Smannell Field School

UNIT

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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UNIT

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Range of needs supported Excluded pupils and those at risk of exclusion

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Unit address: The Andover Centre PRU c/o Cricklade College Charlton Road Andover Hants

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Appropriate authority: Hampshire County Council

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Name of responsible officers: Mr C Diaper/Mr J Cawthra

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Date of previous inspection: June 1998 The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Personal, social and health education 17650 Mr M Pavey Registered inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Special educational needs What sort of unit is it? Pupils’ results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? How well does the unit care for its pupils? How well is the unit led and managed? 1166 Mrs R Hussain Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the unit work in partnership with parents? English Art and design Geography 10391 Miss V du Plergny Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

History 28097 Mrs S Nolan Team inspector Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Design technology Physical education 16227 Mr H Phillips Team Inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Equal opportunities The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Open Book Inspections 6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks Kent TN15 0EG

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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 Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 6

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REPORT CONTENTS

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

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PART B: COMMENTARY

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

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER

OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS? 24 - 29

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 29 - 31

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED? 32 - 35

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 35 - 36

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 37 - 39 The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit is a unit for boys and girls aged 5–16. The centre serves the north west area of Hampshire, and has on its roll all the pupils in that area who require education otherwise than at school. The area co-ordinator controls all aspects of this provision. The post of teacher responsible for the main centre is at present filled on a temporary basis. There are 33 pupils on the centre’s roll, 25 boys and eight girls. Of these, 25 are on the roll of the centre only, and eight are on the roll both of the centre and another school. At present, there are only two pupils of primary school age. Of those of secondary age, 15 are in Years 7–10 and 16 in Year 11. In 2000-01, the centre had 77 pupils on its roll at some time during the year. Of these, 43 were pupils who had been permanently excluded from school and 15 were on the roll because they were at risk of exclusion. A further 19

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

attended a separate part of the centre, housed in Wolverdene Lodge, which is under the guidance of another teacher and caters for those with physical or psychiatric illness, or who are pregnant schoolgirls.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Of the 33 currently on roll, 24 attend the main centre, seven are attached to Wolverdene Lodge and two are on trial re-integration procedures in secondary schools. Many pupils attending the main centre also attend lessons in mainstream school, work experience and vocational courses in college, so that the amount of education provided can approach full- time, particularly for those in Year 11. The amount of education provided varies according to age and circumstances, but all pupils attend part-time. Of 16 leavers, aged 16 in 2001, half went on to education or training and half to employment. Almost all pupils have emotional and behavioural difficulties and a minority have specific or moderate learning difficulties also. Twenty-nine are on the centre’s register of pupils with special educational needs (SEN), and at present six pupils have statements of SEN. Almost all current pupils are of white ethnic

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

background. No pupils have English as an additional language. Overall, pupils’ levels of attainment are well below average on entry to the centre.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

The centre has had difficulties in recruiting teachers this school year. Because of this, it now offers less English than formerly. For the same reason, the posts of teacher responsible for managing the centre and teacher responsible for the curriculum are now held by temporary appointments.

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HOW GOOD THE UNIT IS

The centre provides a very good education and pupils make good progress over their time there. A high proportion achieves re-integration in mainstream schools. Teaching is good in all subjects. Leadership and management of the centre are very good. It provides very good value for money. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 8

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What the unit does well

• The Area Co-ordinator gives very clear and positive leadership, and senior staff manage the centre very well. As a result, the centre’s aims (to provide a happy but challenging environment for its pupils, and to help them re-integrate successfully into mainstream schools) are well met. • Teaching is good in all subjects, so that most pupils work very hard and learn well. • Pupils are very supportive of the centre. They are keen to learn and usually behave well. • The centre has a very good and inclusive curriculum. It is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of pupils and to help them succeed and re-integrate into mainstream education. This process is greatly helped by very good links with local schools and the college of further education. • Procedures for pupils’ welfare and improving their behaviour are excellent. • Parents think highly of the centre. Links between home and centre are very good.

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What could be improved

• The recently appointed teacher responsible for the curriculum has begun to develop the setting of clear targets for pupils’ academic improvement. A further development should be the central recording of how successfully pupils meet these targets, so that their overall progress can be seen and reported to parents. • There has been good training for teachers in how to develop pupils’ skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT), across the curriculum. However, procedures for the teaching of these key skills are not yet included in subject policies and schemes of work. • The centre does not give enough emphasis to preparing pupils for cultural and ethnic diversity. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the local education authority.

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HOW THE UNIT HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The centre was last inspected in June 1998. Since then, improvement has been good, both in addressing the key issues for development in the 1998 report and in the quality of teaching and the curriculum. The high standards of welfare, leadership and management reported in 1998 have been maintained and extended. Under its present leadership, the centre is clearly capable of maintaining its present very good standards, and has the capacity to extend them further. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 9

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

personal, social and health education B B

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STANDARDS

other personal targets set at annual reviews or in IEPs* A A Key

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STANDARDS

very good A good B satisfactory C unsatisfactory D poor E

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

When pupils join the centre, their attainment is generally well below average. The level of attainment increases as pupils begin to benefit from their education in the centre. Attainment remains below average in all subjects, except science for pupils aged 14 –16, and physical education for all ages, where it reaches average levels. During their time at the centre, pupils achieve well, making good progress in every subject. Pupils make satisfactory progress in acquiring the key skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT. Pupils on individual tuition programmes, both younger pupils and those attending Wolverdene Lodge, make good progress in all aspects of their work.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the unit Very good. Most pupils are enthusiastic about the centre and grateful for what it has done for them.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Most pupils are attentive and keen to work. They behave well to each other and to teachers.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good. Pupils take responsibility well and are respectful to each other and to adults.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Satisfactory. Pupils attend the centre much better than they did their mainstream schools.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

There is clear evidence that pupils’ attendance and behaviour have greatly improved since they joined the centre. The centre shares premises with the local college, and this has not caused any recent problems . The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 10

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching 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

No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. Teaching is good in most lessons, and very good in the rest. Teaching is good in all subjects seen, including English, mathematics, science and personal, social and health education. Teachers’ particular strength is their management of pupils, which is excellent. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well, so that pupils make sure progress in them. The centre meets the needs of all pupils well; their attainment is very carefully assessed on entry, so that the special needs of individual pupils are well catered for. Teaching for the younger pupils with SEN and those in Wolverdene Lodge is good, and pupils’ special needs are very well provided for. As a result of good teaching and very good relationships, pupils learn well.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum is very well designed to meet the needs of all pupils in the area who need education otherwise than at school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Baseline assessment is very careful. So are the making of individual education plans (IEPs) and the preparation of statements of SEN.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There are no such pupils on roll.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. The centre’s provision for spiritual development is good. Provision for moral and social development is very good. Cultural provision is satisfactory; it has some strong elements, but there is not much attention given to preparing pupils for cultural and ethnic diversity.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

How well the unit cares for its pupils Very well. Monitoring and improving attendance and behaviour are very well done. Overall, the centre assesses pupils’ work well, though there are areas for further improvement.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

The unit works well in partnership with parents. Particular strengths in the curriculum include the way it is designed to meet every need; the good number of subjects offered, especially for a part-time centre; very good provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE) and careers; and the very good relationships with other schools, which makes it possible to re- integrate so many pupils into mainstream schools. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 11 In caring for pupils, particular strengths include the very good tutorial system, which allows teachers and pupils to check progress in detail each week, and the detailed and helpful targets for behaviour set as the result of very good baseline assessment. An area for development is that of academic target setting and the central collection of data on pupils’ progress in their work, so that a clear overall record can be made of their academic

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The area co-ordinator gives extremely positive and effective leadership. Management by the acting teachers with responsibility for the running of the centre and for the curriculum is very good also.

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the management committee fulfils its responsibilities Well. The committee is well informed about the centre’s work and is thus able to monitor its work carefully. Its membership allows the committee to represent the community well.

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

The unit’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The centre has very good systems for monitoring teaching, attendance and behaviour. It monitors academic performance well.

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. Resources are well used and special grants are very carefully spent and accounted for.

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

Staffing resources are satisfactory, and resources for accommodation and learning are good. The centre’s greatest strength is the leadership of the area co-ordinator, who has established very clear systems for its regular management. Relationships between the centre and the college where the centre is sited have been very good over recent years, and have led to the prospect of a very productive partnership, in which each organisation can strengthen the inclusive nature of the education it provides. The centre applies the principles of best value satisfactorily.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE UNIT

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • All parents feel well informed, are comfortable in approaching the centre and consider that the unit works closely with parents. • All feel that their children work hard and do their best. • All feel the teaching is good. • Most feel that the centre is well led and managed. In their questionnaires: • Some parents feel that their child does not get the right amount of homework. • A few do not consider there to be a good range of extra-curricular activities. • Some feel that behaviour is not good.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE UNIT

Twelve questionnaires were returned and ten parents attended the meeting before the inspection. Opinion at the meeting was entirely positive. Inspectors agree with the positive views of parents. About the reservations expressed in the questionnaire forms, they found behaviour good, and the homework provision to be good for a unit of this type. They judge extra-curricular activities to be good. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 12 The partnership between parents and the centre is one of its strengths and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ progress. Inspectors consider that reports could contain more precise information on pupils’ levels of attainment and the progress they have made in their work. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 13

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Lessons were seen and work inspected in English in Key Stage 4, and in Key Stages 3 and 4 in mathematics, science, design and technology (DT), physical education (PE), and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Reports are made on art and humanities, on the basis of work inspected. No lessons could be seen in Key Stage 2. There is insufficient evidence to report on standards in music.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. When pupils join the centre, in either key stage, their attainment is often well below the nationally expected levels. They have lost much schooling, are disinclined to commit themselves again to academic work, and their key skills are poorly developed. Reading ages for most pupils are well below average, though for a minority they are above. Pupils have limited skills in handling language. Over their time in the centre, attainment rises during each key stage, as pupils begin to feel the benefit of the good teaching and very good relationships which the centre provides. Though attainment remains below the expected levels in almost all subjects at the ends of the key stages, it approaches the expected level in science in Key Stage 4, and achieves this level in PE.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Pupils achieve well in view of their educational backgrounds, making good progress in learning and re-learning academic work, consolidating their skills and gaining confidence and enjoyment in academic work. Very good progress in attitudes and behaviour helps pupils to progress well in their work. Progress is good in all subjects, and very good in PE. Pupils attending classes in the centre make satisfactory progress in acquiring the key skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT. Younger pupils having individual tuition and those educated in Wolverdene Lodge make good progress in these skills.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The centre is very good at achieving re-integration for its pupils, so that those who stay until the leaving age at 16 are only a proportion of those who have benefited from their education there. GCSE and other results do not therefore indicate the whole achievement of the centre, and several pupils take examinations in the schools where they have been taught. All pupils at Wolverdene Lodge are on the rolls of other schools and many take their examinations in these schools. Results are hence modest at the centre itself, and do not wholly reflect the good progress which pupils have made there. In 2001, two results were recorded in the centre’s name in the tests at the end of Key Stage 3 in English, mathematics and science. These results were below average. GCSE grades were achieved in the E-F range for seven pupils in English, English literature and mathematics. Three results in DT (resistant materials) were achieved in

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

the D-E range. There was little difference between the quality of results in English and mathematics. The centre also entered these candidates for the Certificate of Educational Achievement examinations at Levels 2 and 3 in literacy, numeracy and humanities, with varying results; four candidates achieved distinctions at Level 3 in humanities. GCSE results have remained at approximately these levels in recent years.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The area co-ordinator and local authority have set detailed targets for pupils’ achievement. The aim to offer every pupil some form of external accreditation is a good one, but has proved unrealisable in view of the problems which some pupils face. In 2001, 60 per cent achieved some form of examination success. For the future, targets will be set to assess the quality of improvement which pupils make, in attendance, behaviour, academic progress and re-integration to mainstream schools. The centre’s The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 14 very good systems for monitoring attendance and behaviour, with its constant focus on re-integration, make it possible to monitor these aspects very accurately. A clearer method to assess pupils’ academic progress will be needed.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. All pupils have special education needs (SEN), and achieve well in relation to the problems they have faced before joining the centre. The centre’s very comprehensive assessment of their attainment on entry allows it to identify their particular learning needs and to provide well for them. Teachers have much expertise in helping pupils with poorly developed key skills to make more progress than normaly expected. This is clearly seen in the progress made by the one Year 3 pupil attending the centre, who despite very limited ability to read and handle figures, has gained confidence in these areas and is starting to make progress in word recognition and basic calculation. All pupils attending Wolverdene Lodge have specific needs, either medical or psychiatric, or are schoolgirl mothers. Thanks to very good liaison with their mainstream schools, very good relationships and tuition, these pupils make very good progress in the work

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

they do in the Lodge, and many make good progress in their readiness to re-integrate into school and society.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The recently devised development programme for literacy is already beginning to have an effect. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress in literacy, for their abilities. The centre plans very carefully to meet each pupil’s needs, and has a good range of reading materials, which are well used in English. Key words are on display in each subject area, for example for the technical vocabulary of mathematics or art, and mathematics has already developed some opportunities for writing in investigative work. In geography, pupils are learning to understand and spell a range of useful, complex words, for example the term ‘plate tectonics’. In English, key words for the lesson are written on the board, so that pupils know what to expect, and this enables them to make more sense of their lessons. The recognition and understanding of words are a strong feature of work in PSHE, as is the development of reading and speaking skills through

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

the study of worksheets and the well-focused conversations which take place. Teachers are already beginning to consider how they might best lay out worksheets to enable pupils to get most benefit from them. This level of teachers’ awareness is becoming commonplace in the centre.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Numeracy skills are not fully developed across the curriculum, though pupils’ progress is satisfactory in acquiring these skills. Within mathematics, pupils have good opportunities to use and enhance their number skills. In other areas, such as history and geography, pupils use their statistical skills to examine data on volcanoes and to conduct surveys on local issues. In science, pupils illustrate their experimental results through line graphs and learn to interpret distance-time graphs. They use calculations competently in measuring pressure, and enhance the accuracy of their measuring skills through reading instruments. In food technology and resistant materials, pupils develop their measuring skills, working with simple ratios and scales. Although plans are in hand to formulate a numeracy statement, teachers do not yet benefit from a common policy for the teaching of numeracy across the curriculum, and so do not necessarily

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

reinforce these skills consistently. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 15 9. Since the last inspection, progress made by pupils has improved. While before it was satisfactory overall, with particular weaknesses in science, progress is now good in all areas

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English

10. On entry, standards are well below average. It was not possible to see any lessons with pupils aged 11 to 14, but evidence from the inspection of work, and speaking with their teachers, confirms that these pupils are achieving well and making good progress. It is not possible to judge the standard of speaking and listening. Standards of reading, from the evidence of individuals heard, are very variable, but records confirm gradually increasing confidence in tackling more demanding texts. The quality of writing is usually well below the national average, but pupils take increasing care with their written work. Spellings are given good attention, pupils take a growing pride in their handwriting, and write more interestingly as they spend time in the centre. Some pupils have great problems with organising the sequence of their writing. They regularly use helpful computer programs for spelling and typing. Most pupils learn to redraft and improve

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English

11. Overall, the attainment of pupils aged 14 to 16 is below the nationally expected level, though some pupils achieve average levels. Pupils often arrive at the centre with an insecure grasp of punctuation, inconsistent spelling, a limited vocabulary and very variable handwriting. Word-processing skills are modest but reliable. Pupils soon begin to make good progress and to achieve well for their abilities in reading, writing and speaking skills. There is some very lively writing, for example in a piece called ‘My Island in the Sun’, which shows a real sense of suspense and demonstrates good progress in the use of vocabulary. Pupils also make good progress in their understanding of literature, seen for example in their increasing grasp of plot, character and motive in their current novel, Of Mice and Men . They record their discussions in different ways - notes, book review, key words - and each record reveals the progress

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English

they have made, thanks to regular and well-informed teaching.

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Mathematics

12. Pupils’ standards of attainment on entry to the centre are well below those expected for their year group. Initial assessments indicate that they begin with weak skills in many aspects of their mathematics, particularly in applying basic numeracy and other skills to problem-solving situations. Although standards of attainment in mathematics remain below average overall when pupils leave the unit, most make good progress in many aspects, but particularly in using and applying their mathematics. Those pupils who remain in the unit until the end of Year 9 or Year 11 are prepared for the national tests at age 14 or for GCSE mathematics and other accreditation such as the Certificate of Achievement.

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Mathematics

13. From the evidence of work seen, most pupils achieve at least as much as might be expected given their starting points on leaving their mainstream school. Pupils apply themselves very well to improving their mathematical skills. Pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 improve their understanding of angle facts and their accuracy in measuring and drawing angles. They use simple pictorial representations of data appropriately, and strengthen their basic algebraic skills, collecting and adding like terms. Although they increase their competence in calculations about money, and in operations involving addition and The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 16 subtraction, many pupils lack good estimation skills and often fail to check the reasonableness of their solutions. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 work systematically on their GCSE coursework tasks. They can break down tasks into simple stages, gather and tabulate data, and spot patterns. Some able pupils can find generalisations for their

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Mathematics

patterns, in both words and symbols, and can begin to explain their findings. Pupils competently order numbers, find simple percentages and draw and interpret statistical diagrams. However, pupils display common weaknesses in their understanding and manipulation of fractions, in finding the areas and volumes of common shapes, and in tasks involving probability. Generally, pupils who remain in the unit from Year 9 into Years 10 and 11 make good progress. However, a staffing problem before the present teacher arrived adversely affected the progress of some pupils.

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Science

14. Attainment is below expected levels for younger pupils during Key Stage 3, but because teaching is good and pupils are keen to learn, attainment rises to be not far short of the nationally expected level during Key Stage 4. Pupils make good progress in science lessons. They understand and explain the different movement of particles in solids, liquids and gas, and know the changes which result from the application of heat. Through discussion, lower-attaining pupils logically work out the changes in pressure resulting from heating and cooling. Higher-attaining pupils in Year 10 make good progress and reach average standards. They achieve a good knowledge of scientific facts and an understanding of life processes when studying the sensory system, as part of GCSE single science coursework. Pupils show very good interest and take part in lessons confidently. They respect and value the facilities and equipment, using them

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Science

with care. They respond positively to the challenges and trust shown, and mutual respect results from excellent relationships. Most Year 11 pupils are making good progress in their one year course towards the science certificate, and some higher- attaining pupils are being entered for GCSE single science.

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Design and technology

15. Attainment is below expected levels, in both key stages and in both aspects of the subject. Pupils achieve well and make good progress over the course. They work together amicably, for example during the clearing and washing-up session at end of lessons, and demonstrate a sensible approach, with good attention to safety. They show a good sense of achievement and value the opportunity to use good facilities, responding positively to being trusted to work independently.

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Design and technology

16. In food technology, pupils develop good levels of independence in kitchen skills, such as the use of utensils and cooking equipment. They can explain the origin of a recipe and the process of making a meal such as pasta carbonara. They develop proficient use of tools and equipment when preparing ingredients. In Key Stage 3, they weigh out ingredients accurately and critically evaluate prepared meals according to smell, colour, taste, texture and appearance. Pupils in Key Stage 4 are making good progress towards the achievement of the Basic Food Hygiene Certificate. In design and technology, pupils in Year 11 are making good progress in the practical aspects of the GCSE course. They make good products in wood, with skilful measuring and use of hand and machine tools including drills, saw and lathe, and use of templates, to make coursework items such as a nesting box, toy tractor or coffee table. Their design and

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Design and technology

evaluation skills are underdeveloped, since less time is given to the more theoretical aspects.

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Information and communication technology (ICT)

The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 17 17. Standards in ICT are below the nationally expected level, but are satisfactory in view of the irregular education which these pupils have had. Pupils are making good progress in their use of computers for communication. They are developing confidence in using the Internet to find and download information. For example, Year 11 pupils use revision programs in mathematics and science, and younger pupils find and download recipes in food technology. They use software programs competently when practising and extending their basic literacy and numeracy skills such as spelling or place value. Pupils have limited opportunities to develop their skills in control technology or in collecting and using data with sensing equipment.

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Personal, social and health education (PSHE)

18. Pupils make good progress, thanks to well prepared schemes of work and good teaching. They discuss a large number of useful topics, and benefit from the chance to consider them in an objective way, with clear, impartial guidance. They benefit also from the chance to recall information and apply it to the understanding of the topics they study. For example, a Year 8 pupil made very good progress in recalling all the hazards to be encountered in the home, and in making well-informed suggestions for their elimination. Work in PSHE helps pupils to become responsible and thoughtful, and helps the centre achieve its social aims.

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Humanities

19. It was not possible to see any lessons in geography, history or religious education (RE) during the inspection. From an inspection of the work available, standards of attainment are below average, but pupils’ progress is good overall. In geography, pupils are making good progress in working on their ideas for the development of Andover town centre in a unit of work entitled ‘If I were the Boss’. For example, one pupil has made very good progress in the use of the camera to record local sights and has gained a lot from her research in the local library. Another, less highly attaining pupil has managed to produce some work towards this project, confirming satisfactory progress for him in gaining knowledge. In history, older pupils have recently made satisfactory progress in learning about life in Germany under Hitler and the persecution of the Jewish nation. In RE, they have made sound progress in learning about Christianity, for example in

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Humanities

Christian belief and worship. Several pupils have made good progress in learning new facts in projects on travel and tourism, and people and the environment.

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Art and design

20. It was not possible to see any lessons during the inspection, but inspection of pupils’ work confirms standards below average, but good achievement and progress in both key stages. Pupils have worked hard to produce some impressive pieces across a range of media. On the walls of the art room at the moment are some very pleasing studies of the Art Nouveau movement, demonstrating good progress in the awareness of the importance of line in this movement. Pupils have also made good progress in studying the architecture and furniture design of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and the enamelling work of Lalique. A pupil has made a beautiful reproduction of the Lalique brooch worn by Isadora Duncan at one of her dance performances. Younger pupils have been working thoughtfully on repeating patterns, and pupils of all ages have made good progress in the technique of making cushions, improving their understanding of

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Art and design

the ways in which fabric can be painted, dyed, and embroidered.

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Physical education (PE)

The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 18 21. Attainment in both key stages is at the expected national level, and pupils make very good progress. This is clearly seen in swimming, where pupils, from beginners to advanced swimmers, make very good progress and gain much confidence in developing their technique. For example, a previously non-swimmer has become competent in front crawl and diving to retrieve a brick within a few sessions, and many are achieving good personal survival skills. Pupils make good progress to achieve average skills in football, such as competence in passing with the inside and outside of the foot during small-sided games.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. Most pupils are enthusiastic about coming to the centre. They respect and appreciate the help and support they receive from the staff and many have made significant progress in modifying their behaviour since starting there. This success is clearly evident in the high numbers of pupils who are successfully reintegrated into mainstream schools each year. Many pupils show very good attitudes to their learning and standards of behaviour are good for the majority. Pupils are very aware of the behaviour targets in their individual plans. The close monitoring of behaviour in each lesson and the need to maintain good behaviour over time reap rewards.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23. In lessons, most pupils are enthusiastic learners who listen and respond well and are keen to participate. They are taught in small groups where they are given plenty of individual attention and most co-operate well, show respect and listen to others. In a Year 10 careers lesson, two of the pupils were patient, helpful and enjoyed explaining what they had learnt to the third pupil, who had been absent because of illness. Most pupils settle to work reasonably quickly at the beginning of lessons and concentrate well on their individual or group tasks. In some lessons, a few pupils with challenging behaviour can become disruptive and lack concentration for long periods, but their impact is minimal where teachers are alert to signs of inattention and respond quickly.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

24. Pupils’ behaviour when attending classes at the local college is very good. They integrate well with others in the class and work well on their own. When asked about their work they were very keen to talk about what they were doing and were polite and courteous in response to questions. Pupils on the bricklaying course clearly enjoyed sharing the challenge of building a barbecue in the unseasonably sunny weather and are much looking forward to putting the barbecue to practical use when it is finished. Those in ICT and cookery courses worked very well independently and were delighted to discuss their progress.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

25. The relationships built up between teachers and pupils are excellent. Teachers have a very good rapport with pupils, who respond respectfully and well. Pupils also enjoy very good relationships with their peers. They have a good understanding of how their actions impact on others through constant, positive reminders of what is acceptable social behaviour. They show appreciation of each others’ achievements, as was seen when one pupil added nearly 30 stars to his chart, a culmination of several days’ efforts, and others were clearly impressed. This is also a good example of how pupils’ self esteem and confidence grows during their time at the centre. They learn to take pride in their own achievements. They treat their surroundings with respect and there is no evidence of wilful damage or graffiti. There are few opportunities, though, for active involvement in lessons within the centre, where the approach is very much directed by

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

the teacher. However, pupils attending vocational courses at college, and going on expeditions and visits, show that most can use their own initiative well and can be trusted to act responsibly. They manage to live next door to the local college without The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 19 apparent difficulty.

p.18

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

26. Despite the significant progress made by many pupils, there were 12 fixed-term exclusions last year, though no permanent exclusions. These were mainly due to lapses in behaviour, but no pupil was excluded more than once, which indicates that this method of sanction has been effective in encouraging more positive behaviour. No incidents of bullying in the centre were seen or reported during the inspection; there is little opportunity because, during their sessions, pupils are engaged full time in lessons with constant adult supervision.

p.19

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

27. Attendance was satisfactory at 87 per cent last year. Many pupils arrive at the centre with very poor records for attendance. The average attendance this school year so far represents a 40 per cent improvement on records in previous schools. Several pupils attained 100 per cent attendance last year. Punctuality is good for the majority, and lessons start on time. Pupils know that if they are absent without authorisation or are persistently late they risk the withdrawal of their place. They respect this, as they want to attend.

p.19

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

28. The centre has maintained the high standards of attitudes and behaviour reported in the last inspection. Both make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning and progress. The improvement in pupils’ attendance also has a positive impact, increasing their opportunities to learn and encouraging a more responsible attitude.

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Teaching and learning are of good quality in all subjects seen. Of the 20 lessons seen, all which were available, teaching was very good in six lessons and good in 14. All teaching was therefore at least good. Because teaching was good, pupils learnt well. As often in PRUs, teaching has to be good if learning is to be satisfactory, but in this centre pupils learnt well in the great majority of lessons. Learning was very good in four lessons, good in 14 and satisfactory in two. No unsatisfactory learning was seen, though in two lessons difficult behaviour threatened, but did not destroy, the quality of learning.

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of their subjects and how to teach them are very good, and as a result pupils learn with confidence and at a good pace. For example, in a Year 11 PSHE lesson on managing aggression, the teacher had a very sound grasp of the subject and the values he wished to transmit; pupils learnt rapidly and without any doubt of the lesson’s importance.

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Overall, the teaching of basic skills is good, and pupils make satisfactory progress in them. It is at least satisfactory in the lessons seen in the centre, and is very good in the individual support given to younger pupils, in Wolverdene Lodge and when pupils are supported by the special needs assistant. Pupils generally have a good knowledge of what they have missed and now need to learn, and are happy to work hard to gain more confidence in these skills. For example, in a Year 10 lesson during which the class worked on the novel Of Mice and Men , one pupil received help from the special needs assistant, reading a passage from Romeo and Juliet . Because the assistant gave excellent support, based on very good knowledge of how to support pupils’ learning of basic skills and a very friendly but professional manner, the pupil made rapid progress in reading with confidence and understanding. Teachers and assistant encourage

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils well in their use of number and ICT. They are good also at giving pupils essential words to learn, and make very good use, for example, of a current affairs board in the foyer, encouraging pupils to read the various interesting stories which they put there. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 20 32. Teachers plan lessons well, so that pupils know what they are to learn and can review their progress with the teacher. The use of topic planning sheets, shared with the pupil, confirms good planning for each unit of work, which is well reviewed at the conclusion of the unit. Within this framework, planning of individual lessons is secure. For example, in a Year 8 mathematics lesson, the teacher had planned a clear sequence of tasks which enabled pupils to make good progress in the learning of fractions. Work was well matched to pupils’ different needs, allowing the assistant to give very useful support to

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

individuals. Because lessons are well planned, pupils acquire knowledge and skills with confidence.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. Expectations of what pupils can do are very high, often leading to very good effort and concentration. Teachers do not let pupils feel they are in any way unable to learn, but get on briskly with the task of repairing the gaps in their knowledge and presenting them for re-integration in mainstream school. For example, in a Year 10 science lesson, the teacher expected pupils to be able to learn the main parts of the eye, working from a very good model he had borrowed from the college; pupils rose to the challenge, learnt with interest and concentration, and took a very active part in the lesson.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

34. Teaching methods are good. Teachers know that pupils need well-focused, practical tasks, with clearly defined goals. Generally, teachers provide such lessons, so that pupils work rapidly and with confidence. Though it was not possible to see a lesson with the one pupil aged eight, inspection of his work confirms the teacher’s good methods in encouraging his basic literacy and numeracy. There are plenty of short, interesting things to do, which he clearly knows well and has mastered, and clear evidence that he has made good progress in learning and recalling his word and number exercises. Other aspects of good teaching were clearly apparent from a conversation with his teacher and examination of his work. He is well liked and valued, always attends, and has gained from the regularity and security of his twice weekly lessons, which begin as soon as he is in the teacher’s car first thing in the morning.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

35. Teachers’ management of pupils is excellent. Expectations are very clear, the atmosphere friendly and professional, and classroom management very competent. As a result, pupils work hard, enjoy their learning and speak highly of what the centre has done for them. A Year 8 mathematics lesson illustrates the quality of the centre’s class management. The two pupils arrived in a very negative mood, and one had to leave the room so that the lesson could continue. The centre’s routines worked well, the pupils were separated and both worked well enough for the rest of the lesson. In almost all lessons, though, pupils are positive about learning, responding well to the confident, purposeful lead which teachers give.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

36. Time and resources are used well. Lessons are clearly divided into well-timed activities, and teachers have good resources to hand. For example, teachers make good use of the plentiful resources for encouraging the development of literacy. There are good supplies of books and magazines in the foyer, and writing and illustration are everywhere. Pupils are never allowed to feel there is nothing to do, and good reinforcement of literacy takes place before school and in breaks, as teachers draw attention to the items of interest on display. The support assistant is very well employed, and plays a major role in helping pupils make good progress. Her support is invaluable, both in the classroom and in the keeping of pupils’ daily tracker records.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

37. The quality and use of on-going assessment are good overall. This is because the centre has a very good format for the planning and assessment of the units of work. Strengths include the very good verbal assessment and encouragement of pupils. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 21 However, teachers are not setting and monitoring academic targets with the same regularity as the very good targets for behaviour. The quality of teachers’ on-going assessment of work is variable - very good in English and PE and satisfactory in other subjects.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

38. Teachers’ use of homework is good. By no means all pupil referral units set homework, but here teachers both set and discuss it with pupils. It is not used equally well in all subjects, and is more relevant in some than others, but overall teachers make good use of this chance to extend pupils’ learning. Homework is very well used for pupils who attend the centre for a limited time each week. The tasks greatly extend the value of the tuition given.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

39. All pupils have special education needs, and learn well. Pupils with needs greater than the common need to improve behaviour learn very well. This is because the centre is very good at diagnosing particular difficulties and providing for them. The clearest example of this is the special help which the Year 3 pupil receives, not only in the improvement of key skills but also in such activities as cookery. All pupils attending Wolverdene Lodge have some particular need, whether temporary or long lasting. They learn well there because the teacher has very good expertise in teaching these pupils and creates a very positive and friendly atmosphere. All pupils receive individual support, particularly in the very detailed planning which goes into the relationship with the mainstream school and the creation of individual education plans. A very successful lesson was seen there, for two older pupils. Their schools had provided

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

good work on Romeo and Juliet , which the teacher interpreted very well, with a very positive response from the pupils. They greatly enjoyed the session, produced good work and made rapid progress.

p.21

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

40. Since the last inspection, teaching has improved considerably. Then, teaching was good in two lessons out of five seen, and now it is at least good in all lessons. The teaching of science has been significantly improved.

p.21

Teaching and learning in subjects

41. It was not possible to see any individual tuition for the pupil in Year 3 or lessons in humanities subjects, art, music or English for younger pupils during the inspection.

p.21

English

42. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good. The key strength is the knowledge of the pupils’ abilities, achievements and learning styles. For example, in a Year 11 lesson about the creation of character in Of Mice and Men , the teacher’s grasp of how pupils could best learn led to good progress in their knowledge of motivation and action. Teachers know their pupils very well. Very good relationships exist between pupils and teachers, and teachers plan specifically so that each pupil is enabled to do the best possible work, or learn at the most suitable level. There is no full-time teacher of English at the moment, but the two part-timers, whose timetables do not coincide during the week, have devised a very efficient way of communicating, recording and planning, and so cover this emergency very well. Homework is given and marked as regularly as possible, making a good contribution to the pupils’ learning and their

p.21

Mathematics

The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 22 43. Teaching and learning in mathematics are good overall. In Years 10 and 11, the quality of teaching is closely related to the quality of the learning. In Years 7, 8 and 9, however, the pupils’ learning is satisfactory, sometimes disturbed by erratic behaviour and emotional problems. Lessons involve a range of activities to hold pupils’ attention. In the lessons seen during the inspection, tasks were imaginative and used visual material well to support the pupils’ understanding, as in the Year 7 and 8 lesson on fractions. The colourful and practical resources assisted the pupils well in clarifying their understanding of equal parts of a whole. As a result, they made good progress in adding fractions. Good questioning in one-to-one teaching enabled each pupil in Years 10 and 11 to make systematic progress in their GCSE coursework task, tilting squares.

p.22

Mathematics

Generally, the pupils’ behaviour is managed very well, allowing for supportive and immediate feedback. Mathematics teaching makes a satisfactory contribution to improving pupils’ vocabulary through the use of key words. Work is now marked regularly and accurately, sometimes with supportive comments. The pupils have confidence in their teacher, and many files include a significant volume of work, sustained over time.

p.22

Science

44. The quality of teaching is good, often very good. Younger pupils learn well and older pupils very well. Lessons are well prepared and resourced, for example in a lesson on the structure and function of the eye. Very good use is made of questions to explore and extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Good use is made of pupils’ previous learning, such as when setting up a challenge to work out the cause of the crushing of a can during a lesson on forces. The management of pupils’ behaviour is very good and when group discussion leads away from the topic it is thoughtfully re-directed to the key learning objectives without losing pupils’ interest. Very good attention is given to the clear use of key scientific vocabulary such as focal length, optic nerve, pressure, particles, in the context of demonstration and examination of equipment and materials, to enable pupils to learn science processes and explain them correctly.

p.22

Science

The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 23

p.23

Personal, social and health education

45. Teaching is good, sometimes very good. Pupils learn rapidly, showing a good interest. Schemes of work and teaching materials are well produced, and the teacher has a good knowledge of the different aspects of the subject. Lessons are planned to include well designed practical activities, and managed with very good pace. Because the teacher expects commitment from pupils, they pay close attention, answer well and make good progress in their lessons. For example, a Year 8 lesson on safety in the home was well planned, with good use of the board which encouraged the pupil to provide a great amount of information relevant to health and safety issues in the home. The quality of guidelines given in tutorial and careers lessons is also good. For example, in a Year 10 careers lesson on targets, the teachers’ well planned session on how to recognise a ‘smart’ target greatly increased pupils’ understanding of the five

p.23

Design and technology

46. The quality of teaching and learning in design and technology and food technology are good. Pupils are encouraged to use the Internet to research a topic, and effectively taught to use hand and machine tools. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to apply their numeracy skills through the use of precise measurement such as weighing ingredients in food technology or making components for a wooden toy when working with resistant materials. Teachers use a calm, supportive and encouraging approach and have a good rapport with the pupils, who learn well in consequence. They pay very good attention to health and safety aspects and use good strategies such as a ‘star analysis’ to help pupils to evaluate the quality of their work.

p.23

Information and communication technology

47. All teachers are involved in teaching the application of ICT and are rapidly improving their skills in the use of computers. They use them increasingly to support pupils’ learning in all subjects, for example enabling pupils to access the Internet and use CD ROMs for research; using a digital camera for pupils to download their pictures into documents; and using the computer for word-processing. They give good help to pupils in working with programs that reinforce learning, such as basic mathematical or spelling skills. Overall, the quality of teaching of ICT skills is good, but teachers’ use of assessment for setting individual learning targets is underdeveloped.

p.23

Physical education

48. Teaching during physical activities is very good. Teachers use on-going assessment of pupils’ progress to motivate them very well, for example by setting challenging individual targets for achievement in swimming awards. Enthusiastic coaching and good use of praise and encouragement enable pupils to gain confidence and make very good progress. Good target setting and recording of pupils’ achievements promotes interest and effort during football sessions. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 24

p.23

PUPILS?

49. The centre has a very good curriculum. Its greatest strength is the diversity of provision which it offers. Because this one centre responds to the whole range of needs which education otherwise than at school has to provide for, it gives these pupils a first rate opportunity to be included, as far as resources allow, in the education it provides. Because the curriculum is very well planned and well taught, it gives them the further opportunity to be re-included in mainstream school at the earliest time possible. The curriculum reflects the area co-ordinator’s flair for practical action and detailed planning very well. It also reflects the primacy which she rightly gives to it. When faced with a staffing crisis in the autumn of 2001, the co-ordinator responded by making an existing teacher temporarily responsible for the curriculum. This has already worked very well and has enhanced the effectiveness of the centre. The appointment reflects the

p.24

PUPILS?

complexity of providing a good curriculum for four key stages and at least three large categories of need. It now enables the centre to plan the curriculum with even more effectiveness.

p.24

PUPILS?

50. The curriculum provides very well for all these categories. In the main centre are pupils aged 11–16, some permanently excluded from school and some at risk of exclusion. They receive a basic 11.5 hours of education per week. To this are usually added work experience and college courses, so that pupils in Year 11 have approaching a full time education in some cases. Medically and psychiatrically unwell pupils, and also pregnant schoolgirls and schoolgirl mothers are educated at Wolverdene Lodge, where they receive up to five hours per week of individual tuition, mostly in English and mathematics. These pupils are not excluded from mainstream school, even if they cannot attend for the time being, so that their schools set them the work, which is supplemented by some four hours homework per week. The centre also provides individual tuition for a small number of younger pupils aged 6–11, who receive five hours

p.24

PUPILS?

per week. The provision varies according to need, but is likely to include work in basic literacy and numeracy. The centre further provides a ‘distance learning’ tuition programme for those who cannot be contained in classes at the centre, generally an hour’s tuition in the centre, with homework. When staffing permits, the centre also provides a much valued programme to help behaviour management in schools and to prevent pupils from being excluded.

p.24

PUPILS?

51. For a part-time unit, the centre provides a very wide and well balanced curriculum. This includes the core subjects, DT (resistant materials and food), ICT, personal, social and health education (PSHE), humanities, art, music and physical activities. There is also the weekly tutorial session and a weekly course at the local college, with a variety of subjects to suit the interests and career aspirations of the pupils.

p.24

PUPILS?

52. The local education authority has a clear policy for the curriculum and is now planning for the education provided to become full time in September 2002. To provide for every sort of need in the one centre is a very good potential model for the inclusion of all types of pupils in the education process, and compares well with arrangements where, for example, some pupils receive home tuition without the benefit of the expertise and opportunities for social interaction which are available in this centre. The result of this arrangement is a curriculum with great potential depth of provision; if a pupil cannot remain in the centre, another programme is provided; if the pupil is diagnosed as being psychiatrically unwell, tuition at Wolverdene lodge is a possibility. The very good relationships between the co-ordinator and local schools mean that a wide variety of part-time attachments to mainstream school is possible. For example, the co-ordinator

p.24

PUPILS?

The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 25 has arranged with a local school for a very diffident pupil to take a course in design and technology there. Together, centre and school are hoping to extend the amount of time he spends at school, whenever his confidence allows it.

p.25

PUPILS?

53. The centre provides well for extra-curricular activities. It regularly invites speakers and takes pupils on visits. For example, there are regular visits to London, to see the musical, Cats. Pupils greatly enjoy these occasions, as they have studied T S Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats , and the visit provides a very good sequel to this work. The centre has also arranged a very good programme of activities in outdoor pursuits, for example sailing, dry slope skiing and rock climbing. A very good feature of this programme is the care teachers take to assess pupils’ progress in personal skills, and so remind them that behaviour and attitudes matter outside the centre as well as in lessons. There are activities in the centre also, for example the charitable events which pupils join in willingly. The centre encourages pupils to be adventurous and to apply for ambitious ventures, as for example the London sail training course.

p.25

PUPILS?

54. PSHE is very well provided. The course is very well planned and includes units of work on growing up, safety, personal and social development, the body, social awareness, lifestyles, relationships, rights and responsibilities and drugs awareness. The course is supported by good policies on sex and drugs education, and is very usefully extended by the weekly tutorial sessions for each pupil in the centre. These weekly progress reviews give teachers a valuable chance to give pupils personal guidance. The centre makes good use of visiting groups to provide expertise in the presentation of significant topics. For example, the Learning Through Action group involves pupils in acting about such topics as homelessness and making choices; the Drugs Advisory Response Team visits to advise on individual issues, but also makes presentations to groups of pupils; and Winchester Prison makes a presentation called Prison Me No Way . The

p.25

PUPILS?

course does not contain any education in multi-cultural awareness, and no visiting groups have had this as a particular theme.

p.25

PUPILS?

55. Careers provision is very good, and well integrated into the PSHE programme. The recently appointed careers co-ordinator takes her role very seriously and has established very detailed records and curriculum data over a short period. The careers guidance policy is thorough, containing a list of aims and how these are to be achieved. Work experience and a weekly session at the local college are notable features of the careers and vocational programme. They are designed to reflect pupils’ individual needs and used to promote their confidence and self-esteem. There are good links with the careers advisor who conducts individual interviews with Year 11 pupils and invites them to attend the local job centre, after which follow-up interviews can be arranged if needed.

p.25

PUPILS?

56. Links with the community are good. The centre has a very strong link with the local police. The community policeman is a member of the management committee and is closely involved in helping pupils through advice, his close links with the schools in the town and his ability to introduce them to worthwhile activities. Other members of the management committee also provide the centre with good links through their expertise in different fields. The centre makes good use of professional people, for example the educational psychologist, and such contacts help it to assess and guide its pupils more effectively. Links with the local college, which makes the centre’s premises available, are very good. Teachers in the centre are able to make use of some of the specialist rooms in the college, which also provides the valuable weekly vocational courses. The centre makes good use of the nearby leisure centre.

p.25

PUPILS?

The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 26 57. Relationships with partner institutions are very good. The centre is a member of the local re-integration panel, which oversees a very successful programme. Documentation is detailed and reports are objective and thorough. Members get on well together, and the centre’s pupils benefit accordingly. Heads of schools are positive about the professional service given by the centre, and willing to give its pupils every chance to do well when the time comes to rejoin mainstream school. The relatively short average stay of pupils in the centre, 23 weeks for younger pupils and 45 for older pupils, and the high proportion of its pupils re-integrated (almost two thirds of possible candidates in 2000-01) is evidence of the success of the centre’s links with other schools. Productive links also exist with the local college. The fact that a behaviour unit exists within college premises reflects the quality of these links. The college principal

p.26

PUPILS?

and area co-ordinator have plans to enhance the links between them, enabling the unit’s pupils to benefit further from the proximity of the college. Between them, the unit and college are developing a very promising model of educational inclusion, to the benefit of both organisations.

p.26

PUPILS?

58. Since the last inspection, the curriculum has greatly improved. From a judgement of unsatisfactory, the centre has improved its curriculum markedly. It now complies well with its statutory requirements.

p.26

English

59. The curriculum is good overall, and is well balanced between the activities of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Pupils write for a wide range of different purposes, for example instructions, at this time of year for making pancakes; extended prose, in an account of the play The Monkey’s Paw ; and a letter of complaint about chocolates bought as a present. Pupils take GCSE in English language and, until staffing problems this year, in English literature as well. There is little attention at the moment to pupils’ own persuasive writing. They study a range of literature and media. They also go on theatre visits, most recently to see An Inspector Calls in London, so gaining an understanding of how different live theatre is from film and television.

p.26

Mathematics

60. The curriculum is balanced and covers appropriately much of the National Curriculum, the National Numeracy Strategy and the specifications for GCSE mathematics. There is good emphasis on investigative work, which underpins well much of the pupils’ mathematical experience. With the permanent appointment of a new mathematics teacher, the centre is in a strong position to broaden the mathematics curriculum, particularly in multicultural aspects. There is a greater use of ICT to enhance the pupils’ learning of mathematics than at the time of the last inspection.

p.26

Science

61. The curriculum is very good. It is suitably broad and balanced, with work being provided in parallel to mainstream provision. Practical work is developing well. The major topics in each of the curriculum areas are covered, enabling pupils who reintegrate and those who complete the Key Stage 4 course within the centre to follow a programme of study leading to GCSE single science.

p.26

Information and communication technology

The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 27 62. The curriculum for ICT has been substantially improved since the last inspection. Good use of ICT in each subject area is planned and recorded. Pupils are provided with a good range of ICT experiences including the use of scanners, digital camera, controlled access to the Internet for research and email, and a good range of software to support their learning across the curriculum. However, there are insufficient equipment and opportunities for pupils to develop skills in control technology or using sensors to collect data, for example in science and DT.

p.27

Design and technology

63. Overall, the curriculum is satisfactory. Good provision is made for pupils to develop skills with resistant materials and a GCSE course has been established this school year. A suitably broad scheme of work for food technology is in place and pupils aged 14 to 16 are following a course of work for the Basic Food Hygiene Certificate, while a Sainsbury’s Award Scheme is to be implemented.

p.27

Humanities subjects

64. The curriculum is good, and improving. Existing plans of work for pupils aged 14 to 16 have been extended and developed, and in geography pupils are currently enjoying the work on their ideas in a unit of work for the development of Andover town centre. Pupils aged 11 to 14 are now also able to study geography. By providing a rotating system of lessons in the three subjects for pupils of this age, the centre is able to keep them in touch with the work done in mainstream schools. In history, older pupils have recently learned about life in Germany under Hitler, and the persecution of the Jewish nation. In RE, they have learned about Christianity, its calendar and rituals. This work has not yet been extended to a study of other faiths and cultures. Schemes of work are detailed and well presented.

p.27

Art and design

65. The curriculum is satisfactory. Most pupils have experienced little art before joining the centre, and arrive with few skills. The curriculum therefore provides careful attention to basic drawing techniques, for example the use of different grades of pencil and shading techniques. Younger pupils have been working on repeating patterns and pupils of all ages have been making cushions, for which they have to learn the basic skills of stitching, and use of the sewing machine. The curriculum includes a study of an artistic period; pupils have studied the architecture and furniture design of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and the enamelling work of Lalique.

p.27

Music

66. The centre has been keen to introduce music, but does not have a music teacher. It has managed to organise keyboard lessons every two weeks with a visiting music tutor. There are also special lessons, organised in the college, in violin, on a weekly basis, for a musically able pupil. The centre has done well to organise such good provision, as a result of which this pupil has also started to learn the piano.

p.27

Physical education

67. A very well-planned and organised swimming programme includes a good structure for the attainment of swimming awards, based on a county scheme, which provides good challenge for all pupils. A community-based football coaching programme provides pupils with good motivation to achieve the targets set at the different skill levels and The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 28 benefit from the aspects of health and fitness, for example the importance of a healthy diet.

p.27

Personal, social and health education

68. The curriculum is very good. Well chosen topics, taught at intervals through Key Stages 3 and 4, cover almost all the significant aspects of the subject, including education in sexual responsibility, drugs awareness, relationships, and responsible attitudes to health and community issues. Preparation for living in a multi-cultural society is not given. The PSHE curriculum is well supported by separate careers education, which provides a wide and useful programme. It is well supplemented by the very good tutorial system, which provides a weekly meeting between tutor and pupil and is effectively designed as a practical extension of PSHE work.

p.28

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

69. The centre provides well for these aspects overall. Its provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. There is some education in Christian belief in the humanities programme and - unusually for a pupil referral unit - there is a weekly assembly. The ‘thoughts for the week’ which assemblies present make a good combination of religious and moral themes, though it was not possible to see an assembly during the inspection. There is a very good photographic record of assemblies held in recent months, and they are very clearly important occasions. The centre has been very fortunate in the friendship and support it has received. For example, the principal Roman Catholic chaplain to the Army visited the centre for a memorable service of remembrance, and has given it his warm support. The supporting ethos of the centre and the high standards of personal conduct it expects give pupils every chance to develop insight

p.28

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

into the importance of respecting the lives of others. The fact that they co-exist with the local college means that they rapidly learn how to get on with each other and the wider public.

p.28

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

70. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. Policies and procedures for behaviour reflect a strong moral lead from staff about right and wrong conduct. Through very regular reminders of the centre’s expectations, pupils learn the values of hard work and an esteem for each other. They treat each other decently as a result, and the success with which they survive after re-integration into mainstream schools confirms a much improved view of themselves and others. Parents comment on the greatly increased sense of responsibility in their children, now they are in the centre.

p.28

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

71. Provision for social development is very good also. The very good relationships between staff, parents and pupils encourage pupils to respond positively to the lead given by adults. Activities such as London and sports and adventure visits give pupils very good opportunities for showing an awareness of living together. The centre provides an excellent lead in supporting charitable activities. The main charity to be supported is the Naomi House Children’s Hospice. Pupils raise good sums of money for this, partly by making and selling gifts. During the inspection, pupils were bringing in Easter gifts for the benefit of Naomi House, a very good cause in itself, and for these pupils a good, practical way to deepen their spiritual, moral and social responsibility.

p.28

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

72. Overall provision for cultural development is satisfactory. Opportunities for increasing pupils’ appreciation of western culture are good. There are regular theatre visits, as far as London, and visits also to museums. A visit is planned to the Imperial War Museum. Art and music make a good contribution to this. There are examples of the work of famous artists, and good music is played during registration, with the composer’s name The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 29 well displayed. The foyer is extremely well presented; the colour and variety of display make an impressive statement of the values the centre stands for. However, there is little display of, or opportunity to explore, the cultures of other parts of the world, and provision for multi-cultural education is unsatisfactory. There is some awareness of these issues, however. Pupils in food technology enjoy their Mama Mia food topic, and

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

there is a well displayed poster in the entrance, welcoming people in many languages.

p.29

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

73. Since the last inspection, provision in each aspect of personal development has improved, markedly in the case of pupils’ spiritual development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

74. The centre’s procedures for pupils’ welfare, health and safety are very good. Teachers provide a positive, friendly and welcoming place for pupils to learn in and for parents to visit. This, and the excellent relationships which are a strong feature of the centre, enable pupils confidently to discuss their concerns with staff, especially during the weekly, well-structured tutorials. Arrangements for child protection are very good, and the area co-ordinator acts as the officer responsible. Records of child protection matters are very thorough and securely kept, but teachers are made aware that issues exist in particular cases. These are very well followed up. Health and safety procedures are good. The college is responsible for the necessary checks to the structure and services, and the centre carries out regular inspections of its classrooms and other indoor areas.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

75. Procedures for promoting attendance are very good. The centre makes very regular contact with pupils’ homes. Attendance and punctuality are very carefully recorded, both centrally and in pupils’ individual files. These files, known as trackers, accompany pupils everywhere, and make a very comprehensive record of attendance, behaviour and progress. They also contain a series of very well-designed targets for the improvement of pupils’ behaviour, carefully written on the evidence of baseline assessment and other evidence. They are monitored regularly at the individual tutorial sessions, when progress in meeting the targets is carefully assessed and new targets are agreed as necessary. Procedures for improving behaviour are excellent, and have a marked effect on pupils’ academic progress and prospects for re-integration to mainstream school. The result of first rate relationships and procedures is an absence

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

of bullying or oppressive behaviour. Pupils are given a practical, wholesome example of how to develop in relationships and behaviour, and readily take the chance to do so.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

76. Overall, the centre has good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. Initial procedures are excellent. Very well informed and detailed baseline assessments are carried out for most pupils soon after admission to the centre. A very comprehensive range of tests is used to determine the nature of pupils’ difficulties, both in the area of personal and behavioural difficulties and in educational and learning difficulties. The outcomes of these tests are closely evaluated to identify the educational reasons for behavioural difficulties. They are used very well to focus on the pupils’ learning and behavioural needs and to set appropriate targets for these in their IEPs. However, academic targets for individual pupils are not commonly set in IEPs, although the very good practice of making topic sheets for each class and topic covered provides a detailed and very helpful analysis of the skills which pupils will learn. All

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

subjects have some form of assessment for each pupil, at the end of their work on each topic. These vary in detail, but the best, for example a very detailed analysis of a pupil’s understanding of fractions, are very good examples of how knowledge and understanding can be assessed. The centre also makes IEPs for each pupil, in every subject. Again, these documents do not include many academic targets. The best The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 30 academic assessment is therefore in the topic assessments. The centre has not yet found a common format to ensure that all subjects are getting the best from these documents, or to unite the results of all topic assessments in one overall record of attainment and progress. The tracker system has the potential to include this development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

77. Because all teachers make use of topic sheets and assessments of individual progress in each topic, their use of information to plan the next steps in learning for individual pupils is good. Topic assessment sheets often end with a section on areas for development. Teachers providing individual tuition for younger pupils in the centre or Wolverdene Lodge are very good at assessing progress and setting suitable topics and tasks to ensure further progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

78. Overall, assessment and its use to guide the planning of the curriculum are good in all subjects. These procedures are very good in English, where very accurate initial assessment leads to clear assessment of what pupils have achieved, informing teachers how to tackle the next stage or activity, and helping pupils make the good progress they do. They are good in mathematics, helped by a screening process to clarify the pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. Records indicate the curriculum covered, while termly reports clearly indicate effort and progress in relation to National Curriculum levels or GCSE grades. Though individual targets are set for Year 11 pupils and are in the process of development for other years, day-to-day recording of the pupils' strengths and weaknesses needs improvement. In science, assessment procedures are generally good. Levels of achievement in end-of-topic tests are recorded and very

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

good questioning assesses pupils’ understanding, so enabling teaching to match tasks to individual learning needs. However, the clearly stated learning targets are not sufficiently used in recording on-going progress for use in planning subsequent work or in reporting pupils’ progress to parents. Science IEPs are made, but they tend to focus on targets for behaviour rather than achievement in science.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

79. Good use is made of assessment sheets in food technology, so that teachers can meet pupils’ needs. However, individual targets focus mainly on behaviour or key skills, for example the improvement of personal co-operation or listening skills. In ICT, teachers keep very good records of the use of computers in all subjects, as a result of well- targeted staff training and established procedures. However, there is no means to check pupils’ ICT skills or to record their development of skills in the use of computers. Consequently, the varying skills and experience of pupils are not suitably matched by teachers’ planning to set individual and progressive targets to promote best individual progress. In PE, very good, progressive targets at the different levels of competence in swimming enable all pupils to take part, and develop a sense of progress and achievement. A good record is kept of pupils’ progress through a range of skills in the

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

very well structured football programme.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

80. The centre makes very good assessments of pupils’ individual special needs. Its series of tests made on arrival identify not simply the attainment levels of each pupil, but distinguish between performance in the ability to understand language and in expressing it. These and other tests succeed in identifying those who need more than simply a plan to improve their behaviour, and are the first, firm step towards making a statement of special educational need. These statements are very well constructed and reviewed. Many such statements are detailed and accurate, drawing together a great deal of necessary evidence. From the statements and records in a pupil’s file, it is clear what progress a pupil has made and what further help is judged necessary. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 31 81. The centre’s monitoring and assessment procedures are very effective in achieving the maximum inclusion in education possible for pupils who need a placement otherwise

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

than at school. Very clear baseline assessments lead to specific programmes for every pupil of school age in the centre’s area, so that every pupil is speedily given an education geared to rapid re-integration into mainstream school or college. It is the clarity of initial and on-going assessment which often makes re-integration possible after a relatively short time. The centre is determined to give each pupil an opportunity equal to that in mainstream schools to benefit from the education offered there. It succeeds well in giving many pupils this chance.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

82. Since the last inspection, the centre has maintained and further enhanced its very good programmes for the care and welfare of its pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

83. The centre enjoys a very good partnership with the parents and carers of its pupils. The area co-ordinator sees this as a vital component in pupils’ progress and the reinforcement of positive attitudes at home. All parents are asked to sign the home- school contract before their children start at the unit so they are aware of their responsibilities and the significance of their support. Parents responded positively at the parents’ meeting about all aspects of the centre. Those who responded to the questionnaire all agreed that the teaching is good, that staff are approachable and that they work closely with parents. They are happy with the progress their children are making and feel they are kept well informed. A few parents had reservations or did not know about the range of extra-curricular activities and the amount of homework their children receive. These concerns were investigated during the inspection but were not

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

84. The centre’s links with parents are very good. Regular parental contact by ‘phone is encouraged and staff contact parents to report good progress. They discuss strategies if pupils are not making sufficient progress, when parents may also be asked to record details of their child’s behaviour at home, so that staff have an overall picture.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

85. The quality of information provided for parents is good. They receive much useful information through the information pack and a meeting with the area co-ordinator before their child starts. Parents are fully informed of the centre’s expectations for behaviour, attendance, punctuality and its aims for reintegration and the parents’ role in promoting these. Annual and interim reports are sent to parents three times a year. General information about attitudes and attendance is good, but in many subjects, academic grades are not included and comments reflect pupils’ general skills in the pupil’s tracking programme rather than being specifically related to the particular subject. It is difficult, therefore, for parents to know exactly how much their children know and how they could improve in each subject. However, parents have opportunities to discuss progress at consultation evenings twice a year and to review

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

their child’s targets, and are encouraged to arrange additional meetings if they wish.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

86. Parents’ involvement in the work of the centre is good, especially as children come from a wide area and are not expected to stay permanently. Parents support staff in their efforts to encourage better behaviour and positive attitudes, and support their children’s work at home. Parents also give support for charity fund raising, for example in helping the centre to raise substantial sums for a local children’s hospice. During the inspection, a pupil arrived with his mother and a number of elaborate gifts for the forthcoming charity event. Two parents attended a swimming lesson to offer support to their child, an initially reluctant swimmer who was then making very good progress. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 32 Parents are also invited to attend coffee mornings and the Christmas and Easter assemblies.

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HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

87. Since the last inspection, the centre has continued to develop its partnership with parents and fully to involve them in decisions about their children.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

88. The leadership of the area co-ordinator is extremely positive and effective. Her very clear direction of all aspects of the centre’s work promotes high standards of behaviour and attendance, which in turn lead to good progress in pupils’ work. The very good ethos and relationships she creates make the pupils want to succeed and improve. As the result of her detailed and meticulous direction and delegation, senior staff manage the centre very well. They know what procedures to follow and how to get the best results from them, for example in the extremely detailed baseline assessments they conduct, which enable the centre to take charge of their pupils’ improvement with speed and certainty.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

89. The area co-ordinator was faced with a major staffing crisis at the end of last term, but has managed to turn this to very good effect. In the place of the last teacher responsible for Key Stages 3 and 4 and behavioural provision, she has established a powerful, pragmatic model of leadership and management for this centre, which meets its need for pastoral and curriculum management very well. She has appointed two acting senior staff, one as teacher responsible for the daily management and pastoral direction of pupils, and the other to develop the curriculum and assessment procedures. Because the area co-ordinator remains closely in charge of the professional development of these teachers and of the direction of the centre, this has led to the very good management of both aspects and to the added potential for further improvement in both areas. The centre continues to be managed with clarity and efficiency. The new

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

appointment for the curriculum has brought a fresh focus to this area and the further potential to develop the assessment of the progress made by individual pupils. An added advantage of the two acting appointments is the placing of a man in a senior position in a centre with a preponderance of women teachers and male pupils. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 33 90. The teacher responsible for the curriculum also has responsibility for the management of the educational programmes offered to psychiatrically and medically unwell pupils and schoolgirl mothers, at Wolverdene Lodge. This provision is very well managed, with clear professional understanding of these pupils’ needs, detailed assessments and records, and very good teaching which makes a positive contribution to their confidence and well-being.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

91. Teachers responsible for subjects manage them well. They have clear schemes of work, ensure that appropriate resources are available, and keep themselves well informed about developments in their subjects. They have incorporated ICT into their regular teaching, with good effects. The centre is very well served by its assistant staff. The administrative assistant manages all aspects of the centre’s regular work extremely well. For example, she ensures that the enrolment process for the many pupils who pass through the centre is handled with speed and efficiency, while sustaining the very good relationships which the centre enjoys with the wide range of people and institutions it contacts. The special needs assistant provides very effective support for pupils, supporting and teaching classes and always ensuring that tracker documents are carefully completed.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

92. The management of educational inclusion is very good. The very well designed curriculum, combined with clear leadership of the re-integration programme, have led to a very good educational programme, shared with neighbouring schools, which gives pupils the maximum potential to be re-included in their mainstream schools. Management of all aspects of SEN provision is very good also. Statements of SEN are very carefully prepared, stored and monitored. IEPs are well written and progress in meeting the requirements in them is very closely checked through the daily tracking system and weekly tutorials. Statements are well reviewed, with parents making a valuable contribution to the process. As a result, pupils with all types of SEN make good progress in their work and personal development.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

93. The centre has two relevant aims, to re-integrate pupils into mainstream school at the earliest opportunity and to provide a happy, secure and caring environment, with high expectations of behaviour and academic performance. These aims are extremely well realised. The area co-ordinator has pupils’ re-integration as her highest priority, and the centre is very successful in achieving this. For those few pupils unable to join a mainstream school, detailed IEPs are prepared and statements of SEN sought, so that pupils can be considered for a special school. For the majority, the area co-ordinator impresses on pupils and parents that a place in the centre represents a crisis rather than an agreeable interlude, and that every effort will be made to deal successfully with this crisis. The result is an often rapid return to mainstream school. In 2000-01, 32 of a potential 52 candidates were successfully re-integrated, and of the rest the great

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

majority increased the proportion of time they spent in attending some classes in school, or secured a place on a part-time vocational course in college. Such is the pace of placement, that 77 pupils in all were educated at the centre in 2000-01. It is the realisation of the second aim, to create a good environment for learning, which gives pupils the confidence to re-integrate with such success. Not all pupils can gain this confidence, but a meeting attended at a secondary school with a pupil and parent illustrated the lengths to which centre and school will go to ensure the best outcome for the pupil. In this case, the area co-ordinator and headteacher were anxious to increase the pupil’s time in school, and made very constructive proposals for this. The meeting illustrated the very good relationships between school and centre, a partnership well realised in the work of the local re-integration panel, representing six local schools and

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

the centre. The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 34 94. The centre has a very detailed and relevant action plan for improvement. This runs to September 2002, but most of its many items have been achieved already. The plan is divided into six main areas, covering the curriculum, pupils, staffing and management, environment, administration and the community. The curriculum section alone has 11 main issues, and some of these are divided into ten or more specific tasks, each with a full range of detail, including staff responsible, timescale, success criteria, resources and costs. Together, the various sections make an impressive statement of work in progress. In this centre, nothing is left to chance, everything is meticulously planned and each item is carefully followed up. Detailed planning, combined with very good leadership, brings teachers together in a shared commitment to improve the service

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

they give. The centre has a very good capacity to maintain its present achievements and to improve them further.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

95. The local education authority (LEA) gives good, clear and supportive leadership. It has a good policy for education otherwise than at school (EOTAS), and has made very good provision for it in this area. The LEA’s head of service (pupils) gives encouraging support and detailed monitoring of the centre’s several activities. The education of all pupils who need EOTAS is handled by the area co-ordinator, who has a very good overview of pupils’ needs and how best to meet them. To achieve this, she has acquired detailed expertise in the educational assessment of pupils and has developed the centre’s role in this field. The centre therefore acts as much more than a unit for pupils with behavioural difficulties, but handles a wide range of cases, providing well for each. It succeeds in giving all its pupils the best opportunity possible to profit from education. As such, it is a very good example of the principles of inclusion. Whatever

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

their disability, all pupils have the chance to make up for previous problems or misfortunes, to return to full-time education or go on to college. The LEA has established a good management committee for the centre. The committee fulfils the statutory duties required of it and plays a good role in helping to shape the centre’s development. It is able to monitor the centre’s work well because of the good detail provided for it in the area co-ordinator’s annual report. From this well-presented document, it can learn, for example, the centre’s academic results, attendance statistics, rates of re-integration, and the destinations of its 16-year-old leavers. The committee has a good range of professions represented, though it does not have a representative of the social services or of the medical profession.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

96. The centre monitors and evaluates its performance very well. This is partly done through its very detailed action plan for improvement, and partly by monitoring most aspects of its performance very closely. For example, teaching is monitored, and performance management conducted, very well. The area co-ordinator and teacher responsible for the curriculum observe lessons on a regular basis, discuss their conclusions closely with teachers, and set and review targets agreed with teachers. Monitoring of pupils’ behaviour and attendance is very good, and of their academic progress satisfactory.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

97. Financial planning and the use of resources are good. The centre directly manages its budgets for resources and the money received (£22653 in 2000-01) in government grant. It keeps very careful records, and those for grant funding are particularly clear, giving good evidence that these funds are appropriately used. The centre receives help in maintaining its records from the county financial services, and records are regularly monitored. The last audit report was in December 1997, when the overall position was satisfactory. The centre’s budget for 2000-01 was a total of £216082. When divided among the 77 pupils who passed through the centre that year, this represents a very economical use of resources to achieve some very successful outcomes. When The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 35 divided among an existing roll of some 35 pupils, it again represents good value when compared with the costs per pupil seen for running other centres. The centre makes

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

good use of new technology. It keeps good records of pupils, for example their origins and destinations, and has ensured that each classroom has a computer and printer for regular use in lessons. Pupils can occupy themselves on the computer in the foyer before registration and at breaks. In a specialist unit, with most of its budget managed by the LEA, the scope to demonstrate best value is limited. However, the centre plans expenditure carefully, challenges itself to provide an ever improving service, and is careful to consult with its partner schools about the running of the EOTAS provision.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

98. The match of staff to the requirements of the curriculum is satisfactory. There are sufficient teachers, appropriately qualified. Some, for example the teacher-in-charge of Wolverdene Lodge, are very well qualified for the specialist roles they perform, while the centre is fortunate to have specialists in mathematics and science. Staff recruitment has been a problem lately, and the centre currently lacks a teacher responsible for English. Again, until lately, the centre ran a much valued outreach service, supporting pupils at risk of suspension from their mainstream schools and helping staff there with behaviour management. Unfortunately, this service is suspended at present because recently departed staff cannot yet be replaced. The area co-ordinator has done very well to find the temporary staff to cover most of the curriculum, though the amount of English taught has been reduced for the present. Staff training is very good. Teachers

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

are able to go on a range of useful courses, for example literacy, numeracy and ICT training. The number of courses attended is considerable, as is the use made by the centre of the county training services.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

99. Accommodation and the use of resources for pupils’ education are good. Resources for the education of pupils with SEN are particularly good, with materials very well chosen to support a wide range of needs, for example, for developing pupils’ reading skills. Classrooms are well equipped and very well kept. The foyer is full of displays and records of visits made. The display changes frequently, for example the board of newspaper cuttings, which are used well to help pupils’ reading, and the displays on such current items as St Valentine’s Day and Easter fund raising. The centre makes good use of some of the specialist rooms in the college with which it shares premises; the partnership with the college is an unusual and very effective feature of this unit. It also uses the local leisure centre on the same campus.

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HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

100. Since the last inspection, the centre has maintained the very high standards of leadership and management then reported. The management committee has been successfully launched.

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WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

101. The centre and the local authority area management should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the monitoring and reporting of academic progress by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• the setting of clear targets for the academic progress of individual pupils, • the central recording of how successfully pupils meet these targets, and • the inclusion in reports to parents of fuller information on what pupils have achieved and what academic progress they have made. (Paragraphs 76 and 87)

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WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Further develop teachers’ expertise in how to improve pupils’ skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT across the curriculum by: The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 36 • making and implementing policies for the teaching of key skills in all subjects, and • providing opportunities for the development of these skills and their assessment in schemes of work. (Paragraphs 7, 8, 17 and 47)

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WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Give further emphasis to education for cultural diversity, for example in schemes of work, displays in the foyer and classrooms, and the PSHE syllabus. (Paragraph 72) The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 37

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 37

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents five percentage points.

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Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 6

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Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils on the unit’s special educational needs register 29

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Information about the unit’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Attendance

Unit data 10.5 Unit data 4.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for last whole term before the inspection The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 38

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups . This table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.8 Financial year 2000-01

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y11 *Expenditure per pupil 2806 (6173)

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Balance brought forward from previous year 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 37.5 Balance carried forward to next year 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

*The first figure is based on the total number of pupils passing through the centre in 2000-01; the second is based on an average of 35 pupils taught in classes in the centre.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the unit during the last two years 4.7

p.38

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the unit during the last two years 3.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.4

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0.5 The Andover Centre Pupil Referral Unit - 39 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 17 75 8 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 25 50 9 8 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 8 50 17 8 17

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 58 34 0 8 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 75 25 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 33 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 58 42 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 50 33 9 0 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 42 50 8 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 33 17 17 0 33

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The parents’ meeting was attended by 10 parents. All parents were strongly supportive of the unit’s work, and there were no reservations about any aspect.

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