Albright Education Centre

WHITEHEATH PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT

Dates of inspection: 7 th - 10 th October, 2002

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WHITEHEATH PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT

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

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WHITEHEATH PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

School category: Pupil Referral Unit, Home and Hospital Tuition

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Unit address: Throne Road, Rowley Regis, Warley, Sandwell.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Appropriate authority: Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Name of responsible officer Mr Jon McCabe

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Date of previous inspection: 30 th November - 3 rd December 1998 Whiteheath PRU - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21138 Adrian Simm Registered inspector Mathematics

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Design and technology What sort of school is it? How high are the standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9176 Gillian Barker Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 21292 Stuart Russell Team inspector English Music Religious education Educational inclusion How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

10781 Bob Thompson Team inspector Science Art and design Information and communication technology Physical education Special educational needs How well does the school care for its pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

85 Shores Green Drive Wincham Northwich Cheshire CW9 6EJ Whiteheath PRU - 5 Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Whiteheath PRU - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

The Whitheath Pupil Referral Unit provides full-time education for pupils between the ages of 11 and 16 years and part-time education for pupils receiving home or hospital tuition between the ages of four and 16 years. No pupils under the age of five and no Year 7 pupils were on roll during the inspection. Pupils who travel to the unit for full-time education receive just over 21 hours of teaching each week. Pupils attend the unit from across the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell. They may be referred at any time during the year. The unit is funded for a maximum number of 56 full-time pupils. Currently, there are 20 boys and 20 girls on roll. A further 27 pupils are currently being taught on home tuition. A very high majority of pupils are of white ethnic background. No pupils have English as an additional language. The centre is for pupils with medical, social, psychological or psychiatric needs who find education in mainstream schools very difficult. As a result, the attainment of pupils

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

on entry to the unit is well below that expected for their age. Only rarely do pupils have a statement of special educational need. For those pupils in Years 10 and 11, re-integration into mainstream schools is less likely and as such, alternative provision incorporating a planned programme of vocational education is carried out. The unit has recently increased the amount of time that pupils are taught and has plans to evaluate these changes in the near future.

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HOW GOOD THE UNIT IS

The unit is highly effective in its provision for pupils in the unit and for home and hospital tuition. Very good teaching and learning throughout the service ensure that pupils achieve very well both academically and in their personal development. Pupils' attitudes to work, to each other and to staff are very mature. This is because the leadership and management by the teacher-in-charge and her deputy are very good. All staff lead their areas of responsibility very well. The unit achieves these results with a budget that is about average nationally for similar provision and as a result, provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE UNIT IS

What the unit does well  On entry to the unit, staff recognise quickly the academic and social needs of the individual pupils and provide for them very well. As a result, pupils achieve highly. Pupils' achievement in art and design is outstanding and they achieve very well in English.  Teaching and learning are excellent in art and very good in English, science, geography, history, French and personal, social and health education(PSHE).  The staff provides very well for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This ensures pupils' attitudes to work, relationships within the unit and personal development are very impressive.  Staff provide very good learning opportunities , including vocational education that are 'brought to life' through very strong links with the community and other units and schools.  The unit, including home and hospital tuition functions extremely well because experienced and very

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HOW GOOD THE UNIT IS

knowledgeable staff have the support and leadership of a highly effective teacher-in-charge and her deputy. Together, they are very clear about the unit's strengths and areas for further development.

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HOW GOOD THE UNIT IS

What could be improved  More formal monitoring of life in the unit to support new staff, to improve some pupils' attendance, to track pupils' progress , to achieve a more consistent quality of individual pastoral plans and end of year reports to parents. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the local education authority.

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HOW THE UNIT HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The unit was last inspected in 1998 and shows very good improvement. Overall, standards have improved very well with particular strides forward in mathematics, science, geography, French and information and communication technology (ICT), The quality of teaching is now far higher than before and curriculum planning has been improved. Much has been done to improve the accommodation, grounds and resources for learning. The unit has worked very hard on the issues noted for development at the last inspection. Very recently, staff have introduced steps towards providing full-time education for the pupils in the unit and increased educational time for pupils on home tuition. This is going well and the unit has plans to extend time even more. Only in Whiteheath PRU - 8 pupils' attendance have levels fallen slightly but this is mainly linked with one or two pupils with particular difficulties. The unit has the capacity to maintain these high standards.

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STANDARDS

The table summarises inspectors’ judgements about how well pupils are achieving in relation to their individual targets. Progress in: by Year 9 by Year 11 Key

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STANDARDS

personal, social and health education A A unsatisfactory D other personal targets set at annual reviews or in IEPs* A A poor E * IEPs are individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs

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STANDARDS

Pupils' attainment on entry is very varied and for many pupils it can be up to six years behind that expected for their age. Despite the unit offering pupils only part-time education until September 2002, pupils' achievement has been rapid. By the time they leave, most pupils have gained nationally recognised qualifications such as the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or accreditation in the Certificate of Achievement. The percentage of pupils gaining five or more grades A* to G and five or more grades A* to C in GCSE improved between 2001 and 2002. There is no significant difference in trends between boys and girls. Pupils achieve very well In English, mathematics, science and PSHE. Literacy and numeracy skills are being developed very well in a broad range of subjects. Achievement in art is excellent in a broad range of media. It is very good in geography and history where pupils do very well in understanding their own lives in the context of other places and in how

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STANDARDS

life has changed from the past. Achievement in ICT is good both in learning the skills of using the equipment and in how ICT can improve learning in a broad range of subjects. Consistently time-tabled provision for French has only been fully in place since September. Pupils have much lost ground to make up but they are achieving well already. Targets set in individual pastoral plans that are clear enough to be assessed show that pupils make very good progress in meeting them. This includes those with special educational needs.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the unit Pupils' attitudes to work are very good. They take pride in their work because they know that they themselves are valued by the staff.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good both in the unit and elsewhere. For example, pupils attending the sports centre, the allotment and on a visit to the Council House as part of their citizenship work, act very responsibly.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils work very well independently and also in pairs or small groups. They rise to challenges set for them such as work experience or organising their own concert.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance falls short of that expected in mainstream education. However, individual levels of attendance by many pupils represent a considerable improvement since they started at the unit.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Although there is an occasional bout of noisy behaviour, the response to discipline is quick. Staff handle any more serious outburst effectively. Pupils are tolerant of such episodes and continue with their activities. Whiteheath PRU - 9

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching and learning are slightly stronger in Years 10 and 11 than in Years 8 and 9. This is because the quality of learning improves after a settling-in period, when pupils have begun to respond more to the caring and supportive approach adopted by staff. Overall, in nine out of ten lessons seen during the inspection, teaching and learning were good or better. Over half of lessons were very good or excellent. Teaching and learning in English, science and personal, social and health education are very good. It was good in mathematics. The unit meets the needs of all pupils very well including those on home and hospital tuition. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught very well and ICT skills are taught well across a broad range of subjects. Teaching and learning in art are excellent and they are very good in geography, history and French. Because of good lesson planning, the quality of learning improves within a framework for each subject. Staff have very good knowledge of their subjects and

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

are self-critical and review their work to see how they could teach better , although this is not yet as formal as it might be. Teachers frequently link lessons to practical experience, which is effective in enthusing pupils. This is done very well in English, science, art, ICT, music therapy and leisure pursuits. Improvements are planned in field trips for French, geography and history when finances allow. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. In the very few lessons that were satisfactory, the organisation of the lesson did not always ensure that all pupils had their fair share of the teacher's attention, which led to some uncertainty about their learning. Also, on occasions, the classroom support assistant was not used as effectively as she might have been to support pupils' learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

The quality and range of the curriculum Learning opportunities are very good and include opportunities designed to prepare pupils for the next stage in their life whether back in mainstream schools, further education, training or work.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good because of the individual nature of the planning and support offered. However, pupils' individual pastoral plans are not kept in a consistent way and some are clearer than others.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. The unit aims above all to promote self-respect and to make it clear that all individuals have value. Staff succeed very well in this.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

How well the unit cares for its pupils This is good overall. The unit is a secure and safe environment in which to work. There are suitable systems to safeguard pupils’ access to the internet, which parents are aware of. The teachers know the pupils very well both in the unit and on home tuition. They give pupils every encouragement in their activities. The hospital tuition works very co-operatively and flexibly with medical staff

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE UNIT

The staff do much to ensure that the unit's links with parents are effective. The support pupils receive in settling them into the unit, sometimes after long periods out of school, is very good. Whilst the tutor system is a focal point for this, all staff play an integral part including those with specific roles, such as the music therapist. The teamwork is outstanding. Some reports to parents on pupils' progress are very clear, although this is not the case for all pupils. Whiteheath PRU - 10

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage-ment by the teacher in charge and other key staff The teacher-in-charge and her deputy are very good in ensuring that the unit improves continually and is very effective in what it offers pupils and their families. The unit has developed a very strong team spirit and methods of working in which all staff lead areas of responsibility very well. This includes home and hospital tuition.

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the management committee fulfils its responsibilities The management committee fulfils its responsibilities appropriately. It receives a range of data about the unit. For example, it checks to see how well the service is developing and has recently been involved in reviewing the admissions criteria for the unit. This has not yet been finalised.

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

The unit’s evaluation of its performance The unit has available a good range of data which it uses to analyse and improve pupils’ achievement and teaching and learning. This data is kept in a range of ways devised by individual staff that is not always readily understood by others. The unit has started to formalise this more but has not yet gone far enough. Senior staff have taken some action to monitor teaching and learning but the arrangements are not yet sufficiently streamlined.

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The unit only has control over a small amount of its funding. This is generally used effectively. The accommodation at the unit and the hospital is used very well and flexibly to match pupils' changing needs. Staff's expertise is used to very good effect across the service.

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HOW WELL THE UNIT IS LED AND MANAGED

Staff have a broad spread of relevant expertise and are very experienced. The accommodation at the unit is continually being improved and is now good. The ICT suite is a recent development, which together with the development of staff's ICT skills, have improved teaching and learning. Much has been done to make the unit and the hospital classroom welcoming and attractive places in which to learn. In return, the pupils look after them very well. Resources for learning are good. Where the principles of best value can be applied, this is done well. It is difficult for the service to compare itself against other similar provision elsewhere.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE UNIT

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved  Pupils are expected to work hard and achieve their best;  It is easy to approach staff with questions or problems;  Pupils are becoming mature and responsible;  Pupils are making good progress.  Most parents were very happy with the provision and raised no issues.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE UNIT

Inspectors agree with parents about the strengths of the education offered to their children. They agree also with those parents who have written to the unit highly appreciative of the difference the service makes to their children's lives and prospects. Whiteheath PRU - 11

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Pupils enter the unit at different ages and at different times in the year. Their attainment on entry is very varied. It ranges from pupils who are up to six years behind that expected for their age to those who were doing well in mainstream school but lost ground or impetus in their learning. The majority of entrants are well behind what would be expected of pupils of the same age. Until September 2002, the unit was organised to offer part-time education. Despite this, pupils' standards frequently improved very well and many made more progress in twelve months part-time education than would have been expected of them in one-year full-time education. The majority of pupils who reintegrate quickly into mainstream education are on home tuition. Few pupils reintegrate from the unit. For those pupils who go on to college without returning to their original school, most gain nationally recognised qualifications such as the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

accreditation in the Certificate of Achievement. The percentage of pupils gaining five or more grades A* to G and five or more grades A* to C in GCSE improved between 2001 and 2002.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. English is a strength of the unit. The pupils make very good progress. In English in 2002 the unit had a 100 per cent pass rate in the Entry Level Certificate. This was at Level 3, which is the highest level. Similarly it had a 100 per cent success rate of pupils achieving A to F passes in English GCSE, with 28 per cent of pupils achieving an A to C grade. Since the last inspection, the average percentage of pupils achieving an A to C grade has been 34.4 per cent, with 46 per cent achieving this in 2001. This is an improvement on standards at the time of the last inspection. Overall, the trend over the last five years has been one of steady improvement. External moderation reports for both the English Entry Level Certificate and GCSE, comment that the 'teachers have enabled candidates of all abilities to respond successfully and enthusiastically to the syllabi'. This reflects well upon the unit's

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

effectiveness in enabling all pupils to succeed in English. The teachers do this by setting a range of tasks appropriate for all abilities.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Although below average in the national tests at the end of Year 9, pupils make very good progress through Years 10 and 11.They gain a very good grasp of writing for different situations. They read fluently and comprehend well. Standards of speaking and listening are good. The pupils discuss what they read with respect for one another's opinions; for instance, when describing the characteristics of a hero with reference to Beowulf or when discussing Dickens. They use ICT effectively. A Year 8 pupil prepared a report on a holiday resort. She presented it in writing using ICT and then recorded it on tape , as though it were part of a holiday programme on television or radio. The pupils achieve very well in English because they are very well taught. Pupils learn rapidly. Two lessons observed were excellent. In one of these lessons, pupils used role-play most effectively to explore the motives and character

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. In mathematics, pupils' achievement is very good. In Year 9, pupils work accurately on multiples of numbers between six and ten, plot line graphs with understanding, use different techniques to divide two-digit numbers by one digit numbers, successfully plot compass points and with adult help, consolidate their understanding of the terms 'mean' and 'mode'. All pupils check their answers using calculators, extend their numeracy skills and improve their ability to solve problems. By Year 10, pupils are very clear how to work out the mean of as many as 42 numbers using a calculator and how to follow a pattern and find missing numbers Whiteheath PRU - 12 in algebra. However, some uncertainty still exits in knowing the difference between the mean and the median of a set of numbers. Many pupils take care with the presentation of their results and are obviously proud of their work. By Year 11, higher attaining pupils are mostly

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

accurate in working on, for example, simultaneous equations and compound interest. They are clear what they are doing and to which part of their calculations they need to look, should their answers at times go slightly astray. For pupils, many of whom entered the unit with an understanding in mathematics that was between two and six years behind their chronological age, this is very good achievement. In July 2002, ten pupils in Year 11 achieved passes at GCSE ranging from level C to F. Also, for pupils on home and hospital tuition, who invariably have less time to respond to the high quality of teaching, the quality of the learning opportunity results in very good achievement. Excellent one-to-one support offered to a pupil in hospital helped him to overcome some uncertainties he had from his mainstream schoolwork, for example, about how to carry out a set of algebraic processes in the right order to achieve the given answer.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In science, pupils achieve highly from a baseline, which is well below national expectations on entry to the unit. This is because of the very high standard of teaching, which leads to pupils' very good attitudes and response to the subject. This is very good improvement since the last inspection. By Year 9, pupils are making very good progress in practical work, learning to predict, carry out experiments and record results. For example, they are learning how to identify chemicals and household substances and tell the difference between acid and alkali. By the end of Year 9, pupils make salts and learn how to write word equations to record their work. By Year 11, pupils investigate how solids dissolve to form solutions. They investigate factors, which would speed up the process of dissolving, such as heat. In their experiments they predict what they think will happen, carry out the experiment, record their

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

results accurately and discuss their findings. Health and safety factors are observed rigorously. Pupils are learning how to link science to ICT effectively by using data logging, and using word-processing, graphs and charts to record their results. They also use the Internet well to research topics, such as how humans affect the environment by building, quarrying, farming and dumping waste. By Year 11, all pupils are entered for external accreditation. In July 2002, seven pupils achieved passes at GCSE, ranging from level C to G. Pupils improve their literacy skills by reading instructions and key words and writing and word-processing their results. They enhance their numeracy skills, for example, by measuring, using a stopwatch to time experiments and weighing materials they need. Working together, taking turns and seeing other people’s points of view during discussions enhances pupils’ personal and social skills very well.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Religious education is taught as part of the pupils' PSHE in which they achieve very well. The subject makes a significant contribution to the very good attitudes of the pupils. The religious education element of the curriculum includes units like 'Founders and Leaders', 'Places of Faith' and 'Symbolism'. Topics like these contribute very effectively to the positive preparation of the pupils for life in a diverse society. By the end of Year 11, pupils have acquired a good knowledge of aspects of Christianity and other world religions represented in the United Kingdom.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. On entry to the centre, pupils ability in ICT is well below national expectations as many have had interruptions to their education and been absent from formal education for some time. After a short time in the centre, pupils achieve well. In 2002, all Year 10 pupils studying ICT as an option choice passed their entry level examinations at Grade 3 whilst nine pupils at Year 11gained GCSE levels C to E in a 'short-course'. This is good improvement since the last inspection when ICT was deemed to be unsatisfactory. Whiteheath PRU - 13 8. By Year 9, pupils use word-processing well. They use commercial programmes, which provide templates to write letters. They log on, find and open programmes they need. They access their work easily, save it and close down correctly. By Year 11, pupils increase their ICT skills and create World Wide Web (WWW) pages on the Internet. A Year 10 pupil created a ‘garage page’, and then accessed the Internet to compare his page with other

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

professional pages on the net. He discussed how he could improve it. Cross-curricular use of ICT is good. For example, Year 10 pupils created a 'power-point' presentation of 'Twelfth Night', showing all the characters with a short pen picture. In mathematics, they use a range of programmes, which provide charts and graphs. In geography, they have access to CDs and inter-active programmes. The geography room is well displayed with pupils’ work illustrating their competency to research independently. In a Year 10 lesson on ‘volcanoes’, one pupil clearly explained to the teacher how he found a web-site that would give him all the information he needed on volcanoes around the world. The ICT policy document shows clear links to all national curriculum subjects. ICT makes a positive contribution to pupils’ social and moral development. Pupils learn to share, work independently and together at times, take

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

turns and discuss opinions. ICT positively contributes to pupils’ cultural development by giving access to research topics across the world. Pupils study foreign cultures and compare and contrast traditions and customs with their own.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. In art and design, excellent standards of work are produced with all age groups. Pupils make excellent progress. This applies to the investigation and making aspects of the subject and to pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Pupils produce a wide range of work in both two and three dimensions. They use an extensive range of media and techniques. This represents very good improvement since the last inspection. The excellent standards which pupils achieve and progress made, are in the main due to the very high quality teaching and leadership, which this subject enjoys. In July 2002, six pupils passed GCSE. Art and design is a strength of the unit's curriculum provision. The very high standard of work, which is displayed throughout the centre, contributes significantly to the excellent ethos illustrating the commitment of all staff.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils’ achievement in geography and history is very good. By the end of Year 9, pupils are building up their understanding of vegetation and wildlife in the equatorial rainforests in geography and the roles of individual people in Britain's industrial revolution in history. They are well able to discuss the differences, for example, in the length of day, temperature and rainfall between Britain and equatorial regions and to read and record results using line and block graphs. In history, pupils research different individuals. For example, they offer reasons why Britain became an advanced industrial country due to its rivers, transport systems and raw materials. They begin to relate this to entrepreneurs such as Wedgwood. By Year 11, pupils undertake case studies, such as the effects of tourism on an island like Menorca and the issues of public health and housing in Britain over 100 years ago. Pupils

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

who opted to take the subjects to GCSE level in 2002 gained passes ranging from grade C to grade G. Some pupils entered the unit up to five years behind in their work in comparison with pupils of the same age. Those higher attaining pupils who were only around two years behind have progressed so well that they are predicted C or B grades in GCSE for 2003. 11. Up until September 2002, provision for French was inconsistent and information about pupils' achievement is patchy. Some pupils gained grades E and F in GCSE in 2002. However, there is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on pupils' achievement prior to this date. From September, a new teacher was appointed and teaching and learning are very good. Pupils are progressing well. Pupils in Year 9 are consolidating vocabulary and learning new words and phrases. They recap numbers up to 59, learn new numbers up to 100 and describe simple likes and dislikes. Pupils in Year 11 are well prepared to respond to

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

questions in French such as 'How are you?' and 'What did you do this weekend?' Also, they are developing an understanding of how to express what they like and don't like and how to Whiteheath PRU - 14 use the past tense in conversation and written text. Some pupils have already been predicted a GCSE grade D but are aiming higher.

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The unit’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Pupils make good use of leisure activities outside the centre, such as badminton at a local sports centre. Pupils understand the need for a good warm up, to ensure they do not pull muscles. They practise skills and put these into a game situation. Pupils learn new skills and knowledge, such as the terms serve, drive, and lob used during badminton matches. They learn the rules to score a game. Their behaviour, attitude and responses to badminton are good. They put great effort into the games and play in a very sporting manner. They are very well behaved in a public centre, and staff and pupils are duly proud of the way in which they conduct themselves. These activities make a good contribution to pupils’ social and moral development through their individual work, being part of teams and playing to, and accepting, rules.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Attitudes are very good. Pupils take a pride in the unit and value it because they realise that they themselves are valued. The neatness of their books and the high quality work, for example, in art, show that they take care with their work and are proud of it. They are pleased to show their work to inspectors whether it is a word-processed invitation or a theatrical mask. They are prepared to engage in conversation. It is clear that they feel at ease with the social interaction of the unit and enjoy the calm, welcoming atmosphere with its underpinning of moral values. A comment was made by a pupil that it is a small place, comfortable and cosy. In the morning all pupils enter in a purposeful manner and either gather in the social area or play with a ball outside. They manage their time efficiently and arrive for lessons without the prompting of a bell.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils feel safe, therefore they are prepared to engage in role-play and discussion with enthusiasm in, for example, English. In a PSHE lesson on the effects of alcohol, they listened to one another’s point of view sensibly. Pupils respond well to good questioning, take turns and co-operate in pairs, such as in science. They concentrate well, as long as the lesson moves with pace, and so the standard of their work is generally high. They take part in the range of activities, which is on offer and are keen to share them with visitors. A group involved in running an allotment was particularly concerned that it should be visited during the inspection. As a result of work with a local councillor on citizenship, a group of Year 9 pupils produced a proposal for a new sports hall. They tested public opinion and prepared a good case for their proposal, which included an artist’s impression of the end result.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Behaviour is very good. Pupils behave very well in class, thus allowing the work to proceed. Very effective teaching helps this. They treat the building and grounds with respect. There is little litter and monitors help to tidy up after lunch. There is a good response to the quality of furnishings and fittings and to the fact that everything is clean and attractive. Pupils are neatly and sensibly dressed and look smart and well turned out. Although there is an occasional bout of noisy behaviour, the response to discipline is quick. Staff handle any more serious outbursts effectively. Pupils are tolerant of such episodes and continue with their activities. Last year’s three short-term exclusions were for bullying, for which there is zero tolerance.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Personal relationships and personal development are very good. Parents feel that the unit helps their children become more mature and responsible. The inspection findings support this conclusion. Pupils respond very well to opportunities to work in pairs, teams or independently. They rise to the challenges, such as work experience, putting on a concert, attending an outdoor centre or helping at a local voluntary clothing store. As a result they Whiteheath PRU - 15 make good social contacts and manage themselves very well in a range of situations. Very good relationships are characteristic of the unit both between pupils and their teachers and among the pupils themselves. Despite the recent merger of groups, on the change over from half-day to a fuller working day, there is little friction. Boys and girls respect one another and work well together. Age-groups mix and pupils support one another. As a result the unit

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

runs smoothly. Pupil-librarians assist by taking on the job of chasing up late returned books. Also, they are involved in buying in new books. Buddies help newcomers and, sometimes, a pupil who has been helped in this way, trains as a buddy, thus establishing a pleasant tradition. Some find it very hard to respond positively to the encouraging atmosphere, yet they are helped and quietly persuaded to join by both staff and pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance at 79 percent falls short of that expected in a mainstream school. It does, however, meet the target set by the management committee of 75 per cent and represents a considerable achievement for many pupils. During the week of the inspection all groups achieved 75 percent and above despite an illness ‘bug’ being around. Some pupils who started at the unit with attendance as low as 20 percent have progressed to nearly full attendance. One pupil achieved it. Poor health has an impact, as does the variability of transport arrangements, noted in a recent report, which involved interviewing pupils. Some find it hard to cope with a journey, which takes more than 30 minutes. Whilst lateness occurs, usually as a result of problems with transport, punctuality is not a problem during the day at the start of lessons. Attendance has fallen slightly since the last inspection but is a reflection

p.15

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

of the particular pupils currently on roll.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Teaching and learning were slightly stronger with pupils in Years 10 and 11 than with pupils in Years 8 and 9. One reason for this is that after a settling in period, pupils respond more to the caring and supportive approach adopted by staff and as a result, the quality of learning improves. In nine out of ten lessons seen during the inspection, teaching and learning were good or better. Over half of lessons were very good or excellent. Overall, this is well ahead of the quality of teaching and learning at the last inspection. Hospital tuition has maintained its highly effective approaches to a broad range of pupils' needs and ability levels.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. A significant feature of the very effective teaching is the very good match between the work set and the ages, abilities, aptitudes and interests of the pupils. This match challenges all groups of pupils and fosters enthusiasm to learn. Individual learning opportunities are both time-tabled and used flexibly by staff as part of a 'broad learning package' that addresses pupils' individual needs. Home tuition is no exception to this. 20. The very effective teaching arises from the teachers' high levels of expertise, high expectations, enthusiasm and thorough knowledge of their pupils. In English, the teachers' knowledge is supplemented by formal assessment procedures that are exemplary. Assessment procedures are thorough, manageable and effectively used to enhance teaching and learning. The clear marking and assessment policy is adhered to and is effective in enabling the English Department to monitor the progress of individual pupils and the effectiveness of the

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

teaching. Yearly assessment sheets show at a glance an individual pupil’s progress whilst at the unit in speaking and listening, reading, writing, attitude to work and homework. These are given to the mainstream school for their use on the pupils' return. More detailed records are built up and show individual's results against standardised tests and National Curriculum level descriptors. Pupils themselves assess their own progress through easily accessible level and grade descriptors displayed in the classrooms. Because of this, not only do teachers know what the pupils need to learn in order to improve, but the pupils themselves do. Each pupil has a pupil record sheet that records attainment and progress during the year. The Whiteheath PRU - 16 pupils may contribute to this as a form of self-assessment. The teacher records levels with the pupil. Targets are reviewed and new targets set. These records inform the yearly assessment

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

records, which in turn, feed back into the very good teaching and learning.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Whilst all staff have their own form of assessment and record keeping, which supports the very good quality of teaching in most subjects, the data is not always as clear as it is in English. This can be a drawback for tracking pupils' progress easily or for new staff starting in the school who need a quick picture about pupils' strengths and uncertainties in their work.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. In art and design, teaching and learning are regularly excellent. This is because of skilful questioning and explanation, which ensures pupils' fullest understanding of the task in hand. Developing knowledge and understanding of the work of famous artists and applying this to their own work is achieved to a very high degree. For instance work inspired by Van Gogh, Rousseau, Cézanne, Lassen, Hokusai, Monet and Pointillism show appreciation of their characteristics, creative application to original work and a high quality finish. Pupils are rightly very proud of their work and achievements. Very high quality teaching ensures that the subject contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. For example, they study art from other parts of the world, such as India, Japan, Peru, Mexico, Arab countries and the USA, which influences their work. Pupils are encouraged to use the

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Internet to research topics from these countries and others around the world.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The pupils' attitudes and behaviour are generally very good and at times excellent. This is particularly so during the high quality group discussions, which are a fine feature of teaching in several subjects such as English, geography and history. There is very good give-and-take and respect for opposing views. These skills transfer successfully to other subjects such as personal and social education. There is an atmosphere developed by staff of high expectations and enthusiasm and in English and art, thorough organisation.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. The quality and range of learning opportunities offered to the pupils are very good. This includes the curriculum in the unit and for home and hospital tuition. Curricular provision has improved since the last inspection. One reason for this is that all the pupils in the unit now have access to full-time provision that includes English, mathematics and science, ICT, a modern foreign language, a range of humanities and creative activities. These include geography, history and art and design. The modern foreign language that the pupils learn is French. Religious Education is taught as part of the very good provision for the pupils' personal, social and health education, which also includes sex education, drugs education and citizenship. Citizenship education is very well established. An option system operates well for pupils in Years 10 and 11.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The unit has been very successful in introducing full-time provision. Since September 2002, the pupils are on site for 25 hours each week and break times are well used to develop the pupils' social skills. During this introductory period, taught time is still only 21 hours 15 minutes each week. The unit has plans to review this with a view to raising the taught time. Appropriate proportions of time are being given to all subjects, with emphasis upon English, mathematics and science. The unit has very effective strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy skills.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. The curriculum is enriched by leisure activities featuring music, physical education, dance and horticulture. The National Curriculum is followed as far as possible and a strong Whiteheath PRU - 17 alternative curriculum is in place. The unit provides full entitlement to assessment and external validation for GCSE and the Entry Level Certificate. It offers a further range of qualifications, such as a qualification in communication skills in English.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The last inspection criticised the amount of time given to ICT. The time was judged insufficient. This has been fully addressed. Provision is now good including in other subjects, such as English and mathematics. Also since the last inspection the school has enhanced its provision for the pupils' creative development. Music is available for all the pupils as a leisure or therapeutic activity. Their teacher is very enthusiastic and as a consequence, the pupils are highly motivated and make very good progress. On their own initiative, the pupils organised a concert with the support of the music teacher and other staff. This was performed for the parents of the pupils. It contributed very effectively to the pupils' personal and social development. The provision of music adds greatly to the pupils' spiritual and cultural development.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. A strength of the unit's very good provision for the pupils' personal, social and health education, is that it is not only taught as a subject in itself but is taught in many other subjects when opportunities arise. Citizenship education is a strong feature of the provision. It is very well enhanced by contributions from the community. For instance, a member of the unit's management committee , who is also a local councillor, recently made a valuable contribution to the pupils' learning in citizenship. This was followed up by an informative visit by the pupils' to the council chamber. This visit stimulated high quality work in citizenship. This is soon to be shared with pupils from other pupil referral units at the Referral Service Students' Council.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The contribution of the community to the pupils' learning is very good. Visitors to the unit, such as the careers adviser, enrich the curriculum. Pupils go out into the community as a very effective part of their learning. Links with a local charity give the school many opportunities for the pupils to be involved practically. This charity offers the pupils experience of administrative skills. It also gives them training in food hygiene and first aid. This results in recognised qualifications offered by the local college for further education.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. There is an appropriate range of extra-curricular activities. These include visits and popular theatre trips. All ages of pupils are invited to join the group going to the theatre. This is an example of the very good equality of access and opportunity that is a feature of the unit. The unit has plans to invest in its own transport to develop this aspect of provision, which will add to the few opportunities currently taken in geography and history for 'field study'. Boys and girls take full part in lessons even when there is a significant gender imbalance in the group. The teachers are very skilful in including everybody. Among the success stories are examples of pupils who once 'withdrew' themselves from educational life but through the very good provision of the unit are now full participants again.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. The unit is very successful in promoting self respect and to make it clear that all individuals have value. Pressure in terms of internal bells for lessons has been removed. Physical space has been created to offer easy social contact and quiet, peaceful reflection. Pupils’ work, which is indeed of a high standard, is well displayed and celebrated. General displays include those indicating the triumph of the human spirit and promoting reflection. This area of the work of the unit is highly regarded by parents.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is very good. The staff are united in their values and have beliefs, which they are prepared to share. This makes for openness between pupils and teachers, which allows for a full exploration of feelings, motives and desire for a Whiteheath PRU - 18 meaning to life. Opportunities for experiencing empathy and sympathy are available. For example, in English, pupils showed great maturity and thoughtfulness in discussing the different reactions of characters in a story being studied when 'Mrs Rutter' left a foreign airman to die. Together with tutorial periods, PSHE is used to very good effect to allow personal reflection and the making of value judgements. Pupils are encouraged to develop creatively through exploring the patterns of sounds in music. Creativity in art is helped by the provision of background music. Feelings of respect for the natural world and awe and

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

wonder at its diversity are experienced in science and geography and in very practical terms on the allotment. Choice is built into the curriculum and allows pupils to pursue individual interests in for example dance, where a small group effectively and enjoyably shared the creativity of movement. There is, however, a certain lack of development of spiritual experience in the normal, weekly assemblies, although on special occasions such as Remembrance Day, pupils observe a minute’s silence to share in the sorrow caused by conflict.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. Provision for the development of moral understanding is very good. Pupils are given the chance to discuss and develop their appreciation of right and wrong and its importance in society through, for example, tutor periods and in citizenship. There is an accepted code of conduct which places the needs of others first. Pupils are encouraged to go beyond the obvious to explore, for example, the ‘tone’ in which commands are given and the resulting impact. Role-play, critical appreciation of poetry and use of videos enable pupils to take an objective view of moral decisions before considering their personal situation. Practical expression of moral decisions is provided for by the ways in which pupils are helped to represent their fellows on the Area Pupils’ Council.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. Provision for social development is very good. The unit has, as its focal point, a multi- purpose hall, which is equipped to provide a pleasant, socially interactive space. Pupils and staff meet here informally, to chat and to work so it is a place where social relationships can develop naturally and social conventions can be absorbed. Teaching methods allow for the development of co-operative teamwork as well as individual effort and staff are deployed accordingly. Pupils take responsibility for acting as buddies to new entrants for which they receive training in the rules of confidentiality. Also, they are involved in helping to run the library, including accompanying the deputy teacher in charge on book buying expeditions. Here, they play a real part in making the choices. Social issues such as disability, racism and bullying are covered in PSHE and in the themes for the week, which are particularly geared

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. Provision for cultural development is very good because the unit incorporates exposure to cultural heritage in a number of subject areas. Artefacts, however, are not much in evidence beyond the art area. Theatre companies make visits into the unit and pupils are taken out to visit the theatre and the area in which they live. Efforts are made through the school’s 'themed' calendar to celebrate different cultures by having, for example, Japanese Day, Mardi Gras and French Day. The school library, although limited in size, contains a good range of books with a cultural aspect such as “Beyond the Diary of Ann Frank”, biographies of Mandela and a range of cookery books. In their study of French, pupils are 'soaked' in the language and come to appreciate a different way of life. In geography and history pupils explore the effect of place on cultural development and in art, culture is used as a source of

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Whiteheath PRU - 19 36. Pupils are well known to all staff and to their tutors, in particular. This works very well. There are well thought out approaches tailored to each pupil’s needs, with staff deployed accordingly. Extra personal support is offered through the unit-based counsellor and mentors provided by a church-based project. Thus, whether formally or informally, each pupil is assured of a listening ear and help.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Induction to the unit is very good with careful planning and support both from the home tutor and the buddy system. Planning for re-integration of pupils into mainstream is implicit in the education provided and is a target in pupils' pastoral plans. Nevertheless, it is the case that transition at present, with a heavy weighting of the roll in Years 10 and 11, is more likely to be to further education, training or employment. Very good arrangements are in place to assist in this process. All pupils have a taste of working conditions either through work experience or at the 'clothing project'. Careers advisory staff interview all pupils, including those on home tuition and are readily available to advise and help. This works very well. The unit provides thorough careers education to all year groups plus access to literature and information technology sources. In addition there is a useful life skills course. Tutors help

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

pupils make the transition to colleges by taking them on visits.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Behaviour management is very good. It is consistent and handled with an understanding of the needs of pupils and the reasons for their actions. There is a clear code of conduct, which is discussed regularly and accepted by all. When necessary, supervision is quickly stepped up to ensure that situations do not get out of hand. Bullying is given zero tolerance. The unit's written policy on restraint is not consistent with that of the local education authority pupil referral and exclusion service as a whole and this is being reviewed. Pupils say they feel safe within the unit. They are therefore able to trust the staff and one another.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Child protection arrangements are very good. The teacher in charge is the named teacher. She has been trained and passed information to all staff. Health and safety arrangements are good and a policy has been put in place since the last inspection. Routine checks of fire and other equipment are carried out and fire drills are held. There are clear risk assessment procedures for visits outside the unit. Access to the Internet is protected. At the time of the inspection, there was no one with up-to-date qualifications in first-aid. This is being remedied.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Monitoring of attendance is good. Although a sensible balance has to be made in the monitoring of attendance, between ensuring pupils make good use of the placement and recognising that over zealous follow-up may not encourage improvement, a decision has been made to strengthen procedures. Tutors have a good understanding of the position of pupils and it is their responsibility to check on reasons for absence. The system’s effectiveness is yet to be reviewed but it is intended that it will reinforce the importance of regular attendance. All reports to parents cover attendance, which in some cases improves dramatically, once pupils are in the unit. Clearly the welcoming, accepting atmosphere does much to remove fear in pupils and makes it easier for them to accept attendance. So too do the variety and range of the curriculum which allows all to achieve at their own pace. Transport difficulties at times result in non-attendance and lateness. These problems are dealt

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

with as they arise. Pupils are aware that they are not blamed if such difficulties occur. They welcome the fairness of this.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. More effective arrangements for assessing pupils’ academic progress have been put in place since the last inspection. This process starts when pupils are on ‘home tuition’ before they enter the unit. Baseline assessments are made in mathematics and English. This data is collected and passed on to the unit. The deputy teacher in charge liaises with the pupil’s personal tutor to ensure that the relevant data is included in his or her progress file. The Whiteheath PRU - 20 personal tutor maintains the file and reviews progress with the pupil on a regular basis. Subsequently, targets for improvement are set. The deputy teacher in charge has worked hard developing a bank of pastoral targets that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timed. However, use of these types of target has not been fully monitored to ensure consistent use between staff. The file also contains statements written by the pupil that can be used to

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

develop a record of achievement. Tutors attend formal weekly briefing meetings as well as meeting informally to keep each other up to date with any developments. This is good practice within the unit and works well.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. All pupils receive an ‘effort’ report at the end of autumn and spring terms. These contain grades and comments on all National Curriculum subjects. At the end of the summer term all pupils receive a full ‘annual report’, reporting on all subjects, including National Curriculum levels, effort grades and comments. However, although these reports have improved, they are still variable in quality. The best subject reports indicate what pupils know, understand and can do, culminating with new targets being set. These reports provide useful information for parents and they are appreciated.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Only one pupil in the centre has a statement of special educational need. Academic assessment for this pupil is good. Provision to meet the pupil's prescribed needs is very good. There are no other pupils with additional special needs in the centre at the moment. The centre pays due attention to the new code of practice and ensures all pupils have pastoral plans, which identify personal and social targets as prescribed in the new code of practice.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The replies to the parents’ questionnaires and the comments made at the parents’ meeting with the Registered Inspector show that they are very pleased with the unit. Comments made on reply slips attached to pupils' reports are also highly appreciative of the difference the unit is making to their children’s lives and prospects. Parents are particularly pleased with the way staff encourage pupils to work hard and do their best. The inspection evidence supports this view.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. The unit establishes good links with parents by making senior management readily available and by encouraging informal contacts. All parents and carers are visited by the teacher in charge on referral and help is given, in a practical way, to explain the purpose of the unit and, if necessary, to reassure. This helps to establish good relationships. Induction for new pupils is very good. Parents are fully involved and their presence helps to establish a smooth beginning to education in the unit. The open door policy is much valued by parents, including those with children receiving home tuition to which the unit’s resources are available such as the library.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Homework diaries are used and sometimes indicate ways in which parents may assist their child’s work. However, in discussion, pupils did not give the impression that these were always shared with parents. The inspection team found that homework is regularly set in most subjects and school reports frequently stress the need for its completion.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. A newsletter has just been started, which may become a way of letting parents know what is going on in the school and involving them more. The level of support shown for a first ever concert given by the pupils indicates that there is a desire from parents to be involved in this way and a great need for a communal chance to celebrate achievements.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The quantity of information that is provided about pupils’ progress is satisfactory. Parents are contacted quickly by ‘phone if there is any problem with a pupil and a log of calls is kept. Whiteheath PRU - 21 First-day follow-up of absence has been introduced. There are regular progress reviews and discussions when parents are invited into the unit in addition to those meetings devoted to option choice and Year 11 examinations. Annual reports are full but some tend to be largely descriptive. In these, there is little information about the actual skills attained and about ways in which these could be improved. Whilst some progress has been made in these, this is a similar finding to the previous inspection.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

49. The leadership and management of the teacher-in-charge and her deputy are very good. They recognise each other's strengths and work very effectively as a team. The unit has moved on a long way since the last inspection in a number of important areas. For example

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

 Pupils' standards are far higher as a result of the much improved effectiveness of teaching;  Opportunity for pupils to achieve accreditation at GCSE level has increased considerably;  The unit has recently moved from part-time education for pupils to full-time. This has been managed successfully and is already under review with a view to moving even closer to the expected 25 hours of taught time per week for the pupils in the unit. This will enable design and technology and physical education to be offered more fully. Pupils on home tuition are also receiving more support.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

50. The strength of team spirit pervades the unit and staff on home and hospital tuition. Staff who are responsible for areas such as hospital tuition and the teaching of English, art and history have ensured that these areas have remained strengths of the units' work. For example, the English department is pro-active in promoting literacy across the curriculum. In collaboration with other departments, the unit is currently promoting spelling and research skills in all appropriate lessons. Planned improvement in the accommodation and resources, such as in science and ICT has led to much improvement in teaching and as a result, pupils' learning. This has been helped by the appointment of new staff with expertise in French and extensive training for all staff in ICT. Throughout this time, staff have ensured that academic improvement has gone 'hand in hand' with the unit's overriding aim to put children and their

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

families first. Staff share the commitment to building pupils' self-belief and realistic aspirations within a caring and supportive environment for those with medical, social, psychological and psychiatric needs. The unit is very successful at this and has very good capacity to develop even more. Improvements are rooted in very good development planning that is monitored by the management committee.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

51. The teacher-in-charge has the support of a management committee that is shared with other units, which places it in a strong position to compare and contrast how things are going. It carries out its expected responsibilities appropriately. The committee expects and receives a range of data about the unit. It receives reports and agrees policies such as the admissions criteria for the unit, which it is currently reviewing but has not yet finalised. In part the committee is made up of, professionals who also have knowledge of the unit by other means such as their roles within the local education authority or careers service. It also includes an elected staff member from within the pupil referral service and local authority councillors who set out to ensure they have a working knowledge of the success of the unit. One councillor has become involved very successfully in the unit's citizenship programme. The

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

teacher-in-charge works indirectly with the management committee through the service manager for the pupil referral service as a whole. As such, the chairman of the management committee, as a 'critical friend', does not work as directly with the teacher-in-charge as the Whiteheath PRU - 22 chairman of a school's governing body would with the head teacher. However, in many ways, the deputy teacher in charge at the unit carries out the role of a critical friend very effectively.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

52. The unit has built up for itself a good range of data, which it has available to analyse and improve areas such as pupils' achievement, attendance and teaching and learning. Because of the small size of the unit and little staff turnover, experienced staff come to know pupils very well and much discussion takes place informally between staff. In many ways this has worked. However,

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

 data on pupils' achievement is kept in a range of ways devised by individual staff that is not always readily understood by others;  the outcome of the use of this information for example, in setting and recording pupils' progress against their individual pastoral plans or in reporting pupils' progress to parents in the annual reports is variable;  checking the effectiveness of everything happening in the classroom by the teacher in charge and her deputy, particularly for staff new in post or in changing their responsibilities within the unit, have not yet been formalised. As such, inconsistencies in approach are not always spotted immediately and as a consequence, support for staff and improvements in provision are slowed.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

53. There is a very good match of staff to the demands of the curriculum and pupils' needs. There is a good number of staff and they are well qualified and experienced in teaching pupils with special educational needs. Staff development opportunities are effective in extending teachers' expertise. For example, in 2002, staff as well as pupils passed ICT accreditation in word processing, database work, spreadsheets, computer art, desktop publishing and graphical representation. The inclusion of music therapy in the curriculum is a very effective bonus to the unit's 'can do' philosophy, which has paid off in many ways. For example, parents report the tears that came to their eyes when their children organised and performed a musical concert recently, something they never thought possible. Learning resources are good overall and very good for ICT and art. There are sufficient rooms to teach the curriculum.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

The building is well kept with excellent displays of pupils’ work. There are separate rooms for science, art and design and an ICT suite. The hall has been refurbished innovatively to act as a teaching area and as a leisure area for pupils during breaks and lunch-times. Outside there is a hard play area and good size field where pupils can play safely. The accommodation at the unit and the hospital and staffs' expertise are used very effectively to match the needs of different pupils.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to extend its effectiveness and care of the pupils even more, the unit should

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Through more effective monitoring and review within the unit, ensure that

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Staff are more formally supported when areas for development are identified;  Pupils' overall attendance is improved;*  Pupils' progress is tracked more clearly in other subjects in a way similar to that already used in English; Whiteheath PRU - 23  The consistency in clarity and precision in writing pupils' individual pastoral plans is improved;  All pupils' end of year reports to parents detail sufficiently the progress that has been made in their work in different subjects. (Paragraphs 21, 40, 41, 48 and 52)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* The unit has already identified this area in its development planning. Whiteheath PRU - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 32

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

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 two percentage points.

p.24

Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.24

Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils on the unit’s special educational needs register 67

p.24

Information about the unit’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.24

Attendance*

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for last whole term before the inspection  This is for pupils attending the unit. Whiteheath PRU - 25

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

8 pupils took the National Assessments in Year 9 in 2002.

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

National Curriculum Level Number of pupils Level 2 2 Level 3 2 Level 4 2 Level 5 2

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 4 for the latest reporting year 2002 5 8 13

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

GCSE results 5 or more grades A* to C 5 or more grades A* to G 1 or more grades A* to G

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

Numbers of pupils achieving the standard specified Total 2 9 13

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

Percentage of pupils achieving School 15( 8 ) 69(60) 100 (100) the standard specified National N/A N/A N/A

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.25

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

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background

p.25

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. Whiteheath PRU - 26

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y11

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) in the unit 6 Financial year 2001/2002

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 6.7

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers(FTE) on Home Tuition 2.5 Total income N/A

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers(FTE) 0.5 on Hospital Tuition Total expenditure N/A

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y7 – Y11 Expenditure per pupil 9036*

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

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

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30 Balance carried forward to next year 0 * provided by the LEA as an average figure

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the unit during the last two years 0.6

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the unit during the last two years 1.8

p.26

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. Whiteheath PRU - 27

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 77 17 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 69 25 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 49 28 17 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 67 22 11

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 17

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 83 17

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 67 22 11

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 78 11 11

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 77 17 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 28 50 6 16

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