Wey House School

FREEMANTLES SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14 th – 15 th January 2003

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FREEMANTLES SCHOOL

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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FREEMANTLES 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. Freemantles School - 1

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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 Ron Enticott

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 st June 1998 Freemantles School - 2

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Team members

2971 Kathy Hooper Registered inspector 9406 Roy Cottington Lay inspector 14686 John Hassel Team inspector 25437 Andrew Redpath Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

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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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Freemantles School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Freemantles is a special school for 72 pupils aged 4 to12 who have learning difficulties on the autistic spectrum. There are 60 boys and 12 girls, four of whom are in Reception and four in Year 7. The majority of pupils are White British. All have Statements of Special Educational Needs. There are no refugees or travellers. None of the pupils come from families where English is not the first language. About 10 per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals and this is lower than the number in similar schools. The pupils' progress is not affected by their socio-economic background. Nevertheless, the pupils' special educational needs make it inappropriate to compare pupils' achievements with national standards.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is subject to re-organisation proposals. It is intended that the school will cater for primary and secondary pupils and that there will be respite/boarding provision. It is anticipated that the school will be moving to a new site in 2004. This is the first year that the school has made provision for Key Stage 3 pupils. These pupils have lessons in design and technology and physical education alongside their peers in a neighbouring special school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Freemantles School has adopted some effective and nationally recognised strategies for teaching autistic pupils. The school has been acknowledged for its high standard of provision by being given a national award, Beacon status. It is involved in a wide range of local and national initiatives.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school makes very good provision for autistic pupils. Overall, pupils achieve very well, particularly in Reception and Key Stages 1 and 2. Some aspects of its provision are outstanding. Pupils are taught very well and, as a result, they make very good progress. The leadership and management of the school are very good. The school gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve very well, particularly in Reception and Key Stages 1 and 2; they make very good progress in their academic and personal development and they enjoy their experiences at school. • Teaching and learning are very good because teachers have a very good understanding of autism and know how to meet the individual needs of pupils very well. • The leadership and management of the school are very good. The senior management team work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the school makes continuous improvement. • Pupils are managed very well despite their sometimes extremely challenging behaviour. • There is very good provision for pupils' health, safety and wellbeing because staff make exceptional efforts to address pupils' individual needs. • The school's partnership with parents is excellent and its work with local schools is very productive and effective.

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What could be improved

• There are some weaknesses in some aspects of the curriculum. At Key Stages 1 and 2, there is insufficient structure to ensure pupils progress through the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. The coverage of some subjects is narrow, for example, in history and geography. The curriculum at Key Stage 3 is narrow. The purpose of the sensory room is not clearly spelled out in terms of its value for pupils. • Because of the delay in the local education authority's decision making about a new site, the staffing and accommodation for Key Stage 3 pupils are inadequate to provide a broad and balanced curriculum. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the appropriate authority. Freemantles School - 5 Freemantles School - 6

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good improvements since the last inspection. The school makes extensive use of nationally recognised systems for communicating with pupils and for providing a secure framework within which autistic pupils can thrive. These systems have continued to evolve and are now extremely effective. There is still insufficient Speech and Language Therapy due to staffing difficulties in the local education authority. Nevertheless, the school is taking appropriate steps to address the shortfall. Provision for Occupational Therapy has been significantly improved and is now adequate. The school's pioneering work with parents has been recognised by the local education authority and parents themselves now have major responsibilities for developing and maintaining home-school relationships. Pupils are well involved in their own self-assessments at an appropriate level. The school's ability to

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

reflect on current practice enables continuous improvements to be made in provision.

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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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R 2 6 7

speaking and listening A A A B very good A

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R 2 6 7

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

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R 2 6 7

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

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R 2 6 7

Pupils achieve very well because they quickly learn to communicate their needs and there are very clear structures and routines that make school life predictable. As a result, pupils become increasingly confident, self-controlled and capable. The school's own analysis of data indicates very good progress against targets set for pupils. By the end of Key Stage 1, more able pupils read from simple story books and count to ten. By the end of Key Stage 2, the more able pupils write independently and multiply and divide one and two digit numbers. Year 7 pupils count to 100 in tens.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils enjoy coming to school and persevere well.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils learn to control their behaviour very well.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Through their growing ability to communicate, pupils make significant gains in developing their self-confidence.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. The school's attendance rate is higher than the national average. There is no unauthorised absence. Freemantles School - 7 Pupils learn to apply themselves to tasks and to complete them. They complete tasks even when they are initially reluctant because of the school's very good teaching strategies and the skilful management of pupils by the staff. Pupils learn to control their behaviour through a mixture of careful target setting and the use of consistent routines and strategies. Because pupils enjoy school, their attendance is very good. Relationships within the school are excellent.

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Teaching of pupils: Years R - 2 Years 3 – 7

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

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Teaching of pupils: Years R - 2 Years 3 – 7

The teaching is very good because of the high level of awareness among the staff of the nature of autism and how to meet pupils' individual learning needs. Although entirely satisfactory, the teaching in Key Stage 3 is limited by staffing and accommodation constraints. The school's systems for communication and for managing the learning environment for autistic pupils are coherent and consistent. Literacy and numeracy are very well addressed. All pupils have targets for information and communication technology. Individual learning needs are very well addressed because pupils receive individual support that is highly structured in each lesson. The pace of learning is very good and teachers manage pupils’ challenging behaviour extremely well. As a result, all pupils understand that they will take part in learning and complete the tasks set for them. Pupils are given clear feedback on their successes and

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Teaching of pupils: Years R - 2 Years 3 – 7

how to improve. As a result, their confidence is effectively nurtured and developed.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good for Reception children and pupils in Years 1-6. Satisfactory for Year 7 pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Very good. Provision for pupils' moral and social development are excellent. Provision for their spiritual development is very good and there is a satisfactory range of cultural activities especially in the local community.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. Staff know how to meet pupils' individual needs very well. The care and wellbeing of pupils has a high priority in the school.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2 is good because of the specific structures used by the school to support the learning of autistic pupils. There is good emphasis on the development of pupils’ communication, literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology, religious education and personal and social education. However, there are some weaknesses in the planning for coverage of the National Curriculum, for example, in history and geography. The curriculum for pupils in Key Stage 3 is insufficiently broad. The purpose of activities in the sensory room is not always clear. The school is very effective in providing for pupils' personal development.

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Aspect Comment

The quality of care for pupils is very good. Pupils' needs are well understood and met. There is very good oversight of pupils' development and their changing needs. Great care is taken to provide an attractive and safe environment for pupils. Pupils' dietary and medical needs are well understood and met. Freemantles School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides an outstanding role model in terms of her understanding of autism and her ability to manage people. The senior management team works very well together.

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Aspect Comment

How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities Good. The governing body is competent and takes its responsibilities very seriously. Governors know the school because they visit regularly and receive good information from the headteacher.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. There is an open dialogue within the school that enables teachers and support staff to reflect rigorously on its practice. The school gives very good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The school's resources are very well managed.

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Aspect Comment

The school benefits from outstanding leadership based on a thorough knowledge of autism and the skilful management of the staff. The governing body is effective and applies principles of best value well. The school openly debates educational issues and rigorously and honestly evaluates its performance.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy coming to school. • The teaching is good. • They would feel comfortable about approaching the school with issues. • The school works closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • A clearer understanding of the work their children are expected to do at home.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agreed with all the positive points made by parents. They found the work pupils were expected to do at home to be appropriate. Parents at their meeting generally understood the targets set for their children and knew how to work on these at home. Inspectors found that there is excellent communication between home and school. Freemantles School - 9

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Pupils achieve very well; they make very good progress in their academic and personal

development and they enjoy their experiences at school.

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Pupils achieve very well; they make very good progress in their academic and personal

1. Pupils achieve very well. This represents an improvement in pupils' achievement since the last inspection. Pupils under five are beginning to understand how to use books and compose sentences using symbols. They are beginning to identify different three-dimensional shapes. By the end of Key Stage 1, the more able pupils write independently, read simple reading books and count up to 10. For example, they count the spots during a game using dice. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils write under words or copy script. They know the names of the days of the week and read timetables for a whole day. They write using capital letters and punctuation when they write stories on a computer. The more able pupils write with increasing fluency and multiply and divide one and two digit numbers. Year 7 pupils continue to develop their reading and writing skills making use of symbols where appropriate. The more able count to 100 and learn to count in tens. Pupils

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Pupils achieve very well; they make very good progress in their academic and personal

make very good progress in achieving the targets set for them in information and communication technology and it is effectively used to reinforce pupils' understanding.

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Pupils achieve very well; they make very good progress in their academic and personal

2. Throughout the school, pupils make very good progress in developing self-confidence and in their ability to work and communicate with others. Some pupils use the picture exchange system to make jokes. This is because teachers make very good use of picture symbols and they are imaginative in their selection of teaching strategies. Pupils understand the school's consistent routines, for example, each pupil uses his or her own schedule of work for the day. They learn to take turns, for example, when blowing bubbles, and they follow instructions. In lessons, pupils are very well motivated and frequently apply themselves with considerable diligence. Even the youngest pupils in Key Stage 1 learn how conflicts develop in the playground, and ways of avoiding them, because of the sensitive and skilful way in which teachers help them to understand situations. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are increasingly co-operative and supportive of their peers, for

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Pupils achieve very well; they make very good progress in their academic and personal

example, they encourage each other and occasionally applaud the efforts of peers. Pupils take turns to support each other in a dance lesson. Older pupils, in Year 7, gain considerable confidence from having lessons in a neighbouring school with their peers.

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Pupils achieve very well; they make very good progress in their academic and personal

3. Pupils thoroughly enjoy being in school and all but one of the parents recognised this to be the case in their responses to the parents' questionnaire. Pupils often take part in activities with great enthusiasm and listen well to others. The school uses coherent and consistent systems to ensure that pupils develop as much independence as possible.

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Teaching and learning are very good because teachers have a very good understanding of

autism and know how to meet the individual needs of pupils very well.

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Teaching and learning are very good because teachers have a very good understanding of

4. Teaching overall has improved since the last inspection. It is very good because the staff have a very good understanding of how to meet the needs of pupils with autism. All the staff have personal skills of a high order that ensure each pupil is treated respectfully. Pupils' appropriate behaviour is reinforced very well. Even the most reluctant pupils are persuaded to join in activities. Teachers and support staff have very good understanding of the individual needs of pupils because there is a great deal of discussion at a formal and informal level about the needs of each pupil.

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Teaching and learning are very good because teachers have a very good understanding of

5. Planning is detailed and individual needs are acknowledged specifically. In the best lessons, teachers have a particularly clear understanding of individual learning outcomes in terms of what it is intended that pupils should know, understand and be able to do. Staff are totally committed to finding increasingly effective ways of ensuring that pupils learn. Issues are thoroughly discussed and analysed and the teachers are open to trying new ways of ensuring pupils are involved in their learning. Great emphasis is placed on clear and unambiguous communication with pupils and there is a good humoured but sensitive insistence that pupils respond appropriately. Activities are frequently changed to maintain pupils' motivation and involvement and routine activities are very well Freemantles School - 10 interspersed with new learning. The organisation of lessons ensures that pupils are given sufficient

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Teaching and learning are very good because teachers have a very good understanding of

individual attention to enable learning to take place at an appropriate level. Support staff competently evaluate the learning while pupils are engaged in routine tasks. There is excellent teamwork and support staff work seamlessly with teachers. Some support staff take substantial responsibility; for example, one takes dance lessons.

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Teaching and learning are very good because teachers have a very good understanding of

6. The consistent and widespread use of picture symbols allows all pupils to communicate and promotes their independence extremely well. The resources that are used are highly effective and often tailored to pupils' particular learning needs. The organisation of classrooms helps to develop pupils' independence.

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Teaching and learning are very good because teachers have a very good understanding of

7. The teaching is particularly good because the pupils' basic skills of literacy, numeracy and personal and social skills are so consistently and effectively developed. For example, in a lesson with Year 1 pupils at the end of the day, the teacher read from a big book and managed the transition to snack time effortlessly. Her excellent use of picture symbols and skilful management enabled pupils to rehearse their communication skills and their social skills whilst boosting their self-confidence and independence. Learning is reinforced well in different situations and there is a productive balance between new learning and consolidation of previous learning. Pupils' self-confidence is developed and enhanced through continuous affirmation by adults. Pupils are carefully assessed and the understanding gained is used very well by teachers to devise further learning opportunities.

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Teaching and learning are very good because teachers have a very good understanding of

8. As a result of the school's highly structured approach to teaching, pupils are usually purposefully occupied by activities in lessons. They understand how to communicate their needs albeit with substantial adult support and they understand that they must complete activities. They expect to be involved and, even despite a lot of resistance in some instances, they complete the activity that has been planned for them.

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Teaching and learning are very good because teachers have a very good understanding of

9. In lessons that are satisfactory but not any better, teachers provide limited challenge for pupils or the pupils are insufficiently actively involved in their learning. For example, pupils are given new information or taught new skills but opportunities for applying the knowledge or skills are not addressed. Nevertheless, four out of five lessons were at least good and there was no unsatisfactory teaching.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

10. Leadership in the school is informed by a deep understanding of autism and outstanding skills of people management. There are excellent working relationships because everyone has a very clear understanding of his or her role within the school. As a result, everyone is able to use her or his initiative. Every member of the staff feels supported and valued because the headteacher and other members of the senior management team are highly visible and lead by example. Communication is very good and this is evident in the very consistent practice throughout all aspects of the school. The very high levels of leadership and management have been well maintained since the previous inspection.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

11. There is very good teamwork at all levels in the school: within the senior management team, within key stages, within individual classrooms and within the governing body. Teams become increasingly effective through the ways in which issues are openly debated and resolved. The headteacher and her staff understand the needs of each pupil very well. Teachers are helped to develop an appropriate range of strategies for meeting pupils' individual needs. Each teacher is supported by a more experienced colleague and support staff are supported by class teachers.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

12. Performance management is well grounded in other monitoring systems and is increasingly becoming linked to the monitoring of pupils' progress and the identification of whole school priorities. The school's strategies for monitoring individual pupils' progress through the pre-National Curriculum levels are well developed. Freemantles School - 11 13. The governing body is composed of a good range of experienced and committed people who understand how they can support the school and take their work seriously. For example, one of the parents has taken over developing links with parents. They are well informed about the school and respect its work as a result of regular visits.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

14. A climate of open and rigorous educational debate has been successfully established. The staff are strenuous in their attempts to meet individual needs. The school has continued to develop and since the last inspection there have been very good improvements in the provision. The school applies the principles of best value to its decision making very well.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

Pupils are managed very well despite their sometimes extremely challenging behaviour.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

15. The challenging behaviour demonstrated by many pupils as a result of their learning difficulties is extremely well managed. The school's behaviour policy is very consistently implemented. The behaviour management programmes for pupils are excellent. Staff are extremely skilful in avoiding confrontation with pupils. They have very positive relationships with pupils and teamwork between staff is outstanding.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

16. Every opportunity is taken to ensure that pupils develop their independence. All pupils are expected to use their own work schedules to understand what the activity is and when it is finished. Teachers are meticulous in asking pupils to check what is on their work schedules. Pupils use a range of individualised picture exchange programmes to make their needs known to staff. Teachers and support staff help pupils to take responsibility for these. Anxious pupils make very good use of descriptions of events, social stories, to understand situations. More able pupils write these for themselves. As a result, pupils make very good progress in learning to co-operate and in controlling their behaviour.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

17. The events in the day are very well managed to ensure that pupils remain on task. There is a period of intense physical activity first thing in the morning when pupils arrive having spent time sitting still in the school transport. Activities within lessons are changed very frequently so that pupils do not become frustrated. There is a period of relaxation at the beginning of the afternoon to counteract the active session of play at lunchtimes. There is a period of reflection on the day at its end. The contrasts and harmony of the day help pupils to concentrate and apply themselves in lessons.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

18. The organisation of the classrooms is very well considered to ensure that pupils benefit from learning experiences. For example, there are named individual work-stations for each pupil with notices that make it clear that these are solely for the use of pupils unless they would like support from an adult. During class discussions, seats are arranged in a horseshoe to ensure that all pupils have equal access to the teacher's attention.

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work very effectively together. Under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher the

19. The school's use of rewards and sanctions is consistent and thorough. The system serves to reinforce the pupils' self-confidence, their understanding that events are predictable and that appropriate behaviour is rewarded. Pupils' behaviour throughout the school is very good. There is no evidence of bullying. The school takes pride in its ability to contain pupils and avoid any exclusions. Pupils enjoy school very much and the school's attendance rate is very good. The school's high standards of behaviour management have been sustained since the previous inspection despite an increase in the incidence of challenging behaviour among pupils. This represents very good improvement.

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There is very good provision for pupils' health, safety and wellbeing because staff make

exceptional efforts to address pupils' individual needs.

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There is very good provision for pupils' health, safety and wellbeing because staff make

20. The staff's high levels of understanding of pupils' individual needs coupled with excellent behaviour management strategies ensure that pupils' wellbeing is very well maintained. Procedures for ensuring pupils' safety from the beginning to the end of the day are exemplary. Staff are vigilant but low key. Freemantles School - 12 21. Child protection procedures are well understood by everyone. Pupils' privacy is respected. Lunchtimes and break times are well planned and make valuable contributions to pupils' personal and social development. There are very good links with outside agencies including the occupational therapist. There is still insufficient speech and language therapy, but the school is taking positive and imaginative steps to address the shortfall caused by staffing difficulties in the local education authority. Pupils' records are very well kept and used productively to guide decisions for the future.

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There is very good provision for pupils' health, safety and wellbeing because staff make

The school is very well maintained, safe and orderly.

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There is very good provision for pupils' health, safety and wellbeing because staff make

22. The school currently has no policy on exclusions because it works so closely with parents to ensure that pupils' needs are met. However, in light of the changes projected for the school's expansion, this matter should be addressed.

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The school's partnership with parents is excellent and its work with local schools is very

23. The school works very hard with parents in the belief that they are crucial partners in their child's development. As soon as staff have got to know new pupils, the headteacher has an interview with the child, the parents and the class teacher, in their first term, to identify the pupil's needs. The school works very closely with parents in all aspects of the school. Additionally, the school has won the local education authority's Working with Parents Award. The evidence compiled constitutes a model of its kind. As a result, parents are well engaged and view the school extremely favourably. There was a very high return on the parents' questionnaires and the parents' meeting was very well attended. The feedback in both cases was very positive.

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The school's partnership with parents is excellent and its work with local schools is very

24. As a result of gaining Beacon status, the school works extremely closely with other local schools, helping them to address issues relating to the education of pupils who are on the autistic spectrum. The work is very thoughtfully and professionally carried out and there is an increasing range of the school's staff who contribute to the programme. The programmes are very well evaluated and amendments made on the basis of the evidence from the feedback. These activities help to generate a robust debate about autism that enables all teachers and support staff, within the school and beyond, to gain a deeper understanding of issues. The school is currently preparing to present a national conference for professionals on the educational, health and social problems encountered by parents in supporting their autistic children. This is to be led by parents alongside professionals.

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curriculum is restricted at Key Stage 3. The purpose of the sensory room is not clearly spelled

25. The school provides a good range of learning opportunities for children in Reception and Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils. The timetabled sessions are of a good length. There are very good structures for enabling communication and for providing clear routines for autistic pupils. The quality of provision for information and communication technology, art, music and personal and social development is good. Very good use is made of the soft play area. There are very good eating programmes and behaviour plans. Religious education is taught in accordance with the Locally Agreed Syllabus.

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curriculum is restricted at Key Stage 3. The purpose of the sensory room is not clearly spelled

26. Day-to-day planning is good. It is detailed and relates very well to pupils' individual learning needs and is well related to whole school planning. The statutory requirements of the National Curriculum are met, overall. However, the focus of the planning for coverage of the National Curriculum is topic based, rather than addressing what it is intended that pupils should know, understand and be able to do. As a result, all pupils do not always have access to a sufficiently wide range of areas of the National Curriculum, for example, history and geography to develop breadth and ensure progression. The school should now address how the clear structures for communication and personal and social education relate to the programmes of study within the National Curriculum. Freemantles School - 13 27. At Key Stage 3, although statutory requirements are currently met, the curriculum is narrow due to

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curriculum is restricted at Key Stage 3. The purpose of the sensory room is not clearly spelled

the lack of expertise and specialist accommodation in this key stage. Although good use is made of a neighbouring school to deliver design and technology and physical education, the curriculum is largely delivered by one teacher. Whilst the curriculum at this key stage is currently just adequate, it will not remain so as pupils move through the key stage. The issue relating to long-term planning identified as a weakness in Key Stages 1 and 2 becomes more significant as pupils move into this later key stage. In consultation with the local education authority, the school should address how it intends to provide an effective Key Stage 3 curriculum in the interim between now and the projected date for moving to a new site in 2004 and beyond.

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curriculum is restricted at Key Stage 3. The purpose of the sensory room is not clearly spelled

28. Although very good use is made of the soft play area, the purpose of the sensory room is not always clear in relation to the provision of other experiences. For example, one class used the sensory room directly after a period of relaxation, but the learning targets were mainly concerned with calming down, resting and relaxing. The school should develop a clear policy on the use of this provision to ensure its effective use.

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curriculum is restricted at Key Stage 3. The purpose of the sensory room is not clearly spelled

Staffing and accommodation for Key Stage 3 pupils are inadequate.

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curriculum is restricted at Key Stage 3. The purpose of the sensory room is not clearly spelled

29. The projected date for the move to a new site in 2004 may be optimistic in light of the fact that, at the time of the inspection, no appropriate site had been identified. Nevertheless, the numbers of pupils remaining in the school during Key Stage 3 and 4 will grow. There is currently no adequate space for teaching science, design and technology or physical education. In addition, the space available for further classrooms is limited. Neither is there any Key Stage 3 expertise among the staff. These gaps in accommodation and in staffing will make delivery of the National Curriculum increasingly difficult. It is important that this issue is addressed with the local education authority as a matter of urgency.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to improve the provision even further, the headteacher, senior management team and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i) review and modify the curriculum at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 in order to:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensure progressive coverage of the Programmes of Study; and • improve the benefits for pupils of experiences in the sensory room.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ii) with the local education authority, continue to address the staffing and accommodation issues relating to provision at Key Stage 3.

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than three 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 72

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 7

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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 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Freemantles School - 15

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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 2 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

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14.5 Financial year 2001/2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Total income 966,063

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total expenditure 912,622

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 53 Expenditure per pupil 13,621

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 1179 Balance brought forward from previous year 113,941

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 53,441 Freemantles School - 16

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 7.5

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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

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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. Freemantles School - 17

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 69 29 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 54 38 3 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 42 34 14 0 10

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 71 27 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 90 10 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 24 5 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 80 18 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 92 8 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 31 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 68 27 5 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

There was a high number of written responses that were overwhelmingly positive about the school.

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