The Cedar School

THE CEDAR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th – 9 th October 2002

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THE CEDAR 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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THE CEDAR SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Redbridge Lane Nursling Southampton Hampshire

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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: Stephen Thomas

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 st April 1998 The Cedar School - 4

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Team members

17848 Tina Clark Registered inspector 1329 Kevern Oliver Lay inspector 20566 Mary Saunders Team inspector

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Team members

Quality Assurance Consultants The Hucclecote Centre Churchdown Lane Hucclecote Gloucester GL3 3QN

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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 The Cedar School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

The Cedar School is a maintained, mixed day special school with 90 places for pupils aged between three and 16 years with physical disabilities. There are currently 70 pupils on roll, of whom eight are part-time pupils in the Nursery. The ratio of boys to girls is approximately two to one. Sixty-four pupils have statements of special educational needs and six are currently undergoing statutory assessment. five minority ethnic pupils are supported in school through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant. One pupil receives support from additional government funding for Traveller Education. Two pupils are at the early stages of learning English. The main languages spoken by these pupils at home are Punjabi and Urdu.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Eighteen pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is broadly in line with the numbers in similar schools for pupils with physical disabilities. The school takes pupils from a wide catchment area which extends beyond Southampton into Hampshire, with a mix of urban and rural environments. In common with other schools of its kind, The Cedar School is admitting pupils with increasingly complex physical, sensory and learning difficulties, often with significant medical needs, sometimes life threatening. Children with an acquired brain injury are now frequently taking up the places on offer in the school. At the top end of the school, there has been an increase in the number of pupils with social and emotional difficulties.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school has developed a system of education based on partnership and teamwork which is summed up in the school’s mission statement, “Partners in Continual Learning”.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

• To help pupils to be happy, balanced, self respecting, caring individuals who make a positive contribution to the society in which they live. • To help pupils to acquire the practical and academic skills necessary for adult life and employment in a fast changing world, making them as independent and self-reliant as possible, so that despite their physical disabilities they have a positive role to play in society which involves them in giving to other people and not merely sitting back and receiving. • To help each pupil develop the capacity to form individual attitudes based on considered opinions, to acquire a set of moral values which will guide personal behaviour, to have a tolerance and respect for other races and creeds, and to explore the religious dimension of life by reference to the Christian faith in particular and other World faiths where appropriate. • To foster each pupil’s all round development by encouraging appropriate movement, thereby

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

promoting physical, cognitive, psychological and social development. • To develop in individual pupils, sufficient skills, knowledge and control to be able to express themselves confidently and with enjoyment through the expressive and creative arts. • To encourage individual pupils, to have an interest in and a knowledge of their local environment and cultural heritage leading to an understanding of places and times removed from their own. • To help pupils develop lively enquiring minds through a scientific approach to problem solving thus encouraging the ability to question and argue rationally, with consideration for other people’s opinions, and the willingness to apply themselves to tasks. • To provide courses leading to public examinations where appropriate.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The Cedar School is a good and effective school in which pupils make good progress with their learning as a result of good teaching. The personal and social development of pupils is very good. Standards of achievement are good and pupils make good progress in relation to their individual targets. The leadership and management of the Headteacher and key staff is good. The Headteacher provides strong leadership and his personal contribution to the school is greatly valued by staff, pupils, parents and governors. The Governing Body is very effective. The school makes good use of money provided by the The Cedar School - 7 Local Education Authority and gives good value for money. In addition, the school is very successful in attracting voluntary funding which makes up ten per cent of its total annual income at the present time.

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by highly skilled and effective learning support assistants. • The Governing Body works very effectively with the Headteacher in promoting the development of the school. • The school provides extensive opportunities for high quality activities outside the classroom. • The staff team and governors take the utmost care of all their pupils who consequently are able to spend their time learning and playing in safe and secure environments. • Pupils’ attitudes to school and their personal development and relationships are very good.

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What could be improved

• A small group of parents remain unclear about the school’s policy and practice regarding homework. • The school has assembled a mass of data relating to pupils’ progress but the evaluation of this data is in the process of being developed further at present. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the appropriate authority.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in April 1998. Staff and governors have successfully addressed all of the key issues from the last inspection, although a small minority of parents are still unclear about the school’s homework policy and practice. The high standard of teaching has been maintained and improved and all pupils learn well. Monitoring and assessment procedures have improved substantially. Pupils are making good progress in English, Maths and Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE). The school has continued to develop the very good extra-curricular programme described at the last inspection and has maintained and further developed very good links with the community. Pupils’ attitudes and personal development are very good. Behaviour around the school, in lessons and during off-site visits is good, and for the vast majority of pupils is very good. A small number of pupils display challenging behaviour relating to their disability. Attendance figures have improved over the last year and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

are now around the national average for similar schools. The school is now taking in a higher proportion of pupils with very complex special educational needs. A comprehensive professional development programme ensures that all staff are trained to meet the needs of these pupils successfully. Leadership and management are good. The role of the Governing Body has developed considerably since the last inspection and is now very good. The Cedar School - 8

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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 6 11

speaking and listening A A A very good A

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R 6 11

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

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R 6 11

Pupils achieve very well in relation to communication skills. Standards in other aspects of English are good. Eighty-four per cent of pupils reached their individual targets. Good standards are achieved in mathematics, where eighty-six per cent of pupils achieved their individual targets. In PSHE, good standards are achieved in lessons. In general, around the school, standards in PSHE are very good. Ninety-two per cent of pupils reached their individual targets in PSHE. The changing nature of the intake of the school means that fewer pupils are taking courses leading to external accreditation, such as GCSE courses.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are keen to come to school and make a positive response to their lessons. Some pupils enter the school with low self- esteem but this is addressed very successfully in the school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The school is an orderly community. Most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. A few pupils display challenging behaviour related to their disability.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils make very good progress in all aspects of their personal development from the youngest age, they are encouraged to take choices and maximise their independence.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Attendance rates are in the average range for similar schools nationally. Pupils spend time out of lessons to allow for their care and therapeutic needs to be met.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ attitudes are very good. Relationships between pupils and between staff and pupils are very good. Attendance has improved over the last year. The Cedar School - 9

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Years 1 – 6 Years 7 – 11

Quality of teaching Good Good 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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Years 1 – 6 Years 7 – 11

The quality of teaching and learning has continued to improve since the last inspection. It is now judged to be good. Excellent teaching was seen in French. English teaching is good and the skills of communication, reading and writing are well taught across the curriculum, with the teaching of communication skills being a great strength of the school. Mathematics and the skills of numeracy teaching is good. Science teaching is very good. PSHE is taught across the curriculum and is embedded in every aspect of school life. Where it is taught as a discrete subject, teaching is good. Individual special educational needs are well catered for and additional needs are planned for well. All pupils are making good progress. The lessons seen during the inspection confirmed that pupils’ learning is good. Staff have a good understanding of the needs of pupils and they use a range of strategies to ensure that pupils’ learning is good.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. Provision for extra-curricular activities is a great strength of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Staff use a range of strategies for communication which take account of the needs of pupils for whom English is an additional language.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. A high priority is given to this area of school life. Very good provision for pupils’ personal development prepares them very well for life outside school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. Staff and governors take the utmost care of pupils at all times. This is an area of strength in the school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of learning opportunities is good. Provision for activities outside the classroom is very good. Staff and governors are diligent in their care of pupils, both in school and when pupils are outside school on visits. The Cedar School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. Headteacher and senior staff provide a clear vision for the school which emphasises the progress of each individual pupil. They have developed a strong team approach in which the contribution of all staff is valued.

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Aspect Comment

How well the appropriate authority fulfils its responsibilities Very good. The Governing Body works very effectively with the Headteacher in promoting the development of the school. The committees have a key role in monitoring each aspect of the school improvement plan and are well informed about the work of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school has developed a very comprehensive system to monitor the progress of pupils in the core areas of the curriculum, and is now analysing this to show the development of each pupil. Monitoring of teaching in the school is currently carried out systematically by the Headteacher but is not yet embedded in other management roles across departments or subject areas.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. Budget processes are very thorough and linked to the priorities established in the school improvement plan. The school is particularly effective in generating additional funds through its Charitable Trust and this money is used to provide vital services and equipment that cannot be funded through the available delegated budget.

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Aspect Comment

The role of Governing Body has developed significantly since the last inspection and it is now very effective in supporting the Headteacher in promoting the development of the school and in monitoring the performance of the school through very rigorous self-evaluation procedures. The strategic use of resources is very good. Principles of best value are applied well and the school ensures that purchases are made in a competitive manner. While comparisons outside the school are sometimes difficult to make, the school could develop meaningful comparisons with other schools against available national data in order to further enhance the process of self-evaluation.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Pupils make good progress in all areas of school life. • The school is an orderly place and pupils behave well. • Home-school liaison is very good. • Pupils can’t wait to get back to school after the holidays. • More time for therapists, especially the speech therapist. • Homework to be provided regularly.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the positive view expressed by the vast majority of parents. Staffing problems which led to a lack of speech and language therapy provision are in the process of being resolved. Inspectors looked carefully at pupils’ communication skills and have concluded that there is no evidence to suggest that pupils have suffered as a result of this interruption in provision. The Cedar School - 11

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

highly skilled and very effective learning support assistants.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

1. Standards of teaching and learning have continued to improve since the last inspection. In all lessons seen, teaching was always at least satisfactory. In 89 per cent of lessons, teaching was good or very good. In one lesson teaching was excellent. Teaching was consistently good across the school and in all subjects seen.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

2. The school management team and governors have significantly improved their monitoring procedures and this has had a very positive impact on teaching and learning. Another important feature contributing to the improvements seen, relate to the excellent support which teachers get from highly skilled and very effective learning support assistants, together with speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, school nurse and occupational therapists. This whole team approach to teaching and learning is a great strength of the school. The school buildings and grounds are very well managed by the caretaking staff and contribute to the high standards of teaching and learning in this school. Lunchtime supervising assistants and kitchen staff provide very effective support and wide- ranging support for pupils, extending their independence and supporting specialist feeding programmes. The school’s administrative team successfully supports all staff and the

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

governing body. Volunteers make a valuable contribution to school life. Governors are justly very proud of this aspect of Cedar School. One particular example of this very good team work was seen in a maths lesson in reception, where learning support workers were quietly recording and tracking progress for individual pupils while the lesson continued. This enabled each pupil to progress at their optimum pace. Learning support workers feel that they are appropriately involved in planning lessons. They felt that their suggestions are valued and acted upon by teachers.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

3. Another good example was seen in a Year 10 and 11 group, where a learning support worker was gently refocusing a pupil’s attention by touching her arm and pointing to the teacher. On an outreach visit to the local secondary school, a learning support worker supported two Year 10 students in a drama lesson, but did so in a very discreet manner.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

4. English is taught well and all teachers are competent in the teaching of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Staff successfully promote the use of these skills in other subjects. The use of augmentative communication strategies is very good. Every opportunity is taken to use signs, switches and picture symbols where appropriate. The use of a wide range of communication styles enables all pupils to engage successfully in their learning.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

5. In an English lesson with pupils in the early years, one pupil used a switch to answer questions. In a science lesson, a year one pupil made some signs spontaneously, enabling him to fully participate in the activity. Mathematics and numeracy skills are taught well and pupils are challenged to extend their knowledge and skills through a range of experiences such as measuring the hall and corridor for a Year 10 group. In the early years, well differentiated tasks were presented with a play approach to reinforce basic number understanding.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

6. In PSHE, teaching is always good. In a lesson with Year 8 pupils, the teacher covered the topic of ‘emotional literacy’ well, with very good use of signing. This difficult and sensitive subject was managed well by the teacher who succeeded in drawing all the pupils in to suggest likes and dislikes. The Cedar School - 12 7. All staff have high expectations of pupils, both in respect of learning and behaviour and pupils respond well to this. Staff are constantly alert to opportunities to extend social development and capitalise on these situations to successfully extend pupils’ learning. Appropriate emphasis is given to the deployment of independence skills. For example, it is expected that all visitors to the school will be shown round by pupils and they carry out this task very well. Staff provide challenging and interesting tasks for pupils, which are differentiated very well and this results in good behaviour and concentration. An example of

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

this was in a Year 10 French lesson, where the carefully chosen task, together with the teacher’s high expectations, led to excellent participation by pupils. The teacher consistently insisted on correct French pronunciation. One pupil had difficulty with the French “garage” as he was reading it in English. With persistence and good humour the teacher managed to get the response she wanted. In some lessons, continuity of learning suffers as a result of pupils coming and going during lessons in order to attend to their physical and therapeutic needs. However, to some extent this is compensated for by the fact that pupils are not having to spend time out of school at clinics.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

8. Teachers’ planning, assisted by learning support workers, is good and lessons maintain good pace. Only one lesson was seen where the pace was rather slow and the lesson plan lacked clarity and focus. Staff are sensitive to the needs of individual pupils and use a wide range of strategies to refocus pupils when necessary. In a lesson in the Early Years, visual prompts such as pairs of coloured socks, were used to great effect.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

9. Teachers and learning support workers benefit from the school’s very good arrangements for professional development. Staff are supported for a wide range of training opportunities including counselling, First Aid, British Sign Language and “Lifting and Handling” Training. Staff link with other special schools for joint training, for example the two Deputy Head teachers attend joint training sessions and conferences with other special school Deputy Head teachers. The teacher responsible for Outreach links effectively with other schools for joint training opportunities.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

10. Staff value all pupils as individuals whatever their individual needs and work hard to make sure that they get the best from their time at school. The teaching of those pupils for whom English is an additional language means they do as well as all other pupils. The most able pupils and those with special educational needs learn well because they are challenged appropriately by targeted, skilled teaching.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

The school provides extensive opportunities for activities outside the classroom.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

11. The extensive programme of extra-curricular activities and community links makes a very good contribution to pupils’ learning and to their personal development. Pupils have opportunity to participate in a very wide range of sporting activities. A team from Cedar School took part in the National Athletics Championship, where four pupils became national champions and one a runner-up. The school’s annual football match was supported by the Rotary Clubs of Southampton and Portsmouth, who provided medals for all playersl. A group of secondary pupils enjoyed a very successful week canoeing at Woodmill. The highlight of the year was a residential Outdoor Pursuits week at Fairthorne Manor. Most pupils stayed for the whole week, while a few visited on a daily basis. Everyone was impressed with the teamwork between staff and pupils. Many pupils experienced the thrill of an aerial runway across a river and climbed a huge oak tree, overcoming any fear of heights. There were

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

many other activities on offer including archery, football and basketball. The wheelchair dancing team took part in the national South West competition. The Cedar School - 13 12. The Branch Out Youth Club continues to thrive in the school. Pupils over 11 years of age are encouraged to bring along their young friends and family members. The Youth Club organised an excellent ‘sleep – out’ which was very well supported and which raised money for St Mungo’s, a London based charity for the homeless. The pupils chose this charity because they provide support for homeless people who own dogs. Branch Out Youth Theatre has had a very successful year. They took part in the National Student Drama Festival at Scarborough, where they were sharing transport, accommodation and a programme of visits with young people from Oakland’s Youth Theatre and Eastleigh Borough Youth Theatre. Branch Out Youth Theatre entered the Eastleigh Drama Festival and won

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

two awards, Best Youth Production and Best Youth Actors. This was a major achievement as the competition was very high, with productions entered by several local youth theatre groups. The play went onto win the Adjudicators’ Award at Totton Drama Festival. One ex- pupil has just made his first appearance on the professional stage at Birmingham.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

13. An extensive range of visits have been made to places of interest, for example various faith centres, including a synagogue, Salisbury Cathedral, a Gurdwara and the local Jehovah’s Witness meeting hall. Pupils have visited the local Arboretum, local shops and libraries, as well as the city farm. A small number of pupils enjoy visiting other local schools for lessons, for example, pupils in Year 10 who go to Oaklands to join pupils there for GCSE Drama courses. The school welcomes many visitors, who bring a wealth of different experiences to share with pupils. Pupils have enjoyed visits from an African drummer, a violinist, a double bass workshop and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. A highlight of the French curriculum, has been the link made with a school in Le Havre in France, where pupils have been writing to pen–pals. The French pupils and their teachers paid a visit to Cedar School, where they were treated to maypole dancing and a picnic lunch. The French

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

visitors enjoyed hearing “Frére Jacques” played on ocarinas. The visitors responded with some wonderful singing in English.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

14. An impressive feature of Cedar School’s links is the use of video-conferencing facilities to make contact with other schools and colleges. There are strong links with the local colleges. During the inspection, one former Cedar School pupil who is now attending a local college, returned to school to share his experiences with pupils in Key Stage 4. They were very keen to hear about how he settled in and how long it took him to make friends.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

15. The recently established outreach service has been very well received by mainstream schools and their comments indicate that it is proving very effective.

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The quality of teaching and learning is good and teachers are supported very well by

16. Work-related experiences are provided mainly within the school, which is appropriate to the needs of the pupils concerned. These experiences are of high quality and help to successfully prepare pupils for the next stage in their education. Two pupils in Year 10 are currently considering the possibility of going on to do vocational courses at City College.

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development of the school

17. The Head teacher and senior staff provide clear vision for the school that emphasises the progress of each individual pupil. They have developed a strong team approach in which the contribution of all staff is valued. Day to day organisation is efficient and effective and communication within the school is good. A comprehensive school improvement plan developed through extensive consultation guides the work of the whole school in addressing its priorities. Access to training for staff at all levels enables them to work effectively in their assigned roles. Relationships with the LEA are more productive and the school has strong links with the LEA advisory service. The Cedar School - 14 18. The Governing Body works very effectively with the Head Teacher in promoting the development of the school. The committees have a key role in monitoring each aspect of the school improvement plan and are well informed about the work of the school. They work with

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development of the school

LEA officers over issues such as building development and receive regular reports on financial and budgetary matters. The Head Teacher and Chair of Governors work collaboratively in monitoring the performance of the school through self-evaluation procedures.

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development of the school

19. The school has developed a very comprehensive system to monitor the progress of pupils in the core areas of the curriculum and is analysing this to show the development of each pupil. Staff are also beginning to use this information in setting teaching priorities across the school. For example this has lead to a greater focus on teaching independence skills to some groups of pupils. All staff have been involved in moderating the levels achieved so that information can be more reliable and useful in the longer term. Monitoring of teaching in the school is currently carried out systematically by the Head Teacher but is not yet embedded in other management roles across departments or subject areas.

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development of the school

20. Budgetary processes are very thorough and linked to the priorities established in the school improvement plan. Eighty-six per cent of available funding is used to provide a well- qualified and experienced staff group sufficient to meet the complex needs of the pupils. The school is well resourced to deliver the curriculum and careful consideration is given to specific projects such as the recent purchase of computer equipment. The school is particularly effective in generating additional funds through its Charitable Trust and this money is used to provide vital services and equipment that cannot be funded through the available delegated budget.

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development of the school

21. The school is careful to use principles of best value in ensuring that purchases are made in a competitive manner. Educational priorities are developed through extensive consultation and recent work on a system of school self evaluation will allow the school to challenge itself. While comparisons outside the school are sometimes difficult to make a consideration of available national data and collaboration with other schools would add more rigour to the process of self-evaluation.

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Standards are good across the school

22. Evidence of pupils’ progress shows that the school continues to enable pupils to achieve well, even though the nature of pupils’ individual special educational needs coming to the school is becoming increasingly more complex. The school uses nationally recognised small steps of progress (P levels) to measure the achievement of pupils at the younger ages and for pupils with the most severe and complex needs. Analysis of this data is used to set individual targets which have now been done for the past three years: 84 per cent of pupils achieved their targets in English, 86 per cent in Mathematics and 92 per cent in PSHE. In English, the most able pupils are achieving ‘P’ Levels 5/6 by the age of five, P8 by the age of seven, Level 1 of the National Curriculum by the age of 11, Level 1/ 2 by the age of 14, although one pupil is achieving Level 4. At the age of 16 pupils are achieving Level 1, due to

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Standards are good across the school

the complexity of their special educational needs. In Mathematics pupils achieve P Level 5/6 by the age of five, P8 by the age of seven, Level 1 of the National Curriculum by the age of 11 and Level 2 by the age of 14. By the age of 16, pupils are achieving Level 1, due to the complexity of their special educational needs.

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Standards are good across the school

23. Pupils achievements in relation to communication skills are a great strength of the school. A wide range of strategies and resources are used consistently by all staff for the benefit of all pupils. Pupils use pictures and symbols and many derive great benefit from the use of communication books. Signing is used very well with younger pupils. A wide range of The Cedar School - 15 technological aids are used, ranging from ‘Big Macs’ to more dedicated communication aids which are specific to individual pupils. These devices are used extensively in lessons and around the school. Such aids are recognised as the pupils voice and are always with them and always being used. Pupils’ attempts at communication are encouraged and valued by all staff. There is continual reinforcement of achievements and attempts at communicating.

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Standards are good across the school

24. Pupils achieve very well with their independence skills. Pupils are given a huge amount of choice from the very early stages. It is expected that pupils will do things for themselves. Staff are unobtrusive when pupils are trying things out for themselves, for example, when learning to go to the toilet unaided. Pupils are encouraged to maximise their independent mobility skills. Staff are skilled at incorporating individual therapy programmes, maximising functional independence.

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Standards are good across the school

25. Pupils achieve well in relation to the objectives and targets set in Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and in Annual Reviews. Parents report growths in confidence and self-esteem. Inspectors agree with parents that pupils become more confident and feel better about themselves. Pupils are enthusiastic and keen to come to school. Parents confirm this. Inspectors witnessed a meeting of the ‘Pupils’ Forum’ during the inspection. Pupils expressed themselves well and listened well to others. Their confidence and good manners were exceptional achievements.

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The staff and Governors take the utmost care of all their pupils. They ensure that

pupils spend their time learning and playing in safe and secure environments.

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The staff and Governors take the utmost care of all their pupils. They ensure that

26. Health and safety arrangements are very good, with up-to-date and comprehensive policies and procedures. Excellent risk assessments are carried out on all activities, both on and off-site. A team of qualified first aiders, led by a qualified nurse look after pupils throughout the school day. The nurse trains other members of staff in administering medication, nasal feeding and other medical care procedures. Regular training in lifting and handling is arranged for all staff. Arrangements for Child Protection are very good. The Headteacher is the nominated person. He and all the rest of the staff are well trained in procedures which appropriately involve all the local agencies. The quality of care provided for pupils is very high and contributes very positively to their health, safety, welfare and dignity. This very good care contributes to the effective learning of all pupils.

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The staff and Governors take the utmost care of all their pupils. They ensure that

27. All staff know individual pupils very well and are fully aware of their physical, emotional and learning needs. The day to day work of the school creates a strong sense of the importance given to the health and safety of pupils. Of particular note, is the accessibility of staff, including the headteacher, when pupils are feeling upset or unwell. Pupils are confident about being able to approach all staff. Inspectors saw many examples of this during the inspection.

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The staff and Governors take the utmost care of all their pupils. They ensure that

28. Staff work well to support parents and to consider their wishes and feelings in respect that the school deals with difficult situations sensitively. Inspectors agree with this view. Pupils’ religion, racial origin, cultural and linguistic background are respected. All staff promote good behaviour and are alert for any harassment or bullying. Where bullying does occur, it is dealt with immediately and sensitively. An example of bullying during the inspection was dealt with promptly and effectively. Healthy and safe living are promoted through the curriculum. Food technology lessons successfully promote healthy eating. The local police visit to talk about ‘Stranger Danger’. The PSHE programme contributes well to enabling pupils to become increasingly independent, self confident, knowledgeable about themselves and healthy and safe living. The Cedar School - 16

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Pupils attitudes to school and their personal development and relationships are very

29. Pupils are enthusiastic about coming to Cedar School. Their attitude in lessons is good as they strive to participate fully in the learning opportunities provided. A few pupils enter the school with very low self-esteem but these quickly grow in confidence.

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Pupils attitudes to school and their personal development and relationships are very

30. The school is an orderly community and pupils behave well as they move around the school. Behaviour in lessons is usually good but a small number of pupils display challenging behaviour related to their disability. Plans are in place to address this behaviour but strategies are not yet always effective and the school is aware that this is an area for further development. The Home/School Co-ordinator is able to provide support to parents over managing difficult behaviour at home and acts as a very good link with the staff in school. Parents value the support provided through the Home/School Co-ordinator across a wide range of issues including liaison with medical services and other outside agencies.

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Pupils attitudes to school and their personal development and relationships are very

31. The relationships between adults and pupils are excellent and pupils make very good progress in their personal development. This is given a high priority in setting targets for pupils and in the curriculum offered. The youngest pupils are encouraged to make simple choices throughout their day in school and this is effectively supported by the use of symbols and pictures as well as spoken language. Older pupils develop independence in as many areas as possible through maximising their physical skills, expressing their views and opinions and developing their self-confidence. Specific teaching in areas such as emotional literacy and anger management support this development well as does the work done in preparing pupils to move on from school into college placements.

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Pupils attitudes to school and their personal development and relationships are very

32. Attendance rates have improved since the last inspection and are in the average range for similar schools nationally. Pupils spend time out of lessons to allow for their care and therapeutic needs to be met. As far as possible this is planned so that disruption is kept to a minimum but it necessarily reduces time in lessons. On-site clinics help to minimise children having long periods out of school to attend hospital appointments.

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A small group of parents remain unclear about the school’s policy and practice

33. Although the school has addressed this issue since the last inspection, some parents have not been sufficiently reassured. During the inspection, pupils were given homework and inspectors saw teachers checking homework when it was brought back. However, the inspectors’ time in school did not allow for checking each class or each subject. Inspectors feel that the school could do more to clarify these procedures for parents and to explain to parents what they can reasonably expect in the way of regular homework.

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The school has assembled a mass of data relating to pupils’ progress, but the

evaluation of this data is in the process of being developed further.

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The school has assembled a mass of data relating to pupils’ progress, but the

34. Since the last inspection, the school has made great improvements in the monitoring of pupils’ progress. They have not yet fully developed how they are going to use this data to inform future planning. Staff have collected information since 1999 and have been able to make graphs showing individual pupil progress. Staff have identified the need to moderate between teachers as the next step. At the present time, staff have not fully developed their ideas as to how they will analyse this data so that it will help them to make external comparisons and challenge their current practice. The Cedar School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to improve on the considerable strengths already identified in the school, staff and governors should now:-

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) Look again at the school’s policy and practice regarding homework and communicate this clearly to parents. (Para 33) 2) Consider how to make best use of the information collected through the monitoring of pupil progress. (Paras 19,34)

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Introduction of the Key Stage 3 Strategy

35. Staff have successfully introduced the first stages of the Key Stage 3 Strategy in mathematics and English and are now looking at science and Information Communication and Technology. Subject co-ordinators have had appropriate training. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been introduced and adapted successfully to meet the individual needs of pupils in the school. Pupils’ progress in English, Mathematics and PSHE has been charted now for three years, on an annual basis, with predictions for 2003. This monitoring shows that all pupils are making progress, with some pupils moving up two levels over the three year period, which demonstrates good progress. The Cedar School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 26

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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. [When the total number is substantially less than 100, add] Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one [two, three, etc] percentage point[s]. [Where the total is close to or greater than 100, use only the first sentence.]

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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 70

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 18

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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 2

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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 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. The Cedar School - 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 1 5 6

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 0 0 0 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 0 0 0

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) at NC level 2 or above National 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 )

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 0 0 0 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 0 0 0

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) at NC level 2 or above National 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 )

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 5 3 8

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 1 0 1 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 0 0 0

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 12.5 0 ( 0 ) 12.5 at NC level 4 or above National 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 )

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 0 0 0 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 0 0 0

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) at NC level 4 or above National 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 )

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. The Cedar School - 20

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 3 for the latest reporting year 2001 4 0 4

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 0 0 0 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 0 0 0

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

Percentage of pupils School 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) at NC level 5 or above National 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 )

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

Percentage of pupils School 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) at NC level 6 or above National 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 )

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 0 0 0 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 0 0 0

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

Percentage of pupils School 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) at NC level 5 or above National 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 )

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

Percentage of pupils School 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) at NC level 6 or above National 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 )

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

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

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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 2001 2 2 4

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

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

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

Boys 0 0 1 Numbers of pupils achieving the standard specified Girls 0 0 1

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

Percentage of pupils achieving School 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 50 (50) the standard specified National 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 )

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

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

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

Vocational qualifications Number % success rate

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

Number studying for approved vocational qualifications or units and School 0 0 The Cedar School - 21 the percentage of those pupils who achieved all those they studied National 0

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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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Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 3 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 1 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

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

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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) 13.8 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 4.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Total income 1060112

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YN – Y11 Total expenditure 1060112

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 25 Expenditure per pupil 14135

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 711 Balance brought forward from previous year 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 0 The Cedar School - 22

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2.2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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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. The Cedar School - 23

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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. 47 44 3 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 36 3 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 37 27 17 7 13

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 56 26 12 6 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 74 26 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. 58 30 6 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 48 42 6 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 74 24 3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 61 27 3 0 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 53 29 3 0 15

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Parents Meeting

Parents raised concerns about the perceived lack of Speech and Language Therapy and uncertainties about homework policy and practice.

p.23