detailed review of the progress made in academic and personal and social development. The annual report of the governing body is good and provides all the required information in easily readable prose. The report on pupils’ achievements provides a detailed account of the progress made in key skills and core subjects. The information provided in the foundation subjects is insufficient for parents to recognise precisely what their child has gained in knowledge, understanding and skills in each

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents’ involvement in the work of the school is very good. Where it is appropriate they take guidance through the notebook for helping their child at home, including practising Makaton signing. They enjoy supporting their children, and the school as a whole, by attending the many social and fundraising events organised by the Friends of Icknield School.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. Teachers and support assistants have a shared commitment to provide excellence in their lessons. The very good quality of teaching seen throughout the school is in part a reflection of this commitment. The chairperson of the governing body, all governors and the headteacher are also committed to promote the continuous development of the school.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The headteacher does very well in gaining extra grants and awards to support the work of the school. Very good examples are, the bungalow, which acts as the teaching base for post-16 students, and the atrium, which provides a very good location for group work and for counselling pupils. He holds a clear direction for the development of the school. This includes providing sufficient opportunities so that all pupils can make good progress toward attaining their potential, for example by taking part in the long established programme for integrating pupils into mainstream schools or the specialist provision for meeting pupils needs through sensory and TEACCH procedures.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. At this time, the roles and responsibilities of the headteacher and the senior management team are not sufficiently clear so as to promote a close working Icknield School - 21 relationship that provides best support for operating procedures that monitor, evaluate and further develop the effectiveness of the work of the school. This is especially so for those procedures that assess the standards pupils achieve and the progress they make and for judging the overall effectiveness of the school against P-scales and data gathered from other schools.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Since the last inspection, the management of the curriculum has improved but subject co-ordinators have insufficient time and opportunity to be fully responsible for leading development and for helping to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning in their subjects. This limits their planning for the further development of the subjects.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The governing body is very supportive of the work of the school. Statutory responsibilities that relate to its work are met. The procedures they operate for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school, for example, the planning of the curriculum, the effectiveness of IEPs and of the specialist sensory and TEACCH provision are less well formed and do not provide them with sufficient information to help guide future developments.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Good procedures operate for recognising the quality of teaching. The headteacher and the local authority’s link advisor visit lessons to observe each teacher twice a year. Both are aware of the very good quality of teaching that is seen over all the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The induction procedures for teachers and support assistants are good. New teachers gain from the formal procedures for induction but are also helped by the copious support and advice offered by teachers and support assistants.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Arrangements for the formal appraisal of staff are in abeyance. The procedures for the professional development of teaching staff and support assistants are good. These have benefited from developments to gain the Investor in People status that is to be formally conferred in the near future. The procedures are managed very well by the co- ordinator for in-service training. The quality and effectiveness of all training are monitored well and these help ensure that it has value to the staff and, ultimately, to the smooth running of the school. The school development plan is a well-conceived document. It prioritises developments over all the work of the school in an appropriate fashion with specified outcomes.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The number of teachers and support assistants is broadly in line with the recommendations of Circular 11/90. Teachers and support asistants are mainly very experienced. The recent appointment of teachers with considerable experience in mainstream secondary schools and in further education has beneficially extended the staff’s range of curricular expertise.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The accommodation is very much better than at the time of the last inspection. The sensory room, hydrotherapy room and the TEACCH room are excellent facilities for helping limit the effect of pupils’ special educational needs on their learning. The bungalow is an excellent base from where students gain skills and confidence, so that they can be as independent as possible after they leave school. The under-fives play area is an excellent facility and the recently completed atrium is beginning to be well used to extend pupils experiences beyond those achievable in their classrooms. However, the lack of specialist teaching facilities, especially in science, art, and design and technology restrict the easy delivery of the programmes of study in these subjects, particularly to pupils at Key Stage 3. The lack of adequate library provision acts to limit the progress pupils make in gaining investigative skills. The school is very clean.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Icknield School - 22 60. Over all subjects, resource support is satisfactory. However, in English the quality, quantity and range of learning resources are excellent. They reflect the school’s commitment to the full implementation of the National Strategy for Literacy. They are good for mathematics, design and technology, music and religious education and satisfactory for science, art, geography, history and information technology. For physical education the good use of local facilities makes up for the absence of changing and showering facilities and for the small size of the hall and outside teaching areas.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The procedures that support financial planning are very effective. Finance committee meetings are held regularly and good records outline the progress made on projects. The school development plan outlines the priorities for targeted spending. The team approach to planning, very ably supported by the administrative officer, ensures good liaison and sharing of relevant information. The procedures for ensuring ‘best value’ for money operate very effectively.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. New technology is satisfactorily used in the school. Teachers and support assistants are beginning to receive specific training in the use of information technology to support teaching and learning. When completed, this should increase their skill levels and knowledge of programs and should increase the use of information technology to supporting their teaching. Administrative staff make very effective use of their good access to electronic mail and programmes to monitor spending.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Very good use is made of the extra funds awarded to the school. The Icknield Trust was established to raise funds for the purchase of the bungalow that acts as the teaching base for post-16 students. A number of grants have been gained, specifically targeted to improve standards in the school. For example, most recently, Barclay’s Bank has provided £3,000 and Southern Careers £400 to match the school’s funding for the proposed library. The New Deals for Schools programme has provided £290,000 for extensions, renovations and refurbishment to be managed by the LEA. The completion of the atrium, which provides very good extra accommodation was possible only after receipt of a grant of £6,000.00 from the capital funding account of the LEA. Other applications for grants that seek to provide additional support toward achieving the school’s priorities are in process.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The very good quality of teaching and learning; the very good standards achieved in English, mathematics and in personal and social development; the very effective preparation for life after school; the excellent relationships and the very good behaviour when set against the cost of educating a pupil at the school, which is similar to the costs in equivalent schools, contribute to the school providing good value for money. Icknield School - 23

p.22

The governing body should:

• Define the roles and responsibilities of the senior managers and provide sufficient time and opportunity for them to operate procedures to monitor and evaluate all the work of the school, but especially those that

p.23

The governing body should:

assess pupils’ attainment in all subjects, which (i) take account of the special educational needs of pupils, (ii) record and report progression within and between key stages, (iii) inform teaching, learning and the further development of the curriculum, and (iv) help judge the effectiveness of the work of the school. (Paras: 43; 44; 45; 52; 53; 66; 91; 104; 115; 119; 131; 135; 144)

p.23

The headteacher and the senior management team should:

• Further develop the role of the subject co-ordinators, and provide sufficient time and opportunity, so that they lead, monitor and evaluate teaching and learning in their subject. (Paras: 84; 90; 99; 109; 114; 118; 125) Icknield School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 41

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

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.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 72

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 24

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 8

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

p.24

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Icknield School - 25

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups

p.25

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.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y11

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.8 Financial year 1999/2000

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 7.4

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y7 – Y11 Total expenditure 681513

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 25 Expenditure per pupil 9209

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 653 Balance brought forward from previous year -22782

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 9332 Icknield School - 26

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 55 39 3 0 3

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 75 25 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 35 15 0 12

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 40 57 3 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 73 27 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 40 0 0 3

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 53 44 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 56 44 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 32 0 4 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 40 44 4 4 8

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

• The length of time some pupils spend travelling to and from school.

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

• The appropriateness of the provision of speech and occupational therapy. Icknield School - 27

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. The five pupils currently under-five in the foundation stage achieve very good standards and are being well prepared for their work at Key Stage 1. The foundation stage area is a secure and supportive learning environment in which the complex special needs of the children are well met. It is very well managed by a skilled and experienced teacher. The implementation of the foundation curriculum has began but it is not yet fully in place. The provision is very good.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. Children start school at the age of two years. Their language skills are only beginning to emerge. They have few skills of personal independence and their behaviour is frequently immature. By the time they reach the end of the stage at five years of age, they have made very good progress in each of the six areas of early learning. On entry to school, their attainments are assessed against a developmental checklist. The results gained, together with day-to-day observations, provide sufficient information from which individual educational plans can be created, with targets set in each of the six areas of learning. These provide a good base for recognising the progress the children make. The assessment procedures that have been developed for use at Key Stages 1 to 4 also operate for children under-five. These focus on the subjects of the National Curriculum and are of very limited value in identifying attainment and progress against

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. The quality of teaching is very good. The teacher’s very good knowledge and understanding of the complex needs of the children, supported by a wide range of well- planned activities and helped by the very good work of the support assistants, results in children learning to respond to the requirements of lessons with enthusiasm and confidence. The very good relationship between staff and children makes children feel valued, safe and respected. The very close links between parents and the teacher helps continue the work of the school at home. Each contributes to the very good standards the children achieve and the very good progress they make.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. The area for the foundation stage is compact and has been well developed to support teaching and learning across each of the six areas of learning. The large indoor sandpit provides an ideal place for children to learn through, for example exploratory play. However, the limited size of the area, is made worse by the absence of a hard cover for the sandpit. This restricts space and requires that creative, sometimes-messy activities must take place in the small carpeted main teaching space. The limited size also prevents the identification of a suitable area where children can relax and enjoy periods of quiet reflection, or go to when they are tired. Generous support from local business has allowed the purchase of a wide range of high quality toys and equipment, which enriches the educational experience gained by pupils over each of the six areas of learning.

p.27

PROVISION FOR POST-16 STUDENTS

69. Post-16 students achieve very good standards and make very good progress in their academic work and excellent progress in their social development. When students leave school they have been very well prepared for independent living and life in the adult world. All who work with the students are committed to promoting the highest Icknield School - 28 standards over all areas of the curriculum.

p.27

PROVISION FOR POST-16 STUDENTS

70. The standards achieved and the progress made in literacy and numeracy are very good. As a consequence facts are easily recalled from books they have read, for example from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They draw conclusions and make projections and recall the nature of major characters. Also, in the subjects, for example, in design and technology they know the difference between common objects, such as screw and bayonet light fittings. They apply very well their skills in numeracy to help plan and shop for food and other items in the town. When they take part in lessons in the local college of further education, they attain the same high standards and make equivalent progress. On leaving school most students are functionally literate and functionally numerate.

p.28

PROVISION FOR POST-16 STUDENTS

71. Their attitudes to their work and their behaviour in school, and when they visit places in the local area, are most often excellent. They relate very well with each other and with their teachers and support assistants. They are particularly proud of their achievements and of the bungalow, which is the location for most of their work. They voluntarily participate in day-to-day cleaning routines and enjoy tending the garden. Break times and meal times provide quality time for social interaction. For example, a birthday lunch for a student, was planned by the others who supplied and cooked the meal. The parent of the birthday student was invited. The result was an excellently planned occasion and a time of excellent social interaction.

p.28

PROVISION FOR POST-16 STUDENTS

72. The quality of teaching is very good. The students are respected and valued by all staff, who know them very well. The result of this is a very good match between the lesson tasks and the needs and abilities of the students. All staff have high expectations for students’ learning. They also have confidence in allowing students to try for themselves, including activities that involve choosing and purchasing wares from a local shop. This results in students becoming confident in their learning and gaining the ability to choose, change and evaluate what they have done.

p.28

PROVISION FOR POST-16 STUDENTS

73. The curriculum is well balanced and appropriate to the needs of all students. The very good standards achieved are reflected in the very good grades that are gained over the wide range of modules of the National Skills Profile (OCR) on which students are examined. Assessment and recording procedures, which are not linked to these modules are time-consuming and inefficient. They are only of limited use in monitoring the progress students make and for informing future teaching and learning.

p.28

PROVISION FOR POST-16 STUDENTS

74. The unit is very well led. The head of the post-16 provision was recently appointed. He has very clear and achievable ideas on further developing the provision, including extending the already successful links with the local college of education and the leisure centre, and increasing the number of work experience opportunities. Excellent use is made of the resources and staff are well deployed.

p.28

PROVISION FOR POST-16 STUDENTS

75. The range and quality of resources is excellent. They have a very positive impact on the quality of learning provided by the unit. The bungalow provides an excellent location for post-16 provision. It allows for the teaching of a most appropriate curriculum and through the very good ethos for learning, which is easily visible in the bungalow, helps promote the very good standards students achieve and the very good progress they make. Consequently, it makes a significant contribution to students being very well prepared for their life after school.

p.28

ENGLISH

Icknield School - 29 76. Over all four key stages, the standards pupils achieve and the progress they make are very good in speaking and listening, reading and writing.

p.29

ENGLISH

77. During Key Stage 1, pupils are encouraged to communicate by the effective use of signing. Very good use of voice, in the literacy hour, encourages good listening skills. The very good provision and very good use of resources helps improve comprehension. Reading is well supported by the use of symbols. Pupils are learning pencil control through early writing activities, and, with support, can overwrite a simple pattern. They are prepared very well for their work at Key Stage 2. During this key stage, they learn to use their speaking and listening skills more precisely, for example when they express opinions about the emotions felt by characters in a story, using either speech, or a combination of speech and symbols. Vocabulary size continues to increase. The highest attaining pupils read words and phrases and have learned to identify the title, author, and cover of a story book. The lowest attaining pupils identify illustrations,

p.29

ENGLISH

helped by the teacher’s or support assistant’s verbal description. Phonic skills also continue to improve. By the end of the key stage, pupils can give many examples of words beginning with a specific letter. The highest attaining pupils can sequence words into a sentence. The lowest attaining pupils learn to place in the correct order the letters that make up their own name. In writing, the highest attaining pupils overwrite and copy letters with very good accuracy.

p.29

ENGLISH

78. Pupils, with complex learning difficulties, benefit from a very structured approach, combined with excellent staff teamwork. Their interest is held for long periods by the imaginative use of resources. For example, in one lesson, the "snow storm" of bubbles in the Bear Hunt made learning very easy.

p.29

ENGLISH

79. During Key Stage 3, pupils routinely listen attentively and speak with increasing confidence. The highest attaining pupils read and discuss poems. They are appreciating different types of books, for example reference books as well as story books. In writing, the highest attaining pupils can sequence the lines of the poem, then copy them, with well-formed letters. The lowest attaining pupils are learning to match words to a copy of the poem.

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ENGLISH

80. By the end of Key Stage 4, the highest attaining pupils read individually to the teacher or support assistant. Pupils enjoy shared reading from the Big Book. They also read individually to the teacher. Many gain from taking their reading folder home to read to their parents. By the end of the key stage, they identify capital letters, question marks, exclamation marks, and full stops. They talk about the front cover, title, author, poet, anthology, contents, and publisher, and can use the content page to find, for example the page number and then locate the correct page. They have learned sufficient grammar to know what a noun is and what is a verb. They understand the imagery of poems, such as "blue window" as sky, and "grey curtains" as clouds. Written work continues to progress very well. By the end of the key stage, the highest attaining pupils are able to produce imaginative writing based on a good plot.

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ENGLISH

81. Pupils are interested and enthusiastic in lessons in English and behave very well. They work very well with their teachers and support assistants. Even at Key Stage 1, pupils have accepted their roles in the literacy hour. As they move through the school, their confidence in speaking and listening, especially, allows them to take a full and active part in the tasks of the literacy hour and in the lessons in English. Their ability to communicate with confidence helps promote their learning in the other subjects. Expectations for learning are very high. Initiative and independence are encouraged, and pupils respond well. Icknield School - 30 82. The quality of teaching is very good. The principles of the National Strategy for Literacy have been very well implemented throughout the school. The good questioning seen in lessons, which is based on the very good knowledge staff have of pupils' needs and

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ENGLISH

abilities, provides good support for practising speaking and listening including the use of symbols and signing. Planning is good, including that for pupils’ individual education plans. Throughout the school, support assistants make a significant contribution to the development of communication skills. Besides their work in the lessons, they simplify their Big Books by adding symbols and by extending pupils individual books, originally developed by the teacher. Parents are well used to support progress in English. Reading files are regularly taken home by the older pupils and flash cards, for example by the younger pupils. Attention and concentration during the Big Book session is very good. This is a result of excellent teaching strategies, very good planning, good signing, very good use of resources and lively presentation. In most lessons, organising the lesson into groups of equivalent ability helps match the lesson tasks to pupils’

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ENGLISH

83. Assessment procedures follow the guidelines of the National Literacy Strategy, for key words. Progress in reading is well recorded and progress in the skills of communication is well monitored through the targets written in pupils’ IEPs.

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ENGLISH

84. The subject is well co-ordinated. Planning is monitored and evaluated well and teaching is sometimes observed by the co-ordinator. This is in addition to the monitoring programme led by the headteacher and the school’s link advisor. However, no non- contact time is allocated for the co-ordination of the subject and this limits the extent to which the responsibilities of leadership can be fully met. Resources, often teacher made, are good. The use of information technology to support teaching and learning is limited by the paucity of appropriate software. However, in many lessons excellent use is made of the writing with symbols programs.

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ENGLISH

85. The teaching of English has made good improvement since the last inspection. This is, largely, as a result of the imaginative way teachers have implemented the National Literacy Strategy.

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MATHEMATICS

86. In mathematics, the standards pupils achieve and the progress they make is very good over all key stages.

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MATHEMATICS

87. During Key Stage 1, pupils practice matching objects and pictures with and without help. For example, they find the correct number on a number line, then clap hands or jump to indicate the number. By the end of the key stage, all pupils can count five objects correctly and match numbers 1 to 5. Over the duration of Key Stage 2, they learn to recognise numbers 1 to 10 on a number line. The highest attaining pupils identify the numbers missing from the sequence. By the end of the key stage, they have learned to use non-standard units of measurement for measuring lengths, for example hand spans and stride length for longer distances. By the end of Key Stage 3, the highest attaining pupils count forward and backward to 20. They are beginning to understand the collection and display of data, through the drawing of simple bar charts. At Key Stage 4, pupils count to 100 in 10s. The highest attaining pupils understand the

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MATHEMATICS

concepts of ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ and use this information well in sums of addition and subtraction. By the end of the key stage, they apply these skills very well, for example when they use money in local shops and in the tuck shop and, for time, when they plan journeys or an evening of television watching. Icknield School - 31 88. Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour in lessons are very good, and sometimes excellent. They enjoy learning mathematics, especially when the tasks they are involved in require they take an active part in their learning. For example, when they classify into groups small objects by colour, shape or size. They relate very well with the teachers and support assistants and with each other. They enjoy doing well themselves, but are also quick to recognise the good work of others.

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MATHEMATICS

89. The quality of teaching is very good across the school. In the class taught predominantly through TEACCH procedures, mathematics is taught excellently. Teachers are very knowledgeable of the needs and abilities of their pupils and of the principles of the National Strategy for Numeracy. Their lessons are very well planned and are made up of activities that most often meet the needs of all pupils. The use of sensory reinforcement is particularly effective with pupils in the TEACCH class, for example when a foam wheel was used to reinforce the concept of “round”. Classroom assistants are managed very well, are very competent and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning.

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MATHEMATICS

90. The subject is well led. The co-ordinator has provided support and training for all teachers and has been instrumental in implementing the principles of the numeracy strategy in the lessons in mathematics and also in the lessons in the other subjects. Teaching is satisfactorily monitored and evaluated. The induction programme is well thought out and includes observing the co-ordinator teaching the subject. The co- ordinator has no timetable allocation to ensure effective on-going monitoring and support and this limits the leadership role in further developing the subject. Achievement is demonstrated through the mathematics modules of the National Skills Profile (OCR). When students leave school they are functionally numerate.

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MATHEMATICS

91. The procedures for assessing and recording attainment in the subject are good when they are linked to the modules of the National Skills Profile (OCR). When pupils are not working toward the OCR examination the procedures for assessing and recording attainment are too time demanding, given that little useful information is created to help plan future lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

92. Resources for the subject are good in range and quantity, although there are too few CD-ROMs, which limits the usefulness of computers in supporting teaching and learning.

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MATHEMATICS

93. The standards pupils achieve and the progress they make have made good improvement since the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

94. The standards achieved in science are good over the curriculum as presented. At Key Stage 2, the standards achieved are frequently very good. However, at each of the four key stages, the standards achieved over the full range of the subject are satisfactory. This is because pupils have significantly less science teaching than in similar schools and no access to facilities specifically designed to help teach the subject.

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SCIENCE

95. By the end of Key Stages 2, the highest attaining pupils draw scientific diagrams with good accuracy. During Key Stages 1 and 2, the curriculum is very well extended by the very good use of local facilities. This, together with thorough planning and good attention to day-to-day assessment, leads to some very effective learning by the younger pupils about the life cycle of living things, through, for example visits to a local farm. Pupils in the TEACCH class learn to feel and control the vibrations of cymbals, Icknield School - 32 for example and to distinguish loud and quiet sounds. By the end of Key Stage 2, the highest attaining pupils can set up a simple experiment. They have learned to record the results of their enquiry, with a minimum of support.

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SCIENCE

96. During Key Stage 3, the highest attaining pupils learn that plants and animals need water to survive. They can sort natural and manufactured items by their texture and demonstrate an awareness of safety when handling electrical appliances. By the end of Key Stage 4, they know the difference between solids, liquids and gases and have considerably extended their scientific vocabulary by learning the meaning of words such as dissolve. By the end of Key Stage 4, the lowest attaining pupils have learned to recognise the main features of a flowering plant and of the human body. Over the duration of the key stage, they consolidate their knowledge of electricity through knowing about the use of electrical appliances. They also learn about forces, such as pushing and pulling and what can help or hinder movement.

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SCIENCE

97. Pupils enjoy lessons in science, especially when they are active in their learning. For example, when they visited the farm and were close to the animals and when the pupils with complex learning difficulties were learning about sound through feeling the vibrations of a cymbal. They behave very well. They take pleasure in explaining, using the appropriate scientific vocabulary and the outcome of an experiment to a visitor.

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SCIENCE

98. The quality of teaching is mostly good and in the other lessons very good. Teachers’ are especially knowledgeable of pupils’ needs and they use this knowledge very well to plan the lessons. The teaching of communication, literacy and numeracy during science lessons is very good. Lesson time is very well used. At the time of the last inspection assessment procedures were not well developed. In the interim, development has occurred, but the procedures continue to be ineffective in recognising the small gains pupils make and in helping in the planning of future lessons. As a consequence assessment is not an integral part of curricular planning. At Key Stage 4, expectations for pupils learning are very high, which sometimes leads to the presentation of too many concepts in a lesson to the disadvantage of the progress pupils make. Too little use is made of information technology to support teaching and

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SCIENCE

99. Improvement in science provision since the last inspection is satisfactory. The good quality of teaching has been maintained. Planning between the key stages has improved. The lack of a specialist teaching facility continues to limit the full coverage of all attainment targets of the relevant programmes of study, especially at Key Stage 3. The curriculum broadly meets with the orders for the subject. Schemes of work do not yet accord with Curriculum 2000. The co-ordinator for the subject has recently been appointed.

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ART

100. The standards achieved in art and the progress pupils make are satisfactory. This is over a curriculum that is limited in range by the absence of a specialist teaching facility (also noted at the time of the last inspection) and, especially, for pupils at Key Stage 3 and 4, one which is taught by teachers without a specialist knowledge, or training. As a result, there is only limited evidence that pupils know of the work of famous artists. Too little time is allocated to the artwork of other cultures, to 3D work and to the knowledge and understanding element of the subject.

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ART

101. During Key Stage 1, pupils learn to work with a range of materials to complete pictures and models, for example of the three little pigs’ straw house. They finger print and have Icknield School - 33 learned to use different materials for printing, such as leaves. By the time they get to Key Stage 3, the highest attaining pupils can work with charcoal and make good representations of every day objects. During Key Stage 4, they learn to weave using a variety of materials. They produce artwork based on a topic, for example recycling in which they produced innovative examples of junk modelling. They have gained from their visits to art galleries and also benefited from working with an artist in residence. The very good quality woodcarvings completed by pupils who worked with the artist in residence make a very attractive display in the entrance hall.

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ART

102. Pupils enthusiastically take part in lessons in art. This is particularly so when they work with materials which have a good feel about them, for example jelly or ice, or which can be placed together to form a pattern or collage. They behave very well. They show off their completed work with pride and enjoy explaining what it is.

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ART

103. The quality of teaching in lessons is good. This is because teachers know their pupils very well, use the very effective support assistants well and teach topics with which they feel comfortable.

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ART

104. The policy and scheme of work has improved since the last inspection, but has not yet been revised to meet the requirements of Curriculum 2000. The range of resources is narrow and is mostly limited to paints and crayons, paper, and printing materials. The assessment procedures are not sufficiently precise to recognise the gains all pupils make in the skills and knowledge of the subject. They provide too little help to inform future lessons and do not act as a secure base for judging the effectiveness of the work in art.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

105. Because of timetable constraints, only a small number of lessons in design and technology were seen. The judgements made here are based on the results of these lessons supported by an analysis of completed work. At Key Stages 1 to 3, the emphasis is on food technology. At Key Stage 4, emphasis is given to planning, working with and evaluating the use of resistant materials. In these aspects of the subject, the standards pupils achieve and the progress they make have made a good improvement since the last inspection. Now, they are very good over the curriculum as presented at all key stages.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106. During Key Stage 1, pupils follow the literacy theme of “The Three Little Pigs”. They design and build models of the three houses and know what are the qualities of design and construction that would help keep the wolf out. By the end of Key Stage 2, they know that water can change materials, for example when water is mixed with pot noodles or custard powder. They have learned what makes objects sink or float and can accurately predict those that will sink or float. The highest attaining pupils can make sandwiches of their choice. The lowest attaining pupils through a mixture of signs and eye contact can choose the sandwiches they wish to have made. At Key Stage 3, they extend their work with wood by making musical instruments and by painting wooden blocks. They make shakers from, for example plastic blocks filled with sand, lentils or marbles. Pupils at Key Stage 4, attend classes at a local secondary school where they

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

learn about resistant materials technology and further their learning in food technology. They design and make basic electrical circuits, such as a steady hand game. They understand the need to plan and develop their ideas, choose relevant materials and know how to evaluate their designs.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. The attitude and behaviour of pupils is good overall. They enjoy the subject and are Icknield School - 34 proud of their results. Relationships with all adults are excellent. In lessons in design and technology, pupils are very tolerant and supportive of each other.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers and support assistants display a wide and very effective range of skills to encourage pupils in their learning. For example, they use humour very well, as was the case when one pupil became upset having given a wrong answer. Short term lesson planning is very good and emphasises the requirement of making a good match between the lesson tasks and the needs of pupils. Excellent use is made of support staff. They play a very important role in motivating pupils, in guiding them at their tasks and in helping to maintain the very good behaviour routinely seen in the lessons.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. The subject is satisfactorily co-ordinated. A policy and medium term plans have been completed but there are no schemes of work. Resources to support teaching and learning are very good at Key Stage 4. At Key Stages 1 to 3, resource support is satisfactory. The lack of specialist teaching provision for both design and technology and food technology limits pupils’ access to the full range of the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

110. The standards achieved and the progress made by pupils in the small number of lessons observed are satisfactory. Geography is taught through topic work at Key Stages 1 and 2. As a consequence, it is difficult to recognise what elements of the programmes of study have been covered over the duration of a year or key stage and the gains pupils make in these elements.

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GEOGRAPHY

111. During Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils learn to make and interpret simple maps. By the end of Key stage 2, the highest attaining pupils can make maps of the school and use them to plan routes around the school. Over the duration of the key stages, their study of places allows them to learn about food, farming, houses and homes. They learn about the weather, so that the highest attaining pupils can chart the weather as sunny, cloudy, rainy etc. They have also learned directional language, such as forward and sideways, which they use well when they work with maps. Key Stage 4 pupils learn about France. In a very good lesson the highest attaining pupils showed that they knew the location of France on a map of Europe and that French food and French homes are different from theirs. They know that France has its own language, is a much larger country than Britain, has a coastline, a high plateaux and high mountains. They also know that the

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GEOGRAPHY

capital of France is Paris, and that it is one of the major cities of Europe. No lessons were seen at Key Stage 3.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. Pupils are enthusiastic about learning geography. It may be because the subject is real to them, especially when they learn about the weather. Mostly, lessons involve artefacts and other resources such as maps or photographs. Pupils are excited when they match a photograph to a location or find their way on a map from one point to another. Behaviour in lessons is always good.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. Teaching in the small number of lessons, which were observed is very good. The deployment of the support asistants helps provide a very good match between the lesson tasks and the needs of pupils. Behaviour is managed well and lesson time is well used.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. Leadership in the subject has been re-assigned. The new schemes of work resemble appropriately well the relevant programmes of study but need to be further developed to meet the requirements of Curriculum 2000. Icknield School - 35 115. The procedures for assessing attainment in geography are not sufficiently precise to recognise the small gains many pupils make against the appropriate attainment targets. For example, in the development of their map skills or in recognising the characteristics of their locality for comparison with another.

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HISTORY

116. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection. Previously completed work is very limited in quantity. Therefore, it is not possible to report on teaching and learning. This is a similar situation to that which occurred at the time of the last inspection.

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HISTORY

117. In the one lesson observed at Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching was good. Pupils were introduced to the topic ‘time’, which was well linked to the level of pupils’ understanding by focusing on their daily timetable. Symbols and song were both used effectively to support learning the sequence of the days of the week.

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HISTORY

118. Planning has improved since the last inspection, although at present there is no assigned co-ordinator for the subject because the co-ordinator has recently left the school. The major focus of the schemes of work is chronology at the expense of the other elements of the subject; for example, the lives of famous people or of identified areas of study. The schemes of work make a limited match only with the relevant programmes of study and have not been developed to meet the requirements of Curriculum 2000.

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HISTORY

119. Assessment in chronology is satisfactory. Over the other elements of the subject, the assessment procedures are too complicated and provide too little useful information. The recognition of the progress pupils’ make over time is limited by the lack of detail in identifying the small steps of some pupils. Also, too little useful information is available for helping plan future lessons or for developing the curriculum.

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HISTORY

120. The quality and range of resources has improved since the last inspection. The arrangements for storing the resources, on the school’s secondary site, increases the difficulties in organising their use in the lessons for pupils at Key Stages 1 to 4.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

121. The standards achieved and the progress made by pupils over all key stages is satisfactory. There are no discrete lessons in information technology. Pupils are taught the skills and knowledge of the subject mostly as individuals when information technology is being used to support teaching and learning in the lessons in other subjects.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

122. During Key Stage 1, pupils use the computer to practise simple activities in mathematics, using the mouse as a single switch. They also work on a variety of cause and effect programmes and learn to understand that they are controlling the actions on the screen. For example, they learn to move the mouse for drag and drop. By the end of Key Stage 2, the highest attaining pupils very effectively use a simple word processing programme to create their own writing. Pupils with complex learning difficulties use the Big Mac, reaching out to press the switch in order to produce, for example, animal sound effects during a Big Book lesson in English. In the sensory room, a sound beam is well used to encourage movement and pupils quickly learn that they can produce and change the sounds through their own actions. Icknield School - 36 123. Few examples of the use of information technology were seen in lessons over the time

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

of the inspection for pupils at Key Stages 3 and 4. However, their records in the subjects provide evidence that progress is made, especially in the use of word- processing.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

124. Pupils are very keen to use the computers and work well when they are given the opportunity. At Key Stages 1 and 2, most pupils require close support when using a software program for any length of time.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

125. The support assistant, who has been appointed as the information technology technician, helps pupils in each classroom on one afternoon each week. She has good subject knowledge and has catalogued the software and produced assessment and recording sheets for recognising the progress pupils make in their computing skills. The co-ordinator for the subject, and the co-ordinator for lower school, have both been recently appointed as teachers. Curriculum planning and development plans were formed by the previous co-ordinator. Although, the software available has been well chosen to meet the needs of the pupils, it is of limited range being mostly made up of cause and effect programs and those dedicated to practising the skills of English and mathematics. Each class has its own computer, although those in some classes are too old to link well with current software. Peripheral devices, such as touch screens,

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

concept keyboards and a variety of switches provide satisfactory access to software programs for those pupils who are unable to use the mouse or keyboard.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

126. Provision in the subject has made a satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. The training of teachers in information technology, through the money gained from the New Opportunities Fund, is planned to begin shortly. This should result in an increase in the skills and knowledge on using information technology to support their teaching.

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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE

127. The school makes no provision for the teaching of a modern foreign language. Each of the 12 pupils at Key Stage 3 has been dissapplied from the requirement of learning a modern foreign language.

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MUSIC

128. The standards achieved in music and the progress pupils make are good at Key Stages 1, 2 and 4. No music lessons were observed at Key Stage 3. The amount of work in pupils’ files was insufficient to make an accurate judgement on the standards achieved or the progress made by pupils at this key stage.

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MUSIC

129. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have had good experience of making music through establishing rhythms using a variety of percussion instruments. Pupils being taught through TEACCH procedures learn about the use of music and religious festivals. Pupils are learning to sing and sway to music and to listen, watch and play as a result of the very good use of singing and the playing of instruments such as cymbals, hand bells and shakers. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have learned to create and perform dance sequences in response to the mood of the music, which after practice they perform in front of their classmates. By the end of Key Stage 4, the highest attaining pupils have a good understanding of pitch. They know by heart the words of many songs, which they sing with good timing and considerable gusto.

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MUSIC

130. Pupils have a very positive attitude to learning music. They enjoy making music, especially when they learn to sound out a new rhythm using their percussion Icknield School - 37 instruments. They also enjoy signing songs, which are often well led by the support assistants. In many lessons pupils take an active part in their learning and this helps them to concentrate well for long periods. They especially enjoy working together as a small group or as the whole class on a common theme, such as the tapping of a rhythm. The excellent relationships between class teachers, support assistants and the pupils ensures a supportive environment in which pupils confidently play their instruments or sing their songs.

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MUSIC

131. The quality of teaching is good. The part-time teacher, who is the music co-ordinator has specialist training in the subject. She provides good support for the teachers with no specialist training and a little knowledge of the subject. Pupils are managed well in music lessons. Planning is good and lessons most often proceed in a lively fashion. Teachers have devised a skills checklist to help monitor the progress pupils make. This is of limited use only in recording the attainment and the progress of pupils. It fails to recognise the small gains pupils make and also does not relate well with the content of the relevant programmes of study

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MUSIC

132. The subject has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection, although the range of resources continues to be narrow. Good use is made of music therapy to meet the particular needs of a small number of pupils. The regular visits of musicians help to extend the music curriculum, which focuses mainly on performing music. Too little use is made of information and communications technology to produce music. The playing of background music at the start and end of each day helps welcome pupils to school and extends pupils’ musical experience.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. The curriculum in physical education focuses mainly on: (i) the development of gross motor skills, (ii) balls skills and games, (iii) movement and dance, (iv) swimming and (v) is extended for many pupils by their participation in the riding for the disabled programme at nearby stables. Over the four key stages, the standards achieved and the progress pupils make in these elements of the subject are good. In swimming they are very good. Too little time is allocated for learning the skills of athletics and for outdoor activities. A small number of pupils gain considerably from the good programmes devised by the visiting physiotherapist.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ movement skills have progressed so that the highest attaining pupils have learned to turn, roll, swing, balance and change speed and shape with increasing precision. On different shaped soft play apparatus, they have learned to link up to six movements to a planned finish. They gain increasing control over large and small balls when learning to catch, throw or kick. Over short distances, they throw and kick with good accuracy. They have learned basic dance routines associated with different rhythms. In swimming, the highest attaining pupils can swim on their front and their back at age-equivalent levels. The lowest attaining pupils are confident in the water. With flotation support they splash, kick and can immerse their faces. Over Key Stages 2 and 3, they build well on their learning. By the end of Key Stage 4, the highest attaining pupils, with their increased strength and co-ordination, can complete simple

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

tumbling movements such as cartwheels and handsprings and hold their body weight in balance on apparatus and on the floor. Their game skills have improved, for example through practising cricket at the local club and taking part in a regional cricket tournament and through visits to the local leisure centre to learn the skills of floor hockey and racquet games, such as badminton. Their appreciation of dance and their knowledge of traditional and modern dance routines has been considerably increased, in part by their visits to dance sessions at the local church hall. By the end of Key Stage Icknield School - 38 4, the highest attaining pupils swim the four basic strokes very well, with very good style and speed. By this time they will have gained certificates of the Amateur Swimming Association, which collectively show the very good progress they make in swimming.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. The curriculum in physical education is beneficially extended by the activities of the well- established gymnastics club, which meets every week. For example, all of the pupils who attended last year learned the skills of trampolining well enough to gain the certificate of the British Gymnastics Association in the basic skills. Taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme also extends the experience of physical education for a small number of the older pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. In lessons in physical education, pupils are enthusiastic learners. They are appropriately conscious of safety rules, pay good regard to the rules of the games they play and enjoy the success of others as much as they do their own. They make considerable physical efforts in their learning. This is so irrespective of how good their attainment is and is especially obvious in the lessons in swimming.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. Over all the subject, the quality of teaching is good. In swimming it is very good. Teachers plan well. They know their pupils very well. Routinely, support assistants are very well used to help pupils meet the demands of the lesson tasks. They make a considerable contribution to the standards pupils achieve and the good and very good progress they make. Especially in the lessons in swimming, teachers have very high expectations for pupils’ learning and for their behaviour. Pupils are constantly encouraged to do their best and are fulsomely praised when this is achieved. The very good progress pupils make in swimming is, in part, a reflection of this. The very good relationship, which exists between the pupils themselves and between pupils and all staff, also contributes to the high standards they achieve and the progress they make.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. The subject co-ordinator has been recently appointed. He has specialist knowledge of the subject. He is well capable of further developing the curriculum so that it more closely reflects the requirements of Curriculum 2000. He is leading teaching and learning in the subject through advising, monitoring and evaluating the work of teachers who have little specialist knowledge. Resources to support teaching and learning are satisfactory. The hydrotherapy pool, which is well used as a base to follow programmes of physiotherapy, is excellent. The hall and outdoor teaching areas are small and there are no changing and showering facilities. To a considerable extent these disadvantages are overcome by the good use made of the local facilities, such as the leisure centre and the college of further education.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. Assessment of pupils’ progress in lessons is satisfactory in that attainment is well recorded. However, the procedures for recognising the attainments of pupils are not sufficiently precise to recognise the small steps pupils make in their learning or to help in planning future lessons

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. The standards achieved and the progress made in religious education are very good at Key Stages 1 and 2. They are good at Key Stages 3 and 4.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

141. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have gained an awareness of religions other than their own. For example, they have learned of the celebration of the Divali, the festival of light. By the end of Key Stage 2, they have extended their knowledge of other religions through visits to religious places, for example a mosque. The highest attaining pupils know that it is a special place for Muslims to talk to their God. By the end of Key Stage Icknield School - 39 4, they know of the importance of beliefs and that the beliefs of different religions are not necessarily the same. They also know of the important celebrations of the major religions and will have visited a number of churches, mosques and temples to extend their classroom learning. They have learned that religious men wear special clothes and sometimes have traditions about how they wear their hair. They know that the Bible is a special book of stories that have meanings, which help people to act in a good way,

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

especially behaving well toward each other.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. Pupils like religious education. In the lessons observed they gained from smelling the scent and the special food associated with the Divali. They worked hard at all their lesson tasks, listened well and co-operated very well with their teachers and support assistants, especially when they were active in their learning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. The quality of teaching is very good. Lessons are planned thoughtfully to match the needs and abilities of pupils. The subject is taught in a direct fashion and not in an abstract fashion, for example God is a special person. As a consequence pupils make very good and good progress in understanding difficult religious concepts, at their own level of thinking. The very good deployment of the support staff makes a significant contribution to the good and very good progress pupils make in the lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. The Hampshire locally agreed syllabus has been adopted. The policy for the subject is brief and the schemes of work too brief to secure good progression within a key stage or between key stages. The assessment procedures are not precise enough, and do not relate well enough to the agreed syllabus.

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