Other · Ofsted report

Presfield High School and Specialist College

Inspected — · published 9 May 2002 · URN 104977

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Full report text

PRESFIELD SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th – 7 th February 2002

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PRESFIELD SCHOOL

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

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PRESFIELD 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. Presfield School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Preston New Road Southport Merseyside

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr D. Rimmer

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 14 th February 2000 Presfield School - 4

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responsibilities

21265 Mrs F. Gander Registered inspector Science Art and design Music English as an additional language Information about the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? How well is the school led and managed? 19342 Mr T. Heavey Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 16198 Mrs C. Etherington Team inspector English Modern foreign language Religious education 13101 Mr M. Kell Team inspector Mathematics History Geography Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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responsibilities

2480 Mrs C. Gilder Team inspector Information and communication technology Design and technology Special educational needs Equal opportunities Presfield School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Penta International Upperton House The Avenue Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 3YB

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responsibilities

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

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Presfield School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Presfield is a school for pupils who have moderate learning difficulties, but there are a significant number of pupils with severe learning difficulties that attend the school due to parental choice. The school is in Southport but more than one third of the pupils come form the farthest end of the Borough. The school has been part of a special educational review carried out by the Local Education Authority (LEA) and is currently changing its status from a primary and secondary special school to a school which caters just for pupils between the ages of 11 and 16 who have a range of educational and emotional needs. The school has 67 pupils on roll and ten of these pupils are in a primary class. Their ages cover four years and the range of special educational needs are very wide. The school has been asked by the LEA to provide education for three students who are over the age of 16, for which there is no

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

appropriate further education placement within the authority. These students are taught along with the Year 11 pupils. All pupils have a statement of educational need, almost one third are entitled to free school meals, and the overall socio-economic background of pupils is below the national average. There are no pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, and one pupil is currently attending both the school and a mainstream school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The educational provision for the majority of pupils is very effective. The ethos of the school ensures that pupils have very good attitudes to school and that their behaviour is excellent. In the last few years the pupils have achieved an increased amount of external accreditation in a range of subjects. This is due to the very good teaching by specialist teachers and an increase in appropriate resources, including many new rooms. However, the school has too few support assistants to meet the needs of the curriculum and support the wide range of pupils’ educational needs. This is particularly evident in some lessons in the primary class, and in the class where Post 16 students are being educated along with year 11. The school provides good value for money in relation to the education it provides for the majority of its pupils. However, it is not equipped or resourced for Post 16 students and in this respect is

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

not able to offer this group their entitlement.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The school fosters a positive ethos and as a result the relationships pupils have with one another and their behaviour are excellent. • The school’s provision for personal and social development, along with the very good opportunities for spiritual, moral and cultural development ensures that pupils are positive about their learning and prepared well for leaving school. • The teaching is very good and the majority of pupils make good progress. • The leadership and management of the school are very good and have resulted in a much-improved school. • The partnership the school has developed with parents is very good. What could be improved • The overall provision for pupils who stay at the school past the age of 16. • The provision, and the use of information and communication technology to support learning, access to the curriculum and school management. • The amount of support in classes so that the pupils with greatest learning difficulties have continual

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

access to the activities and make better progress. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the appropriate authority. Presfield School - 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in February 2000 by Her Majesty’s inspectors, who as a result of their visit withdrew the school from the ‘special measures’ status into which it had been placed. The school has continued to improve and two of the key issues from that inspection have been achieved. There has been a major building programme that has given the school many more specialist rooms, and there have been changes of staff at senior management level. This has resulted in the issue about the provision for information and communication technology not being completely achieved, but the school is now well placed to move this forward. A similar situation exists for design and technology. The overall quality of teaching and learning has improved, and this has been achieved by the reorganisation of teachers so that they teach and co-ordinate their specialist subjects.

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STANDARDS

The table summarises inspectors’ judgements about how well pupils achieve in relation to their individual targets.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Pupils, in relation to their prior attainment achieve well in all key stages. The progress they make in aspects of English and mathematics is better in the secondary classes than in the primary class. The size of the class, and the range of educational needs and ages of the pupils, in conjunction with too little classroom support has an impact on pupils’ progress, and they do not progress as well as pupils in the secondary classes. This lack of sufficient classroom support also has an impact on the overall progress pupils with the greatest learning difficulties make, as they cannot take part in activities without additional help. However, overall and due to the very good teaching, pupils make very good progress in English, mathematics, art and design, food technology, music and physical education. Pupils who have stayed at the school past the age of 16 are making satisfactory progress in the targets set for them but the lack of an appropriate post 16 curriculum and resources does

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STANDARDS

not allow them to further develop the skills needed for adulthood. Overall, pupils make good progress towards the targets set in their individual educational plans, and the setting of targets by the pupils themselves further enhances this. Presfield School - 9

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school These are very good. Pupils are very enthusiastic about school and eager to be involved.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms This is excellent and arises because of the high respect pupils have for staff and the exceptionally good relationships across the school. Pupils have a great understanding of the impact that their actions have on others.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good. The relationships that pupils have with one another are excellent and there are many examples of pupils spontaneously helping each other.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is good. It is above average for similar schools and is continuing to rise.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: Years 4 – 6 Years 7 – 11 Years 12

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching 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

The quality of teaching and learning is very good, and it is particularly effective in those subjects where pupils achieve very well, such as English, mathematics, art, physical education, music and food technology. Across the school communication, numeracy and literacy are taught very well. Due to specialist subject teaching to all year groups teachers have a very high knowledge of their subject. Teachers provide well for the wide range of ability in each class, and the learning support assistants play a very active role in supporting the pupils. There are a few teachers who are very new to the school and do not know the pupils’ abilities well enough to set appropriate tasks. As a result the quality of teaching and learning in information and communication technology, design and technology, and science are satisfactory. However, the learning outcomes for the pupils with the greatest needs are not always achieved due to their need for continual support.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum This is good. It is broad, balanced and relevant for the majority of pupils but the present curriculum arrangements for students at Post 16 are unsatisfactory. The curriculum for the pupils with the greatest difficulties is satisfactory, as different activities are planned, but does not always identify the different learning outcomes for the lower attaining pupils. The provision for personal, social and health education, and especially the careers and vocational education programme are very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is very good. Moral, social and cultural development is promoted very well throughout the whole curriculum. There is strong spiritual emphasis in many lessons but this would be further enhanced by sessions where the tutor group or school comes together to reflect and share their experiences.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school’s monitoring of the academic and personal development of pupils is good, and they receive very good support and guidance so that they achieve well in their education and personal development. The school is a safe and very caring environment.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school works in partnership with parents This is overall very good. The quality of the information the parents receive is good and they make a very good contribution to their children’s learning.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff This is very good. Despite the uncertainty of the school and its change of status within the LEA, the management of the school have continued to develop and improve the school, as well as to encourage to take on new roles and responsibilities. The new senior management team have clearer roles and responsibilities and provide good role models in teaching. The management team has become very proficient in identifying the priorities for development and there is an excellent shared commitment to succeed.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities The Governing Body fulfils all its responsibilities well. Governors are very supportive, and have continued to play a very active role in ensuring that the development and improvement to the school continues throughout. They understand the strengths and weakness of the school very well.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching, and the standards being achieved have developed well and the information from it is providing an accurate picture of the quality of the provision. However, the school’s use of information and communication technology to record and analyse information is only just being developed. The school applies the principles of best value well,

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school uses all its resources, including its staff and its funding well. The priorities in the school development plan are appropriate, but the plan does not contain costings and, therefore, is not securely linked to the overall budget.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The adequacy of staffing, accommodation and learning resources There is a sufficient number of teachers in the school, but there are too few learning support assistants. The accommodation is very good, and overall, the amount and quality of resources for teaching the curriculum are good. Presfield School - 11

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• That the behaviour of pupils is good. • That the quality of teaching across the school is good. • That the school deals with problems promptly. • That the school expects the pupils to work hard. • That the school is well led by the headteacher. • That the school works closely with them. • The amount of homework pupils have. • The range of activities outside lessons. • A narrower range of ability in the school. • Adequate provision for Post 16 students.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with the positive comments from the parents. The team acknowledges that there is a wide range of learning difficulties in each class and has identified that some pupils need more support. The team also agrees that the provision for Post 16 in the school is inadequate. The team does not agree with the few negative comments concerning homework or activities outside lessons. The team feels that the school has responded well to the shortage of speech and language therapy. Presfield School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Pupils, in relation to their prior attainment achieve well in all key stages, and the standards identified during the previous inspection have been maintained. However, pupils in the primary class do not consistently make good progress in all subjects. While pupils in this class make good progress in the majority of subjects this is not always possible or achieved, especially in mathematics. This is because there are too many pupils in the class, the age and ability of the pupils is too wide. There is also sometimes insufficient number of learning support staff in the class and this also limits the progress pupils make.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. This lack of sufficient classroom support has an impact on the overall progress made by pupils with the greatest learning difficulties in literacy and communication in other classes in the school. There are examples of pupils in each class who are unable to take part in activities without support, and who stop working when the teacher moves onto a different pupil or group of pupils. When there are more than two members of staff in the lessons, for example, in art or in English then all pupils achieve the learning outcomes and are fully engaged in the activities. In addition the pupils with the most challenging behaviour present no problems.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The progress pupils are currently making in English is good in Key Stage 2 and very good in Key Stages 3 and 4. This applies to all aspects of English and is due to the quality of teaching, including the teaching of each subject by one teacher at each key stage, the use of the national literacy strategy, and the ability of teachers to match the learning activities and outcomes to the wide range of learning needs in each class. As a result, by the time they leave school pupils are confident speakers, who take part in discussions about their work. Most read fiction and non-fiction, and use their reading skills for gathering information, such as in job descriptions and application forms. Many gain accreditation that recognises this achievement. In writing most pupils by the time they leave school are able to complete application forms and CVs, and many write in neat joined-up handwriting. They use grammar

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and punctuation accurately and spell most words correctly. Post-16 students make good progress in developing their independent reading and writing skills, and in the specially devised units that are taught separately, they make very good progress in reading skills which are relevant to everyday life.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. This is similar in mathematics, but progress is not as good in the primary class as it is in the secondary classes. The very good learning opportunities and teaching provided for pupils enable them to make very good progress overall, and is reflected in test and examination results. All pupils were successful in the Certificate of Educational Achievement examinations in 2001 and over half achieved merits or distinctions, and the first pupils are being entered this year for the General Certificate of Secondary Education. By the time they leave school pupils can solve simple problems in which they are required to use different mathematical understanding. They also manipulate algebraic equations, and work with indices and square roots. Their competency in handling data and refining ways in which they can display this using new technology has increased.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Overall, and due to the very good teaching, pupils make very good progress in art and design, food technology, music and physical education. The amount of external accreditation that has been awarded to pupils has increased in the majority of subjects since the last inspection. Progress in geography is good, as it is in science. However, the progress pupils Presfield School - 13 made in the science lessons during the week of the inspection was not as good. This was because the teacher for this subject is new to the school and has limited experience of teaching pupils with a wide range of special educational needs and as a result not all the learning activities matched the differing learn abilities of pupils, and some were too difficult for pupils to understand. This is not yet having an impact on long-term progress. This is also the situation in aspects of design and technology where the teacher had only been in the school

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

for three weeks prior to the inspection and had not had time to get to know the pupils’ needs and abilities. Pupils’ progress in history and French is satisfactory. They also make satisfactory progress in religious education, which is an improvement from the last inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The progress that pupils have made overtime in information and communication technology is unsatisfactory and there has been no improvement since the last inspection. There is still little evidence of teachers using information and communication technology to support learning in other subjects, access to the curriculum, or to support the special educational needs or communication difficulties of pupils. In addition, the teaching and learning was interrupted while a new information and communication technology room was being installed, which was followed by the retirement of the co-ordinator and a gap in time before the new co-coordinator was appointed.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Overall, pupils make very good progress towards the targets set in their individual educational plans, because they are appropriate, build on previous achievement and the setting of targets by the pupils themselves further enhances this. The very good personal, social and health education programme which is taught across the school, in conjunction with opportunities for work experience ensures that the majority of pupils make very good progress in their personal development. However, the few students who have stayed in the school past the age of 16, make satisfactory progress overall, but they are following almost the same curriculum as they did when they were in Year 11. For example, they are repeating many aspects of work that they have already completed. Due to the lack of a separate provision for these pupils they are not making sufficient progress in preparation for transition or for taking their place in an adult world.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils’ excellent behaviour, their very positive attitudes to school, and their very good personal development make a significant contribution to their learning and are a strength of the school. This judgement confirms the views not only of HMI but also of the overwhelming majority of parents responding to the questionnaire or attending the meeting with the inspector.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils’ attitudes to learning throughout the school are exceptionally positive. The majority are enthusiastic about school and their lessons and their eagerness to come to school results in the good attendance figures over the last year. Their enthusiasm also makes pupils very attentive as in a Year 8 history lesson when they showed how well they had concentrated by correctly answering questions about the conditions in coal mines at the beginning of the last century.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Across the school the behaviour is excellent and reflects not only the great eagerness to learn noted above but also the esteem in which they hold adults in the school. For example, when, as part of their personal, social and health education (PSHE) studies on road safety, they responded immediately to all instructions and advice from their teacher and the Road Safety Officer as they negotiated a main road near the school. Pupils also demonstrated great care and concern for one another’s safety. Such excellent behaviour in Presfield School - 14 lessons provides a solid platform for learning by enabling themselves, their peers and the teacher to concentrate on the lesson without distraction.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The excellent behaviour is based on the very good relationships across the school community creating a climate of warmth and well-being that makes the pupils feel secure in the care of the adults. In turn, the adults are respected and valued by the pupils, and they know the pupils so well that they are able to challenge and motivate each one individually. The pupils respond very well to this model adult behaviour by acting responsibly, and with increasing maturity. There have been no exclusions in the school this year, and inspectors saw no evidence of aggressive or intolerant behaviour. One pupil with particular difficulties was so well managed in a small group by the learning support assistant that both he and his peers were able to engage in the task without distraction to their peers. It is perhaps in the area of personal development that pupils at this school gain most from their learning – a

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

feature highlighted by almost all parents in their response to the questionnaire. Parents highlighted that their children felt confident and happy through the acceptance, love and patience of staff at the school, while others noted that their children had responded very well to the encouragement and praise given, and as a result behaviour had greatly improved. Pupils demonstrate their very good levels of personal development by accepting responsibility for chores around the school, such as taking registers to the office, wiping tables after the meal or taking out play equipment for lunchtime play, and collecting it afterwards. Pupils carry out responsibilities spontaneously and politely, for example, giving assistance to visitors at lunchtime.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attendance is good. It is above average for similar schools, having started at 91 per cent in the autumn term rising to 94 per cent in the summer term 2001. Unauthorised absence fell to less than 1 per cent. Side by side with the raw figures lies the pupils’ great eagerness for school, resulting in very high levels of punctuality and minimum loss of time between activities. Such good attendance levels give pupils access to the full range of learning opportunities on offer, and, therefore, help to raise standards. Registration at both morning and afternoon sessions was conducted in line with requirements, briskly and without fuss.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching and learning is overall very good, and has been maintained since the last inspection. It is particularly effective in those subjects where pupils achieve very well, such as English, mathematics, art, music, physical education and food technology. Across the school communication, numeracy and literacy are taught very well. On the week of the inspection there was no unsatisfactory teaching and in half the lessons the teaching was very good or excellent. The exemplary teaching occurs in art and design, and food technology, while there is overall very good teaching in English, mathematics, music and physical education. Teaching in French, geography and history is good, and in design and technology, information and communication technology, religious education and science it is satisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. The overall high quality of teaching and learning is the result of teachers teaching their own specialist subject to all year groups. They have developed a high knowledge of their subjects, and because they know the pupils very well, plan and organise a range of learning activities and outcomes that match the pupils’ differing abilities. However, even though the teaching is very good, and the teachers are well supported by hardworking and knowledgeable learning support assistants, not all pupils continue learning throughout the lessons. This is because those pupils who have the greatest difficulties do not have sufficient support and cannot work unaided. Although all teachers emphasise the learning of basic skills in their teaching, they do not make sufficient use of information and communication Presfield School - 15 technology in their teaching and therefore pupils and student s do not have enough

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

opportunities to transfer the skills they have learnt in the information and communication technology lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. The quality of the teaching for students who have stayed at school after the age of 16 is of the same quality as the rest of the pupils in the school, and for much of the time their work is overseen by learning support assistants. Although the learning support assistants are very well briefed and are very capable, the arrangements are unsatisfactory as this arrangement leaves the rest of the class without additional support.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. Lesson planning is consistent across the school, although teachers who have only been in the school for a short time do not know the ability of the pupils very well, and at times the expected learning outcomes are either too difficult or too simple for specific pupils. For example, in science the expectations are appropriately high enough for the higher attaining pupils and have a positive impact on learning but are too complicated for the lower attaining pupils. This along with the use of complicated language by the teacher confuses these pupils and they do not make sufficient progress. In those subjects where there is exemplary teaching, the lessons are extremely well planned and the activities are delivered in a way that brings the topic alive. For example, in an art lesson where pupils where studying the artist Lowry, the teacher does not hurry into the main activity of painting but through the excellent

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

use of resources, such as clothes, pictures and music gets the pupils to think about the emotions that were being portrayed in the artist’s painting entitled ‘The Funeral’. In this lesson there was very good emphasis the pupils’ personal development, their knowledge of past times, and they were given very good opportunities to reflect on their own experiences and emotions. These aspects are also present in music, food technology, and in personal and social education.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. The lessons are well managed and timed and this has a significant impact on raising standards. For example, in mathematics the introductory mental session is lively, includes all pupils and is greatly enjoyed. The teacher is skilful in challenging pupils to explain their reasoning and the strategies they have used in arriving at their answer. This is shared confidently with the rest of the class and supports the progress pupils make in communication. The majority of teachers’ communication skills are very good and pupils listen well and answer confidently. Where group work takes place, the expectations of teachers for behaviour and productivity are high. Pupils understand these very well and as a result they respond and behave in a very positive manner.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

18. Overall, the curriculum offered by the school provides a good quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils. This has been maintained from the last inspection. The primary and secondary curriculum are both good. However, the curriculum for post-16 pupils is unsatisfactory. Particularly strong subject areas include English, mathematics, music, art, physical education and food technology whereas information and communication technology and design technology (resistant materials) still require further development to become fully effective.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

19. The provision for pupils with additional learning needs is satisfactory. Although the school has an appropriate statutory curriculum in place for years 4-11, it does not provide equal curriculum opportunities for all its pupils. Some pupils benefit from supplementary provision, such as additional literacy support, but do not benefit from the consistent use of information and communication technology to support learning or communication. In addition, while their needs are generally acknowledged in teachers’ lesson planning through the Presfield School - 16 identification of different tasks and resources, there are occasions when pupils cannot take maximum benefit from these activities because of inadequate numbers of learning support assistants in the classroom.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

20. A good curriculum is provided for the majority of the youngest pupils as it is broad, balanced and relevant and they benefit from being taught by subject specialists in a number of areas such as science, music, art and physical education. However, these primary-aged pupils are taught as a single class, ranging in age from eight to eleven, and there was even a Year 7 pupil in the group for assessment during the inspection. Therefore, although the school offers a comprehensive curriculum for Key Stage 2 pupils it does not always meet their needs because the planned lesson activities cannot always be delivered effectively in practice. This is because pupils span such a wide age range of age, are working at very different levels and some have behaviour management needs that require very careful supervision but there are not always sufficient staff present to offer the required levels of support.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

21. The secondary curriculum is good. At Key Stage 3 pupils follow a relevant curriculum that prepares them well for progression into their final years of school. Subject specialists teach them, and this provides them with a firm basis for their Key Stage 4 studies in which they work towards externally accredited qualifications. The curriculum for these oldest pupils is appropriate to their needs and prepares them well for when they leave school and enter employment or further education and training. There is a good balance between academic subjects, personal, social and health education, and a work related curriculum. The school has widened the range of accreditation it offers so that externally accredited Certificate of Educational Achievement courses are followed in English, mathematics, science, and geography. A General Certificate of Secondary Education qualification in mathematics has been introduced this year. Accreditation for individual units in religious education, food

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

technology, history, and careers are also offered and there are plans to introduce courses that lead to accreditation in art, design and technology, and information and communication technology. The school also seeks opportunities to extend the learning experiences of individual pupils, such as the current arrangement with a local secondary school that enables a pupil to attend lessons there for two days a week.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

22. The school’s curriculum for post-16 students is unsatisfactory. This is not sufficiently different or discrete from the programme offered to Key Stage 4 pupils. Students are taught alongside Year 11 pupils and, therefore, on many occasions they are repeating work they have done previously. At times this leads to frustration and students’ attitudes deteriorate accordingly and therefore learning opportunities are reduced.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. The school promotes personal, social and health education very well. It is a thorough and well-planned programme that includes modules on sex education and drugs awareness as well as a structured careers education module for the oldest pupils. This aspect of the vocational curriculum builds on the careers programme by making good use of the local community through visits to different work environments and work experience opportunities. Members of the community also enrich the school’s curriculum provision by conducting mock interviews before pupils leave school and inviting them to regular ‘fun days’ along with other schools. The school also has good links with other educational establishments. Pupils attend the local further education college for taster courses in a range of vocational areas, and there are strong sporting links with local schools. The school also provides work experience placements for students from local schools.

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24. The school has very effective and coherent overall strategies for promoting literacy and numeracy both within English and mathematics lessons and across other subjects of the curriculum. Literacy is promoted through the identification of key words in many subjects Presfield School - 17 and the promotion of opportunities to improve speaking and listening skills during discussions, such as in food technology. Teachers also provide activities for extended writing in subjects such as history and, on occasions, geography. Teachers recognise the opportunities to reinforce key numeracy skills too, such as the French lesson in which pupils added and subtracted numbers. Current practice does not consistently promote information and technology skills through different subject areas. Whilst some teachers in some lessons do provide activities to practise these skills, new technology is generally underused and

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teachers have to consider how this can be better used to stimulate pupils’ learning.

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25. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities. Transport arrangements restrict after school activities but the school does still manage to provide clubs, such as gardening and a leisure/recreation activity. In addition they offer lunchtime activities like homework and music clubs.

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26. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. This is an improvement from the last inspection, when it was found to be satisfactory. There is a strong ethos throughout the school of valuing all pupils and their work. Teachers set a very good example by respecting pupils’ views and encouraging pupils to value the beliefs and viewpoints of others. Most lessons have time set aside at the end for pupils to reflect on their own successes and to share and celebrate their own and others’ achievements. Once a week, there is a whole- school assembly dedicated to celebrating pupils’ achievements. Displays in classrooms and corridors of high quality artwork and of scented flowers and colourful plants make the school a pleasant and attractive place to be and constantly remind pupils of the beauties of nature and of their artistic successes. Religious education lessons provide opportunities for pupils to

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consider their own and others’ faiths. Many lessons in other subjects also have a spiritual dimension, especially those in art. This was particularly evident in an excellent lesson based on L S Lowry’s painting The Funeral . The teacher encouraged Year 8 pupils to reflect on people’s expressions and how mourners were dressed; moving on to considering what feelings people have at funerals and when people die. Pupils were encouraged to draw on their own experience as well as their study of the artist’s technique, and the playing of relevant music - ‘Pictures of Matchstick Men’, enhanced the atmosphere of reverence . There is a spiritual element in the form of prayers in assemblies held for different age groups but the school could provide more opportunities for reflection through a morning tutor time or a daily act of collective worship for pupils.

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27. The opportunities for both moral development and social development are very good. The school provides a strong moral framework for all its pupils. All adults in the school are good role models of how to conduct themselves and behave appropriately, encouraging courtesy and consideration of others. The inspectors noted that adults in the school always gave a reason to pupils when commenting on their behaviour, in order to reinforce the link between their actions and their effect on others. The drama sessions encourages pupils to consider matters of principle and to be able to make appropriate decisions when faced with moral dilemmas. This work is well supported for pupils through the personal, social and health education programme. Learning support assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ moral development as they counsel pupils when they have difficulties.

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28. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. The educational visits, the ‘After School Club’, the Sports and Gardening Club the First Aid Course and the visits from Connexions and Careers Advice all make their own contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. Teachers make very good use of personal, social and health education sessions to motivate pupils and to raise their self esteem. In one such session, Y11 and 12 pupils presented a drama to their parents and friends. They had been shown how to stand up in front of an audience, to project their voices, to engage in dialogue, dance and sing. In another session younger pupils were taken to a busy main road, and with the help of a Road Presfield School - 18 Safety Officer were shown how to survive on the roads. Such activities not only raise the self-esteem of pupils but also teach them how to act responsibly as future citizens.

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29. With the help of their parents and the adults in the school pupils learn to demonstrate a sense of citizenship from an early stage in their education. They raise considerable sums of money for the disadvantaged in society through charities such as NSPCC, British Red Cross, the Epilepsy Society, the Mozambique Disaster Fund, Derian House Hospice, and giving Harvest produce to the homeless. The day visits provide good opportunities for pupils to learn to consider each other’s needs. Pupils work harmoniously in lessons, for example, pupils work co-operatively, helping each other when they create music, and when performing music, dance and drama. The school’s success in regional and national competitions helps to develop pupils’ confidence and self-esteem.

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30. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is now very good. This is a big improvement since the last inspection, when it was satisfactory. There are many planned opportunities for pupils to learn about and appreciate their own cultural heritage, contemporary popular culture and about the traditions and cultures of others. In history, pupils learn about aspects of the past, relating them to the local area with visits to local museums, old buildings and places of interest, such as Wigan Pier. They also explore their cultural heritage in music and art lessons where they study a variety of genres from many times and places, including the modern day. English lessons contribute to the range of cultures studied, with literature texts including myths and legends, Shakespeare, poetry and science fiction. For example, pupils were particularly enthusiastic in a lesson where the teacher used an extract based on the

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most recent Star Wars film to compare with a science fiction novel and a story written by one of the pupils. In geography, pupils study a range of places and teachers encourage them to empathise with different lifestyles through role play. Art and music lessons include the study of many cultures, including African and Chinese art and music. The religious education programme includes opportunities to learn about major world faiths. All of these are enhanced by visits to appropriate places such as relevant places of worship, a Chinese Pagoda and a trip to Chinatown to coincide with Chinese New Year. Visitors from other cultures come and talk to pupils about their cultures and traditions. Modern foreign languages and food technology teachers work together to hold joint events where pupils can learn about the European dimension. In these ways, despite the school not having a multi-ethnic population, pupils learn how to live in a multi-cultural society.

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31. The school’s procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare health and safety satisfy legal requirements.

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32. The Head Teacher is the designated person for child protection matters and is known as such by adults throughout the school. He has attended training in the past, and has some practical experience of related matters . Not all adults in the school however, were convincingly clear about procedures, indicating that greater familiarisation with LEA procedures is needed.

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33. The school has a good range of clearly written policies relating to health and safety, and responded positively to the Inspector’s observations on some minor matters about recording of hazards and the use of fire doors. Fire drills are conducted each term and alarms are tested weekly. The nominated person conducts First Aid procedures efficiently, and pupils showed that they are familiar with them. Gas and electrical appliances are subject to an annual safety check while health and safety regulations are rigorously applied in the kitchen. The personal safety and security of pupils is ensured through personal, social and health education, and through the appropriate security arrangements around the school. Presfield School - 19 34. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good, and their effectiveness is reflected in the good attendance reported on earlier in this Report. Registers

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are clearly marked and well maintained. Immediate follow up demonstrates to parents the school’s serious approach to attendance. Good support from the Education Welfare Officer, the good levels of co-operation from parents and the great enthusiasm of pupils further enhance the school’s efforts.

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35. The school’s very good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour spring from its caring ethos reflected in the behaviour policy. Adults in the school model the high standards of care and tolerance that they expect from pupils. Parents comment that the school always emphasises the positive in pupils and thereby raises self-esteem, and that behaviour improves. Inappropriate behaviour, such as bullying is closely monitored in accordance with procedures. The school is very vigilant and are aware of troubled pupils. The associated issues are often explored in drama lessons. Intimate knowledge of each child enables staff to anticipate difficulties and to manage behaviour effectively, resulting in the excellent relationships acknowledged elsewhere in this report. The inspection team could see no evidence to support the suggestion by one parent that the school’s procedures had failed her daughter.

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36. The school’s very good procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are firmly founded in its caring ethos. In just the same way that the school’s intimate knowledge of its pupils helps to manage their behaviour, as reported in the previous paragraph, that same knowledge helps the school to develop in the pupils a sense of personal responsibility and citizenship. Each one has his or her own personal targets, shared with parents through the year tutor, and discussed at staff meetings so that all are well informed. Targets are evaluated at half term. The weekly ‘Awards Assembly’ rewards effort and honesty rather than merely academic achievement.

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37. At the last inspection, the assessment of pupils’ academic progress and personal development was good. This has been maintained, and there are now some very good features particularly in monitoring, supporting and guiding pupils’ personal development. The recent development of a whole-school framework for planning the curriculum, and assessing pupils’ progress at the end of each module of work is improving teachers’ ability to use assessment information to guide their forward planning. Assessment is now co-ordinated by the deputy headteacher, who has set up a termly monitoring programme to guide teachers’ assessment further. Training in the moderation of National Curriculum teacher assessments has been effective and is ongoing.

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38. There have been good improvements made to the procedures for monitoring personal development and the use of individual education plans (IEPs). A new assessment framework to track each pupil’s progress in personal, social and health education (PSHE) is being developed. Individual targets for each pupil are now discussed by the whole staff at the start of the school year, and agreed. This good approach enables the school to compare pupils’ performance in different contexts, such as investigative and practical work, group work, creative expressive and physical contexts. Pupils’ targets also include those for school priorities, such as literacy, and personal targets related to behaviour or learning skills. These are often well used during lessons by teachers. Some very good work is done in lessons to promote pupils’ own knowledge of their learning through self-assessment and discussion with staff and peers.

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39. Statutory assessments at the end of Key Stages 2 and 3 are undertaken in accordance with national guidance, and the procedures for conducting annual reviews, including transition reviews are good. Review reports from the school also act as the annual Presfield School - 20 report to parents, and the subject reports are appropriately balanced and provide clear assessments of pupils’ knowledge understanding and target areas for improvement. Parents value these reports highly, and there is very good evidence in pupils’ record files of the school’s active engagement with parents if any concerns or issues arise during a pupil’s time in school.

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40. Although the assessment procedures are good, there are areas that need to be developed and improved. In order to ensure that the achievements of pupils with the greatest difficulties are accurately recorded against National Curriculum levels, the current use of the nationally recognised ‘P’ levels for assessment, could be used more widely across the school. This would provide a more rounded picture of their progress and will help teachers to identify clearly teaching strategies and appropriate learning targets, particularly for pupils with additional needs such as specific learning or behavioural difficulties and autism.

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