Mayfield School

MAYFIELD SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st – 2 nd April 2003

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MAYFIELD SCHOOL

Inspection number: 249391 Short 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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MAYFIELD SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Mayfield School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Gloucester Road Chorley Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: May 1998 Mayfield School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 1424 M H Whitaker Registered inspector 13462 R Mothersdale Lay inspector 10760 E W P Clark Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Eclipse Education (UK) Limited 14 Enterprise House Kingsway Team Valley Gateshead NE11 0SR

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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 Mayfield School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Mayfield School is a community special school for boys and girls aged between 2 and 19 years. All pupils have statements of special educational needs. The range of needs met by the school has increased in recent years and there are now pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe and moderate learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders. There are currently 67 pupils on the roll of the school, 37 boys and 30 girls. Most pupils join the school at the beginning of their school careers although some join at the beginning of their secondary education or for their post- compulsory education. Whenever they join the school their attainment is well below that expected nationally for their age because of their learning difficulties. Pupils come from a broad range of social and economic backgrounds and 17 are eligible for free school meals. There are no pupils from minority ethnic groups or for whom English is an additional language. This is representative of the

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Mayfield is a very effective school. Pupils and students with a wide range of special educational needs make very good progress, achieving very well, particularly in communication skills, numeracy, social and personal development and creative and physical skills. Relationships are excellent throughout the school and this creates a very positive learning environment where pupils and students have very positive attitudes and behave very well. Teaching is very good in all areas and teamwork between staff is a real strength. The curriculum is very well planned and the school successfully ensures that it is delivered in the most appropriate way for different age groups, for example there are lots of opportunities for learning through play for the youngest children, secondary aged pupils enjoy a modular approach whilst Post- 16 provision prepares students very well for life after school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The leadership and management of the head teacher and senior staff are very effective in continuing to develop the school. The school provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Enables pupils with a wide range of special educational needs to make very good progress. • Has very effective teaching throughout the school where teamwork is a very strong feature. • Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for learning where pupils enjoy school, have very positive attitudes and behave very well. Relationships are excellent. • Is very effectively led and managed.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The role of governors in evaluating the impact of developments on pupils’ learning. • The role of subject managers in evaluating and moderating the standards achieved and the quality of teaching in their subjects. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the appropriate authority.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has continued to make very good improvements since it was inspected in May 1998. The minor areas for improvement identified have been successfully tackled and, in addition, important Mayfield School - 5 developments have taken place. The literacy and numeracy strategies have been introduced very well, suitably modified to enable pupils with a diverse range of special educational needs to benefit from them. Important changes have been made in the leadership and management of different phases in the school. This has led to the development of the curriculum in ways that are more appropriate to pupils of different ages in this all-age school. Information and communication technology has been very effectively developed so that all staff use it more effectively in their teaching and in their planning. Significant improvements have been made to the quality of the accommodation, including

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

improvements to toilet and hygiene areas, sensory areas, provision for therapies and staff and administration facilities.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Progress in: by Year by Year by Year by Year Key R 6 11 13

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STANDARDS

speaking and listening A A A A very good A

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Pupils of all ages and with a range of special educational needs make very good progress in all areas because of the very good teaching, the very effective leadership and management of the school and the very positive attitudes of the pupils.

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STANDARDS

Pupils make very good progress in all areas of communication because of the diverse range of methods used to help pupils with different levels of need. Signing is used where appropriate to enable pupils to develop their communication skills. Staff are very effective in using a range of methods and moving pupils between systems when appropriate. Expectations are extremely high and this encourages and extends pupils. As a result pupils achieve very well in relation to their special educational needs. Similarly, in mathematics, pupils achieve very well and make very good progress because of the high expectations, the modification of the national strategy to suit pupils’ diverse needs and the very good teaching. Most pupils enter the school with little or no numerical knowledge. All develop very well.

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STANDARDS

Very good progress is made by all pupils in personal, social and health education and in relation to individual targets. As a result pupils gain in maturity, independence and confidence as they progress through the school. They are very well prepared for leaving school. Mayfield School - 6

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy school and contribute very well to lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Behaviour in lessons or when on work experience, on educational visits or visiting the local swimming pool is always very good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Pupils of all ages get on well together. They help each other and enjoy working together. Staff have excellent relationships with pupils and provide many opportunities for pupils’ personal development.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Good. Levels of attendance are higher than similar schools.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

The excellent relationships are a key feature in the pupils’ attitudes to school; a very positive learning environment has been created where pupils are happy, behave very well and are very keen to succeed. All staff challenge pupils to become increasingly independent, doing more for themselves as they move through the school.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 6 Years 7 – 11 Years 12 – 13

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Very good Very good Very good Very good

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. As a result pupils with a wide range of special educational needs learn effectively in all areas of learning. Communication, literacy and numeracy are taught very well. Teachers use a wide range of strategies, including signing, to develop pupils’ communication skills. They are constantly seeking different ways of enabling all pupils to make progress regardless of their difficulties. Teamwork is a significant strength of the teaching. All staff have a clear understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities and of the needs of the pupils. They work very effectively together so that all pupils are challenged in every lesson and their progress is maximised. They anticipate the needs and reactions of pupils very well to reduce any potential difficulties. Numeracy is taught very well and benefits considerably from the expertise and specialist

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

knowledge of teachers. Mayfield School - 7

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The quality of the curriculum is enriched through the use of visits and visitors. Staff work very hard and effectively to plan an interesting range of activities, using a wide range of strategies to enable all pupils to benefit.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school values everyone’s strengths and contributions. Pupils develop a very good ethos of caring for each other and celebrating achievements. They develop their knowledge of other cultures well through a range of visits and visitors to the school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress are used very effectively to plan future work.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school successfully adapts the way the curriculum is taught to reflect the needs of different age groups. In nursery and reception activities are very well planned to cover all areas of learning, whilst in the primary phase, work is carefully matched to the needs of all pupils and a wide range of strategies is used. The curriculum for secondary aged pupils is taught through modules so that pupils meet with a wider group of teachers and class groups are mixed. The post-16 curriculum provides many opportunities to prepare students for life after school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff Very good. The head teacher and senior staff are very effective in leading and managing the school. Subject managers are developing their roles and are beginning to moderate standards across school. This has been recognised as an area for further development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities Well. The governing body has a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and of the areas for development. They do not have formal systems for evaluating the impact of developments on pupils’ learning. This has been acknowleged as an area that would strengthen their role.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. Standards are evaluated through thorough assessment procedures. The head teacher evaluates the quality of teaching and information is used well to improve standards. This would be strengthened through the greater involvement of all subject managers and the governors as identified above.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good. The school has used its budget very well to improve the quality of accommodation and staffing levels. Staff are very well deployed to meet the needs of all pupils.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The leadership and management have been very effective in developing the school. Roles of senior managers have developed to meet the needs of the wide ranges of special educational needs and age groups. The school recognises the need to further develop the roles of subject managers in order to Mayfield School - 8 develop further. Priorities for development are appropriate and the governors recognise the need for them to evaluate the impact of improvements more systematically in relation to the impact on pupils’ learning. Resources are very effectively used and the school applies the principles of best value well.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The progress children make • The quality of teaching • The approachability of the school • The personal and social development of children • The high expectations • The leadership and management of the school A very small number of parents felt that they should receive more information and that children should receive more homework.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspectors agree with the very positive comments of parents; pupils across the school make very good progress and the quality of teaching is very good. Staff have high expectations of pupils and pupils develop personally and socially, becoming more mature as they move through the school. The school is very well led and managed. A very small number of parents felt that pupils should receive more homework and that parents should receive more information. Inspectors felt that homework is used effectively to support learning and that parents receive good quality information. They did not agree with this small number of parents. Mayfield School - 9

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Enables pupils with a wide range of special educational needs to make very good progress.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1 All pupils, including those with profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders, make very good progress and achieve very well in relation to their prior learning as they move through the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2 The majority of children enter the nursery with very low levels of attainment because of their special educational needs in all areas of learning. The very thorough planning, assessment procedures and teaching enables them all to make very good progress. Communication skills develop very well in relation to their prior attainment because the staff use a wide range of strategies to develop the potential of children with different needs. Developing the ability to communicate by the most appropriate means is a priority in the nursery, children with profound and multiple learning difficulties use eye contact often to indicate their needs or answers. Staff have developed very thorough recording systems so that they have a clear understanding of children’s progress. Objects of reference are used and picture exchange supports children’s learning. Staff have high expectations and insist on children trying to communicate their needs without prompting them. They time their

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

interventions very well to encourage children to answer for themselves. The organisation of the nursery curriculum allows children to develop their skills through topics. For instance, numeracy skills are developed through the use of rhyming songs, using gesture and signs to aid learning. Great emphasis is placed on talking with children, interpreting the world for them. On a visit to a local park every opportunity was used to reinforce vocabulary, colour, size, and number, as children fed the ducks and looked at a variety of animals. Staff know children exceptionally well and relationships are excellent so they are able to develop each child individually in relation to earlier learning across all areas. Social development is crucial and as a result of the very effective provision children make very good progress. They learn to share for example, when playing and dressing up in waterproof clothes

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

during a weather topic, they began to co-operate well in pairs and learned to communicate with each other often sharing their delight and enjoyment when looking at different rabbits and ducks during their visit. Personal development is promoted very well, often tackling particular issues such as fear of dogs with individual children.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3 Very good progress continues throughout the primary and secondary phases. The primary teachers introduce more formal structure into literacy and numeracy lessons following the format of the national strategies but taught very effectively to address the very different needs of individuals. As a result all pupils achieve well, building on their earlier learning and making very good progress. Again the wide range of strategies used, including the use of computers, is a key factor in enabling all to make progress in communication. Infants develop the ability to communicate their needs using signs, symbols and picture exchanges where necessary, with higher achieving pupils developing their use of language. The whole range of strategies was seen in one group for example when indicating their preferences for a drink and biscuit during break time. Similarly with the junior pupils following a ‘big

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

book’ story, all pupils were able to communicate their understanding because comprehension activities were geared to their individual needs and they used the most appropriate method to communicate for them. The expectations and demands of the staff remain very high and the use of the different methods to communicate is intended to be progressive, moving towards speech. This continues throughout the school with secondary aged pupils using their range of communication skills throughout the modules they follow, including modern foreign languages. Numerical concepts are developed well in the primary phase, again very well linked to the national strategy. All pupils make very good progress, expectations are very high, teaching is at least very good and sometimes excellent and staff Mayfield School - 10 again, use their knowledge of pupils very well. In a junior lesson on symmetry where the concept was

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

being introduced for the first time, the knowledge of the teacher, organisation of the lesson and the thorough planning enabled pupils to make very good progress and achieve well. High expectations of individual work and effort were evident. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties were able to experience symmetry using paint blocks to print images of butterflies by folding the paper, with support, to create a symmetrical butterfly. By the end of the lesson some pupils were able to name mirror images using the word ‘reflection’ and many could name and understand a ‘line of symmetry’.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4 Throughout the secondary and Post 16 phases a great deal of emphasis is placed on increasing pupils’ and students’ independence skills and preparation for life. As a result of the variety of approaches, the thorough and careful curriculum planning and the high quality of teaching very good progress is made and all are well prepared for leaving school. The modular approach for secondary pupils enables them to come into contact with a wider range of adults, some pupils take part in inclusion activities and are involved in work experience. Social skills are enhanced considerably for pupils of all levels of achievement. This continues throughout Post 16 provision, through leisure activities, independent travel, careers and work experience and visits. Communication and numeracy continue to develop with an emphasis on practical mathematics and English for living, linked to their practical needs as they prepare to leave school by the age of 18 or 19. Very good progress is evident

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

in students with a diverse range of needs from their starting point in the school, from whatever age they joined.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Has very effective teaching throughout the school where teamwork is a very strong feature.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5 The quality of teaching throughout the school is very good. Teamwork is a very strong feature with support staff and therapists making a significant contribution to learning. Throughout the school high expectations ensure that demands are high and pupils respond accordingly. Planning is very thorough ensuring a close match between the assessed needs of the pupils and the objectives for lessons and for individuals. Staff are always seeking different approaches to enable all pupils to benefit and make progress. This is particularly effective in developing pupils’ communication skills from very different starting points. The staff have high levels of expertise in many curriculum areas and this enhances opportunities for pupils for example in numeracy, design and technology, information and communication technology and creative and performing arts.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6 An excellent history lesson for junior aged pupils demonstrated many of these features. As a result learning was excellent and pupils showed excellent attitudes and behaviour. All pupils were dressed in Victorian clothes for the lesson on life in a Victorian school room. Using a range of strategies, such as signing and picture exchange pupils could read that Victorian children worked in factories and worked as chimney sweeps. Teamwork ensured that every pupil was appropriately supported to write numbers on slates using chalk. As a result all were fully engaged and highly motivated by the role play. The teacher used her expertise very well to pull the lesson together at the end, where through careful, enthusiastic questioning, pupils could demonstrate excellent learning about the differences between life for a Victorian child and life for them. Staff were very patient but high expectations demanded that all pupils communicated their ideas in the most appropriate way.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7 An excellent lesson with secondary aged pupils exploring the dangers of alcohol and smoking demonstrated similar features. Very clear planning identified learning objectives, which were broken down to address the needs of two groups within the class. Picture exchange was used very effectively to enable all pupils to communicate their ideas. Symbols were used to enable all groups to develop their own recipe for a special cocktail. Teamwork encouraged all pupils to take an active part, promoting self-esteem and confidence as they suggested ideas for naming the cocktails. Every contribution was valued and the high expectations of effort and involvement enabled pupils to develop Mayfield School - 11 their understanding of the dangers of alcohol and how to create alternative, interesting but non- alcoholic drinks.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8 An excellent modern foreign languages (French) lesson was taught totally in French with very high expectations of pupils’ response and involvement. This again led to excellent learning. Pupils engaged in role play of a French café, ordering their food from the menu very confidently. Resources and the range of strategies motivated the pupils leading to excellent attitudes, behaviour and high levels of enjoyment.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9 Lessons throughout the school contained many of these features. As a result teaching is very good. This contributes significantly to the very positive attitudes to learning, a very good atmosphere and very good progress.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

learning, where pupils enjoy school, have very positive attitudes and behave very well. Relationships are excellent.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

10 A great deal of thought has been devoted to ensuring that the curriculum is broad, balanced and stimulating. Staff are very conscious that the curriculum should be taught in ways which are appropriate to the different age groups within the school; a particular challenge in a school catering for pupils between the ages of two and 19 years with a diverse range of special educational needs. The school is very successfully organised into age specific phases each with it own curriculum model and method of organisation. This ensures that there is clear progression as pupils move from the foundation stage into the primary phase, onto the secondary area and finally into Post 16 education. This is very important since many pupils spend their entire educational careers in one school. By allowing phase leaders to develop their own styles there is a uniqueness in each area which recognises the ages and needs of the pupils. Pupils respond very well to this and develop their maturity and

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

independence as they progress through the school. This is particularly impressive as it has been developed whilst at the same time maintaining very important whole school values of caring for one another, high expectations and an emphasis on helping every pupil to reach their potential.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

11 Thorough planning and very good deployment of staff enables the curriculum for the youngest children to be taught in a cross-curricular topic-based way with a strong emphasis on learning through structured play. Children respond very well and make very good progress in all areas of learning. There is a strong emphasis on communication, listening skills and personal development to encourage independence. Very good use is made of the local environment. A trip to a local park, for example, encouraged children to ‘talk’ to each other using a range of communication skills. Children with particular phobias, such as fear of dogs, were learning to overcome them with the support of staff. Staff know the children very well and have excellent relationships. They set challenging but achievable targets for each child and record progress carefully using the gains to set new targets. Their knowledge of the children enables them to be very skilled in knowing when it is appropriate to

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

maintain the challenge or when to ‘back off’. This approach stimulates children leading to very positive attitudes, real enjoyment and very good behaviour. Children are very well prepared for the move into the primary phase with very good transitional arrangements, where opportunities are provided for children to benefit from the ‘security’ of the nursery when appropriate. Similarly on entry to the nursery and reception very good provision is made for parents to enable them to settle the children and for them to come to terms with their child starting school.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

12 The primary phase is more formal and introduces pupils to the subjects of the National Curriculum. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been effectively introduced, and suitably modified, to enable all pupils to benefit. Clear progression is built in to the curriculum, for Mayfield School - 12 example in the infants some pupils are just beginning to use symbols to communicate, whilst others use a picture exchange system. In the juniors a more structured symbols system is adopted and pupils are progressively encouraged to communicate through speech. Pupils with autistic spectrum disorders have clearly benefited from the clear structure of both literacy and numeracy lessons. They join in well, contributing to lessons, following instructions and enjoying their work. The curriculum is very well planned for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Objectives for every lesson are

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

very clear, recording is thorough and as a result, progress is carefully monitored.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

13 The secondary phase consists of three classes but the curriculum is delivered through a modular timetable which enables pupils to be taught in four groups with groups moving around the phase to different teachers with particular subject expertise. This ensures that they receive a broad and balanced curriculum which reflects a mainstream secondary curriculum and the expertise of staff is used to best effect. It enables pupils to feel that they have ‘moved o’ from primary education. The timetable is evaluated regularly to ensure that it reflects the needs of pupils so that the most effective groupings are determined and the type of learning opportunities can be matched to their needs as they change. Approaches are varied and the curriculum is enhanced through visits, the use of visitors, such as a local pottery teacher, inclusion in a mainstream school for some pupils and team-building activities

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

such as treasure hunts, barbeques and canal quizzes. Some pupils also experience ‘college type’ link courses working with animals, building or horticulture.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

14 The curriculum for Post 16 students builds on the work of the secondary department but is even more active in developing independence. They are given numerous opportunities to make choices, for example they are encouraged to use public transport and to make meals for themselves and for others. They follow modules on leisure and are finding out about the world of work and follow a range of jobs around the school through work shadowing. Others are engaged in supported work experience placements and more recent links with a local trust is developing this further. Students are prepared for leaving school through very good links with outside agencies, including visits to residential colleges, mock interviews and joint coffee mornings with social workers, providers and parents. Very thorough Records of Achievement reflect the work undertaken and the students are very proud of them. Students are able to benefit from nationally accredited courses. The quality of the curriculum is

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

very good and prepares students and parents very well for students leaving school. Students become increasingly independent and mature as a result of the provision.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

15 The overall quality of the curriculum and the teamwork, create a very positive climate for learning. This leads to pupils of all ages having very positive attitudes to learning and to each other. They co-operate well when given the opportunity, taking turns well and listening to the ideas of others. For example when in a junior literacy lesson where pupils were predicting words which were covered up, they were delighted when pupils gave the correct answer. They try very hard to join in even when they find it difficult, for example, in a secondary music lesson when pupils were determined to play instruments and sing even though they were shy.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

16 Behaviour is very good both within the school and when on visits. Pupils on work experience placements, for example, are praised for their hard work, positive attitudes and very good behaviour. Staff at a local café talked of the behaviour of the Mayfield children being excellent and on a visit to the swimming pool pupils’ behaviour was commended.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

17 The head teacher and senior staff provide very effective leadership and management for the school. This has developed since the last inspection. Much thought has been given to creating a senior management structure, which reflects the different age groups within the school. Consequently Mayfield School - 13 the senior management team now consists of the head teacher, a newly appointed deputy head and phase managers for the primary, secondary and Post 16 parts of the school. Each phase leader has been given a great deal of autonomy to ensure that the structure of the curriculum and the way in which it is taught reflects the different age groups within the school. This has been very effective in ensuring that pupils are aware of moving between different phases, it has led to an enriched curriculum and high quality teaching which is very closely related to the different needs and ages in each section

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

of the school. This success is underpinned by the very effective collective working of the senior management team, who oversee the diverse systems to create a very positive whole school ethos.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

18 Within each of the educational phases, teamwork and relationships are major strengths. Staff work very effectively together to plan the curriculum and ensure that it meets the needs and ages of the pupils. For example, staff work closely together in the Foundation Stage to ensure that children are well supported as they learn through play activities in well planned topics, while staff in the primary phase plan together very well to ensure that for example, the literacy and numeracy strategies are appropriately matched to the needs of the pupils. The curriculum in the secondary phase is taught through a modular structure where pupils work in different groups with different staff reflecting a mainstream secondary approach, whilst the Post 16 provision is planned to ensure that students develop independence in relation to their special educational needs.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

19 All staff are involved in determining the school’s priorities through their involvement in the school improvement planning processes. This ensures that the most important areas for development are identified in each phase and across the school. Systems are constantly being evaluated to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and the deputy head has done much to use technology to improve the efficiency of systems.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

20 The head teacher has a clear structure for evaluating the quality of teaching and the standards across the school. Evaluation leads to good practices being developed so that the school is always open to ideas to meet the needs of pupils in the most effective ways. The school has identified the need to extend the involvement of all staff, particularly subject leaders in monitoring provision and evaluating the impact on standards, including moderation across the school to ensure a common understanding.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

21 The governors have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development within the school. A number are very active in school including financial management. They are involved in school improvement planning and have procedures for reviewing progress towards the priorities identified in the school improvement plan. However their objectives are not always sufficiently linked to the intended impact on pupils’ learning so that it is not always possible to evaluate the full effect of developments in this respect.

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Provides an enriched curriculum for pupils of all ages, creating a very positive climate for

22 Finances are very well managed and the school has been able to ensure that expenditure is closely related to the priorities of the school. Resources, particularly staff are very well deployed. This ensures that the needs of pupils are effectively met.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The role of the governors in evaluating the impact of developments on pupils’ learning.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

23 Many governors play a very active role in the leadership and management of the school. They have a very clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development within the school. However, formal systems for evaluating the effect of developments on the learning of pupils have not been fully developed. Mayfield School - 14 24 Governors are actively involved with the school in determining the priorities for improvement through the school development planning process. The systems are very effective in determining the right priorities. Subject managers and senior staff keep governors very well informed about their work and governors, as a result, are able to talk knowledgeable about the things the school does well, citing appropriate evidence to support their views. Similarly they are clear about what needs further development and why. Financial procedures are very effective enabling the school to ensure that

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

spending is linked to the educational priorities. At the beginning of each school development planning cycle an evaluation of how successfully previous priorities have been addressed is undertaken to form the basis for future planning. The objectives of developments are clear but are not yet sufficiently focussed on the intended outcome for pupils in terms of improved standards to enable governors to fully evaluate the impact in relation to greater learning. Governors accept and have identified the need to relate developments more closely to the intended impact on standards achieved. This would give them a greater understanding of how decisions they make have direct impact on the progress made by pupils.

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The role of subject managers in evaluating and moderating the standards achieved and the

25 The school has worked very hard to develop the role of senior managers to reflect the diverse range of needs and wide age range represented. They have recognised the need to further extend the role of subject managers in moderating standards achieved throughout the school in their areas of responsibility and the strengths and areas for development in the teaching affecting these standards. They are constantly developing the range of strategies used within the school, for example in relation to communication, to meet the diverse needs. There is a need to enhance the role of staff in moderating their understanding of the standards being achieved by different pupils through sampling of work and evaluating the impact of teaching further.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

26 In order to improve further the head, staff and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Enhance the leadership and management of the school by (i) extending the role of the governors in evaluating the impact of developments on pupils’ learning. (Paragraph’s 23, 24) (ii) extending the systems for evaluating and moderating the standards achieved and the quality of teaching to all subject leaders. (Paragraph 25)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school is already aware of these areas. Mayfield School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the 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 more than five percentage points

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 67

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 17

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 0

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Mayfield School - 16

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The 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

Qualified teachers and classes: YN – Y13

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.9 Financial year 2001 - 2002

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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

FTE means full-time equivalent. Total income 820,210

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YN – Y13 Total expenditure 780,402

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 33 Expenditure per pupil 11,824

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 767 Balance brought forward from previous year 135,888

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 175,696 Mayfield School - 17

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.9

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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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Mayfield School - 18

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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. 75 22 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 53 31 3 0 14

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 31 8 3 19

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 78 14 0 6 3

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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. 83 17 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. 75 22 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 75 17 3 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 81 17 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 69 28 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 61 25 3 0 11

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