Holly House Special School

Holly House School

Dates of inspection: 25 th – 27 th November 2003

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Holly House School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Holly House School - 2 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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Holly House 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. Holly House School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Special School category: Non-maintained Age range of pupils: 7-14 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 40

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street North Old Whittington Chesterfield

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01246 450530 Fax number: 01246 456407

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Ms Lynda Stevenson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 4 th – 5 th October 2000

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Holly House School is a special school for 40 pupils aged 7-14 years who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties At the time of the inspection, all the pupils were boys. All of them have statements of educational needs. Seven pupils are looked after by the local authority. Almost half of the pupils have associated learning difficulties related to speech and language. All the pupils have had substantial amounts of time out of school. Their experiences have led to low self-esteem and disaffection. Many have challenging behaviour. Their achievement is, therefore, lower than average and it is inappropriate to judge them in relation to national standards. Pupils are drawn from across the county. They have considerable daily journeys on school buses and taxis. No pupils have the need for residential accommodation on their statements. Almost all pupils stay for an extra- curricular activity after school and the residential accommodation is used flexibly for pupils to sleep

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

over. The vast majority of pupils choose to have some residential experiences. Holly House School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

2971 Kathy Hooper Lead inspector Science Art Design and technology History Personal and social education and citizenship 8937 Howard Allen Lay inspector 22391 Jon Sharpe Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Music Physical education Special educational needs 2239 Nick Smith Team inspector English Geography Religious education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Penta International Upperton House The Avenue Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 3YB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Holly House School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school. Pupils achieve well as a result of good leadership and management. Pupils, who have previously been disillusioned by their experiences in school, enjoy their lessons. Many of the pupils have spent considerable amounts of time out of school. It is inappropriate, therefore, to judge the pupils' achievement in relation to national standards . The curriculum is relevant and enriched by extra-curricular provision that makes good use of the residential accommodation. It provides good value for money .

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Pupils achieve well because the teaching is good. Pupils are well engaged in lessons and teachers manage pupils' behaviour well. Lower achieving pupils make good progress because of good one-to-one support. • Pupils develop good attitudes to school and learn to manage their behaviour because they enjoy school; their attendance is good • The school is well led and managed; but there are weaknesses in the school development plan • The ethos is good and based on teamwork and very good relationships • The curriculum is relevant and meets the oldest pupils' needs particularly well • The school provides a safe and warm environment within which each pupil is equally respected • Pupils' targets are not sufficiently focused on improving their basic skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. • There are many opportunities for developing pupils' personal and social skills, but opportunities

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OVERALL EVALUATION

for developing pupils' independence are limited. Citizenship is not yet fully addressed. • Residential experiences and extra-curricular activities support pupils' learning well • There are good links with the community but there is scope for further development of links with parents and carers • The accommodation and resources are good; there is no graffiti or vandalism • Assessments are insufficiently detailed and do not involve the pupils sufficiently.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school is more effective now than it was at the time of the previous inspection in 2000. Teaching, provision in religious education and resources in information and communication technology have been improved. Better use of the residential accommodation, combined with extra- curricular activities, add significantly to pupils' achievement and enjoyment of school. The school has begun to measure improvements in pupils' behaviour, reading and spelling. However, the school's assessment policy requires further development. Provision for personal and social education has been improved. The school has achieved two School Achievement Awards, the Investors in People Award, the Health Promoting School Award and the Anti-Bullying Certificate of Commitment.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

in relation to individual targets in: Pupils’ achievement at the end of: Subjects of the curriculum personal and social education Year 6 good good Year 9 good good Inspectors make judgements in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils' achievement is good across both key stages in English, mathematics, religious education, physical education and personal and social education. Their achievement in science, information and communication technology is satisfactory. In all other subjects, pupils' achievement Holly House School - 7 is at least satisfactory and often good. There are no significant differences in the achievement of different groups of pupils.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND OTHER PERSONAL QUALITIES

Pupils have good attitudes to their learning . They learn to respect one another. Pupils enjoy school and their attendance is good, overall. However, the level of unauthorised absence is higher than similar schools nationally. They make good improvements in their behaviour. The school works hard to address bullying. Pupils make good progress in their personal development. The school makes effective provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides good quality education for pupils of all ages and abilities . The teaching is lively and pupils are well engaged by activities Pupils' behaviour is well managed. However, the assessment system is not yet sufficiently well developed. The curriculum is broad and meets the needs of the pupils well. It is especially effective for pupils in Year 9 . Pupils' appreciation of the school is reflected in the lack of graffiti and vandalism. The school has a good ethos based on respect for each individual . There are sound links with parents and good links with the community. Pupils gain much benefit from the links with local institutions.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the headteacher and those with management responsibilities are good. The governing body works well and is becoming increasingly effective. The school has made considerable improvements in its provision as a result of teamwork and a strong emphasis on staff development. There is a clear vision for the school that is based on raising standards for pupils.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and carers are largely satisfied with the school. They particularly like the fact that their children enjoy school and they make good progress. They appreciate the interesting range of activities and the way in which pupils are helped to settle into the school. Parents are less impressed by the pupils' behaviour. They are unsure about homework and the use of the home- school books and the school should clarify these issues.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Every pupil stated that the school was good . They say that their work is helpfully assessed, they are treated with respect, they are trusted, and they can talk easily to adults who listen well. Most of the pupils do not believe that behaviour is good, that worthwhile homework is regularly set or that there is no bullying.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors agreed with most parents' and pupils' views. Although some behaviour was clearly challenging, this is the nature of pupils' special need. There is some bullying but the school is not complacent and has effective strategies for its prevention and for dealing promptly.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Ensure that all pupils have measurable targets for improving their basic skills, including writing, in addition to those for improving their behaviour. (Paras.2, 16, 18, 22, 29, 46-7, 49, 55, 57, 61/2) • Incorporate assessment information into all lesson plans so that they state clearly what it is anticipated individuals and groups of pupils will learn. Involve the pupils in assessing their own progress. (Paras. 7, 15, 20, 32, 42, 47, 53, 57, 63, 75) Holly House School - 8 • Ensure the school development plan reflects the strategic direction identified within the school. (Para. 40) • Establish provision for citizenship in relation to other activities that promote pupils' personal, social and health education. (Paras.11, 12, 15, 17, 24-6, 57, 76-82) Holly House School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils' achievement, overall, is good. Pupils in all year groups are achieving well, particularly in language and reading skills, mathematics, and in achieving their individual behaviour targets. They have good attitudes to learning and their achievement over a longer period at school is good. By the time they are ready to leave, in Year 9, each pupil has the opportunity to enter for at least one external examination, demonstrating good achievement since they first joined the school. There is no difference, overall, between the achievement of pupils in care or those with additional learning difficulties compared with others in the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The vast majority of pupils of all ages and abilities achieve equally well because teaching is lively so pupils enjoy their lessons • Pupils improve their literacy and numeracy skills because there is a structured approach to teaching within discrete lessons. • Pupils achieve well in information and communication technology lessons, but their learning is not sufficiently reinforced across the curriculum • Pupils make less progress in lessons where there is an emphasis on writing than in those where there are practical activities • Pupils' do not achieve sufficiently well in art and design and technology because there are too few opportunities to develop an understanding of design .

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Commentary

1. The vast majority of pupils make good progress. In national tests, at the end of both Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, in English, mathematics and science, many pupils achieve almost as well as their peers in mainstream settings. Their achievement is better than that of pupils in similar schools. Pupils' achievement in national tests varies considerably year on year because of the small number of pupils in the end of key stage classes. Parents report that their children make good progress. There is no significant difference between the achievement of pupils cared for by the local authority or those with additional learning difficulties because they have good adult support.

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Commentary

2. Pupils achieve well in English and mathematics lessons because there is a structured approach to the learning which addresses the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. Pupils' achievement in speaking, listening and reading is better than that in writing. Pupils' achievement in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology in lessons across the curriculum is satisfactory. It is not always as good as in discrete lessons because the school's practice is insufficiently well established. Pupils' achievement in science is satisfactory overall. Pupils learn particularly well in science lessons where there are investigations and experiments. Pupils with additional learning needs achieve as well as other pupils because of the effective adult support from education care officers.

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Commentary

3. Pupils' achievement is best in those lessons where there is good use of resources and practical activities, in religious education, information and communication technology, personal and social education, and physical education. In lessons that were sampled, in art, music and design and technology, pupils' learning was also judged to be good because they were well engaged by interesting activities that did not rely on their weak literacy skills for success. Nevertheless, pupils do not achieve sufficiently well in art and design and technology because there is insufficient emphasis on design. In geography, pupils' learning is satisfactory. The school has maintained the good achievement reported at the previous inspection. Holly House School - 10

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

4. Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their good attendance. Pupils have a positive attitude to work. Their behaviour both in the classroom and around school is good. Pupils’ personal development in relation to their targets is good. The school is working hard to tackle the incidents of bullying that occur. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attendance is good and pupils enjoy school and use the provision well • Pupils behave well and form very good relationships with staff and each other. • Pupils make good gains in achieving their own personal behaviour targets • There is some bullying, but the school is making determined efforts to address this issue • Provision for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development is good • Opportunities for taking responsibility and group work are too often missed

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Commentary

5. The attendance at the school compares favourably with similar types of schools. Parents are generally very supportive of the school’s efforts to ensure all pupils attend regularly. There are very good procedures for maintaining pupils' attendance. The school follows up unexpected absence by telephone calls home. The school is well supported by an Education Welfare Officer.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (91%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.7% School data 2.5% National data 11.9% National data 1.2% The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

6. Pupils’ attitudes to lessons are good. They particularly like practical lessons and especially physical education, design and technology, art and information and communication technology. In lessons where teachers engage pupils well and make lessons active, pupils respond positively and learn well. Parents and their children recognise that the school expects pupils to work hard at school.

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Commentary

7. All pupils and their parents confirm they enjoy school. The majority of pupils stay after school and benefit from the extra-curricular activities such as football, swimming, golf and fishing that are part of the extended day. Pupils gain great benefit from the opportunities to sleep over in the residential accommodation. They learn to take responsibility for themselves and others.

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Commentary

8. Although pupils and their parents do not believe that behaviour in the school is good, the inspection team judged that pupils do behave well both in class and around the school. The school is calm and orderly and pupils are polite and hospitable to visitors. Many pupils are proud to wear the school uniform and understand they represent the school when they do so. Behaviour off site is often excellent and they are a credit to the school. The school’s policy is applied consistently and is effective in helping pupils improve their behaviour. Regular reviews of pupils’ behaviour ensure that strategies for improvement are included within the pupils' Individual Education Plan. The points accrued contribute to the rewards system. However, pupils' individual targets are not sufficiently reinforced by teachers and education care officers during lessons. Furthermore, the rewards are Holly House School - 11

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Commentary

not sufficiently negotiated with pupils. Opportunities are missed, therefore, to promote pupils' responsibility for their behaviour.

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Commentary

9. Although there have been 13 fixed term exclusions, there have been no permanent exclusions over the last year. This is a very good record in comparison with similar schools and represents a downward trend over the last three years.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 35 13 0

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Commentary

10. It is acknowledged by the school, and confirmed by pupils, that some bullying does take place between pupils. However, the school makes significant efforts to tackle the issues as they arise and parents recognise this. There is much good practice, including consulting pupils in order to identify bullies and informing parents if there are concerns their child may be bullying others. Parents and pupils appreciate this kind of consultation and the school understands the need for vigilance. The school council addresses bullying and racism in a realistic manner. The school has received an award from the local authority for its efforts to address bullying.

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Commentary

11. Pupils state that they are trusted to do things unaided. Parents report that the school helps their children to become mature and independent. In the residential settings and in some lessons, for example, in science and design and technology, pupils have opportunities to work together and these opportunities help pupils become mature, confident and sociable.

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Commentary

12. Although pupils make good progress in improving their behaviour by achieving their personal targets in their Individual Education Plans, too many opportunities are missed to develop initiative, co-operation and independence. The school's emphasis on avoiding confrontation through positive behaviour management is very effective in promoting pupils' self-esteem. However, it sometimes leads to over-control within lessons. Pupils are generally placed at different tables all facing the front and there are too few opportunities for group work. Additionally, there are too few opportunities in lessons for pupils to assess their own efforts and achievements in relation to their behaviour and their learning.

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Commentary

13. Overall, the provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The quality of collective worship illustrates the positive ethos of the school. The atmosphere is relaxed and pupils contribute easily and confidently. Assemblies develop a good sense of community and provide good opportunities for pupils to reflect on issues. Their understanding of moral issues is well developed. Pupils' spiritual awareness is satisfactorily developed in lessons in several subjects. For example, in English, lessons begin with reflections, sometimes to music, to set the tone for the session. In residential settings, pupils appreciate the opportunities to play quietly. Pupils are beginning to respect the views of others but potentially hurtful comments are not systematically addressed by all adults. In the residential activities, pupils collaborate well in games with others. Most pupils make significant gains in their personal development. They learn to argue their case and

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Commentary

to be aware of right and wrong. They generally obey rules and are prepared to discuss changes. However, citizenship has not yet been established and opportunities are missed for developing pupils' independence and responsibility. The school provides well for pupils' cultural development. Pupils experience a good range of other cultures through the curriculum and have good exposure to spiritual and moral aspects, too. Staff set fine examples; their commitment to pupils and their colleagues is a strong factor in the success of the school. Holly House School - 12

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

14. The quality of education is good. Good teaching enables all pupils to learn well, resulting in good achievement throughout the school. Pupils find lessons and extra-curricular activities interesting. The school provides good care for its pupils. The quality of partnership with parents is satisfactory. Good links with the community enhance pupils’ learning considerably. Extra-curricular and residential experiences support pupils' progress very well and contribute enormously to their enjoyment of school.

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Teaching and learning

15. Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. The school's assessment systems are developing but not yet fully in place. Assessment is, therefore, unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a positive approach to behaviour management that promotes pupils' self esteem • Lessons are designed to appeal to pupils who understand that they come into lessons to work • Teachers explore and clarify pupils' understanding and misconceptions and this pre-empts feelings of frustration that might lead to challenging behaviour • Pupils with additional learning difficulties are well supported by education care officers • Well structured, challenging activities capture and maintain pupils' interest • Pupils' basic skills and their personal and social targets are not sufficiently well reinforced in all lessons • Assessments are not sufficiently used to influence teaching.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in [number] lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 9 (23%) 18 (46%) 12 (31%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

16. Overall, the teaching and learning are good and parents and pupils agree. The strong emphasis on staff development has enabled teachers to become well informed and, as a result, pupils are well taught. The positive behaviour strategy is used consistently and well by staff, and pupils' self esteem is very effectively supported. In the best lessons, teachers and education care officers demonstrate very high levels of interpersonal skills that enable them to manage pupils' challenging behaviour very successfully. Interactions are respectful. Education care officers support low achieving pupils very well. It is this one-to-one support that enables lower achieving pupils and those with speech and language difficulties to achieve as well as their peers.

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Commentary

17. Lessons are well prepared and structured to gain and maintain pupils' interest and involvement. In the best lessons, there are enjoyable but challenging activities and teacher talk is kept to a minimum. Teachers use effective starter activities to focus the lessons. The transitions between activities are smooth, there is a clear relationship between the activities, and new learning is reinforced at the point of change and at the end. Pupils know that they come to lessons to learn and generally persevere well even when the task is difficult. Pupils, and their parents, report that staff expect pupils to work hard and do their best. Teachers frequently use questions rather than giving pupils information. In this way, teachers and education care officers generate a collaborative approach to the learning. This approach encourages pupils to use questions to clarify their Holly House School - 13

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Commentary

understanding. In the best lessons, teachers pick up pupils' misconceptions and explore them in order to clarify misunderstandings before pupils become frustrated. The learning in all lessons is predicated on very good relationships. This allows teachers to achieve an effective balance of support and challenge. In good lessons, pupils improve their first attempts. Pupils are supported well to achieve successful outcomes. Their successes encourage them to persevere further as well as promoting their self-confidence.

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Commentary

18. Pupils' personal targets are addressed at the end of each lesson through the points system. Pupils enjoy receiving the points because they count towards rewards. However, they are not sufficiently negotiated with pupils. Points are awarded against pupils' targets largely on the basis of the teacher and education care officers' perceptions. The system does not encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own targets.

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Commentary

19. Some teachers identify opportunities to reinforce literacy and information and communication technology when they plan lessons. However, there is too little reference to numeracy or to pupils' personal and social targets. Furthermore, the opportunities identified are not always made explicit and do not relate to individual pupils' different abilities . In the primary department, teachers reinforce pupils' basic skills well, even though there is no reference in planning. However, teachers of older pupils do not always have such intimate understanding of individual pupils' abilities and opportunities are often missed. On occasions, the support of education care officers discourages older pupils from taking responsibility for their learning because they have come to expect the support.

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Commentary

20. Homework is set for those pupils who request it. Their efforts are rewarded and this has encouraged more pupils to request homework. Nevertheless, the setting of homework is inconsistent and neither pupils nor parents/carers properly understand the process. The school should make its policy clear.

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Commentary

21. Improvements have been made in the assessment of pupils. Pupils' progress in literacy is tracked using standardised tests for reading and spelling. Pupils' improving behaviour is tracked using a standardised checklist. These three measures are used as baselines. The school should consider extending these to include numeracy.

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Commentary

22. Pupils are given lots of positive feedback in lessons to help them to improve. Pupils believe they know what they must do to improve. However, feedback is generally verbal and little is written on pupils' books to indicate how they might make their work better. Teachers have a record keeping system to assess pupils against the objectives set for the lessons. However, although in four out of five classes, there is a difference in reading age of six to seven years, lesson objectives do not usually identify different learning outcomes for pupils. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils with poor literacy skills to use information and communication technology.

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Commentary

23. The assessment system is unsatisfactory overall. The evidence of learning is too generalised because it is based on overall objectives for the lesson, rather than what has been learned by each pupil. Teachers make regular use of the National Curriculum level descriptors to assess pupils. However, these assessments are not always accurate and they are insufficiently detailed to indicate how to improve their planning to better meet individual pupils' needs.

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The curriculum

24. The curriculum is satisfactory and meets the needs of all pupils. The extra-curricular provision is good and provides effective opportunities for pupils to develop their personal and social skills. The accommodation and resources are good. Particularly good use is made of the residential facilities. Holly House School - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The Year 9 curriculum prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education • Pupils' numeracy, literacy and information and communication technology are inconsistently reinforced and extended across the curriculum • The extended curriculum and residential provision enrich the curriculum well • The wide range of opportunities for developing pupils' personal and social skills are uncoordinated • Citizenship is not yet established • Accommodation and resources are good; there is no graffiti or vandalism

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Commentary

25. The curriculum meets statutory requirements and all pupils have equal access. The timetable for all classes is effective. Transition is well marked by movement at the end of Key Stage 2 to a purpose built block for Key Stage 3. Pupils have good opportunities to achieve accreditation in French and music and there are plans to extend these opportunities next year. The timetable for Year 9 is a particularly strong feature. It enables pupils to prepare well for the next phase of education and to extend their personal and social skills accordingly. Year 9 pupils spend one day a week at a local college on a vocational course. This has led to pupils' improved attendance. There is a good range of lunchtime activities that support pupils' achievement and their behaviour. Pupils use computers and the library or take part in organised games. Opportunities for disruptive behaviour are, therefore, kept to a minimum.

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Commentary

26. The national strategies for literacy, numeracy and Key Stage 3 have been introduced. However, the whole school policies for literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology are not yet fully implemented. As a result, pupils' basic skills are not consistently reinforced across the curriculum. Furthermore, pupils' individual targets are not measurable and do not always include targets to improve weaknesses in basic skills.

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Commentary

27. The school's provision for extra-curricular activities and the extended day are other strong features that have a positive effect on pupils’ enthusiasm for school and on their sporting prowess. There is a particularly wide range of activities on and off site for pupils. They all have opportunities to spend time sleeping over in the residential accommodation. All pupils say that they enjoy these activities. Parents appreciate the good range of activities that hold the interest of their children.

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Commentary

28. The use of the residential provision has developed well since the previous inspection. This is partly due to the quality of the accommodation and resources, but also to the sensible, professional and flexible approach adopted there. Pupils attend voluntarily and make positive progress in very important aspects of their lives. Care plans are individual and linked to the whole school model, based on behaviour checks.

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Commentary

29. The pupils benefit greatly during their residential experiences. The activities are all geared to physical, personal and social development and include football with professionals, skiing and fishing. The quieter elements of life are not missed; pupils have chances to discover play, either soft or with pool and air hockey. Play is carefully organised and well managed by trained staff. Pupils learn to look after things, not least themselves. They have many more opportunities for developing independence than they have in school. They prepare breakfast, wash up, volunteer, talk about life and make decisions. Pupils want to stay and they develop confidence and esteem.

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Commentary

30. Across the school, there is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their personal and social skills. There are specific lessons on the timetable, the registration periods, a range of extra-curricular activities at lunchtime and after school, the residential experiences and the pupils' own personal and social targets in their individual education plans. However, these are uncoordinated and opportunities are missed, therefore, for reinforcing and extending personal and Holly House School - 15 social skills and ensuring that pupils achieve their targets as quickly as possible. Furthermore, the school has not yet established a programme for citizenship, although there is an action plan.

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Commentary

31. The good accommodation and resources contribute to the effective delivery of the curriculum in subjects. There is an adequate number of teachers. The number of education care officers employed ensures that pupils, especially those with additional learning needs, are well supported.

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Commentary

32. The school accommodation is used effectively and there is no graffiti or vandalism. The specialist rooms for information and communication technology, science, art and design and technology help to promote pupils' higher levels of understanding in those subjects. The school does not have a grassed play area suitable for sporting fixtures but this is well compensated for by off-site facilities.

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Commentary

33. The school has a good range of resources. The school has a particularly good ratio of computers to pupils. However, these are not yet fully used by all teachers, for example, for word processing or data handling. There are interactive whiteboards in most Key Stage 3 classrooms although these, too, are not yet fully used.

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Care, guidance and support

34. Pupils are well cared for and good attention is paid to pupils’ welfare, health and safety. Procedures for advice and guidance are good . Pupils are listened to and pupils believe that the school is interested in their views. However, their views are not systematically addressed. There are no individual risk assessments on pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Health and safety are high priorities for the school • There is a warm and sensitive environment where all are equally valued and respected • Pupils and staff develop very good relationships that promote trust and pupils’ self-esteem • The school is beginning to consider pupils’ views using the school council. • Pupils would like to be more involved monitoring their individual targets

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Commentary

35. Pupils’ health and safety is a priority for the school. Child protection is well established. Residential care staff are competent to deal with any issues outside the normal school day. All staff have a good awareness of safety issues and act appropriately to ensure pupils do not put themselves or others at risk. The school carries out appropriate risk assessments to ensure activities such as visits out of school or potentially dangerous environments such as stairways are made as safe as possible. However, the school has yet to undertake risk assessments for individual pupils that would ensure all staff are aware of the problems pupils have and to inform staff of strategies that might help them.

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Commentary

36. Pupils receive good support and guidance. The school is small and each pupil is well known to all adults. Pupils are confident and trust adults. They are, therefore, well supported by the very good relationships. They say, and evidence from adults supports their view, that they can take any problems to adults and that they are treated fairly. Parents are happy about the way in which their children were settled into the school on entry. The Year 9 college links and the opportunities for achieving accreditation in French and music provide a good introduction to the next stage of their education. Pupils have appropriate work experience and careers guidance.

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Commentary

37. The residential experiences contribute significantly to the pupils' sense of belonging and their ability to take care of themselves. Pupils benefit from the school's good contacts with the educational psychologist, speech therapist and education social worker. The procedures for Holly House School - 16 monitoring and supporting behaviour are effective. Nevertheless, the school does not make best use of the data it collects on pupils to measure and generate individual targets. There is scope for closer links between the targets set in the residential accommodation and those in school.

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Commentary

38. Pupils state that their views are sought and considered. The whole ethos of the school is one of respect. There is an on-going dialogue with pupils throughout the day. Issues highlighted in a survey of bullying undertaken last year led by the educational psychologist are being addressed. Although pupils are involved in their Annual Reviews, they report that they would like greater involvement in monitoring their targets on a daily basis. The school council is being revived after a gap of six months. Whilst overall satisfactory, the school recognises that there is more to be done on taking pupils' views into account.

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Partnership with parents, carers other schools and the community

39. The school has satisfactory links with the parents and carers. The school has good links with the local community and pupils benefit from a wide range of activities. The school has increasingly good links with other schools and colleges. However, the school has concerns about the adequacy of appropriate Key Stage 4 provision for its Year 9 leavers.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The parents/carers have confidence in the school and believe their children receive a good education • There is scope for further development of the school’s links with parents and for gathering their views • There are good opportunities for pupils to visit the local community • There are good links with local schools and a local college • Transfer at the end of Key Stage 3 is problematic due to local circumstances

p.16

Commentary

40. Communication with parents/carers is satisfactory. Parents and carers speak highly of staff and consider the school serves their children well. They have no problems with contacting the school if they have any concerns. The families of pupils live some way from the school. Although the school does not currently produce a newsletter, the headteacher sends individual letters to parents to advise them when their children make particularly good progress.

p.16

Commentary

41. Staff make good use of the telephone to keep in contact with parents. Parents are largely happy about the amount of contact they have with the school. They feel that the school deals well with any complaints and concerns. Parents value the home-school books when these are informative about what their children have achieved. They would like the school to do more to let them know when and what their children do well. The use of home-school books is inconsistent and there are no workshops for parents.

p.16

Commentary

42. Parents receive reports on their children's progress as part of the annual review process. These provide parents with sufficient information to gauge the progress their children are making. They receive reports on all subjects and national curriculum levels are included. Nevertheless, apart from the annual review process, the views of parents and carers are not regularly gathered and addressed in any formal sense.

p.16

Commentary

43. The curriculum for older pupils is effectively enhanced during the school day through its links with local amenities and institutions. Year 9 pupils benefit from a vocational curriculum at a local college and take part in outdoor pursuits at an activity centre. However, the school's ability to prepare Year 9 pupils for the next stage of their education is limited by what the school sees as the narrow range of appropriate vocational courses for Key Stage 4 pupils offered locally. Holly House School - 17 44. The school ensures that pupils have as many opportunities as possible to mix with their peers both in and out of school. Although there is a limited number of visitors to the school to help with curriculum subjects, pupils enjoy such occasions and treat visitors with respect. For example, the coach from Chesterfield Football Club held an effective and enjoyable coaching session for pupils after school. Pupils identify football as one of the best things about the school. The school

p.16

Commentary

successfully organises a wide range of activities for pupils within the local and wider area. The range of visits during the extended day is particularly impressive. During the inspection, a third of the pupils went on an after school visit to use a dry-ski slope.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

45. Leadership and management of Holly House School are good . The headteacher and staff with management responsibilities provide good leadership. The leadership and management of the governing body is good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a clear sense of purpose concerning raising standards that is shared by all members of the school • The governors are becoming increasingly effective in holding the school to account • There is good teamwork within the school that leads to a supportive ethos • The school development plan is insufficiently focused on the strategic direction that is identified within the school • The assessments of pupils are not yet producing sufficient data to demonstrate the value that the school is adding to their progress

p.17

Commentary

46. The quality of leadership provided by the governing body is good. The committee structure enables governors to fulfil and manage their statutory duties well. The governors are supportive of the school and are enthusiastic about plans for its future development. Aware of their role, to hold the school to account for its standards, governors are developing an understanding of performance data and observe lessons and assemblies. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and what steps are required to improve. The governing body is working increasingly closely with the headteacher and senior management team to establish detailed priorities for the future development of the school.

p.17

Commentary

47. The leadership of the headteacher, senior management team and subject co-ordinators is good. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school based on developing a high quality provision for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties whilst ensuring the well being and confidence of all the staff. His high aspirations for the achievements of the pupils are clear to all and there is a shared sense of purpose in the work of the school. Although the headteacher was appointed only three months prior to the inspection, the staff share his view that a quality provision for the pupils is based on good relationships, fairness and trust. There is a strong sense of teamwork within the school; teachers and support staff work well together. A regular schedule of meetings and effective consultation ensures that all staff are involved in decision making. The school has places a strong emphasis on staff development. As a result, staff are well qualified and

p.17

Commentary

informed. However, the school development plan, established prior to the appointment of the headteacher, is not sufficiently linked to the school’s strategic direction and there is insufficient focus on its impact on raising standards.

p.17

Commentary

48. The management of the school is good. The school has continued to make effective progress since that last inspection. The management of the residential unit is first class. The head of care and her deputy are now more fully involved in the work of the school. The residential Holly House School - 18 provision has been extended to provide a good range of extra-curricular provision and a flexible programme of residential experiences for pupils. Both of these initiatives are well regarded by pupils and parents and contribute significantly to pupils' development.

p.17

Commentary

49. There are effective procedures for whole school self-evaluation and appropriate priorities for development have been established. As a result, the whole staff is aware of both the school’s and their own strengths and weaknesses. This is a small school and senior managers have a high profile. Although the monitoring of teaching and learning by senior managers is currently conducted on an informal basis, the headteacher recognises the need to develop more formal procedures. The collection of data relating to pupil’s academic and behavioural development is satisfactory, but insufficiently well used. The gaps in the assessment system prevent the data from being used sufficiently effectively to help raise standards further.

p.18

Commentary

50. The school communicates well with members of its community including staff, pupils, parents and governors. Parents strongly believe that the school is well led and managed and several have expressed their gratitude for the school's work in transforming the attitudes and behaviour of their children. This perception is clearly echoed by pupils. Financial management is good. There are good financial controls in place. Staff and resources are deployed effectively and this has a direct impact on improving the standards achieved by the pupils. The effective teamwork among staff, very good extra-curricular activities, flexible use of the residential provision and the positive ethos of the school support pupils' achievement well. The school provides good value for money

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 939, 418 Balance from previous year 91,420 Total expenditure 734,604 Balance carried forward to the next 76,147 Expenditure per pupil 18,365 Holly House School - 19

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well through the school because the national strategies have been well established and lessons are effectively planned • Pupils' reading, speaking and listening skills are well developed; those with additional needs are well supported by adults • The opportunities for writing have improved and this aspect of pupils' achievement is satisfactory • The relationships are very good, an atmosphere of trust and respect makes lessons enjoyable. • Methods for determining how well pupils learn have not yet been fully developed

p.19

Commentary

52. The national strategies for improving literacy have been introduced well in lessons. By the end of Year 6, pupils' speaking and listening skills are good. They wait for friends to stop speaking and add suggestions for improvement . By the end of Year 9, their ability to build feeling into speech is outstanding. They learned how to build an argument, verbally and in writing when dealing with the topic of heroes .

p.19

Commentary

53. Pupils' reading is good overall. Pupils often make more than expected progress from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3. Most pupils follow text successfully and discuss the content effectively. Some pupils with additional needs do not make sufficient progress in reading. However, appropriate one-to-one support is provided on a withdrawal basis.

p.19

Commentary

54. Pupils' achievement in writing is satisfactory. They make good gains in their spelling, but they find handwriting difficult. Year 6 pupils develop stories of their own, describing problems and how to solve them. They break down words and substitute others that have a similar meaning. Pupils with additional needs identify basic spelling patterns and use them to make their work more interesting. By the end of Year 9, the higher achieving pupils write well. They redraft carefully handwritten work and present it accurately. All pupils at this stage alter incorrect vocabulary, and replace it with text of their own. However, although the work of lower attaining pupils shows satisfactory progress, their writing is poor and they need much support. The use of information and communication technology is improving. Some pupils use the computer to test their skills and save work to be printed later.

p.19

Commentary

55. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Lessons are well structured and pupils reflect well on events and situations. In some very good lessons, teachers plan a range of challenging topics to which pupils respond well, trying hard to express themselves. As a result, their skills in conversation and argument are improved. In the best lessons, teachers and support staff work very closely with pupils to ensure that they all succeed because there are very good relationships built on trust and respect. Lessons, therefore, are enjoyable. The very best teaching builds on information from assessment. However, although objectives are identified, all teachers do not state in their plans what they want individual pupils to learn. As a result, the assessments are inadequate. Very good learning occurs when pupils' imagination is captured by the activities. For example, they volunteer to read parts in plays and take part in arguments. In these situations, they express their personal views

p.19

Commentary

confidently and clearly want to do well. However, pupils’ individual targets are insufficiently well Holly House School - 20 focused on their individual literacy needs. Although many pupils have weak literacy skills, only a minority of pupils have literacy targets set for them.

p.19

Commentary

56. The subject is managed well. The good progress reported in the previous report has been maintained. The new co-ordinator has a clear mandate to raise standards. Resources are very good and match the interests and age of pupils well.

p.20

Literacy across the curriculum

57. The use of literacy across all subjects is satisfactory. Pupils record their work in most subjects and they make good use of printed resources to find information. However, those with poor literacy skills produce less work and there are relatively few strategies used to match the reading or writing task to the pupils' individual abilities. There are generally insufficient opportunities for extended writing in lessons other than in English. In humanities, there is too much reliance on work sheets and this limits the achievement of more competent pupils. In art and design and technology, pupils have insufficient opportunities to develop their literacy skills through design work. The under- development of the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum limits the opportunities for pupils to produce well presented written work to demonstrate their achievement. There are sound opportunities to analyse research and draw conclusions in science lessons for

p.20

Literacy across the curriculum

older pupils. The school has not yet fully worked out ways of reinforcing pupils' literacy skills across the curriculum especially for those with weak literacy skills. The assessment system requires further development.

p.20

French

58. Only one lesson was observed ; it was good. It is not possible, however, to make an overall judgement on the provision or on achievement, teaching and learning. French is co-ordinated well and it offers pupils an interesting range of enjoyable activities. The pupils are keen to take part, even volunteering to take part in role-play as a French announcer. Assessment is good, the subject is accredited by AQA and pupils can complete unit awards in the extended day provision. Pupils experience the full range of language skills; they speak, listen, write and read simple text. The lesson observed was enjoyable and enthusiastically managed.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in both Key Stage 2 and 3 and, as a result, achievement is good. • The Key Stage 3 and National Numeracy Strategies have been introduced well into mathematics lessons; they include challenging activities for pupils of all abilities so pupils make good progress • The subject is well managed and clearly focused on raising pupils’ achievement. • Activities make good use information technology and this engages pupils well • Assessment does not provide pupils with enough feedback on how they might improve their performance. • The development of numeracy skills is not sufficiently addressed across the curriculum.

p.20

Commentary

60. Pupils achieve well in mathematics. At the end of Year 6, pupils know the properties of rectangles, squares and triangles. They know how to find equivalent fractions and use long Holly House School - 21 multiplication with whole numbers and decimals. By the end of Year 9, pupils calculate missing angles in a triangle, they multiply and divide fractions and calculate percentages and ratios. Most pupils have improved their standard by almost two National Curriculum levels within the space of three years. These achievements are a result of the well-planned scheme of work and the good quality of teaching.

p.20

Commentary

61. In Years 7 to 9 teaching follows the guidance of the Key Stage 3 Strategy. A particular strength is the way in which information and communications technology is used to support the start of lessons and included in a variety of mental arithmetic exercises. These good beginnings to lessons prepare the pupils so that they are ready to learn. They also provide a good opportunity to reinforce what they have previously learned.

p.21

Commentary

62. Good questioning techniques employed by the teachers in both key stages helps develop pupils’ understanding well. Activities are challenging and differentiated well to meet the needs of all pupils and, as a result, they all make good progress. Relationships between adults and pupils are very positive and this creates a good working atmosphere. However, assessments are insufficiently detailed to provide pupils with a clear understanding of what they need to do to improve.

p.21

Commentary

63. The quality of provision in mathematics remains good as it was at the time of the last inspection. This is due to the good management that ensures lessons are well-planned, interesting and challenging and very good relationships between staff and pupils.

p.21

Mathematics across the curriculum

64. The school recognises the need and plans to develop numeracy in a more structured way across the curriculum. In occasional lessons, the teachers reinforce pupils’ skills and understanding. For example, addition is addressed in information technology, weighing and measuring are used in science and in design and technology and, in physical education, pupils' understanding of terminology associated with directions, such as clockwise and anticlockwise is reinforced. However, many opportunities are missed to reinforce pupils' numeracy in other lessons because they are not planned.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching encourages pupils to enjoy science through a good range of practical activities and application to everyday life • Adults provide good one-to-one support for lower achieving pupils • Pupils’ adopt an investigative approach to the subject; their scientific skills are developed well by using specialist equipment and accommodation. • Information and communication technology is not used enough to support pupils’ learning • Assessments do not contain enough information to influence teaching

p.21

Commentary

66. Throughout the school, pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Pupils achieve at an appropriate level in relation to their capability. Pupils' who have weak literacy and numeracy skills are supported to achieve by good one-to-one support from staff. By the end of Year 6, pupils have developed a sound understanding of plants and animals. Pupils know that there are helpful and harmful micro- organisms. Their understanding is extended well by experiments. By the end of 9, pupils' understanding of plants, pollution and energy has been appropriately extended. They are aware of the relationship between friction, force and motion. They separate white light into seven different Holly House School - 22 colours by refraction through a prism. The higher attaining pupils understand the differences between refraction and reflection but the lower achieving pupils have difficulty in understanding the laws of reflection.

p.21

Commentary

67. At the time of the inspection, the lessons were covered by temporary staff. Teaching is satisfactory and has good features. Pupils enjoy the practical approach to the subject. The teacher and education care officers help pupils to make good links to everyday life through the use of well- chosen resources. In most lessons, the education care officers make significant contributions to pupils' understanding. Higher attaining pupils are very well engaged by the good use of questioning that challenges their understanding well. Most pupils are stimulated to ask questions and contribute well to class discussions. Some pupils co-operate well when experimenting in pairs. However, opportunities are missed to reinforce pupils' social skills. Higher attaining pupils record their work well in notebooks when drawing conclusions from their experiments. However, overall, pupils' writing skills are poor and they are not helped to record their work systematically by other means, for

p.22

Commentary

example, by word processing. The assessment system in place does not provide the detail needed to ensure that pupils' learning difficulties are supported and their misconceptions corrected. As a result, there has been an over-estimation of the levels achieved by lower attaining pupils.

p.22

Commentary

68. A new co-ordinator is due to take up post at the beginning of next term. In the interim, there has been effective oversight of the subject. The specialist accommodation and resources support the development of pupils' scientific skills. As a result, the progress noted in the previous inspection has been maintained.

p.22

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

69. The provision is satisfactory across the school.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ confidence has been significantly increased due to the improved ratio of computers to pupils since the last inspection; • Pupils’ achievement in specialist lessons is satisfactory. • Teaching in specialist lessons in both key stages is, overall, satisfactory and often good. • The use of information technology to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum is insufficiently well developed.

p.22

Commentary

70. Pupils’ achievement in specialist lessons is satisfactory, which is an improvement from the time of the previous inspection when progress was unsatisfactory. The school now has a very good ratio of computers to pupils. By Year 6, pupils competently select, copy, cut and paste images into a word document. They manipulate images, changing their size and use the ‘flip’ function. By Year 9, pupils create multimedia presentations to record their work. They manipulate text and clip-art images to improve the appearance of their designs.

p.22

Commentary

71. Teaching is overall satisfactory and there are good features. Although the teacher is unqualified, lessons are well planned, interesting and are appropriate for the abilities of the pupils. The atmosphere in the classroom is very calm and pupils respond well. The teacher provides clear explanations, good demonstrations and, at the end of lessons, pupils are helped to understand what they need to do to improve. This area is well managed and has strong support from the senior management team. Holly House School - 23

p.22

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

72. Improving the provision for information and communication technology was a key issue at the time of the last inspection. Although the school has made good progress in developing pupils' skills in discrete lessons, a weakness remains in the use of information and communication technology to support learning across the curriculum. Although information and communication technology is used well in mathematics, art and geography lessons, it is less well developed in other areas. Pupils say that they enjoy using computers in lessons and the use of computers is a popular lunchtime activity. Nevertheless, there is no clear approach to supporting pupils' weak writing skills through the use of information and communication technology. Some teachers make too little use of computers to support pupils' learning in lessons. Although several classrooms are equipped with an interactive whiteboard, the scope of these for teaching has not yet been fully realised.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The achievement of higher attaining pupils is better than that of pupils with weak literacy skills • Resources are used effectively to provide focus and interest for pupils. • The use of information and communication technology is used effectively in some lessons, but pupils do not use it sufficiently to present their work

p.23

Commentary

74. The achievement of pupils across the key stages is satisfactory. Pupils learn about a good range of different cultures. By the end of Year 6, they understand the similarities and differences between life in England and life in an Indian village. By the end of Year 9, pupils have developed their map skills and are familiar with specialist terminology such as axes and co-ordinates. They learn about the culture, industry and physical features of countries such as Japan and their impact on wild life and vegetation. The higher achieving pupils develop a mature consideration of complex moral issues such as rural migration. Pupils effectively extend their literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills through lessons. The work in the folders of less able pupils is poorly presented due to their weak literacy skills.

p.23

Commentary

75. Teaching is satisfactory overall and has good features. Resources are well used to enliven lessons, for example, when pictures and puppets are used to illustrate a study of Indian life. Good discussions enable older pupils to widen their understanding of moral issues. Education care officers are very competent in supporting lower achieving pupils. Video and compact discs are well used to make the learning interesting for pupils. The wide range of individual needs of pupils within the class is well addressed through the use of a good range of resources and good support from education care officers. Pupils enjoy these lessons and persevere well. However, the range of strategies for recording learning is narrow. Pupils with weak writing skills have records of learning that are inadequate. Where the class teacher takes the lesson, Key stage 2 pupils' literacy and numeracy is reinforced well. Information and communications technology is insufficiently used to

p.23

Commentary

support pupils when they are presenting their work.

p.23

Commentary

76. Pupils enjoy lessons, especially finding out the differences in life styles and cultures. The co- ordinator provides satisfactory oversight and understands how to develop the subject further by extending the number of practical activities for pupils. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Holly House School - 24

p.23

History

77. Only one lesson in history was observed since the focus this term was on geography. It is not, therefore, possible to make any judgements about this subject. However, pupils' previous work in the subject was sampled. The methods used to record pupils' work in Key Stage 2 showed little difference in the achievement of high and average achievers. By the end of Year 9, however, higher achieving pupils understand about the quality of life for poor people in the Middle Ages.

p.24

Religious education

78. The provision for religious education is good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good, it is lively, engages pupils well and pupils achieve well • The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • The subject has clear objectives and assessment procedures and provides good evidence to develop planning. • Resources are good and considerably enrich the teaching.

p.24

Commentary

79. Pupils' achievement is good across the key stages. By the end of Year 6, pupils develop an increasing understanding of all the major religions, for example, the Hindu festival of lights. Assemblies make a good contribution and support the locally agreed syllabus. They consider religious principles through their responsibilities to people less fortunate than themselves. They raise money for charity. They develop an understanding of the effects of discrimination when they learning about sporting activities for disabled athletes and when advertising the school's anti-bullying campaign.

p.24

Commentary

80. By the end of year 9, pupils' awareness of persecution and discrimination has developed well. They learn about religious artefacts and ceremonies relating to Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. Their understanding of celebrations helps them to appreciate the value of the different religions. Pupils contribute well to discussions about the differences. The subject makes a good contribution to their spiritual, moral and cultural development. They learn to value different beliefs and practices and begin to understand their similarities. Pupils enjoy the lessons. Those with additional learning needs make good progress because of the number of practical activities and the quality of help from education care officers

p.24

Commentary

81. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Teachers use a good range of relevant resources and a good range of activities to enliven and inform lessons. Pupils are well engaged and relate the learning to their own experiences. A significant aspect in lessons is the quality of the relationships between staff and pupils. Teachers clearly know their pupils well. Pupils pay attention and behave well. Lively lessons set a good pace. The staff use displays very well to support and focus the learning and to make their expectations clear. Literacy is addressed appropriately in lessons, particularly for younger pupils in Key Stage 2. Group work is effectively used in some lessons for younger pupils. The ends of lessons are effectively used to reinforce learning for pupils.

p.24

Commentary

82. The subject is well managed and the co-ordinator plans to involve the subject more closely with pupils’ personal development targets. The subject is well covered: policies are up-to-date, resources help pupils to understand the essential aspects of different religions. The schemes are basically Christian but follow the locally agreed syllabus. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Holly House School - 25

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. Only one lesson in each of art, music, food technology and resistant materials lessons was sampled. It is not possible, therefore, to make judgements on the quality of provision in art, music and design and technology. However, pupils' work from art and design and technology was sampled.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. Displays around the school contain some very high quality products from lessons in art and design and technology. Pupils say that they enjoy these subjects because of their practical nature. Their perseverance in lessons is tangible. However, insufficient focus on aspects of design in both art and design and technology prevents pupils from achieving high levels in terms of the National Curriculum standards.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. The one lesson observed with younger pupils in music was good because of the high levels of interaction of pupils and the seriousness with which they approached the task. They were gaining good insights into the structure of music whilst learning about different composers.

p.25

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

86. Provision in physical education is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is good and pupils achieve well. • The subject makes an important contribution to pupils’ ability to work together and play by the rules • The good facilities, resources and links with the community allow pupils to experience a wide range of activities. • The assessment and recording of pupils’ achievements provide insufficient information to measure pupils’ progress over time.

p.25

Commentary

87. Pupils achieve well in a broad range of activities. Most pupils in Year 4 swim without assistance for at least 10 metres. Those who are unable to swim are confident in the water and benefit from the good support from education care officers. By Year 6, pupils strike a ball accurately. They listen to suggestions and attend well to demonstrations that help them to improve their technique. By the end of Year 9, pupils have improved their basic skills considerably. They understand the importance of the grip in striking games and listen well to advice while practising. Pupils willingly take part in competitive games and show that they can perform effectively under pressure.

p.25

Commentary

88. Teaching is good. Pupils are well managed by both the teacher and education care officers. Lessons start promptly and learning proceeds with minimum interruptions. Teachers' good subject knowledge is evident in whole group demonstrations and pupils enjoy good quality of individual support throughout lessons. Staff are good role models. They treat pupils with respect and relationships are very good. As a result, pupils behave well and work hard to improve their performance. Teachers and education care officers have an enthusiastic approach to lessons. Pupils enjoy lessons very much. They are keen to take part and many identify this as their favourite subject.

p.25

Commentary

89. Teachers use questioning well in lessons to assess pupils’ understanding. There is good oversight of lessons and pupils receive good quality feedback from teachers and education care officers. This is very effective and helps pupils to improve their performance. However, insufficient records of pupils’ achievement make it difficult to measure pupils’ progress over time. There are too Holly House School - 26 few opportunities for pupils to carry out self-evaluation or to observe and reflect on the performance of others. As a result, opportunities to develop pupils' independence and their personal and social skills are missed.

p.25

Commentary

90. The curriculum includes a broad range of activities that make good use of the community. There are very good after-school activities and regular competitive matches against other special and mainstream schools. Pupils benefit from the coaching by a local professional football club and by the use of the local leisure facilities. A large group of pupils use the local dry ski slope after school. These additional activities make an important contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. Many pupils point to these activities as being particularly enjoyable. Overall, the quality of the provision remains as good as it was at the time of the last inspection.

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

91. Provision overall is good because there is a good range of effective activities designed to promote pupils' skills. However, Citizenship is not established.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good range of opportunities designed to promote pupils’ personal and social skills, but they are not co-ordinated. • Teaching and learning are good in specialist personal, social and health education lessons • The pupils enjoy lessons because they are relevant to their needs • The staff provide very good role models and this encourages pupils to become respectful of others • Citizenship is not yet fully established and there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to take responsibility or to develop their independence

p.26

Commentary

92. Weekly lessons on personal, social and health education contribute well to pupils' personal development. Year 6 pupils are aware of a good range of health related issues, for example, healthy eating. Year 9 pupils are clear about health hazards such as smoking and drugs. They apply their learning about study skills when recording their work. Pupils' books and folders indicate a positive attitude to lessons. Their work is well presented, especially by those with good handwriting.

p.26

Commentary

93. Teaching and learning are good. The teacher and most education care officers have high levels of inter-personal skills. These are very well used to enable pupils to remain on task. As a result, pupils persevere and contribute well in class discussions. Lessons are planned to include a good range of activities that are relevant to pupils. They maintain pupils' interest and enjoyment well. Lessons have a good pace and the opportunities for disruptive behaviour are kept to the minimum. Individual needs are adequately addressed by effective one-to-one support.

p.26

Personal and social skills across the curriculum

94. Pupils' are well supported to develop their social and personal skills by all staff on an individual basis in all lessons. The positive approach adopted by staff to the pupils' behaviour is very powerful. However, this aspect of the curriculum is not sufficiently co-ordinated to ensure a coherent approach. Teachers do not always address pupils' individual targets through their planning to ensure that pupils address and achieve their targets in a range of different contexts.

p.26

Personal and social skills across the curriculum

95. Pupils' individual targets for their personal and social development are reviewed at the end of each lesson. However, they are not negotiated with pupils and opportunities are missed, therefore, to encourage pupils to take more responsibility for achieving them. Holly House School - 27 96. Pupils develop their personal and social skills well in extra-curricular activities and in their outdoor pursuits. However, these are not explicitly related to the pupils' own targets or to the targets set for them in their residential experiences.

p.26

Personal and social skills across the curriculum

97. Citizenship is not yet established although there is an action plan for its implementation. The School Council is now being re-established after a gap of six months. Opportunities for developing Year 9 pupils' skills through college links are not made explicit. This aspect of the curriculum should be reviewed so that the maximum support is given to pupils to modify their anti-social behaviour and extend their repertoire of acceptable social skills. Holly House School - 28

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 3

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 2 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Holly House School - 29

p.28