Other · Ofsted report

Sky College

Inspected — · published 5 Jun 2003 · URN 123939

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123939

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Praiseexcellenteffectivelyvery wellgood progressimprovedeffectiveexcellent relationshipsmake good progress

Criticismpoorlimitedinsufficientinadequatenot sufficientlynot alwaysweaknesseslacks

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings8467w+70
What needs to improve10620w+58

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Pages: 40
Words of findings: 18,865; longer than usual (typical 1049)
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Average sentence: 19 words
Next steps: 8; typical 5
Hedged sentences: 7%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

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Findings 43%What needs to improve 54%About the inspection 2%

Full report text

THE PRIORY SCHOOL

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

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THE PRIORY 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. The Priory - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School category: Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD)/ Boarding

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Pickeridge Close Taunton Somerset

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Alan Munk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1997 The Priory - 4

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responsibilities

2642 Janet Bond Registered inspector Mathematics Art and Design Music Special Educational Needs The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught?

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responsibilities

19727 Eric Langford Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Residential provision 1358 Glyn Essex Team inspector English Physical Education How well is the school led and managed?

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responsibilities

17182 Michael Farrell Team inspector Information & Communication Technology Design & Technology Geography History Personal & Social Education Educational Inclusion Pupils’attitudes, values and personal development

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responsibilities

22058 Christine Richardson Team inspector Science Religious Education French How good are the curricula and other opportunities offered to pupils? The Priory - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Serco QAA, Herringston Barn, Herringston, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9PU

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responsibilities

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

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE The Priory - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Priory is a special school for boys with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is designated to admit up to 55 pupils between the ages of eleven and sixteen. Of the 54 pupils on roll, 20 have been admitted in the last 12 months. Eleven pupils are in residence although the boarding provision is for 20 pupils. The future of the boarding provision in undergoing a local authority review. All pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs so it is not appropriate to compare the attainment of pupils with national expectations or averages. There are no pupils from ethnic minorities or who have English as a second language. Originally the school was an all-age school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and for secondary-aged pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. In 1999 it was changed to a school for secondary aged boys with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Since then the local authority has held

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

a review of provision for pupils with emotional and behavioural needs. Last term the school heard the other similar school in the county would close and that they would continue. In the last two years two teachers have left and three have been appointed. At the time of the inspection three members of staff were away, two of whom are on long- term illness leave.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good and improving school. Good leadership and management, in particular the headteacher’s very good educational direction, have significantly improved the school since the previous inspection. The school is highly effective in meeting pupils’ emotional and behavioural needs. Pupils make very good progress in their personal and social development and in their behaviour. Better curriculum provision has led to Year 11 pupils gaining a wider range of qualifications. Teaching, learning and achievement are satisfactory. Although much of the teaching is good or better some lacks challenge and the help for pupils with low literacy and numeracy skills lacks an effective focus. Given the school’s above average income, it provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Charismatic and visionary leadership by the headteacher has enabled the school to significantly improve the quality of provision available to pupils. • Excellent relationships effectively support pupils’ very good attitudes to learning. This has resulted in their improved progress in most subjects and their improved achievement in accredited course work. • Pupils make very good progress in their personal development as a result of the effective emphasis given to each pupil’s personal targets and the very rich range of learning experiences provided by the school. • Pupils make very good progress in improving their behaviour. They understand the systems used, consider them fair and agree they are applied in a consistent way. • Provision for the care and welfare of pupils, both in school and in the boarding house, is excellent. Pupils value and respond to the respect and consideration shown to them. • The excellent provision in the boarding house very effectively supports pupils’ increasing maturity,

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What the school does well

personal development and learning. The Priory - 8

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What could be improved

• A growing number of pupils, when they enter school, have very low basic literacy and numeracy skills. Provision for these pupils is unsatisfactory. • A small but significant proportion of teaching lacks sufficient sustained challenge and interest to maintain a high level of learning. • The school does not systematically use information about pupils’ progress to improve schemes of work or to evaluate the impact of development planning on improving standards that pupils achieve. • The accommodation and resources for physical education are poor and severely restrict the range of activities that can be made available for pupils. 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

Improvement since the last inspection in June 1997 has been good, which has resulted in raised levels of achievement. The key issues identified at this time have been addressed and now: • The curriculum is relevant, balanced and planned for each year group. Individual Education plans (IEPs) are in place and information about pupils’ progress is recorded • Pupils’ attainments have improved each year and more Year 11 pupils gain a greater range of accreditation • Subject co-ordinators are more effective in managing their subject and monitoring planning • There has been an improvement in teaching and resources in all subjects. Staff are more effectively deployed • Health and safety issues have been addressed • The school now has a clear specification for the age range and intake of pupils.

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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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9 11

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

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9 11

IEPs are Individual Education Plans for pupils with special educational needs

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9 11

It is a strength of the school that pupils make very good progress in their personal and social (PSE) development. PSE work is effectively taught in all subjects and in all aspects of school life, such as assemblies and lunch times. Standards have risen and there has been a year-on-year increase in the accreditations achieved by Year 11 pupils, who now achieve better than other pupils in similar schools. Pupils make very good progress in speaking and listening as a result of the many opportunities, such as the student council, for them to take an active part in discussions and decision- making and because they know their opinions are valued. However, the progress pupils make in reading is not consistent. Higher attaining pupils make good progress in higher reading skills, but lower attaining pupils make The Priory - 9 limited progress. Progress in writing is more consistent and is satisfactory. In mathematics, pupils

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9 11

make satisfactory progress and higher attaining pupils achieve well in accredited course work. Pupils with limited computational skills do not have enough opportunities to progress quickly. Pupils make very good progress in art and design and design and technology as a result of high-quality planning and skilful teaching. Pupils make good progress in science, music and physical education because teaching is consistently good or better, teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and high expectations of what pupils can achieve, and work is made relevant and interesting for them. Except in geography, pupils make satisfactory progress in all other subjects as a result of better planning and improved teaching and resources. In the limited range of work they do in geography pupils’ progress is often good. However, there is no planned work for each year group in the subject. Although they achieve well in other

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9 11

subjects as a result of good individual support, pupils with limited basic literacy and numeracy skills do not make sufficient progress quickly enough. The school has set appropriate targets for continuing pupils’ improved achievement.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy most of their learning, work hard and are keen to do well in accredited course work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils think the school rules and behaviour systems are fair and help them improve their behaviour.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent relationships very effectively support pupils’ very good personal development. Pupils trust staff and appreciate and respond in a mature way to the opportunities provided for them to take an active part in decision making.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Pupils want to come to school.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils know what they need to do to improve their behaviour and are very honest when deciding and setting their weekly targets.

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Teaching of pupils: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11

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

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Teaching of pupils: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11

Teaching has improved since the last inspection and as a result pupils’ learning has improved. Teaching is very good in personal and social development. Teachers take all opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own behaviour and to think about the impact of what they say and do on others. Teaching is very good in speaking and listening, art and design and in design and technology where teachers plan a rich range of experiences and are skilful in supporting pupils achieving high standards of work. Teaching is consistently good or better in science, music and physical education as a result of teachers having a good knowledge of the subject and a good understanding of pupils’ learning needs. Teaching in English and mathematics is variable but never less than satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory in all other subjects. Although lesson planning has improved, in some lessons there are an

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Teaching of pupils: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11

insufficient variety of appropriate activities or the challenge and pace for learning are not sustained to the end of the lesson. There is limited use of homework to support pupils’ learning. Excellent relationships between staff and pupils, coupled with the very good teamwork between teachers and learning support assistants, effectively supports all pupils in their learning. Teaching for very early literacy and numeracy The Priory - 10 skills is unsatisfactory. The timetable of lessons and planned work does not allow enough time or focus for these important skills to be effectively developed, and not all teachers are skilled in their teaching.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum is broad and made relevant to pupils’ age and learning needs. Extra-curricular activities are excellent and fully enjoyed by pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Excellent provision is made for pupils’ personal and social development. There is very good provision for pupils’ spiritual and moral development and satisfactory provision for pupils’ cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Excellent. The school provides a very high level of care where pupils trust staff and all are encouraged to give of their best.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very well with parents who have positive views of the school. Communication with parents is very good and they are kept very well informed. Pupils have access to an impressive range of lunch time and after-school clubs and activities, and transport is provided for those wanting to stay.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good leadership and good management by the headteacher have effectively led the school through changing and challenging times. As a result of this there have been significant improvements in the quality of education the school provides.

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Aspect Comment

How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities Good. Governors fulfil their statutory duties well. They have made a significant contribution to the many changes that have taken place. They are well placed to develop more effective procedures to monitor the outcomes, in terms of pupil progress, of their decision making.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory and improving. The school gathers information on pupils’ progress but is not fully using it to make changes.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Except for physical education, the budget is managed and used effectively to improve pupils’ learning experiences.

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Aspect Comment

The reflection of the school’s aims and values in all aspects of school life is excellent. All are valued and encouraged to give of their best and all have a strong sense of community. All effectively contribute to school developments and improvements. The school makes satisfactory use of the principles of best value and is developing procedures to monitor the effectiveness of spending and developments on pupils’ achievement. Staff are well deployed to ensure individual needs are met. Resources are good for most subjects and are used well to support pupils’ learning. Accommodation is well maintained and the improvements made to provide specialist teaching rooms have effectively contributed to rising standards. The Priory - 11

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school and the school works closely with them. • They feel the school provides an interesting range of activities outside of lessons and children like school. • Parents feel the school is well led and managed and teaching is good. • Parents believe the school expects children to work hard and give of their best. • Not all parents think their child is making good progress. • Many parents think there is not enough homework. • Some parents think behaviour in school is not good.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with parents’ views about what pleases them most. Inspectors judge that pupils make satisfactory progress overall, with good progress in many subjects and in accredited course work. However, inspectors agree that those pupils with low levels of attainment in English and mathematics do not make enough progress. Inspectors agree that homework arrangements are not satisfactory but judge that behaviour is very good in school. The Priory - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Most pupils enter school with below average standards of attainment, particularly in the key subjects of English and mathematics, and a growing number have very low standards in literacy and numeracy. They have poor personal and social skills and poor attitudes to school and learning. As a result of a very effective behaviour management system, excellent relationships, the availability of a wider range of accredited course work, improved teaching and a well planned and relevant curriculum, there has been a good improvement since the last inspection in pupils’ attainments.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Pupils make very good progress and achieve very well in their behaviour and in their personal and social skills. They make very good progress in speaking and listening, design and technology and art, and good progress in science, music and physical education. In all other subjects except geography pupils’ progress is satisfactory. Pupils’ attainments in the Year 9 national tests have improved over the last four years, with this year a small number of higher attaining pupils achieving at a level appropriate to their age. Pupils’ attainments in these tests are better in mathematics and science than in English. Over the last four years there has been a continued improvement in the number of General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) passes gained and pupils’ grades are better than the national figures for pupils in similar schools. The increasing range of accredited courses the school offers has supported pupils in achieving passes in Computer Literacy and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Information Technology (CLAIT) and in The Associated Board of the Royal School for Music examinations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Progress towards targets in pupils’ Individual Behaviour Plans (IBPs) is very good and is satisfactory towards their targets in their Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Teachers’ planning effectively focuses on individual targets, particularly personal and behaviour targets, in all lessons. Pupils are tested each term in English and mathematics and the information is beginning to be used to inform subject and whole-school planning. Appropriately, the school is now setting targets for whole-school improvement which are providing a more directed focus on raising pupils’ standards in subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Since the last inspection the achievements of all pupils have improved and continue to improve in most subjects. Progress overall have improved because work is better planned for each year group and, in teachers’ lesson plans, there is a very good focus on what pupils will learn during lessons to enable their skills, knowledge and understanding to be built on and developed systematically. Pupils make very good progress in speaking and listening. This is because, as part of their subject work and as part of their personal and social education (PSE) work, effective opportunities are provided in all subjects for pupils to build upon their existing skills through lively discussions. Very effective opportunities are provided at other times during the school day, such as assemblies and the student council, for pupils to take part in debates and discussions, and learn how to express their own point of view as well as listen to the views of others. Most pupils make satisfactory

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

progress in reading, spelling and writing. In reading, higher attaining pupils make good progress but frequently pupils with low levels of attainment make very limited progress. In writing progress is more consistent and most pupils make satisfactory progress. The small group of pupils with very limited reading and writing skills are not provided with sufficient appropriate work to rapidly improve their skills, although effective additional support from learning support assistants allows them to participate satisfactorily in all subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Pupils make satisfactory progress in mathematics, particularly in number work and in applying mathematics. In statutory assessment tests pupils’ attainments are above average in comparison to similar schools and higher attaining pupils achieve at a level in line with national expectations. There has been an improvement in the number of pupils achieving GCSEs in mathematics. These improvements in pupils’ attainments are the result of better planning of work to be covered by each The Priory - 13 year group and the introduction of the Key Stage 3 National Strategy. However, on entering school, a small number of pupils have low levels of attainment particularly in their computational skills. The needs of these pupils are not sufficiently addressed to enable them to make rapid progress in this area. Pupils make good progress in science because it is taught very well and made relevant and interesting to them. Higher attaining pupils achieve at an appropriate level for

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

their age in statutory assessment tests and the number of pupils achieving GCSEs has increased.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils make very good progress in art and in design and technology because teaching and planning are very good. High expectations by the teachers result in high quality work by the pupils and an improvement in the number of pupils gaining accreditation. Pupils make good progress in physical education and music because planning and teaching are good and effectively enable all to participate. Although pupils make good progress in physical education it is in a narrow range of activities because of inadequate facilities. In religious education, history, French and information and communication technology (ICT) pupils’ achievements are satisfactory and improving in relation to their previous attainments. Religious education lessons are made relevant and effectively allow all pupils to contribute at an appropriate level. In ICT pupils learn to access the computer and to apply their skills by using technology to research information. In history pupils

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

effectively learn about the past and relate their learning to present times. French lessons are relevant and interesting to pupils and good teaching encourages their interest and enthusiasm. Pupils’ progress in geography is unsatisfactory because there is no overall planned scheme of work for each year group, which means that pupils cannot build on earlier skills. In the units of work currently available in geography, where teaching is good pupils make good progress and enjoy considering issues such as the impact of climate changes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils make very good progress in their personal and social development and in managing their behaviour because they understand and enjoy the behaviour systems that are consistently and fairly applied. All opportunities are very effectively taken in all aspects of school life to encourage and reinforce each pupil’s personal and social skills. Therapies, including anger management and counselling, significantly contribute to the improvements in the boys’ behaviour management and their attitudes to learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good and are a strength of the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils enjoy coming to school. As one pupil commented “This is the only school I can understand”, and parents confirm their children want to come to school. Pupils’ attitudes to school are very good. They arrive in a cheerful manner and are courteous to staff and other pupils. They show a keen and active interest in school life, for example as members of the student council, and are greatly committed to the school community, fully involved in the very good range of activities such as lunch time clubs. As a result of working in an atmosphere free from oppressive behaviour pupils show a very high level of trust in staff and each other. This can be clearly seen by the free way in which pupils talk about sensitive matters in front of other pupils in lessons.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils consistently display very good attitudes, both in lessons and other activities. They respond positively and with enthusiasm to most of the demands made of them. They do this because in most lessons teachers provide them with activities that are interesting and support them to succeed at tasks they have not done before. In a Year 7 French lesson pupils had great fun role- playing entering a room and greeting the occupants in a variety of ways in French. Year 8 pupils sustained intense interest and concentration for the whole of a music lesson as they improved their understanding of pulse and rhythm. All pupils show very good attitudes when in large groups such as assemblies or attending college. In assembly they listen attentively, contribute to discussions and bring mature humour appropriately into some situations. At college pupils respond very well to the responsibilities given to them by staff and show a mature and responsible

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

attitude to college life. The Priory - 14 10. The behaviour of pupils is very good. They show respect for each other and staff and are very careful when handling the school’s equipment. One class, in a religious education lesson, showed great care with the special objects that other pupils had brought in from home. Because pupils have a strong sense of community and take care of their environment, inspectors saw no signs of graffiti in the school or boarding house and the building is well looked after. Behaviour in most lessons is very good because pupils are interested and want to succeed. They listen to each other respectfully in lessons. Support staff play an important role in helping pupils to behave well. They work well with pupils to help them maintain their concentration and very good behaviour. Pupils and staff follow the school behaviour system consistently and pupils judge it to be fair and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

worthwhile. As a result they try hard to achieve points and so behave very well. Pupils behave very well around school, for example in evening activities, in using the tuck shop, and in attending student council meetings.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils’ personal development is very good and relationships are excellent. Pupils form constructive relationships with each other. Their relationships with teachers are excellent: as one pupil said, ‘‘The school helps you believe in yourself.’’ Pupils show very good initiative and are willing to take responsibility, for example in the very articulate student-council. They respect other people’s differences, particularly their feelings, values and beliefs, and make no comment if another pupil makes a mistake in a lesson. They reflect on what they do and understand its impact on others. In weekly target setting lessons they are very honest and show a good self-knowledge of their weaknesses and what they need to do to improve. One older pupil who did not manage his behaviour well in one lesson went straight to the headteacher and apologised for messing things up.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupil attendance for the reporting year is influenced in a negative way by a number of long term school refusers who remain on school roll while the local authority seeks alternate, and more appropriate, placements. Otherwise, attendance is good. Most pupils enjoy coming to school and the trend over the past two years is for improved attendance and reductions in the level of unauthorised absence. This represents an area of improvement since the last inspection. The number of exclusions compares favourably with national figures and is lower than those for similar schools. The majority of pupils are transported to school and most arrive promptly. Punctuality in school is very good and lessons start on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

13. Teaching is satisfactory overall and in many subjects and lessons it is good or better. This is an improvement since the last inspection when nearly a quarter of the teaching observed was poor or unsatisfactory. Now teaching is good or better in over half of the lessons observed, and only one unsatisfactory lesson was seen during the inspection. However, at the time of the inspection three teachers were away and their teaching responsibilities were shared between the headteacher and other skilled teachers. As a result of improved teaching pupils’ learning and progress have improved. Where teaching is good or better, lessons are planned well to ensure that all the pupils in the class have appropriate and sufficiently difficult activities and they make good gains in their learning. Expectations of what pupils will achieve are set at appropriately high levels so pupils consistently achieve well. Although all teachers put a great deal of care into their lesson planning,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

this does not always result in the high quality of teaching and learning they strive for. Where teaching is satisfactory often the pace and intellectual challenge slacken or the activities are insufficiently demanding so pupils’ learning at a high level is not sustained. Explanations are not always clear enough to ensure pupils’ full understanding.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. Teaching is consistently good, frequently very good and occasionally excellent in science, design and technology and physical education. At the time of the inspection the art teacher was away, however scrutiny of pupils’ work, records and the teacher’s planning file shows teaching in art is also consistently good or better. Teaching is consistently good in music and French. In all these subjects teachers have good subject knowledge, are knowledgeable about what pupils need to learn and are particularly skilful at maintaining pupils’ interest and excitement in their learning. Pupils are actively involved in what they are doing and clear explanations help pupils take their learning forwards. Teachers’ respect pupils’ questions and efforts and pupils respect teachers’ The Priory - 15 subject knowledge and good management strategies. Excellent relationships support pupils in being confident to attempt unfamiliar work. They know their efforts will be appreciated, problems

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

sorted out and successes celebrated. Pupils are proud of their work because they achieve well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. Where teaching is good or better in other lessons, teachers are skilful in maintaining pupils’ interest and attention by making the work relevant to them and by frequent changes of activity. In a very good Year 9 English lesson the teacher used a variety of activities to ensure pupils had a good understanding of the time when Macbeth was written. Using brochures from the Globe Theatre they discussed how the audience stood or sat and got a good idea of how the audience behaved, likening them to a football crowd, as well as understanding the shape of the building. The use of a video helped them recognise the costumes of the time and a “jigsaw” activity prompted their writing. In an excellent Year 7 geography lesson, well planned with different work appropriate to individual pupils, a very good discussion engaged pupils’ attention and a high level of trust enabled pupils to talk confidently. Planned individual, paired and group work kept pupils interested

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

and ICT was used well to produce survey sheets. Pupils were very enthusiastic to participate saying, “Can we do the survey now?” and were keen to produce their own survey sheets. At the end of the lesson the teacher skilfully checked pupils’ learning and understanding. In many lessons and subjects teachers plan for and effectively use ICT to support pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. Where teaching is satisfactory, frequently the high level of challenge and good pace of learning are not maintained throughout the lesson. Planned follow up work is not prepared for those pupils who finish ahead of others. In a very small number of lessons pupils were not always managed as well as possible or were able to divert the teacher from the intended task by engaging them in conversations about other things. Work prepared for pupils was not as interesting as it could be, and activities were not changed sufficiently frequently to maintain pupils’ interest and attention. Insufficient time is planned for teaching basic literacy and numeracy skills, and a number of teachers do not have the necessary skills and expertise to do this.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Several factors have contributed to the improvement in all subjects in teaching and learning. In nearly all subjects the curriculum has been rewritten with appropriate work planned for each year group. Subject leaders teach their subject to most pupils, particularly those in Years 10 and 11. The new Key Stage 3 National Strategy has been introduced. These changes have resulted in teachers being more knowledgeable about what pupils need to learn. Improvements in assessment mean teachers can more accurately plan work for individual pupils. Monitoring of teaching by the headteacher has enabled support to be appropriately given to teachers where needed. Particular strengths of the teaching are the teamwork between teachers and learning support assistants, the good knowledge and understanding of the emotional and behavioural difficulties of the pupils, the consistent application of the school reward system and the very effective use of the school system

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

of lesson planning. However, homework is not used consistently to support pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. The effective partnership between teachers and learning support assistants contributes significantly to pupils’ improved progress. In nearly all lessons learning support assistants are fully aware of the role they are to play, which pupils they will be working with and what pupils are to learn. In a Year 10 mathematics lesson, for example, pupils made good progress in their learning because they were divided into two groups for the practical activity, one group led by the teacher and the other by the learning support assistant. In other lessons they work with individual pupils and provide good individual support which helps pupils concentrate and learn. Learning support assistants contribute well to the on-going monitoring of pupils’ achievements and needs, which enables lesson planning to be effectively informed. At the end of most lessons time is given for pupils to explain to the whole class what they have been doing, enabling all to celebrate individual

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

achievements and enabling the teacher to check on what pupils have understood and remembered.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Pupils behave well in most lessons because they find the work interesting, because they have excellent relationships with staff, because teachers manage pupils’ behaviour skilfully and because the school reward systems are consistently applied and fully understood and valued by the pupils. If any pupil does react inappropriately, teachers manage unobtrusively and make sure the learning of others is not interfered with. A member of the senior management team is normally The Priory - 16 available if any pupil requires some time out of lessons and they skilfully manage and diffuse inappropriate behaviour. Pupils with additional special behavioural needs benefit from this approach and are fully included in all lessons and activities. In good lessons appropriate activities are planned for and changed frequently, and because pupils are actively involved, they are keen to participate and confident to try new challenges. In a well paced Year 9 mathematics lesson pupils

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

responded to the high expectations of the teacher by being alert and attentive and were confident to volunteer to show their ways of dividing an irregular shape to calculate the area in front of others. In most lessons teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to make choices and decisions and pupils are treated with respect and consideration.

p.16

STUDENTS?

20. The very good curriculum reflects the aims of the school very well. These are reflected in the very good provision for careers and vocational education, the extensive links with the community and the excellent provision for personal, social and health education and extra-curricular activities. These aspects make significant contributions to pupils’ learning. The good balance between the academic elements, the planned activities out of lessons, and the personal and social skills programme, provides a broad range of relevant and important opportunities for learning. The curriculum is taught in a way that is clearly relevant to pupils’ needs. The consistent management of behaviour makes a major contribution to the curriculum because of the excellent relationships that provide a secure foundation for the very effective support and guidance provided by all staff. Since the last inspection there has been a good improvement in the curriculum because:

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STUDENTS?

• The requirements of the National Curriculum are met in all subjects • There are guidelines for all subjects • Detailed, useful planning systems have been introduced. • The range of accredited course work has been significantly extended • Co-ordinators manage their subjects more effectively • Teaching resources have improved • The facilities for science, design and technology, food technology and ICT have been improved very effectively

p.16

STUDENTS?

21. The result of these improvements is that teachers’ planning is of good quality and pupils work towards accreditation in most subjects at the end of Year 11. Careers education is very effectively planned and integrated into citizenship and personal, social and health education. It very effectively provides pupils with opportunities to explore the world of work. The quality of discussion about preparation for work experience is of a high quality and pupils are prepared very well for life after school.

p.16

STUDENTS?

22. Statutory requirements, including the provision of religious education according to local guidelines, are met. The numeracy and literacy strategies have been introduced satisfactorily and there is some planned and effective use of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum. However, for a small number of pupils, the provision in literacy and numeracy is not as good as it could be. A growing number of pupils have low basic literacy and numeracy skills when they enter the school. Current programmes of work do not sufficiently meet the additional needs of these pupils. There are suitable extension activities for higher attaining pupils in most lessons. The school has identified a small number of pupils with particular talents and makes good provision to meet their needs.

p.16

STUDENTS?

23. Equality of access to, and opportunity within the curriculum is very good. The school works hard to ensure that the needs of pupils are met and that they have equal access to all areas of the curriculum and opportunities to succeed in them. Day pupils join the small group of boarding pupils for evening activities and all pupils enjoy lunch time clubs. All pupils have opportunities to go to the college and have time on work experience.

p.16

STUDENTS?

24. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE), and citizenship, is excellent. It is based on national guidelines and the school’s own programme for teaching good health topics. Some topics are introduced in science and others in discrete citizenship lessons. The Priory - 17 For example, pupils in Year 7 discussed ways of communication and anger or conflict management. Pupils in Year 10 considered national budget priorities, discussing whether more money should go to provide better hospitals than student grants. Some geography lessons include impressive work on PSHE, which is integrated fully into aspects of most lessons. There is a coherent programme for sex and relationships education, which is supported well by outside visitors and sensitive approaches by staff. The school helps pupils to make healthy and informed choices about drugs and their effects by encouraging them to develop skills in decision making

p.16

STUDENTS?

and problem solving. The school effectively involves external agencies and parents where appropriate.

p.17

STUDENTS?

25. Provision for extra-curricular activities is excellent. The wide range of activities include making pancakes, swimming, a range of sports at the local leisure centre, learning to play musical instruments or computer games. Activities are organised well and the skills of staff are used very effectively to ensure that activities can be pursued to a high level. These activities provide pupils with very valuable opportunities for co-operative working and working as a team.

p.17

STUDENTS?

26. Links and communication with local schools are satisfactory and there is a strong link with a nearby secondary school for support in science. College links are strong and provide very good opportunities for pupils to be given individual responsibility. Work is linked well with citizenship activities at school where Year 10 pupils are constructing a herb garden. At college they make the slabs and garden furniture they will use.

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STUDENTS?

27. The curriculum is greatly enhanced by the school’s very good links with the community. Pupils make visits to local businesses in preparation for their work experience and to develop their industrial awareness. There is a good level of community involvement when the school prepares for its annual, and most successful, Children in Need Appeal. The website of the school is very active, especially during the 24 hours of the appeal.

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STUDENTS?

28. The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. Provision for spiritual and moral development is very good and for social development is excellent. This is an improvement since the last inspection. There is a strong community atmosphere in assemblies when the values of the school are reinforced very well. In very powerful and moving moments, pupils bow their heads to pray or reflect upon the innocent victims of war and people who are ill. Pupils in Year 10 talk freely about their views on death and the after-life during religious education lessons. Teachers’ thoughtful questions encourage them to think about people’s feelings and actions. Curiosity and interest are stimulated in science and French when pupils watch the ‘magical’ movements of iron filings or work out the value of Euro notes and coins. There is a climate in the school within which all pupils can grow and flourish, respect others and be respected.

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STUDENTS?

29. There is a very clear code of behaviour in classes and throughout the school. It is used very effectively to promote moral and social development and provides a very good framework for pupils when they go out of school, for example to college or on work experience. Pupils value the rewards they earn and the fairness of the systems that help them to earn points and prizes. Prize giving day is a highlight of the school year and pupils know that their successes will be recognised and celebrated. Pupils have a clear idea of what is right and wrong. They are polite and courteous to visitors and value the open and safe environment in which they can express their views and practise moral decision making. Relationships in the school are excellent and provide pupils with very good examples on which to model their own social and moral behaviour.

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STUDENTS?

30. Pupils enjoy the opportunities to share experiences with others. They participate enthusiastically in special community events such as the Children in Need activities and Prize Day. They value working as a team or in pairs to discuss issues. Older pupils enjoy the responsibility of making the school a better place when they plan work on the herb garden. The student council meeting is an impressive opportunity for pupils to state their views clearly and feel that everyone values what they have to say. An understanding of citizenship lessons helps pupils to engage in the democratic process and participate in community life. Work experience and attendance at college provide positive links with the world of work and the wider community. The Priory - 18 31. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils have a good understanding of the history and traditions of this country and learn about others in geography and history. Stories,

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STUDENTS?

drama, art and music from many countries and cultures are used effectively to extend pupils’ knowledge and use of cultural imagery and language. Pupils show interest in learning about other faiths and cultures in religious education and about Europe in French. They reflect upon the qualities shown by famous people and celebrate religious festivals in school and church. Pupils understand the significance of the Remembrance Day service and celebrate this with sincerity.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The provision for the care and welfare of pupils and the quality of pastoral support they receive is excellent and a strength of the school. This is an area of significant improvement since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Excellent child protection procedures are in place, which are well understood and used by staff in the best interests of the pupils. All staff are aware of the need for vigilance in the regular monitoring of the well being and welfare of the pupils in their care. The procedures in place to support the monitoring arrangements of the looked after children in school are excellent and ensure their specific needs are fully addressed. The school has established excellent procedures for the reporting and monitoring of incidences of physical restraint involving pupils in the school. These include the good practice to review all occurrences of physical restraint to identify and promote opportunities for improvement in the use of behaviour modification programmes. Staff are well trained in the use of physical restraint, and pupils agree that its use ensures that the safety interests of pupils and staff are maintained at all times. Good software filter procedures are in

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

place to safeguard pupils from inappropriate material when accessing information on the Internet.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. Pupils feel safe and happy in school and have the confidence and independence to raise queries and concerns with staff. Pupils have easy access to very good pastoral support with trained staff able to provide sensitive counselling, from anger management and helping to build self-esteem through to offering tender loving care in support of upset pupils. Staff know their pupils well and all are committed to ensuring the best interests of the pupils at all times.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Good health and safety procedures are in place and risk assessment is included in the school’s planning process. During the inspection period staff and pupils demonstrated good health and safety awareness in and around the school and on out-of-school visits. Day-to-day health and safety matters are effectively dealt with by the headteacher and school caretaker. Most of the issues raised in a recent health and safety inspection undertaken by the local authority have been addressed. However, there is no formal governor involvement in the health and safety aspects of the school or a practice for health and safety to be reported at termly governors’ meetings. The school employs staff fully trained in first aid and good and effective procedures are in place for the management and reporting of pupil injuries that occur during their time at school. Very good and secure management arrangements are in place for the correct recording, storage and

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

administration of prescribed medicines to pupils, as and when requested by parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. There are very good standards of catering achieved in the school with a menu range providing appetising meals and a well balanced and nutritious diet for pupils. The school premises are maintained to a good level of cleanliness and kept tidy. The school provides a safe environment for both pupils and staff.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The very good and well established behaviour management practices help to enhance and promote the self-image of pupils and contribute greatly to the overall very good attitudes to learning displayed by the majority of pupils. Great emphasis is placed on promoting good behaviour and the school operates a number of incentives to encourage and reward pupils’ good work and behaviour, both in and around the school. The comprehensive, whole-school, social behaviour policy is discussed and personalised within each year group to provide pupils with a meaningful focus of their teachers’ expectations and rewards for good behaviour. The weekly review of behaviour and individual pupil target setting, undertaken by each year group with their teacher, makes a major contribution to maintaining the very good behaviour noted during the The Priory - 19 inspection week. The well documented behaviour procedures are liked and understood by pupils

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

and parents, all of whom judge these to be applied by teachers in a fair and consistent manner.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school has a philosophy of zero tolerance towards bullying and has worked successfully to promote a culture of anti-bullying amongst the pupils. During the inspection there was no evidence of any oppressive bullying or harassment of pupils. Past incidents of inappropriate behaviour are judged by pupils and parents to have been swiftly and effectively dealt with by staff to the benefit of all involved. Very good procedures are in place for monitoring and improving attendance. The practice for pupil registration in school fully complies with statutory requirements. However, there is no formal practice to report on pupil absence levels to the governors’ termly meetings, other than as end-of-year statistics in the governors’ annual report to parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are good. The school maintains Records of Achievement for all National Curriculum subjects that help track progress, provide levels of attainment and contribute to pupils’ annual written report. Information is collected on accreditation results and compared with other similar schools. Reading records and regular reading and maths assessment results are maintained. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects are mainly good. This represents a good improvement since the previous inspection when the school lacked diagnostic assessments of pupils’ capabilities. However, the wealth of information gathered is not always used effectively to evaluate programmes of work, teaching or the long term achievement of groups of pupils. All pupils have IEPs and IBPs which are regularly updated, although not all targets are sufficiently precise to ensure accurate

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

monitoring of achievement. Parents and pupils contribute effectively to annual and transitional reviews.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. Parents are very supportive of the school, hold the staff in high regard, and believe their children receive a high quality of care, education and personal development. Parents consider it to be an open school with all staff very willing to listen and talk with them about their children’s progress. This represents an area of significant improvement since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. Analysis of the returned parent questionnaires shows that a minority of parents disagree that behaviour is good in school. The inspection team could find no evidence to support these views. Discussions at the pre-inspection parent meeting and with staff and parents during the inspection week did not support these views and suggest some parents misunderstood the questionnaire and related their answer to their child’s statement of need. The impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school is very good. The home-school agreement is supported by the great majority of parents, with many actively involved as partners in developing their child’s behaviour and learning at home.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. Parents are welcomed in school and encouraged to become involved in their children's learning and personal development. There is a good practice for staff to telephone parents with any queries or concerns and to inform parents of particular good work or behaviour their child has achieved. The vast majority of parents attend the annual review meetings and are fully involved in the review and setting of their child’s IEP targets. The autumn term open evenings are very well attended and provide parents with good opportunities to discuss their children’s progress with the school staff. The good practice of providing free transport and crèche facilities for school events and meetings effectively encourages good attendance. Parents spoken with during the inspection stated how much they appreciated these arrangements and how valuable the meetings are.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Parents of boarding pupils are communicated with on a weekly basis and there is a good practice in school to ensure that staff make contact with all parents at least each half term to discuss the progress of their children. The regular communication links between staff and parents provide an effective conduit for the informal exchange of information about pupils’ progress and development at school and in the home. The quality and range of information provided to parents, particularly about pupils’ progress, is very good and represent an area of significant improvement since the last inspection. Parents are kept up to date and well informed on a regular basis about all aspects The Priory - 20 of school life, organised events and pupil activities. Regular “Dear parent” correspondence ensures parents are kept informed about plans and changes to their child’s time in school. The comprehensive school prospectus and the governors’ report to parents are informative and act as

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

very helpful reference documents on all aspects of school life.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. Reports to parents are of a high quality, easy to read and provide a good level of detail in terms of targets, work effort and attainments gained by their child in school. A small minority of parents considered they were not kept well informed about how their child was doing at school. Given the range and frequency of information provided by the school and the willingness of staff to communicate with parents, by telephone or by a home visit, this view is not supported by the inspection team.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The headteacher provides very good leadership. Leading by example, he has inspired a strong sense of purpose and a consistent commitment to improvement during a time of great change and considerable uncertainty about the future of the school. At the same time, management at all levels has continued to promote the school’s underlying values very effectively and the excellent relationships which exist in the school reflect its success in achieving its aim to provide “a safe, caring, disciplined and supportive community”.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. Good teamwork among all levels of management has been an important element in achieving these aims, both during the school day and in the boarding house. The delegation of responsibilities, both within the senior management team and at other levels, is considerably more effective than at the time of the last inspection and the headteacher has successfully promoted a stronger sense of corporate responsibility in this way.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The governing body provides very active and effective support for the school. Governors are well informed and minutes of their meetings show that their discussions are detailed and wide ranging. They also conscientiously carry out their role as a critical friend of the school. At their last full meeting, for example, they produced several useful and very pertinent amendments to the draft school development plan and expressed a number of well founded concerns about staffing and curriculum issues. They are particularly effective in their monitoring of financial matters, with a very clear understanding of budget priorities and constraints. They have played a full part in supporting the headteacher in discussions about the future of the school and have a good grasp of the longer term issues facing the school. Their participation in the formal monitoring of standards, the curriculum and teaching is limited, however. They are beginning to increase the frequency of their

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

visits to school but these are not carried out on a systematic basis and they do not result in formal feedback. They do not receive sufficient information to evaluate the school’s performance in areas such as reading standards and attendance and their pursuit of best value, although often effective in practice, is not sufficiently systematic.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The school has begun to make more effective use of assessment data to assess how its performance and costs compare with other schools. It has, for example, calculated the value added to pupils’ attainment between key stages and to compare its results with national figures for other schools of this type. It is also setting whole-school targets for pupils’ attainment, although it has yet to find consistently the right level of challenge in these. The monitoring of teaching is improving. Some observations of teaching now take place but the arrangements for recording and reviewing the findings lack rigour, as do other school monitoring activities. There is, however, a high level of awareness among management of the strengths and weaknesses in the school, particularly in teaching and the curriculum, and the school is well placed to make progress in this respect by introducing more structured systems of evaluation.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. Management has devoted considerable time and funding to the development of teaching and these efforts have been rewarded with clear improvements, particularly in the subject knowledge of teachers, which was identified as a key issue for action in the last inspection. A good programme of professional development has made a major contribution to this improvement and the arrangements for appraisal and performance management are well managed and effective. There is The Priory - 21 a recently introduced policy for the induction of new staff, both teaching and support, but, particularly in the case of the latter, it lacks detail on the process to be followed. A helpful and informative staff handbook, however, provides a very good resource for new staff.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The school development plan is a good working tool. It has benefited from widespread consultation and covers a range of appropriate areas for development in considerable detail, with clear allocation of responsibilities and clearly defined success criteria. It has also met a criticism in the last report by including realistic target dates. The plan now provides a much more effective strategy for school improvement than was the case at the time of the last inspection but it lacks sufficient emphasis on outcomes in educational standards. This shortcoming is linked with the absence, as in other areas of monitoring, of a system for reviewing and evaluating the plan’s outcomes. The monitoring strategies prescribed for each target do not always provide an effective means of doing this.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. That the school’s action to meet its targets has been effective overall, however, is clearly demonstrated by the good rate of improvement achieved since the last inspection. A good example of this success is the action taken to improve school accommodation and stock of learning resources and the benefits this has brought to the quality of teaching and learning. The amount of specialist accommodation available has been greatly extended and resources are now generally good in all subjects apart from geography and physical education. The poor quality and range of accommodation and resources for physical education continue to place severe restrictions on the development of the subject.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school is well staffed. The match in numbers, qualification and experience of staff with the needs of the pupils is generally good but teachers’ expertise in the teaching of basic literacy and numeracy to the lower attaining pupils remains an area for development. Support staff are well qualified and good use is made of their individual expertise in their allocation to specific subject areas. The efficiency with which staff are deployed has greatly improved since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The redesignation of the school in 1999, the consequent fall in pupil numbers and the policy applied by the local education authority in adjusting the budget of the school to recognise these changes, have meant that the school has enjoyed a period of very generous funding. The funding per pupil in the current financial year has fallen significantly as the result of the influx of a considerable number of new pupils. In general, however, the school has benefited from a very healthy financial situation and the setting of priorities for additional funding has been made easier as a result. Financial planning has made good use of this flexibility. Governors are clear about the additional costs involved and they monitor movements within the budget carefully through the school’s systems of financial control. These were described as good in the audit by the local education authority in November last year, which found many significant improvements since the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

previous audit in 1997. The school has made good use of the specific grants received for the training of staff and for the purchase of new equipment but it does not have a system for reviewing the outcomes of its spending on the numerous areas targeted by this additional funding.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Although the school has made and continues to make efficient use of its resources, there are a few exceptions and these reflect the shortcomings, mentioned above, in its systems for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of its spending decisions. There has been a very considerable investment in ICT but its potential is not currently fully exploited. A new school library, with a very good stock of fiction, has been established but is little used by pupils. The considerable burden undertaken by the headteacher in covering for absent colleagues is an inefficient use of his time but the governing body is aware of the need to address this issue through the staffing budget. The cost effectiveness of the boarding provision, which was identified as a key issue for action by the previous inspection, is still a major issue. Its funding has continued at historic levels but it currently provides for only 60 per cent of its pupil capacity and use also varies between two, three

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

or four days per pupil. This is a situation over which the school has little influence, however. The facility makes excellent provision and its benefits extend to day as well as boarding pupils. The Priory - 22

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

55. In order to continue to improve the quality of education provided, the headteacher and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Make better provision for pupils with low level basic literacy and numeracy skills by: • Arranging a programme of staff development in these areas of teaching • Improving the organisation and efficiency of the arrangements for this provision • Providing more appropriate resources and schemes of work in literacy and numeracy for these pupils (4, 5, 16, 22, 62, 63, 68, 72)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Further improve the pace, challenge and rigour of teaching by: • Further development of the Key Stage 3 Strategy • The use of a greater range of strategies and activities in lessons • Continuing professional development • More systematic monitoring of teaching (13, 16, 73, 103, 104)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) To more fully inform school developments by: • Making better use of the information gathered from pupil assessments and accreditation results to inform changes to programmes of work • Monitoring the impact of changes, developments and spending on pupils performance. (39, 47, 48, 50, 53, 54)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Improve opportunities for pupils in physical education by: • Improving the accommodation and resources for physical education • Making better use of local sports facilities (6, 51, 115, 118)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The following should also be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Complete the scheme of work and assessment procedures for geography (2, 6, 94) Apply a more consistent approach to homework (17, 70) Apply a more consistent approach to handwriting (69) Encourage reading for pleasure (64) The Priory - 23

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Residential Provision

56. The quality of care and opportunities for personal development provided by the school boarding house are excellent and a strength of the school. This represents an area of significant improvement since the last inspection.

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Residential Provision

57. The school-week residential provision is a full and very effective partner in the provision of the school’s 24 hour curriculum and is successful in its aims to foster the development of personal skills, social skills, self control and in support of pupils’ social and emotional development. The excellent relationships that can be seen to exist between pupils and staff are particularly obvious during all meal times where a sensitive balance is achieved between informal “family type” social interaction and the ongoing training of social and personal skills.

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Residential Provision

58. The ethos and values underpinning the work of the boarding house reflect those of the school. They both very effectively support the work of each other and this provides a very consistent twenty four hour curriculum for pupils. Staff know their pupils and their individual needs very well, and the level and quality of care are excellent. The younger pupils receive clear, firm guidance and support. Older pupils are well directed and provided with lots of opportunities to develop mature and responsible attitudes in their preparations for life after school. All boarders are consulted and involved in decision making related to the boarding house provision. Parents are fully consulted on the progress of their children and welcomed into the boarding house to meet up socially with their children.

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Residential Provision

59. Record keeping is very good and contributes to the annual review reporting process. The school reward system has been appropriately developed and extended into the boarding house to provide a greater focus on the development of social and life skills. Pupils understand and like the reward system and believe it to be applied by staff in a fair and consistent manner. The boarding house is very well led and managed and contributes positively to the value for money provided by the school as a whole.

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Residential Provision

60. The extended curriculum provides pupils with access to a very wide and varied choice of activities geared to developing their social independence, interpersonal skills, self esteem and social and emotional skills. These include: local clubs such as YMCA, Army cadets and St John’s Ambulance, off-site activities such as hiking in the Quantocks, crab fishing on the sea front, trampoline and archery, to on-site clubs and activities such as mini radio car racing, photography, gardening and art clubs.

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Residential Provision

61. The accommodation is well presented and offers pupils their own good size bedrooms. There is good provision of specialist rooms including photography dark room, pool room, art room, separate television lounge and quiet room, the latter also available for use by pupils meeting with their parents. Showers and toilets are maintained to a high standard and pupil dignity is encouraged and promoted at all times. Pupils are encouraged to take a pride in their personal and shared facilities and the high quality of the furnishings and lack of vandalism or graffiti in the boarding house is a testament to the positive way pupils respond. The Priory - 24

p.23