Woodlands School

WOODLANDS SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th - 13 th May 2004

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WOODLANDS SCHOOL

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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WOODLANDS 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. Woodlands School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Special School category: Community Age range of pupils: 2 - 19 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 76 School address: Fortyfoot Road Leatherhead Surrey Postcode: KT22 8RY Telephone number: (01372) 377 922 Fax number: (01372) 376 434 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Stephen Wood Date of previous inspection: 21 st September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Woodlands is a special school for 76 boys and girls aged from 2 to 19. All pupils have severe learning difficulties and one in four pupils have additional learning needs including profound and multiple learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders. The school also takes some pupils with terminal conditions. The school has a Nursery where children come to be assessed. The post-16 students are taught in temporary accommodation on the site of a local mainstream school. There are similar numbers of boys and girls in the school. Apart from six children in the Nursery who are under-going assessment, all pupils have statements of special educational needs.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils' learning difficulties make it inappropriate to compare standards in national tests and examinations with other pupils nationally. One pupil with profound and multiple learning difficulties comes from a home where English is not the family's mother tongue. There are six pupils from ethnic minority families. Approximately one in seven pupils is entitled to free school meals. Many children move into mainstream after the Foundation Stage and at the end of Key Stage 1. Some students from neighbouring special schools join the post-16 class.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school sets a high priority on moving pupils into mainstream as soon as they are able. The school has kept its Investors in People Award since 1997 and expects to receive its Healthy Schools Award and Artsmark this year. The school is subject to re-organisation proposals. The accommodation is very limited and precludes the full integration of those pupils with the most complex learning needs. Woodlands School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

2971 Kathy Hooper Lead inspector Science Personal, social and health education Citizenship History Geography Foundation Stage English as an additional language 9562 Jeanette Reid Lay inspector 21899 Gillian Lawson Team inspector Mathematics Art Design and technology Information and communication technology Modern foreign languages 30281 Dorcas O'Dell Team inspector English Music Physical education Religious education Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Woodlands School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 9 - 14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school with some very good features. Every child is included and valued and pupils' achievement is good. The teaching and learning are good. The school has a high rate of integration. The leadership and management of the school are good and the school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils are included and valued very well and they achieve well as a result; achievement is very good in Years 10 and 11 and post-16 where the curriculum is particularly relevant. • Teachers and their assistants are skilled at ensuring that pupils learn well, but, in Years 1 to 9, their short term planning and assessments are not always sufficiently focused. • The school is very well led and has successful procedures for monitoring its performance. • Pupils' attitudes and relationships are very good because there is very good support and guidance; a significant number of them benefit from appropriate mainstream experiences. • Links with parents and the community are very good; pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education at all ages. • Pupils in the Foundation Stage do not achieve as well as those in other key stages. • Despite the school's best efforts, the accommodation limits pupils' achievement.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Good improvements have taken place since the last inspection in 1998. Opportunities for reading and writing have been extended and are now good. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is now good. Higher-attaining pupils are well challenged. The use of communication aids has been strengthened and is now good. Provision for information and communications technology is benefiting pupils' learning. The quality of pupils' care and support is very good. Statutory procedures for recording attendance are now in place. There is a good behaviour policy and pupils have appropriate behaviour plans. There have been significant improvements in the accommodation. However, classroom size is still limited and there is still no specialist accommodation for science, art, design and technology and physical education. Nevertheless, accommodation remains unsatisfactory.

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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 2 Good Good Year 6 Good Good Year 9 Good Good Year 11 Good Very good Year 14 Very good Very good Inspectors make judgements in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good , especially in communication, reading, writing, mathematics and personal and social education. It is very good in physical education. Pupils' achievement in science and in information and communication technology is satisfactory. Throughout the school, pupils make good progress against the targets set in their individual education plans. The achievement of children in the Foundation Stage in communication, language and literacy, mathematics and in their personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory, but not as good as that in the rest of the school. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties achieve well because they respond well to the individual stimulation provided by interaction with adults. Pupils with difficulties on the Woodlands School - 5 autistic spectrum achieve well because adults understand their needs and structure their learning accordingly. Some pupils attend mainstream schools part-time and others work with mainstream

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

peers on specific projects. This adds value to their achievements. Post-16 students achieve very well in their school and college work.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils develop good personal qualities. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good . They are enthusiastic about school and have good attitudes to learning. Their attendance and punctuality are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good in all key stages from Years 1 to 9. Teaching is very good in Years 10 - 11 and post-16 because there is a particularly close match between the activities provided and the individual needs and interests of pupils and students. As a result, all pupils and students are very well involved in lessons. Overall, assessment is good and provides a good picture of individual pupils' achievement. However, teachers' short- term planning and assessment in Years 1 to 9 is inconsistent. The teaching and learning of children under five is satisfactory. It is less good than in the rest of the school because the planning is often less detailed than that elsewhere. As a result, children's individual needs are less well met.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is good. It is particularly relevant and exciting for pupils and students in Years 10 to 14. Pupils and students are very well supported and cared for throughout the school. Older, higher- attaining pupils are encouraged to become independent and take responsibility. The school's very good links with the community and other local schools benefit the pupils in many ways. Parents are very well involved with their children's education and they receive very good information about their progress.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership is very good. The governance of the school is very good and all statutory requirements are met. Governors have a clear understanding of their role and support the school very well. The headteacher and her deputy provide a very effective team that is very well respected by the staff and the community. Subject co-ordinators are developing a good understanding of their responsibilities. The management of the school is good and effective monitoring systems are in place.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Questionnaires were returned from about two thirds of the parents. These show very good support for the school and no significant areas of disagreement. About half of the pupils completed a questionnaire with the support of staff. Their views too were overwhelmingly positive. Inspectors endorse their views that this is a good school.

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The most important things the school should do to improve are:

• Improve the planning, assessment and management of challenging behaviour in the Foundation Stage to bring children's achievement in line with that of the rest of the school. • Make sure the good teaching in Key Stages 1 to 3 is improved to match the best throughout the school in terms of joint planning and assessment with the classroom assistants. • Continue to work with the local education authority to improve the accommodation. Woodlands School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils' achievement, overall, is good. The achievement of pupils in Years 1 to 9 is good; pupils' achievement in Years 10 and 11 and post-16 is very good. Children's achievement in relation to the early learning goals in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Pupils achieve very well in externally accredited courses at post-16. There are no significant differences in the achievement of girls and boys or pupils with additional learning needs, those in special circumstances or those from ethnic minority families, because of the very good levels of support and guidance.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in developing their communication, literacy, numeracy and personal skills. • Pupils achieve very well in Years 10 and 11, post-16 and in physical education. • Attending mainstream schools helps those pupils involved to achieve very well. • Achievement for children in the Foundation Stage is not as high as in the rest of the school.

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Commentary

1. Overall, pupils make good progress and achieve well in relation to their prior ability levels. Records show pupils make good progress in meeting their individual targets. They achieve standards which relate well to their ability level whilst being well below those expected for pupils of their age.

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Commentary

2. Children's achievement in relation to the early learning goals in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory in communication, language and literacy, mathematics, and personal and social development. It is good in physical development. However, the lack of detailed planning results in some children being engaged in activities that are inappropriately matched to their abilities. For example, children, some of whom were learning to count to ten, were engaged in the same number activity, of handling foam shapes of numbers, as those who were learning to count to three and others who had little concept of number. As a result, higher-attaining children were insufficiently challenged.

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Commentary

3. Pupils' achievement in Years 1 to 11 is good, overall. Pupils' achievement in English, mathematics, religious education and personal and social education, is good in Years 1 to 9; it is very good in Years 10 and 11. The school's good emphasis on communication, and on pupils' personal development, support their learning well across the curriculum. Through good knowledge of individual strengths, weaknesses and circumstances, the school strives for the full inclusion of pupils. Those who are able to function at a sufficiently high level are transferred into mainstream settings full time, or they are integrated on a part-time basis. Parents believe their children make good progress under the headteacher's leadership.

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Commentary

4. Pupils' achievement, in Year 1 to 11, in science and information and communication technology is satisfactory throughout the school, and, in physical education, it is very good. However, the lack of specialist accommodation limits pupils' achievement in science, art, design and technology and information and communication technology. All pupils make very good progress and achieve very well in physical education because they have a specialist teacher. Pupils make good use of communication aids. Pupils' personal targets are well addressed by class teachers. The many opportunities for taking part in communal and community activities support pupils' personal development well. They grow in confidence and take responsibility increasingly well as they move through the school. Woodlands School - 7 5. Post-16 students' achievement is very good in English, mathematics, information and communication technology and personal and social education, including religious education.

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Commentary

This is due to the relevant nature of the curriculum and the close match between teachers' planning and the individual needs of the students. Higher-attaining students achieve accreditation in a very good range of modular courses in independence skills.

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Commentary

6. The school's very strong commitment to inclusion ensures that pupils with additional special needs achieve as well as those in the rest of the school. Pupils with the most profound and multiple learning difficulties make good progress because of good individual support. Pupils with difficulties on the autistic spectrum make good progress because they are well supported by clear routines. Non-verbal pupils make good progress where they are well supported by a good range of communication aids and sensory resources.

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Commentary

7. Overall, pupils' skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing and use of numbers are extended well through lessons across the curriculum. Their information and communication technology skills are satisfactorily reinforced. Increasingly good use is made of switches to enable the communication of non-verbal pupils.

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Commentary

8. There has been a good improvement in the achievement of pupils in Years 1-14 since the last inspection. Children’s achievement is not as good as it was at the previous inspection, but is satisfactory. Pupils' achievement has been improved in listening and speaking, reading and writing. The good standards of achievement in mathematics have been maintained. Pupils' achievement in science has not improved significantly due to the difficulty over specialist accommodation. Nevertheless, pupils' achievement in their personal targets and in personal and social skills has improved. Pupils' achievement in information and communication has also improved.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good . Their personal development is also good , with their social and moral development the stronger features. Their attendance and punctuality are very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The inclusive ethos promotes positive attitudes to learning. • Pupils' high levels of self-esteem and trust enable them to participate in a wide range of activities. • Pupils' good behaviour leads to a harmonious school. • Attendance is very good.

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Commentary

9. The inclusive ethos of the school provides a very good environment for the development of pupils’ pleasure in learning. Parents say that their children enjoy school. Pupils’ are happy and enthusiastic about their school and show an interest in lessons. They are attentive to instructions and adjust well to school routines. Many are able to sustain concentration well when stimulated, although some find it difficult. Pupils try very hard and are open to new experiences. In a physical education lesson, where pupils in Years 1 and 2 were matching movements to music, they were all fully engaged in the dance sequences relevant to them, and worked extremely well throughout. They enjoy the wide range of activities planned for them, and are very pleased whenever they succeed. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes are on course to achieve their potential with respect to the early learning goals in

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Commentary

personal social and emotional development by the end of the Reception Year.

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Commentary

10. The school is a well-ordered community. Almost all the parents were happy about pupils' behaviour. Behaviour in classrooms and around the school was judged to be good. When Woodlands School - 8 occasional inappropriate behaviour does occur due to the nature of their special needs, pupils nearly always respond to the directions of the staff. The behaviour of pupils at meal times and in the playground is good. There are very few incidents of rough behaviour due to thoughtlessness. When these occur, parents say that the staff deal with them quickly and effectively. Pupils feel safe and secure. There have been no incidents of harassment or exclusions over the last year, and this is normal for the school.

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Commentary

11. Pupils’ personal development across the school is good. Pupils’ relationships with teachers and other staff are very good, and some develop constructive relationships with other pupils. In a Year 11 music lesson, where pupils were studying the links between rhymes and rhythms, all abilities joined in at the appropriate level, playing shakers and tambours together. They gained confidence from performing in front of others. Older pupils take responsibility for some classroom routines, learn to evaluate their work and attend to the needs of the less able within the group. As they move up the school, they develop turn-taking skills and demonstrate independence by making choices themselves. Because teachers encourage pupils to think and remember, pupils enjoy taking responsibility. Pupils are well supported to develop their independence.

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Commentary

12. The post-16 students make very good progress in their personal and social development and some become surprisingly independent. They successfully make their own preparations for lunch each day. Those not involved in making lunch collect and eat their lunch in the dining room of the mainstream school where they are based. They display great pride and interest in their achievements.

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Commentary

13. Attendance across the school is very good, taking into account the complex needs of some of the pupils. Unauthorised absence is zero. Punctuality to school is very good. This all has a very good effect on their learning.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 8.1 School data 0 National data 8.5 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

14. The personal development of pupils is an important element of the school's provision. Pupils' spiritual and cultural development is good; their social and moral development is very good. A feeling of community is developed in assemblies when the whole school sing hymns with great gusto and enthusiasm and pray together. This communal worship in assemblies has a distinct spiritual dimension. Pupils' spiritual development is promoted in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils were amazed by a torch lighting up when completing an electrical circuit in science, and visit places of worship that belong to different religions in the locality. The development of empathy, by showing concern for each other and understanding the importance of feelings, is a central part of assemblies. For example, some recent bereavements have been managed productively to reflect on feelings of sadness and loss together. Older pupils are very interested to discuss how they feel when others are angry or

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Commentary

happy in personal and social education lessons.

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Commentary

15. Pupils clearly know the difference between right and wrong. There are very many opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for each other. Older, more-able pupils help others regularly in class and to move around the school. They confidently show and describe work on display and in process. Visitors are greeted politely and with interest. Pupils are very proud of their school. There is a friendly atmosphere and parents and other visitors speak of receiving a warm welcome. Learning about their own and other cultures through reading and the arts is a priority for the school. There are very many opportunities for pupils to participate in cultural events. A local brass player and an African drummer fascinated pupils during their visits. Woodlands School - 9 There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to watch and participate in shows and performances, within and beyond the school. A performance of Water Wonderland provided a

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Commentary

popular experiences of all the arts, music and drama. Since the last inspection the pupils' good attitudes, behaviour and personal development have been maintained.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good . Pupils and students in Years 1 to 14 achieve well because of the good teaching, learning, assessment and curriculum provided. The quality of education for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. The school cares for its pupils and students very well, and they receive very good support and guidance. There are very good links with parents and the community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are best in post-16, Years 10 and 11 and in physical education. • Lessons include good opportunities for pupils to learn through all their senses. • There is a good emphasis on communication. • The lack of precise outcomes for pupils as described in teachers' planning in Years 1 to 9 limits the way in which assistants work with pupils. • In the Foundation Stage, there is some inadequate planning and inconsistent routines for pupils with challenging behaviour.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 43 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

1 (2%) 7 (16%) 19 (44%) 14 (33%) 2 (5%) 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, teaching is good throughout the school. Almost all parents stated that they believed the teaching to be good and several commented with gratitude on the patience and skill of all the staff. Pupils, too, were positive about the help and support they received from adults. Since the last inspection, there has been good improvement due to effective monitoring by staff and the senior management team. There is significantly less unsatisfactory teaching. The use of signing has improved and higher-attaining pupils are better challenged.

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Commentary

17. Teaching is very good in Years 10 and 11 and Post 16 and in physical education. There are several reasons why teaching in these areas results in better learning for pupils and students. Their planning is meticulous. They have a particularly clear understanding of pupils' and students' individual learning needs and they know precisely what they want them to do in each activity. Classroom assistants are very closely involved in the planning and know what they should do to affect the learning. As a result, there is a very close match between the activities and individual learning needs. Learning is reinforced very well, for example, by presenting skills and concepts in different contexts. Pupils and students are challenged, but nevertheless experience a great deal of success. Post-16 students learned very effectively through the joint community project alongside adults in a performing arts project.

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Commentary

18. Teachers have adopted the guidance in the national strategies well. They use their voices well to engage and involve pupils. Teachers use a very good range of resources that allow pupils Woodlands School - 10 to learn through all their senses. As a result, even pupils with little or no language are able to understand and learn. Information and communication technology is effectively used. For example, higher-attaining pupils record their work and lower-attaining pupils use switches to communicate purposefully. Pupils reinforce understanding using relevant computer programs.

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Commentary

19. Pupils with additional special needs are well supported to become independent. The youngest pupils learn school routines that are systematically reinforced in order to make the days predictable. Pupils with difficulties on the autistic spectrum are given routine, repeated tasks that are punctuated by rewards. Teachers and their assistants have high expectations tempered with tolerance and respect, when working with pupils who have degenerative conditions. Adults work patiently but firmly with pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties to help them use communication aids that best match their needs.

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Commentary

20. The school places great emphasis on communication and there is effective use of signing and symbols. Although some non-verbal pupils make good use of switches and symbols to help them to communicate, not all pupils use them all the time. In the best lessons, teachers ask open probing questions and allowed pupils plenty of time to respond. Literacy and numeracy skills are aptly reinforced in a host of ways throughout the day. Pupils learn well because they are engaged in activities that they enjoy. For example, in a music lesson, older pupils confidently sang with the aid of a tape in front of the class.

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Commentary

21. Overall, adults manage behaviour well. They are skilful is selecting activities that distract pupils who are distressed. Adults working with older pupils adopt a collaborative approach and have a positive regard for all their efforts. Their very encouraging manner engages pupils very well. In lessons with Years 10 and 11, low-key reminders of school routines are used consistently. Adults clearly value pupils' efforts and pupils are encouraged by their support. There is a calm working atmosphere. Noisy pupils are quickly calmed and gently, but firmly managed to stay focused on the task. However, in the Foundation Stage, occasional lessons were unsatisfactory. This was because the behaviour management and the signing was less effective in these lessons than in others. Additionally, there was insufficient planning and, as a result, assessments were sometimes too general.

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Commentary

22. Assessment systems and records are good because they provide useful information about pupils' achievements. For some pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, however, the steps are too big to show their progress. Teachers use their assessment records effectively to review targets termly. There is scope, however, for improving the quality of day-to-day assessments to capture more fully the very small changes in pupils' learning.

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Commentary

23. The school has had difficulties in recruiting some key members of staff. Nevertheless, the quality of teaching has not been compromised overall. This indicates good induction and strong systems of management throughout the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very varied and relevant programmes for students in Years 10 to 14. • Unsatisfactory accommodation limits learning. • Pupils benefit from very good links with mainstream schools. • There is a very good range of extra-curricular opportunities. • Difficulties in the recruitment of staff have resulted in the temporary oversight of some subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

24. The curriculum is both broad and relevant to the needs of all pupils. Learning is structured by target setting in appropriate small steps. Individual pupils' achievement is recorded regularly Woodlands School - 11 and monitored by the senior management team. The school is accumulating data on pupils in order to summarise and analyse pupils' progress over time. The breadth of experiences provided in English, mathematics, religious education and personal and social education is good; in post-16 and in physical education it is very good. Almost every parent said that there was a good range of activities in school. All the higher-attaining pupils who completed a questionnaire stated that lessons were interesting.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

25. The school holds an effective daily act of worship, which includes all pupils. They sing hymns together, reflect on human conditions, such as happiness or the sadness of loss, and join in the school prayer with quiet respect. The school fulfils all the statutory requirements.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

26. The curriculum for pupils with profound and multiple learning disabilities and complex learning difficulties is good. However, it has not been possible to achieve the full integration of the pupils with the most complex difficulties due to the limited space available in the classrooms.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

27. There are very good opportunities for enrichment of the curriculum. Lunchtime clubs in fitness, gardening and sensory integration are popular and well attended. Sessions are challenging, well managed and productive. As part of religious education, pupils visit churches and temples. These experiences are reinforced well through photographs and symbols. Parents make a good contribution by their involvement, for example in the companion cycling activities. The local community supports a number of pupils. Links with a network of other special schools has led to a joint ski trip. Pupils benefit from riding and sailing lessons, sports days and the arts. From Year 10, pupils follow a modular curriculum which effectively encourages the development of independent learning skills and self-evaluation.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

28. Post-16 students have an excellent practical curriculum. They work on externally accredited courses, at school and at college, for life and living skills. Some achieve an impressive number of certificates. They are confident to use their progress files in interviews at local colleges and enjoy taster modules of a life-long learning course prior to leaving school. Many outside visits build social awareness. Good relationships with external agencies specialising in careers and the world of work and work experience placements ensure a successful transition to the next stage at Year 14. Students have been able to make friends with young adults when they are involved in an external performing arts course and invite them to popular school discos, thus extending their social skills.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

29. There are detailed subject policies in place for all pupils from Years 1 to 9. Programmes of study are suitably differentiated, regularly reviewed and updated by subject leaders with effective support from senior managers. The school teaches a very good programme of sex and drugs education pitched sensitively and appropriately as part of a very good personal, social and health education programme.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

30. Local teachers from early years provision speak highly of the value for them of the shared placement of pupils. Supported dual attendance is so successful that partner schools are confident to increase their involvement in such initiatives. Pupils have benefited in many ways, both academically and socially. Their confidence is boosted enormously through these activities.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

31. The school's accommodation overall is unsatisfactory. The limitations of the main school site precludes the further inclusion of pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Although accommodation for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory, its size limits the number of activities that can be available at any one time. Physical education lessons in the hall are effected by lunchtime routines. There are no outside sports areas and consistent use of a local field is very difficult to organise. The lack of specialist rooms for science, design and technology and art and design limits pupils' learning in Years 7 to 11. There are plans afoot to secure the inadequate perimeter fence. Woodlands School - 12 32. Nevertheless, there have been good improvements since the last inspection. The medical and therapy room is now a well-equipped area. Accommodation for pupils with profound and

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Main strengths and weaknesses

multiple learning disabilities has also been improved and there is good access to hoists and the larger equipment necessary to meet their special needs. The new swimming pool is a valuable and well-used asset. The post-16 accommodation has recently been moved and is now very good. The spacious prefabricated building on the site of a mainstream school offers a bright and friendly environment for students.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

33. The quality of resources to support the teaching of the curriculum is satisfactory in Years 1 to 11; it is good for students post-16. Staffing is good overall. Classroom assistants provide valuable support to teachers and pupils. There is scope for improving their effectiveness through better joint planning with teachers. The school has experienced difficulties in recruiting staff in an area of high-cost housing. At the time of the inspection, there were two overseas- trained teachers, one of whom was newly qualified. Good management, however, has successfully kept the impact of temporary oversight of English, music, history and geography to the minimum. Overall the school has made good improvements in the curriculum since the last inspection.

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Care, guidance and support

The care, welfare, and health and safety of pupils are very good . The involvement of pupils through seeking and acting on their views is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Strong and committed staff provide a very supportive environment and there are very good relationships between staff and pupils. • Induction, transition and integration arrangements for pupils throughout their school life are very good. • Day-to-day assessments are, on occasions, too general to show very small steps in progress.

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Commentary

34. The school takes very good care to ensure pupils’ health and safety. Parents are very happy with the quality of care and pupils say that teachers help them. Since the last inspection, there has been good improvement in the school's provision. The governing body, senior management team, school nurse, therapists and both teaching and non-teaching staff carry out their duties diligently and monitor health and safety issues carefully. The school has effective child protection procedures. Behaviour management is now much more consistent than at the time of the last inspection.

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Commentary

35. Pupils are treated with high levels of dignity and respect. The senior management team set high standards for the staff. Class teams meet weekly to discuss individual pupils' particular circumstances, to ensure both consistency and development of the handling of the pupils over time. Pupils' individual needs are met well and their particular circumstances are well understood. The school, therapists and school nurse liaise and share information effectively. Teachers track each pupil's progress and personal development effectively. The targets in pupils’ individual education plans are generally clear, focused, and are changed each term. As a result, pupils make good progress.

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Commentary

36. The induction arrangements for pupils are good. They are based on very good understanding of individual needs and effective strategies for ensuring that everyone concerned is fully informed. Staff make absolutely sure that pupils are confident and as involved in the decision making as possible. There are good procedures for follow-up after transition. Students in the post-16 unit have frequent meetings with external agencies concerned with careers and social services. The care and support given by the school staff to students on college placements make the experiences very successful. Woodlands School - 13 37. The involvement of pupils through seeking and acting on their views is satisfactory. However, the headteacher, with other special schools in Surrey, is currently involved in discussions about the best way of starting a school council. Pupils who responded to the questionnaire were very positive about almost all aspects of school life.

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Commentary

38. Annual reviews of the statements are well attended and provide valuable opportunities for multi-agency discussions. Parents are very well supported. There are informative discussions and effective sharing of home and school information to set realistic and well-informed targets. The good involvement of class teachers ensures that progress is reported to parents as usefully as possible. Individual education plans describe the different needs of each pupil well. They are effective and reviewed regularly. Teachers are aware of individual targets. There is, however, scope for greater focus on individual outcomes in lessons across the curriculum.

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Commentary

39. Very young pupils in the early years are visited at home before starting school. In school, baseline records inform the formal assessment of their special educational needs. Parents are grateful for the advice and guidance they receive at this stage of their child's education. However, there is scope for improving the quality of day-to-day assessments in order to focus planning for individual pupils .

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with parents and the community, including other schools and colleges.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The involvement of parents is very good; parents are clear about what their child needs to do to move on to the next stage of learning. • There are very wide and effective links with the community and excellent links with other schools and colleges. • Some parents regretted the late receipt of the therapists' reports for the annual review meetings.

p.15

Commentary

40. Almost two thirds of the parents responded to the questionnaire. These parents and those attending the meeting were extremely appreciative of the school and its work. They think the school has very many strengths, that their children are happy in school, and that they make good progress because of the supportive and positive ethos . The least positive comments were concerned with the unsatisfactory provision for therapy of various kinds. The inspection team understands that there are insufficient speech therapists currently. Nevertheless, teachers use a good range of strategies to encourage pupils' speech and language.

p.15

Commentary

41. The headteacher and staff make themselves accessible to parents and there is a productive, two-way flow of both written and verbal information. The quality of documentation that the school provides for parents is very good. Every term they receive their child’s individual education plan containing revised targets for their child and whether he or she has met the class targets. The arrangements for the annual reviews are appropriate, and parents report that they are fully involved. The reports of pupils’ academic progress and personal development are detailed and informative. However, some parents say that they do not always receive the therapists’ reports in sufficient time before the meeting. Although there were some inconsistencies remarked upon by parents, overall, the home-school books are used effectively. Parents appreciate half-termly newsletters and the list of key dates for the year

p.15

Commentary

which they receive each September. However, some parents would like longer notice of school training dates so that they can arrange care facilities more efficiently. The school holds workshops on a range of topics, for example, sex education, the reading scheme and manual- handling. These are valued by both the parents and the school. They appreciate the extra- Woodlands School - 14 curricular activities for families, such as bowling and days specifically for fathers and their children. The active ‘Friends of Woodlands’ group arranges well-attended social events. It has raised very large sums of money. These have been used to build the swimming pool and to provide therapy extensions.

p.15

Commentary

42. The school has very good links with the wider community. It has exceptionally strong relationships with other schools and colleges, due to the very good leadership of the headteacher and her senior management team. There have been combined projects in science, information and communications technology, and mathematics which have been highly successful. Joint events are held, such as the stop gap dance and the science day. These have provided particular benefits in terms of social and language development for the pupils. The school has taken a leading role in the Surrey special schools council and in the setting up of a Networked Learning Community. Its purpose is to raise standards by generating a discussion about learning within the school. The school is piloting visits by staff at all levels to other special schools to identify and learn from the good practice of others.

p.16

Commentary

43. The post-16 students produced a film, ‘Live from Ashwood’ to support their move to the new location. The experience was extremely beneficial in boosting pupils' personal and social development as well as promoting the work of the unit. As a partner with Bentley Resource Centre, the performing arts project was an outstanding success in terms of students' involvement. There is full commitment to the promotion of links with the local further education college and students have gained great benefits from their experiences.

p.16

Commentary

44. The school has developed links with a charity that works with disabled children in Azerbaijan. The school staff work with the charity in Azerbaijan and the pupils of Woodlands benefit from the reports of their experiences. The school makes extremely effective use of the community as a resource. An ex-pupil works with the pupils who have profound and multiple learning difficulties as a work placement. Local business supports the school by providing volunteers to work on specific projects, such as improving the outside environment. The school has made good improvements since the last inspection. Provision in this aspect is even better than previously. The benefits for pupils and students are apparent in their trust and confidence.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good .

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The headteacher provides very effective leadership. The governance of the school is very good. Leadership in the school is good. Management is good and improving rapidly.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very effective leadership. • The governing body is informed and supports the school with great rigour and openness. • There is a very high commitment to inclusion. • Good systems for monitoring have been developed but better use could be made of available data to generate priorities for action. • Good financial management enables the school to work with a reduced budget.

p.16

Commentary

45. Leadership of the school by the headteacher is very good. There is a shared commitment to improvement and good capacity to succeed. The headteacher takes the lead very successfully in key areas. She has led the initiative to establish the local Networked Learning Community. Her strong belief in inclusive practice is reflected throughout the school. There are long-term plans for increasing the level of integration as a result of re-organisation. The smooth transition for the post-16 unit from previous inappropriate accommodation to a mainstream school site has been well managed and has increased the integration possibilities Woodlands School - 15 and an extended curriculum for students. The move has had a good impact on the students' involvement with mainstream peers.

p.16

Commentary

46. The headteacher is very well respected within the school and within the local community for her dedication and commitment. Her staff understand the need for continuous improvement in provision. She has very good understanding of priorities for raising standards. She is well supported by her deputy, management team and governors. Nevertheless, the school lacks some key appointments, for example in subject management, and this is a barrier to improvement.

p.17

Commentary

47. There is a good quality school improvement plan containing realistic targets and time scales. Priorities are well founded. They are based on a sometimes subjective, but accurate, analysis of what needs to be improved. Further improvement in teaching quality has been hindered by difficulties in recruiting suitably qualified staff. The senior management team and governors have been successful in improving accommodation. Nevertheless, the full resolution of the accommodation constraints can only occur with a firm decision about the reorganisation of special school by the authority.

p.17

Commentary

48. The headteacher and governing body successfully combine the demands made by national and local initiatives with the school’s own identified priorities. This very good strategic leadership has improved provision. The headteacher and her deputy are effective in managing the staff, and have developed a strong sense of teamwork and a commitment to improvement. The senior management team and key subject leaders fulfil their responsibilities effectively. They are forward looking and generally have a good knowledge and understanding of what works well and what needs developing.

p.17

Commentary

49. There is good capacity to improve provision. Good systems for monitoring and evaluation are developing. The school has been accredited with Investors in People status since 1997 and subsequent assessments have been consistently high. The systems for performance management are well established and include management of the performance of learning support assistants. Good systems for monitoring teaching have been introduced and opportunities for subject leaders to monitor teaching and learning through peer observations are built into the yearly planning. This has resulted in the improved teaching. Systems for monitoring and evaluating pupils’ progress are led by the headteacher and discussed with subject leaders regularly. Pupils are regularly assessed and teachers are becoming increasingly skilled in identifying gains that pupils make. The school is beginning to collect data to use for comparative purposes and the local education authority supports this work well.

p.17

Commentary

50. The governors provide very good support for the school and fulfil their statutory responsibilities very well. They have taken part in training and reviewing their practice and have a reflective approach to the work of the school. They have an appropriately up-to-date overview of the school’s work and its achievements. They use their combined experience intelligently to make informed decisions. They work closely with the headteacher, staff, parents and the community in whole-school development planning.

p.17

Commentary

51. The school has revised its financial planning and systems and has appointed a very effective financial administrator. The establishment of very good financial administration and efficient planning has led to good improvement. Although some hard decisions have been made, this has enabled the school to withstand cuts in the budget that have been outside its control. Principles of best value are well understood. As a result, the school has remained financially stable without recourse to staffing cuts. The finances and resources provided to support school improvement are efficiently used and thoroughly monitored and evaluated.

p.17

Commentary

52. The headteacher, senior managers and governors are clearly focused and determined to ensure that the day-to-day work of the school reflects its overall aims and values. This includes meeting pupils’ diverse medical, therapeutic, and communication needs, as well as Woodlands School - 16 raising standards through the quality of education it provides. There have been good improvements since the last inspection. The school provides good value for money.

p.17

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,059,321 Balance from previous year 24,103 Total expenditure 1,034,579 Balance carried forward to the next 24,742 Expenditure per pupil 13,794

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. At the time of the inspection there were 23 children in the Foundation Stage, 20 of them were part time. There were sixteen in the Nursery class and seven in Reception class. Six children in the Nursery were undergoing assessment. It was only possible to inspect some areas of learning in detail. The children's personal and social development, communication, language and literacy, mathematics and physical education are reported below.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54. Overall, the achievement of children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. There have been satisfactory improvements since the last inspection. However, there are some weaknesses in planning, assessment and the management of challenging behaviour. The initial baseline assessments indicate that all the children have significant learning difficulties when they begin school. Sound teaching and support ensure that the majority of children to make sufficient progress in achieving their early learning goals.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. Teaching and learning are generally satisfactory. There is a clear overall structure for the curriculum that addresses the early learning goals. The timetable ensures that pupils have a broad and balanced curriculum. Good use is made of information and communication technology to reinforce learning and to help children to experience control. However, teaching and learning are unsatisfactory in occasional lessons. There is insufficient detail in teachers' day-to-day planning. As a result, children are not always so well engaged as they might be. Adults maintain satisfactory on-going assessments of individual pupils, but the lack of detailed planning results in records that are occasionally too generalised. Signing is inconsistently used in the Nursery. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. The senior management team monitors lessons regularly.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for personal, social and emotional education is satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children's concentration and their independence skills improve significantly. • Opportunities are missed in the Nursery to reinforce positive behaviour and promote self- esteem.

p.19

Commentary

56. Children's achievement in their personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory. By the end of the Foundation Stage, the majority of children have extended their range of independence skills in relation to toileting, dressing, eating and hygiene and their awareness of others. The periods of time have increased for which they can concentrate. The higher- attaining children have an understanding of the school rules and routines, have formed good relationships with adults and become increasingly sociable. One boy demonstrated real concern about the extended bout of crying by a child with complex learning difficulties. Children's confidence is well supported through their increasing control when using information and communication technology. The development of children with challenging behaviours is occasionally limited by the inconsistent use of routines that reward them for completing tasks

p.19

Commentary

successfully. Opportunities are, therefore, missed to reinforce positive behaviour in order to promote children's self-esteem. Woodlands School - 18

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use of symbols for those with pre-verbal communication. • Good use of resources to tell stories helps to engage children. • Strategies for engaging children with challenging behaviour are inconsistent.

p.20

Commentary

57. Children's achievement is satisfactory in their development of communication, language and literacy. The higher-attaining children follow instructions, some rely on visual cues and copy others. A picture exchange system helps all children to make choices, for example, at break times about what they would prefer to eat or drink. The lower-attaining pupils increasingly point with their eyes. The use of symbols and signing helps pupils to begin to vocalise. The lower- attaining children are beginning to use a switch pad to make deliberate responses. The good use of resources helps non-verbal children to understand.

p.20

Commentary

58. More-able children make marks on paper in a purposeful way, some make circular scribbles, others form three letter words. The good use of key words on cards helps higher-attaining children to recognise words. The majority of children respond to the animated story telling especially when they are helped to identify characters through the use of toys and other resources. Children with little language interpret symbols to prompt their understanding. The attention span of most pupils is steadily increased. Where children have challenging behaviour, the use of very structured activities in the Reception class helps them to focus. However, opportunities are sometimes missed in the Nursery and practice is inconsistent, as a result, children's achievement is not as good as it might be.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Familiar songs and the use of computer programs reinforce counting well. • Occasionally the lack of detail in planning limits learning.

p.20

Commentary

59. Records of achievement show that children achieve satisfactorily over their time in the Foundation Stage. In the Nursery class, one child can count to two, another can choose between two options. In the Reception class, some children can count to ten, and show they understand positional words, such as, ‘ in, on, under’ . Children working on numbers up to three are more secure when counting them in sequence. Adults in the Reception class use daily routines well to help children to count and recognise numbers. Adults use a good range of number songs with the children to count how many ‘ducks went swimming one day’ and how many remain. They do not, however, always use appropriate resources so that children can physically count them. Higher-attaining children recognise circles, squares and triangles and distinguish red, yellow, blue, black and white. Occasionally, inadequate planning limits the

p.20

Commentary

learning of children. For example, children were grouped in one lesson with no reference to ability, and in another the focus of the learning was unclear. Effective use is made of information and communication technology to encourage children to understand cause and effect and to recognise numbers when using a touch screen to match numbers. Woodlands School - 19

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

60. This aspect was not inspected in depth. Children's records show sound progress. In the one lesson observed, the teaching and learning were judged to be good. Good opportunities were provided for the reinforcement of colours, numbers and communication in a range of activities. Children competently use a good range of tools, toys and materials. The joint sessions between the nursery and reception children are successful.

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Specialist teaching ensures pupils make good progress. • Children are encouraged to extend their abilities in a very sensitive but firm manner.

p.21

Commentary

61. Children's achievement is good. They are increasingly able to control and co-ordinate their bodies through activities such as dance. Their growing confidence allows them to take more risks, for example, in the soft play area when exploring high and low . Higher-attaining children are beginning to swim with attached floats. They improve their fine motor skills by threading discs and cotton reels. Children who are not able to walk, have good opportunities for physical development when using the soft play area to explore high and low with support. Children benefit from teaching by a specialist. Activities are well focused and matched to individual pupils' needs. The curriculum is well planned and relevant.

p.21

Commentary

62. Experiences at breaks and lunchtime provide good opportunities for children to explore and develop their gross motor skills. They are well supported by staff. They play energetically and enjoy the challenge of activities presented on different levels. Children also have effective opportunities to practise their fine motor skills through activities such as building with blocks that fix together.

p.21

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

63. This aspect of children's development was not inspected. Children's records indicate sound progress through experiences of music and dressing up. Children use a range of equipment including brushes, sponges and their hands and feet to explore paint. Some pupils become more tolerant of finger painting. Higher-attaining children work with simple tools and enjoy messy play.

p.21

ENGLISH AND MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE

English was fully inspected and French was sampled.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall, teaching is good and pupils develop their communication skills well. • Teachers do not always make best use of their assistants due to some inadequate planning. Woodlands School - 20 • Currently there is no subject leader.

p.21

Commentary

64. Achievement in English, in speaking and listening and reading and writing, is good throughout the school. The development of communication skills has a core focus across the curriculum and is strongly reinforced in English and literacy lessons. Progress against small steps is efficiently recorded in subject files and appropriate new targets set. Across the whole school and sometimes within class groups achievement ranges between making a choice by eye- pointing, to understanding that words and pictures convey meaning. It is reflected in targets that are appropriate for different levels of ability. Where lesson targets are grouped by expectation, for example, some, most, all, recording does not always indicate which individuals are at each level.

p.22

Commentary

65. Pupils increasingly make good use of a range of means of communication, including signing, symbols, switches and speech as they move through the school. From the beginning, they learn to choose for themselves, for example pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties eye-point or use switches. They use effective strategies to support their writing. Years 3 to 6 learn initial letters and finger-trace the orientation after enjoying the colour, scent and taste of strawberries. The higher-achieving older, pupils in Years 7 to 11 talk about characters, events and read and write simple sentences. A high level of relevant support ensures all participate well in English lessons and overall progress is good.

p.22

Commentary

66. Teaching is good overall. In Year 10 and 11, it is very good because the planning is detailed and resources are well prepared and on display. Learning is structured in these lessons to carefully challenge all pupils at an appropriate ability level. Tenacious but gentle insistence to concentrate means there is no time to become distracted and a good use of open questions stimulates thoughtful responses. The pupils are well motivated to answer correctly. Teaching loses pace in lessons for Years 3 and 4 when resources have to be found while pupils wait and when all pupils are not involved in active tasks. Teachers are adept at using multi-sensory experiences to reinforce learning. There is fruit to taste, touch, choose and smell and soft toys and music enhance learning experiences. Tactile letters help an emerging understanding of shape and direction. Very good use is made of pictures and experiences alongside

p.22

Commentary

communication to help pupils make the association between symbols and words. Where signing is used, it adds another supportive dimension to learning. In Year 11 very good routines, expectations and support ensure that pupils continue their work independently even when the teacher is needed to go outside the classroom. Effective teams of support assistants continue individual teaching and pupils can show and talk about what they have learned. This level of effectiveness is not, however, consistent across the school because all teachers do not brief classroom assistants equally well. Good use of software which involves pupils in making simple choices reinforces learning effectively. Learning steps are recorded immediately to build relevant profiles of achievement and this is good practice.

p.22

Commentary

67. There is no subject leader for English at present. Nevertheless, the strong foundation in planning and target setting, in the short term overseen by the senior management team, has ensured continuing consistency in practice. Reading materials have been reviewed and a good home reading scheme has helped to boost the development of reading skills. The competent oversight of the reading resources by a classroom assistant prevents any duplication of texts as pupils move through the school. Parents value this organisation and the home reading scheme highly. There has been good improvement in reading and independent writing since the last inspection especially for pupils in Years 7 to 9. Pupils with profound communication difficulties are well managed by teaching and support teams. In separate lessons for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, good musical cues and a tenacious insistence

p.22

Commentary

on pupil involvement elicits appropriate responses. Woodlands School - 21

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

68. Overall, the inclusion of literacy and its application in other lessons is securely in place. There is a sharp focus in all aspects of school life on the development of language and communication. Very good emphasis is placed on the importance of speaking, listening and understanding in all subject areas and picture, sign, symbol, communication is both displayed and used consistently across the whole school. In physical education lessons the teacher supports the development of literacy skills by using picture-word correspondence. In swimming, pupils routinely sign and use similar communication routines to good effect. Reading and writing are well reinforced by class teachers in lessons across the curriculum.

p.23

French

69. Pupils learn about France and the French language. The teachers use pictures, experiences, and the language very well. Pupils hear French being spoken in context. There is a very effective, multi-sensory approach that involves pupils, seeing, smelling and tasting French food. The development of language is central to the lesson but the use of too many new words mean the level of challenge is often too high. Pupils are well motivated and recognise that different languages can be spoken.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good overall and very good in Years 10 and 11. • Teachers use good, structured and sensory approaches for pupils with autism and very complex learning needs. • Planning is not always linked clearly enough to what individual pupils are expected to learn and support staff are not consistently involved.

p.23

Commentary

70. Standards of achievement of pupils in mathematics are good throughout the school; they achieve very well in Years 10 to 11. The National Numeracy Strategy has been sensitively adapted. There is a structured, sensory approach to teaching pupils with autism and very complex learning needs. There is no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls. Teachers go to great lengths to find new approaches to support those pupils with regressive conditions.

p.23

Commentary

71. Higher-attaining pupils in Years 1 and 2 know and order numbers to seven and are beginning to count in 10s. A pupil with the most complex needs manipulated clay shapes with some support and indicated quite clearly by eye-pointing which shape was long and which was short. Some higher-attaining pupils in Years 5 and 6 count confidently to 10. Pupils in one class described a pattern using the word square and a non-verbal pupil with complex needs described the roundness of a circle with circling arm movements and then matched it to the sign for circle. In Years 7 to 9, higher-attaining pupils label clock times on the hour and each quarter independently. Lower-attaining pupils match shape cards and symbols to numbers. Higher-attaining pupils in Years 10 and 11 work independently with increasing confidence because of good routines and reinforcement. They select 2p, 5p and 10p coins and know they are used to exchange for goods when shopping. A higher-attaining pupil understood the

p.23

Commentary

72. Teaching and learning are good with some very good teaching in Years 10 and 11 where there is a fast pace and effective level of challenge. Teachers in all key stages are secure in using Woodlands School - 22 the lesson format recommended in the numeracy strategy. They work sensitively with pupils with autism. Behaviour plans are well tailored to pupils’ individual needs and interests. Well- focused questions are matched to pupils’ individual learning needs, particularly in Year 10 and 11. Generally teachers and assistants plan and work effectively together to ensure smooth flowing lessons. Occasionally, support staff are not included in the planning as efficiently as possible and this has an impact on some pupils’ learning. Although what the pupil has to do is understood, assistants have no instructions about the precise outcomes intended. As a result, the pace of learning occasionally suffers. Pupils respect and trust the staff because they and

p.23

Commentary

their efforts are valued. Although information and communication technology is used well in some lessons for pupils with the most complex difficulties and higher-attaining pupils, more regular use is needed to boost learning. Teachers' good use of a wide range of communication skills, signing, symbols, artefacts, pictures, photographs and technological aids makes certain that most pupils are included in the activities most of the time. However, in very occasional lessons, planning is not linked clearly enough to what individual pupils are expected to learn. In others, teaching is pitched at the wrong level for some pupils and they make slower progress.

p.24

Commentary

73. The assessment system is closely related to the planning system, and is good. The school makes good use of the levels below those defined in the National Curriculum to chart pupils' progress and achievement. The school is working towards the better analysis of data so that pupils’ performance can be precisely tracked and individual targets more precisely set.

p.24

Commentary

74. Resources have improved in quantity and quality and are satisfactory. The subject leader has a secure overview of whole-school development and improvement, and monitors and evaluates the provision for the subject effectively. Teachers are more confident in delivering the numeracy strategy to the pupils’ wide range of learning needs. There has been a satisfactory level of improvement since the previous inspection.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

75. All pupils have individual targets for numeracy which they work towards with teachers’ support. Opportunities are used well in music, art, design and technology, including food technology, religious education, information and communication technology and science to measure, count, and match shapes and numbers.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils' experiences with mainstream peers supports their learning well. • Learning is limited by the lack of specialist science accommodation. • Some assessments are too general because the planning does not identify the individual pupils.

p.24

Commentary

76. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Analysis of the school’s records shows that pupils make satisfactory gains each year in their knowledge and understanding of science. Teachers make good use of rewards to encourage pupils with challenging behaviour. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties have explored different kinds of materials.

p.24

Commentary

77. By the end of Year 2, most pupils are aware of different textures and shapes by exploring a range of different materials. They learn about forces and motion through examining different ways of moving objects, including themselves down slides. By the end of Year 6, pupils know the properties of different materials and that some change their state when heated or cooled. Woodlands School - 23 They have made frozen hands using household gloves filled with water. By the end of Year 9, pupils are beginning to understand how they use their senses to discriminate, for example, by smelling different foods and plants. The higher-attaining pupils are beginning to predict, for example, which object will be moved by a magnet. Pupils in Year 11 are aware of environmental issues such as recycling and have observed the changes when substances are mixed together. They have carried out experiments working with their peers in a laboratory in a

p.24

Commentary

78. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory and often good. Teachers plan their lessons well and use a wide range of interesting activities and resources that motivate the pupils and enable them to learn through all their senses. Activities are well chosen to engage pupils and they are excited by the lessons. For example, there were gasps of delight when a torch was switched on after the batteries had been put in. Teachers reinforce pupils' literacy, numeracy and their personal and social skills well. Higher-attaining pupils are well challenged and they also support the learning of the others. Pupils respond well to the peer support. Classroom and special needs assistants work well with pupils, individually and in groups but practice in different classes is inconsistent. In one lesson, the assistant worked hard to ensure that a more passive pupil with complex needs experienced all the smells in order to indicate a

p.25

Commentary

preference. Specialist vocabulary is well reinforced and extended. As a result, higher-attaining pupils often recall words with very little prompting. Although lessons are planned to cover subject specific learning outcomes for three levels of ability, the lack of focus on individually- named pupils sometimes leads to generalised assessments. Consequently, not all pupils are as well involved as they could be throughout the lesson. There are sound systems for assessment, but practice is inconsistent.

p.25

Commentary

79. Leadership and management are both good. Since the last inspection, there has been good improvement. The resources have been extended. There are regular and valuable opportunities to take part in lessons in a neighbouring mainstream school laboratory. At these times, there is a good emphasis on scientific skills of experiment and investigation. However, the lack of specialist accommodation remains an issue and limits pupils' achievement.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is particularly good in Years 10 and 11. • Good use is made of technological aids to support communication. • The subject leadership is good and there is a good programme for staff training. • Shortage of space limits pupils' achievement.

p.25

Commentary

80. No whole-class lessons were seen during the inspection, but individual pupils were observed working on computers, with switches and on electronic equipment. Pupils are taught appropriate skills through lessons across the curriculum. They have sound opportunities to use computers or technological aids to support their learning. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress in these lessons . Records of pupils’ work indicate that the some pupils in all key stages make good progress.

p.25

Commentary

81. Pupils' achievement throughout the school is satisfactory. Higher-attaining pupils in Years 1 to 2 use remote-controlled cars with minimal support, load programmes on the computer, and learn to control the mouse. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties use switches to make choices and decisions in lessons. Year 6 pupils use a writing program to develop communication by writing in symbols which they then read. They use digital cameras to record Woodlands School - 24 work in class with support. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 copy and print-out their work. Higher-attaining pupils choose programs and change options to select new programs. A few pupils carry out basic word-processing. Pupils with more complex learning difficulties show pleasure and excitement when experiencing the effects of paint programs and when running storybook sequences. Pupils' achievement at the end of Year 11 is good. They use story-book

p.25

Commentary

packages to support their reading and write using symbols with growing independence. Some pupils use tape recorders independently to record interviews with teachers and pupils.

p.26

Commentary

82. Teaching is, overall, satisfactory. Effective training has made most staff secure about using information and communication technology. Individual teaching and detailed assessment procedures enable staff to build securely on what pupils already know. The limited nature of the accommodation means that there is no computer suite and a shortage of secure storage space. However, the school makes good use of its links with a local mainstream school to provide opportunities for enrichment and has made effective use of their technician, for example to install software. The quality and number of computers in the school has improved and the range of software available to support work across the curriculum is now satisfactory. The school network allows both teachers and pupils to make good use of the available hard and software, for example, to make their plans available to others. The school has very

p.26

Commentary

recently acquired its first interactive whiteboard, but is just beginning to make use of it.

p.26

Commentary

83. Leadership and management are good. The subject leader has a good insight into the needs of the school. Improved planning ensures a broad coverage of the programmes of study and there is a systematic approach to teaching and recording achievement. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. The use of information and communication technology helps to promote confidence in pupils and promotes their personal development.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

84. Good use is made of new software to provide symbols for pupils to support them in communication. Some teachers use computers well to aid learning in their subject. Technological aids, particularly switches, power link and communication aids to are used well in most lessons. Teachers use information and communication technology well to support pupils’ development in literacy, for example, interactive stories. Good use is made of software to encourage understanding of number and shape.

p.26

HUMANITIES

Too few lessons were seen in geography and history to judge the overall quality of education and provision in these subjects.

p.26

HUMANITIES

85. No lessons in geography were observed. Pupils' and teachers' records were examined. Pupils learn about different places and locations through a good range of practical activities that help them to understand their environment. Teachers make good use of artefacts and school visits. Pupils develop an understanding of different buildings. Very good community links help them to become aware of jobs of different people in the community. As a result, pupils develop an understanding of various places both in the local community and abroad. Work on Africa for Years 7 to 9 was linked effectively with other lessons, for example, food technology, to help pupils to make connections.

p.26

HUMANITIES

86. One lesson was observed in history . This was a good lesson because of the imaginative way in which the pupils were shown how archaeologists find evidence and piece it together. Higher-attaining pupils remembered previous learning about finding a mummy. The teacher effectively prompted other pupils through showing photographs of past history lessons. She made good use of resources such as a model of a mummy to unwrap and broken pottery to stick together. Pupils were very excited by the activities. Woodlands School - 25 87. There is a well-conceived scheme of work, and pupils are progressively taught about historical events as outlined in the National Curriculum. The subject is monitored regularly as part of a whole-school cycle and feedback is given to teachers after observations. Since the last inspection, provision has been improved in both geography and history. At the time of the inspection a new, overseas-trained teacher had just taken over leadership of both subjects.

p.26

Religious education

The provision of religious education is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good multi-sensory teaching. • Careful recording of progress for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties.

p.27

Commentary

88. Pupils' achievement is good and they make good progress. There is a broad curriculum with very good spiritual, social and cultural references. A mixture of visits to local places of worship and an involvement in celebrations encourages a developing awareness of values and practices of the major faiths in a multi-cultural world. Visits from the vicar and to the church and Hindu and Buddhist temples enrich the curriculum and practically reinforce social and spiritual elements in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. The importance of seeing, touching and hearing in relation to religious education is an important part of the curriculum. Displays of photographs help pupils remember, recognise, sequence and talk about their experiences in order to make good progress.

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Commentary

89. In the lesson observed teaching was good. Pupils with profound and multiple learning disabilities enjoyed a lesson about Islam and being a Muslim. Varied and practical experiences encouraged pupils. They heard the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer, chose fruit or honey in order to give thanks and had their feet washed before entering the temple. Very good support is offered by assistants who record their observations when learning becomes evident. Carefully annotated and dated end-of-term assessments record clear progress.

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Commentary

90. Leadership and management are good. The subject leader has developed the curriculum well in adapting the locally-agreed syllabus to ensure it is appropriate. There are good cross- curriculum links. The subject is very well resourced. Well-planned observations of other religious education lessons ensure the subject leader has a good overview of the subject across the school and is aware of strengths and improvements needed. As a result, there have been good improvements since the last inspection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, design and technology and music were not part of the main focus for this inspection . One lesson of each subject was observed. In addition, pupils' and teachers' records were examined. Physical education is reported in full below.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

91. Art and design is well planned and organised. In the Year 6 lesson observed, teaching, learning and achievement were good. Pupils worked individually on building shapes from a range of boxes. Pupils with more complex difficulties indicated preferences and choices of colour, material, and shape. With support, they used paints, tissue and glue to build up sculptures in several layers. Information and communication technology was well used to support pupils’ learning. The electronic whiteboard was effectively used to show inspiring sculptures as a stimulus during the lesson. One of these, a very large sculpture in sand, so delighted one pupil that having finished his box sculpture, he tried to imitate it in the sand tray. Woodlands School - 26 92. Teachers’ notes record pupils’ good development in a range of techniques, improvements in design and brush control and more imaginative choices in materials, textures and colours.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

During the arts week, held each year, the school invites working artists and sculptors to work with pupils. Evidence is seen around the school of past work. The events are highly successful in raising the profile of art in the school and raising pupils' achievement. The subject leader has an enthusiastic, imaginative approach and a clear perception of priorities for the subject. She and the headteacher are working on an application for an Artsmark award. This represents good improvement since the previous inspection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. In the one lesson observed in design and technology , the teaching was skilled and effective. A class of lower-attaining pupils in Year 7 to 9 enjoyed the multi-sensory approach in making a Kenyan vegetable bowl. This was well linked to work in geography on Africa. Pupils made good progress during the lesson. The higher-attaining pupil was, with support, able to identify differences in two groups of vegetables. Pupils were introduced to different vegetables and to begin to learn new words. Good use was made of symbols and signing.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. Although there were examples of satisfactorily finished items made by pupils available during the inspection period, there was limited evidence of pupils’ planning and evaluation. Nevertheless, pupils’ work in their folders and teachers' records indicate sound progress. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 design and make a range of artefacts such as cards, houses and masks. They learn about a range of resistant and flexible materials and different foods. In Years 4 to 6, pupils learn about mechanisms that allow parts of a construction to move. Pupils' literacy skills are well reinforced through the activities. In years 7 to 11, pupils use a wider range of materials, including plastic, wood and metal. They are taught to work safely and extend their measuring, marking out, joining/combining skills.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

95. Since the last inspection there has been good improvement. There is now a stronger emphasis on pupils' planning and organisation. Teachers’ lessons and planning is regularly monitored. However, the lack of specialist accommodation limits pupils' achievement in Years 7 to 11.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

96. Records indicate that pupils make good progress in music . They enjoy singing in lessons with their class and in assembly. They are introduced to rhythms by clapping and playing percussion in music and other subjects such as English, mathematics and physical education add a musical dimension to learning. There is a high level of enthusiasm for the subject and pupils are encouraged to achieve very well. One pupil in Year 12 played the piano in assembly and at a music evening in a local mainstream school. In the latest school show, several pupils from all key stages sang unaccompanied solos.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

97. In the lesson observed, teaching and learning were very good. Pupils in Year 11 display evident delight singing together and tapping out rhythms on a variety of percussion instruments. Good use of signing and counting ensures all hear and experience how musical sounds are made, have a recognisable sequence and how they can be different. A very good end to the lesson reminds pupils of previous lessons, encourages self-evaluation and allows pupils to judge which activities they like best.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

98. The music room is well resourced ensuring good coverage of the curriculum. Planning is structured effectively to ensure progression. There is good evidence of the inclusion of music across the curriculum, counting songs in mathematics, singing in French and in religious education. Music is used well to cue the end of lessons for lunch and to establish a quiet reflective atmosphere in some classrooms. It is a core part of lessons in physical education, swimming and dance. Mexican percussion instruments give a flavour of music from other cultures and the comprehensive use of sign and symbols ensures that music extends and reinforces opportunities for language development. Woodlands School - 27

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Physical education

The provision for physical education is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Excellent teaching results in high achievement. • Very good leadership and management. • Very good opportunities for enrichment activities. • Accommodation in the school is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

99. Achievement in physical education is very good. Pupils enjoy co-ordinating and exploring body movements. They develop confidence by engaging in well-planned activities designed to challenge each individual and strengthen their movements. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 take part in a very good range of outdoor pursuits as they learn how to use their leisure time. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 make every effort to throw a soft discus and javelins as far as they can. They step over poles firstly with support and then independently. Pupils in Years 4 and 5 step over hurdles eagerly and they complete a circuit successfully. Pupils in Years 1 to 3 enjoy the safety of a smaller space defined by two benches. Pretending to be tigers in the jungle, they roar in time to music, stopping, starting and changing direction. Lessons have a very clear focus. Aims and individual objectives are designed to challenge each pupil appropriately. Because the

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Commentary

activities are so closely matched to pupils' needs, all of them make very good progress. Pupils of all ages and abilities enjoy the activities whether in gym, sport, dance or swimming.

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Commentary

100. The teaching is excellent. Lively behaviour is managed without lessening enthusiastic responses or damaging pupils' confidence. Efficient planning identifies individual and group targets. The teacher has realistic but very high expectations. As a result, every pupil is challenged to do that little bit more. The teacher is very knowledgeable and activities are immediately extended when pupils achieve. As soon as a pupil learns to count, let go of an object and throw it with force, they are challenged to identify the one furthest away. Very good plenary sessions at the end of lessons are used to develop an awareness of pupils' achievements through personal evaluation. Pupils are sufficiently confident to demonstrate skills to the group. More-advanced pupils choose the activity they judged best. The desire to improve on personal best is fostered sensitively and pupils move from partnering adults to

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Commentary

partnering each other. Holding a baton becomes handing it on to the next person and then working in teams.

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Commentary

101. High aspirations and a clear sense of purpose describe leadership. On entry, pupils are closely observed. A record of skills acquired is used to inform individual development plans. Very young pupils are encouraged to take risks, find out and affirm their own physical position safely in relation to others and the immediate environment. As pupils develop their personal programme innovative leadership ensures they are supported only until they can mange independently. Support assistants are very well managed and very knowledgeable. They are clear when to help and when to encourage independent effort.

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Commentary

102. There are very good opportunities for enrichment. Lunchtime clubs extend the school day and a network of links with other special schools results in ski trips. Sports day is very popular and includes moving races and jousting activities. The subject has built on the good report in the last inspection to become a strength of the school.

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Commentary

103. Although the warm temperature in the building continues to be a problem, the swimming pool is a most impressive provision for pupils, parents and the local community. Pupils operate switches to a coloured lighting system. The projected images supplement enjoyment and independent learning. There is a full risk assessment in place and six levels of challenge structure achievement awards. Other accommodation for physical education is unsatisfactory. Woodlands School - 28 Lessons share the hall with the routines of lunchtimes and there are no allocated outside areas for sports activities.

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Commentary

Example of outstanding practice In an excellent lesson for Years 1-2, the teacher engaged all pupils with severe and complex learning needs, combining dance with drama to ensure high levels of understanding. Pupils are in kit ready to start punctually. They respond eagerly to the ‘Hello’ welcome. Excellent planning identifies targets and progression by name. All staff know their pupils’ precise achievement. The teaching space has been cleverly sectioned to make it safe and interesting. The teacher builds an atmosphere of excitement and pupils' anticipation mounts. Bright, colourful picture book illustrates a jungle story with wild animals. Pupils have very good use of communication aids. Scary music beats time to sequence dance activities and improve counting. The teacher inspires the invention of tigers and crocodiles with roaring and clawing. Working in pairs, some venture into the dangerous and exciting imagined jungle. A pupil in a

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Commentary

wheelchair is fully involved, growling at the support assistant who responds by being very afraid. Although reluctant to stop being wild animals , pupils return quickly when music stops, responding to the teachers' firm but friendly manner. At the end, the class remembers which animal they chose and which were the fiercest. Three pupils proudly show the difference between tiger movements and roaring from crocodiles, sliding, clawing and biting. All watch with interest and pleasure. The jungle story ends happily and the big book is closed.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is good .

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MAIN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• Pupils make good progress in their personal and social development. • They develop a good understanding of citizenship through the way the school functions. • The older, more-able pupils take considerable responsibility for others. • There are missed opportunities to develop the curriculum as a result of feedback from pupils.

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Commentary

104. Pupils' achievement is good across the school. By the end of Year 2, higher-attaining pupils begin to appreciate other people's needs and some of them show real sensitivity in their interactions with others in the class. The lower-attaining pupils develop increasing independence in terms of toileting, feeding and dressing. Higher-attaining Year 6 pupils demonstrate an understanding of gender by dressing and undressing dolls and identifying emotions. A lower-attaining pupil related his own fear of being in the pool to the story about being afraid. By the end of Year 9, more-able pupils are aware of the links between health and cleanliness and they learn about healthy food, exercise and relaxation. Visits out of school enable them to learn appropriate behaviour in the community. The higher-attaining oldest, pupils take increasing responsibility as they move through the school; they are more confident

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Commentary

and contribute well to the life of the school community. One higher-attaining pupil helps less mobile pupils in a lunchtime club. She has a list of jobs and carries these out sensitively and responsibly. Pupils take part in a local environment scheme and learn to sort rubbish for recycling. Lower-attaining pupils take part in a wide range of activities and their experiences are extended as a result.

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Commentary

105. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers have a good understanding of how to extend pupils' personal and social skills. They have appropriate plans for modifying the behaviour of those with challenging behaviour and there are sensitive and informative plans for encouraging independent personal skills involved in toileting, feeding and dressing. The consistent and continuous reminders about routines ensure that pupils apply their learning in different contexts. This is particularly effective for older pupils who make very good progress through taking considerable responsibility for others. By encouraging pupils to evaluate their own work Woodlands School - 29 at the end of activities, teachers encourage reflection and reinforce the learning. As a result, older pupils make very good progress. Consistently-applied routines and insistence on these is very powerful for enabling pupils to become sufficiently confident to take responsibility.

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Commentary

Older pupils learn to acknowledge their strengths when making a portfolio about themselves. Assemblies generate a powerful sense of community among pupils at the end of every day. Those pupils demonstrating independence and initiative are awarded the c up for kindness weekly.

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Commentary

106. This aspect of the curriculum is well led and managed. The subject leader has a very good grasp of the dilemmas inherent in teaching the subject. Although the curriculum is continually reviewed and developed, opportunities are missed for evaluating their effectiveness by gathering feedback from pupils . Valuable work has been carried out with parents on sex education. Citizenship has been effectively incorporated in to the scheme of work. The school has gained the first two parts of the Healthy Schools Award and is on track to achieve the final part this year. Since the last inspection, this area has remained strong and demonstrates good improvement.

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SUBJECTS AND COURSES POST-16

In the inspection, four subjects and courses were inspected and are reported on in detail. Work in other subjects and courses was sampled and contributed to the overall picture of teaching and learning in the school.

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SUBJECTS AND COURSES POST-16

107. At the time of the inspection, there were seven students in the post-16 class. Students follow basic skills courses in literacy and numeracy, as well as studying modules in other curriculum areas for which they gain accreditation. Some of the modules are taught at a local college. There are very good links with the external agencies to ensure effective vocational opportunities. Each student has a six-week work experience placement. The modular approach to the curriculum makes a very flexible framework that meets individual needs very well. For example, when the work experience is very successful, it is possible to extend it. There is a wide range of opportunities for students to work with and in the community. For example, a performing arts course was run in conjunction with adults from the community. This was extremely successful and had a major impact on pupils' confidence.

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SUBJECTS AND COURSES POST-16

108. Teaching and learning are good. Students in the post 16 unit make good progress and achieve well because teachers plan their accredited courses thoroughly and choose very appropriate teaching methods and resources. Very good use was made of symbols to help students to answer e-mail messages. Students use a touch monitor and switches independently, for example, to run a life skills programme sequencing various activities. Teaching assistants support students with the most complex needs well. The very good relationships adults have with students and pupils help to develop confidence. They grow in self-esteem and their responses are more consistent, meaningful and positive. Students use computers and various communication aids with developing skill and confidence in all subjects. The good leadership and management ensure continuous improvement in the post-16 provision. This aspect was not reported seperately at the time of the last inspection.

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SUBJECTS AND COURSES POST-16

109. The provision made for English, mathematics, personal and social education and information and communication technology, is reported in full below. Religious education was sampled. Students take a wide range of externally-accredited vocational modules designed to extend their personal independence skills. They attend college on a weekly basis. Very good partnership between the school and college ensures consistent practice. Experience on a local farm provides another very rich experience within which students learn. They are regularly engaged in trying out different leisure activities that encourage their physical health. In addition, they are involved in a range of experiences that encourage a healthy lifestyle, for example, sensible eating. They are involved in performances both in school and at college. Their achievements and experiences are very well recorded and used to support college and

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Students extend their literacy skills very well in a range of relevant contexts. • Students make use of a wide range of media. • Information and communication technology is used very effectively as a communication aid.

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Commentary

110. Students' achievement is very good in speaking and listening, reading and writing because they develop their skills through a wide range of relevant activities relating to everyday life. The higher-attaining students learn to write accurately, making good use of symbols. They write at length for a range of purposes, for example, when learning about Martin Luther King. One student addressed a group of adults about her work experience and answered their questions. They read recipes and instructions when making meals. The highest achievers have gained a Grade 3 in the national skills profile in communications skills.

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Commentary

111. Lower-attaining students are beginning to identify correct symbols and match them correctly with photographs. Students enjoy books, especially when shared with others. They make very good use of switch pads to give messages and use a touch screen and writing grid to record activities. Students with little language are able to repeat key words as a result of their involvement in relevant activities that they enjoy, for example, working on the farm. They use digital images on computers to remind them of their work and use these to show other what they have done.

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Commentary

112. The modular approach to the curriculum is an excellent strategy for ensuring that communication skills are reinforced across the curriculum. Students are placed in different contexts within and beyond the school. As a result they learn to communicate with others and to make sense of information given to them. The very wide use of information and communication technology provides a powerful medium through which students can communicate at an appropriate level.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The students' experiences of relevant, everyday activities provide rich contexts for learning. • Students apply their mathematical skills very well.

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Commentary

113. Achievement in mathematics is very good. Opportunities in a wide range of contexts are very well used to reinforce their working knowledge of numbers, for example, rehearsing the timing of college visits beforehand. The higher-attaining students need no support when telling the time and identifying shapes. All the students use a timetable, although the lower-attaining students benefit from some support. They learn to exchange a card for lunch. They match numbers, colour and shapes increasingly accurately. They shop independently for food for lunch and know what change to expect. They analyse the results of questionnaires into graphs Woodlands School - 31 with the aid of a computer program. They add two numbers to 20. As a result, they achieve Grade 3 in the national skills profile in number.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Students use a wide range of equipment to aid their communication. • Resources are very good and enable each student to use a computer simultaneously.

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Commentary

114. The students' achievement is very good because they make regular and very good use of computers as a tool for their own learning. There is a good range of software programs to enable students to communicate effectively. Lower-attaining students use a digital camera and operate a sequence of photographs to show others what they have done. All students use computers to record their work and review experiences. The higher-attaining students compile shopping lists by selecting foods from different categories. One higher-attaining student used a power-point presentation to support her talk to parents and other adults about her work experience. Students quantify data when carrying out questionnaires. They make very effective use of the internet and communicate using e-mails. In addition, they make regular use of tape recorders, digital cameras and a wide range of modern electrical equipment. They

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Commentary

were all very well involved in making a film of their experiences describing the community performing arts training project.

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Religious education

115. Although it was not possible to observe a religious education lesson, evidence from the students' files show that they learn about the major faiths and make visits to places of worship, for example a Buddhist temple.

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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal development and citizenship is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils become very confident because they have a very rich range of experiences. • Pupils develop independence skills very well.

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Commentary

116. Students' achievement is very good. They become confident through their work with adults at college and in community projects. They learn about different jobs through work experience and their work in the community. The move to accommodation on the site of a mainstream school has been very beneficial in supporting the students' confidence. The most able are poised when talking to visitors. They take considerable responsibility for themselves and others. They dress appropriately for a range of events and activities. Their work with the community enables them to understand the implications of a range of different jobs, for example, those relating to the farm. They learn about politics and can identify the Prime Minister. They learn about equal rights when they find out about the life of Gandi and Nelson Mandela. The lower-attaining students with profound difficulties cook meals with one-to-one

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Commentary

support. They learn about how to care for animals through their work on the farm and about Woodlands School - 32 plants when gardening. A very wide range of visits out of school extends the students' awareness of the world. Woodlands School - 33

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspection judgement Sixth form grade School grade

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the sixth form and the school 2 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 3 Cost effectiveness of the sixth form / value for money provided by the school 3 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 2 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 2 3 How well pupils learn 2 3 The quality of assessment 2 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 2 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 3 5 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 2 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 3 The effectiveness of management 3 3 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Woodlands School - 34

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