Tuke School

TOWER HAMLETS PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT

Dates of inspection: 16 th –19 th June 2003

p.1

TOWER HAMLETS PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

TOWER HAMLETS PUPIL REFERRAL UNIT

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

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Unit category: Out of School Pupils: Excluded Pupils, Pupils at risk of permanent exclusion, Chronic school non-attenders, Pregnant School girls and School age mothers, Sick children and children in hospital, Vulnerable pupils with multi agency concern

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Main unit address: Bromley Hall Road London

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Name of responsible officer Helen Jenner

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Date of previous inspection: May 1998 Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 4

p.3

responsibilities

Eric Peagam Registered Art The unit’s results and achievements inspector Religious education English as an additional language Vocational education What should the unit do to improve further? John Brasier Lay Attitudes, behaviour and personal development inspector How well does the unit care for its pupils? How well does the unit work in partnership with parents? Bob Thompson Team Science How well is the unit led and managed? inspector Physical education Citizenship Sheila Entwistle Team inspector Mathematics Geography Pupils’ spiritual,, moral, social and cultural development Educational inclusion Margaret Hart Team Modern foreign language How well are pupils taught

p.4

responsibilities

inspector Information technology Arlene Thomas- Team English Assessment Ramasut inspector Design and technology Special educational needs Clive Tombs Team inspector History Music How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

p.4

responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Baker-Phillips Educational Communications Ltd The Croft Brierley Way Oldcroft Lydney Gloucestershire GL15 4NE Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

p.4

responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

p.4

responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 5

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

p.5

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit (the unit) is a complex provision that offers education for pupils who are not attending school for a variety of reasons. It operates on six different sites (centres) supporting permanently excluded pupils and those at risk of permanent exclusion, chronic school non-attenders, pregnant schoolgirls and school-age mothers, children in hospital and vulnerable pupils who are the subject of multi-agency concern. The unit also supports pupils on fixed-term exclusions from the third day of their exclusion. The number of pupils fluctuates but at the time of the inspection there were 302 on roll, including 40 being supported in mainstream school or at other locations. Pupils come from a range of ethnic backgrounds, reflecting the population of the borough, with about 60% from minority ethnic backgrounds, mainly Bangladeshi About 40% have English as an additional language, with a small number at an early stage of acquiring English.

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT

All pupils are regarded as having special educational needs and there were 30 with statements of need, 3 of whom are supported in mainstream school or elsewhere. Attainment on entry tends to be below average for a majority of pupils, often as a result of disrupted schooling, although a number of pupils have managed to sustain average standards. Pupils stay for a varying length of time, but for many older pupils there is little prospect of reintegration to mainstream education and they finish their school career in the unit , often moving on to further education or training.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE UNIT IS

This is a highly effective centre that meets the needs of pupils and schools very well. Very good teaching within a good curriculum ensures that pupils who have often failed in the past progress very well and achieve good results. Leadership and management are very good ensuring a clear vision and a high level of efficiency in the running of the centre. As a result, and especially in light of the relatively low cost of the provision compared to the wide range of work undertaken, the unit provides very good value for money.

p.6

What the unit does well

• It provides high quality education for pupils with a wide range of needs that prevent them attending school. • It enables Year 11 pupils to achieve a very high level of external accreditation, usually in a very short time. • It works very effectively with community agencies to promote pupils academic and personal development. • The unit is very well led and managed at both unit and centre level. • Very good relationships and effective classroom management ensure a very high quality of teaching. • The unit works very well with parents who have a high regard for its work • The unit provides very good support and guidance and prepares pupils very well for the next stage.

p.6

What could be improved

The unit recognises that there are a number of areas for improvement and is planning to address them. These include: • training to ensure that staff are equipped to implement the numeracy strategy for younger secondary pupils. • implementation of a consistent system for recording assessments across the centre. • increasing the breadth of curriculum, to include humanities for younger pupils at Bromley Hall • improving the quality of IEPs to make the targets more specific and focussed. • improving the opportunities for physical development for girls at Cable Street. In addition, the unit is aware of shortcomings in the quality of accommodation at Cable Street and the Royal London Hospital. The areas not already planned for will form the basis of the action plan prepared by the local education authority.

p.6

HOW THE UNIT HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

When the unit was previously inspected in May 1998 it was found to be making good provision with some shortcomings in the curriculum breadth and balance and some unsatisfactory aspects of overall management at LEA level. Since that time the unit has made very good improvement across all areas of its work, which have been recognised by the award on two occasions of the Government’s School Achievement award. During the intervening period the unit has met the requirement to provide full-time education for permanently excluded pupils and now ensures that support for pupils is provided from the third day of exclusion. There has been a dramatic rise in the number of examination passes, especially at GCSE as a result of teachers’ raised aspirations and increased experience in delivering examination courses. This has been matched by a rise in the proportion of pupils obtaining further education and training places when they leave so that very few pupils leave with

p.6

HOW THE UNIT HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

nothing. Greater co-operation with a range of other agencies has enhanced the quality of care and guidance. The centre is now involved in providing improved education to adolescents with psychiatric needs and has expanded the facilities for teaching sick children in hospital. Recent developments, including the behaviour improvement programme (BIP) are providing a higher standard of support to schools. Attendance has steadily improved and is now good, while the proportion of pupils returning to mainstream school has more than doubled. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 7

p.6

STANDARDS

The table summarises inspectors’ judgements about well pupils are achieving in relation to their individual targets by the time they leave the unit.

p.7

Key

personal, social and health education A unsatisfactory D

p.7

Key

other personal targets set at annual reviews or in IEPs* B poor E * IEPs are individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs

p.7

Key

Across the centre, pupils make rapid gains in their learning and, particularly for many Year 11 pupils progress is very good as they achieve GCSE from a standing start in under a year. This very good progress is particularly seen in English, science, PSHE, ICT and art. Pupils have made a very good start in a new GCSE course in citizenship. They make particularly good progress in learning to work independently. Progress in mathematics is very good in Years 10 and 11, but no better than satisfactory for younger pupils at the main site, where the school has yet to implement the numeracy strategy and the limited lesson time reduces progress. Pupils make good progress towards the targets in their IEPs, although for many, the targets are insufficiently precise. Pupils from all ethnic backgrounds progress equally well, but girls attending the Cable Street unit achieve results that are better than those seen overall. Pupils’ achievement, often from a low base, is better than that for

p.7

Key

similar establishments nationally and the progress made in Year 11 is greater than that in the borough’s secondary schools.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the unit Good: pupils show high levels of enthusiasm for their work and recognise the success they are achieving as a result of the support given to them. They treat staff and the resources, including the premises with respect.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good: Pupils who have been excluded from mainstream schools behave well in class and around the buildings. Those whose problems are different behave very well. Pupils consistently follow the rules and accept the authority of staff. Occasional misbehaviour in some centres is very well dealt with.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good: Very good relationships, especially between staff and pupils contribute very well to the overall climate. Personal development is good, especially in terms of self-knowledge and pupils’ management of their own behaviour. There are no recorded racial incidents.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attendance Good: Individual pupils show significantly improved attendance and the overall level of attendance is close to 80%. Punctuality is good. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 8

p.7

Teaching of pupils:

Lessons seen overall Very good overall and never unsatisfactory. Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. This high quality of teaching is seen in all subjects most of the time, especially in English, science, art and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Although a limited amount of teaching was seen in some subjects and centres, other evidence confirms that the overall standard of teaching is very high. Teaching in mathematics is good overall in spite of some shortcomings in planning for younger secondary pupils. Teaching at the Royal London Hospital and at Cable Street is consistently very good, but much very good teaching is seen at all units. Across the centre, good and very good teaching reflects a high level of commitment to pupils and a sensitive awareness of

p.8

Teaching of pupils:

their difficulties, matched by a determination that they should succeed to the best of their abilities. The very high quality of relationships and the effective behaviour management strategies enable teachers to establish a calm learning environment. Literacy is well taught, as is numeracy in most centres, but the Bromley Hall centre has not successfully implemented recommended planning in numeracy for younger secondary pupils so that the teaching of it is less good, although never unsatisfactory. The very good relationships between staff and the commitment of support staff ensure that all staff are enabled to make a very effective contribution to learning. As a result of the quality of teaching, pupils learn well and very well in many lessons. In particular, they develop good skills for achieving success in the classroom and a good awareness of what they are actually learning. This success encourages many to attempt learning that they had never considered possible,

p.8

Teaching of pupils:

including the very rapid learning that takes place on Year 11 GCSE courses.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good: the centre provides a broad balanced and relevant curriculum especially in terms of accreditation for pupils in Year 11. There are plans to increase the range of subjects for younger secondary pupils to include more access to the humanities. Community links and partnership with schools and colleges contribute very well to the overall quality of the curriculum.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good: although the provision specified in statements cannot always be met, the centre ensures that there is effective provision to support pupils with learning difficulties, however these arise. However, the targets in pupils’ IEPs are often too imprecise to guide teaching or measure progress.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good: the support provided by teachers enables the great majority to achieve at the same levels as pupils from English speaking backgrounds. However, for a small number of pupils at an early stage of learning English, there has been insufficient support from the LEA service. This is now being addressed.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good: The centre is highly effective in promoting and reinforcing social and moral behaviour and attitudes, especially through the excellent role models provided by staff. Cultural and spiritual development, although more variable between units, are good overall and are well supported by teachers’ planning.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the unit cares for its pupils The centre has a very strong commitment to pupils’ welfare and provides a very high standard of guidance for both long-term pupils and those it supports over a shorter period. Pupils’ personal development is very well supported and monitored. Assessment and monitoring of academic progress are good overall, especially for pupils on examination courses. In particular, the unit actively supports pupils during the examination period so that they attend throughout and benefit from continuous teaching.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the unit works in partnership with parents The centre has a strong commitment to working in partnership with parents and is very successful in achieving this. Parents have a very high regard for the work of the centre and the links are very effective in enabling parents to support their children’s attendance and progress. The annual meeting where pupils receive their progress awards are well attended. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 9

p.8

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides excellent leadership and presents a clear and challenging vision for the unit. He is very well supported by key staff, both at the Bromley Hall site and by team leaders at off-site centres. Day-to-day and longer-term management structures are very effective in translating intention into practice and responding to urgent needs.

p.9

Aspect Comment

How well the management committee fulfils its responsibilities The management committee is very effective in its oversight of the work of the unit and ensures that statutory requirements are met. It has been less successful in ensuring that the accommodation for all pupils is satisfactory and has limited control over the provision made at the Coborn centre.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The unit’s evaluation of its performance The unit has very good systems for evaluating its work and comparing its performance with other provision. Shortcomings and areas for further improvement are addressed through very effective development planning. Arrangements for consultation with parents and partner institutions are very good and the centre constantly reviews its provision and practice to ensure that it continues to meet Best Value criteria very well.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The unit has a limited control over aspects of its budget, including the key issue of acquiring and maintaining premises, some of which are unsatisfactory. Within these limitations, resources, including the numbers and deployment of staff are good and very well used to ensure the necessary flexibility of the provision, and the unit is especially effective in the acquisition and use of new technology.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The approachability of the centre’s staff • The high quality of teaching • The progress their children make • The good behaviour the centre achieves • The fact that their children enjoy coming to the centre • Homework • The range of activities outside lessons

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team confirmed those areas of the unit’s work that parents felt were very good. Homework is set when appropriate and pupils often choose to spend lunchtimes completing work. The good examination results indicate that lack of homework is not an issue. The pupils’ day at most centres is structured throughout and there is a good range of planned recreational activities at lunchtimes, particularly at Bromley Hall. Many of the activities that might ordinarily be outside school time form part of the curriculum and there are good opportunities for visits, including residential visits. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 10

p.9

The unit’s results and achievements

The special educational needs of the pupils in the unit make it generally inappropriate to compare their attainment with that achieved or expected nationally. The report focuses on the progress they make against the targets in their individual

p.10

education plans (IEPs) and the improvement over their prior attainment as well as giving examples of what pupils know,

understand and can do. The timing of the inspection meant that, since most Year 11 pupils (who form the client group for a significant part of the unit) were either taking or preparing for external examinations, a limited amount of teaching was seen in many subjects. Judgements about progress therefore, for many of these pupils, especially at Cable Street, Third Base and Docklands are based on scrutiny of pupils’ work and teachers’ records as well as discussions with the pupils themselves.

p.10

education plans (IEPs) and the improvement over their prior attainment as well as giving examples of what pupils know,

1. Pupils arriving at the unit often have depressed levels of attainment reflecting previous underachievement through a history of disruptive or non-compliant behaviour. In other cases, prolonged absence from school or a poor attendance record as a result of emotional or social difficulties or trauma have significantly impaired their learning. While at the unit, they make very good progress in overcoming previous difficulties and many attain at a level that matches other pupils of their age. In some subjects, they exceed these. Pupils who arrive in Year 11 make particularly rapid progress in a range of subjects, completing GCSE short courses from scratch with good success rates. 2. For other groups of pupils, particularly those undergoing medical treatment progress is also very good in spite of the impact of discomfort, anxiety and stress that their illness promotes. The extent of this has been recognised by a national

p.10

education plans (IEPs) and the improvement over their prior attainment as well as giving examples of what pupils know,

award to celebrate the continuity of education provided for Sick Children, measured by their examination results and the international recognition given to the work of the teachers at the Royal London Hospital . However, for some pupils with mental health problems, their ongoing difficulties and the limited amount of education offered together with the insecure basis for overall curriculum planning, significantly limits their progress, so that outcomes are less good than in other areas of the unit’s work. 3. At the time of the previous inspection, pupils were reported to be making sound and often, good progress although their attainments were below or well below average. A high proportion achieved recognition by Year 11 in achievement tests English and mathematics. A number of pupils achieved passes at GCSE. About 40 per cent left without any examination passes. 4. Since then, as a result of a determined effort on the part of the unit to raise the levels of external accreditation, both the

p.10

education plans (IEPs) and the improvement over their prior attainment as well as giving examples of what pupils know,

number of GCSE passes and the grades achieved have steadily improved so that by 2002, only 9 per cent of pupils left without accreditation. The number of GCSE passes has been doubled with passes at higher levels (particularly grades C and D) being significantly above that achieved nationally by pupil referral units. Over the same period, nationally recognised Certificates of Educational Achievement showed a fourfold increase, from 24 to 129 passes. This process is being increasingly assisted by an effective, although recently introduced, target-setting process for pupils at the end of Year 11 through which the LEA and the management committee monitor increases in attainment. For many pupils, this increased attainment is significantly underpinned by the dramatic improvement in pupils’ attendance while they are at the unit. 5. In terms of pupils’ progress, the unit achieved higher than expected improvement compared with mainstream schools

p.10

education plans (IEPs) and the improvement over their prior attainment as well as giving examples of what pupils know,

over the pupils’ previous attainment as shown by national tests at age 14. This improvement is seen in the results of boys and girls alike, while pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve an equivalent number of passes in proportion to their numbers as a result of the unit’s commitment to and monitoring of, educational inclusion. This includes the majority of those pupils for whom English is not the language used at home. However, for a small number of such pupils who are at an early stage of language acquisition, the lack of specialist support significantly impedes their access to the curriculum and thus the progress they make. The unit supports groups of pupils with social and emotional difficulties very well so that several groups of ‘at-risk’ pupils are achieving results that exceed the national targets for such groups. 6. Across the unit’s bases, Year 11 examination results are particularly good in English, mathematics and art. The unit

p.10

education plans (IEPs) and the improvement over their prior attainment as well as giving examples of what pupils know,

recognises that these results stem in significant part from the careful matching of pupils to achievable courses, the quality of assessment and support offered by experienced and confident subject leaders and the dissemination of good practice and advice to non-specialist teachers. 7. Achievement is less good, although satisfactorily overall, in mathematics for younger secondary pupils, particularly in developing and using numeracy skills. The unit has recognised this and has introduced planning to address it. Achievement is also limited in aspects of humanities where these are not taught, but there are plans to ensure that all pupils have access to these subjects from next September. 8. One result of the increased focus on successful learning measured through accreditation is the continuing upward trend in the numbers of pupils who go on to further education or training places when they leave the unit.

p.10

education plans (IEPs) and the improvement over their prior attainment as well as giving examples of what pupils know,

Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 11 9. For many younger pupils, the progress they make in academic and social learning enables them to make a successful return to mainstream schools. The unit’s achievements in this area compare very favourably with those in areas with similar characteristics to Tower Hamlets. This is equally true of pupils who have been permanently excluded and those who are supported over a shorter, fixed-term period of exclusion through the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP) initiative. 10. While a number of pupils have not previously been identified as having special educational needs, the majority have been so identified and the unit regards all pupils as having such needs by virtue of its involvement in their specialist education. This includes a number of pupils with statements (30 at the time of the inspection) for whom the provision specified in their statements cannot be fully made. For these pupils, placement at the unit is only ever seen as a

p.11

education plans (IEPs) and the improvement over their prior attainment as well as giving examples of what pupils know,

temporary response and every effort is made to provide as wide a range of experiences as possible. However, the unit is very successful in meeting pupils’ identified needs and providing an appropriate curriculum. As a result, pupils with special educational needs make very good progress especially in the areas that have previously presented difficulties for them. 11. Pupils generally make satisfactory to good progress towards the targets in their IEPs although, in many cases, the non- specific nature of these targets makes progress hard to measure, especially for younger secondary pupils where there is insufficient focus on developing literacy and numeracy skills.

p.11

The Bromley Hall Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

12. Pupils make very good progress in English , developing and refining their literacy skills and applying these to a study of literature. In a very good lesson, younger pupils improved their punctuation skills and reinforced their use of capital letters for proper nouns. When studying ‘Skellig’, pupils showed good recall of the story and characters. They followed the text appropriately when the teacher or a group member read aloud. Another group developed skills in persuasive writing as they explored and presented arguments in favour of home or school education. They recognised ‘emotive’ writing and explained the role of emphasis in persuasion. Younger pupils showed very good development from analysis of content to creating first a storyboard and then a script for a new episode of ‘The Simpsons’. Older pupils showed a good grasp of descriptive words and phrases as they identified them in ‘Of Mice and Men’ and explored the use of

p.11

The Bromley Hall Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

synonyms to avoid repetition. They began to apply their knowledge to their own original writing, although they did not produce much in the way of extended writing. Higher-attaining pupils examined poems from different cultural traditions and described the devices used by writers like Hitchcock to generate suspense. They are making good progress towards GCSE at grades B-E. Pupils make very good progress in speaking and listening and show increasing ability to structure and present points of view in discussion. 13. In mathematics, younger secondary pupils make satisfactory progress in developing and consolidating numeracy skills although they make less progress in number than in other aspects, such as shape, measure and data handling. They construct a triangle when they are given a side and two angles, measuring angles and knowing the names for different types of angle. Higher-attaining pupils know that the sum of the angles in a triangle is 180 degrees and use Pythagoras’

p.11

The Bromley Hall Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

theorem to calculate the sides of right-angled triangles. Pupils understand the principle of prime numbers, identifying common ones. They know that shapes can be divided into equal portions, representing fractions and identify equivalent fractions using a block of 12 squares. Older pupils make good progress in preparation for GCSE, showing good investigative skills as they explore the rules governing the ‘mystic rose’. They understand the relationship between perimeter and area of rectangular shapes and show understanding of the construction of three-dimensional shapes by constructing ‘nets’. Higher attaining pupils solve equations with one ‘unknown’. In a revision lesson, they show secure understanding of the mean, median and mode, when analysing and comparing data They construct and interpret a range of graphic forms, identifying the most useful type to display a given set of data. 14. In science, progress is very good for both age groups and a good standard of work is attained. Younger pupils learn

p.11

The Bromley Hall Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

about the structure and processes of the human body, including the skeleton and the digestive system. In a lesson on respiration, they learn well as they acquire and reinforce appropriate terminology and show familiarity with the respiratory system as they construct a model to demonstrate the process. Older pupils develop a good understanding of the structure of plants including the reproductive system. They learn that the process by which solutions pass through membranes is called osmosis and conduct an investigation to demonstrate the absorption of sugar solution by a potato ‘chip’. They show good familiarity with the principles of a fair test and apply these well, making predictions based on previous experience and comparing their results with the predictions. They use secondary sources effectively to learn about the nature and role of various enzymes in the digestive process. 15. Progress in PSHE , including skills for successful re-entry to school and anger management is very good overall. When

p.11

The Bromley Hall Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

examining aspects of crime, including car crime, pupils discuss their own experiences and that of people they know, differentiating between taking without the owner’s consent and theft for gain, examining who might be involved in the different offences and what factors might tend to encourage or discourage criminal activities. They examine the role of verbal and non-verbal communication in supportive or damaging interactions, including cognitive distortions and twisted thinking. They consider the difference between appropriate and over-reaction. 16. Pupils make very good use of opportunities for drama and role-play, as evidenced by the very good session led by a visiting drama group in which they explored conflict situations and were enabled to look and their own lives and their relationships with authority figures. They apply their knowledge well to work in citizenship, when they consider a range

p.11

The Bromley Hall Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 12 of social problems including substance abuse, look at human rights issues in relation to South Africa and Ethiopia, and engage in planning and implementation of community projects. 17. Pupils are making satisfactory progress in developing skills in ICT and using these in other subjects. Younger pupils log on to programs, including games. When using a simple word-processing application, they enter text, change font sizes and save and print their work to a disk. Working with support, they enter data into a spreadsheet and copy and paste cells to other parts of the worksheet. They use the Internet successfully to research and download images to be incorporated into CD covers. 18. Progress in art for older pupils is very good as they explore the life and work of a range of artists and artistic styles and apply the knowledge gained to their own work. Younger pupils are also learning very well, but overall progress is no

p.12

The Bromley Hall Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

better than satisfactory, as they have only recently taken the subject up after a break. Pupils demonstrate good colour awareness as they use a ‘viewer’ to select small portions of works by Alfred Wallis and reproduce the tones they find there using a range of media. They listen carefully as the teacher reads a critic’s view of the work and make good progress in understanding terms used to describe art. Pupils select and reproduce detail from pictures and use these effectively to form a pattern. They look at work from other cultural traditions and analyse the differences they see in choice of colours, patterns and so on. They use drawing skills effectively to create a range of logos, having good regard for design and impact. 19. In design and technology pupils make good progress in developing their making skills alongside satisfactory development in design. They mark, measure, cut and shape a variety of resistant materials, which they join to create

p.12

The Bromley Hall Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

artefacts to a pre-determined design. They learn to use and respect a selection of hand tools with increasing skill. They show good skills and care in finishing so that they produce a variety of attractive and useful objects such as plastic key rings, and wooden photo frames. They develop and deploy knowledge of mechanisms and structures when they create moving toys or a section of a domestic room such as a kitchen to demonstrate the layout of furniture. In a lesson in design, pupils make effective use of a drawing board to produce detailed designs for CD covers. 20. Pupils make good use of opportunities for physical development including outdoor pursuits and show increasing confidence and skills in a number of activities. When using the climbing wall, the majority of a group of Year 10/11 pupils successfully complete the climb on a wall that is more difficult than the previous one. They become proficient in basic

p.12

The Bromley Hall Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

cycling techniques as they follow a programme that develops and tests their basic mountain bike skills. Pupils being supported through short-term exclusions show appropriate skills and adherence to rules when participating in football or ‘Kwik’ cricket sessions. 21. Pupils learn very well in music lessons as they improve their instrumental skills using drums with increasing co- ordination. Younger pupils show a good sense of timing and rhythm, following the teacher’s conducting and record their successful compositions on disk. Another group work on developing disc jockey skills, operating decks, selecting tracks and composing their own rap songs. Older pupils work very effectively together in composing, performing and improving a rap on the subject of peer pressure. The composition has a very exuberant feel exploiting pupils’ knowledge of adolescent language, as well as the musical effects of assonance and alliteration. They use electronic equipment very

p.12

The Cable Street Centre (catering for out-of-school girls in Year 11)

22. At the time of the inspection, pupils were preparing and revising for GCSE examinations so that a limited range of work was available to be observed. Limited evidence from within the centre in English of work on poetry both by Shakespeare and from other cultures supports the judgement that progress is very good as indicated by the good GCSE results achieved in a very short time. 23. Pupils make very good progress in GCSE coursework across all strands of mathematics, combining good investigational skills with effective techniques for handling data as they survey the relationship of colour to price in second-hand cars. They use tally charts, pie diagrams and bar graphs to collect data and show comparisons. Higher attaining pupils show understanding of the use of a scatter graph and line of best fit to demonstrate correlation. They use knowledge of shape and measure to investigate the effect of building solid shapes with cubes, applying a formula to demonstrate the

p.12

The Cable Street Centre (catering for out-of-school girls in Year 11)

relationship between the number of visible and hidden faces. 24. Progress in science is very good as pupils prepare for their GCSE examination in human physiology and health. They show a good grasp of the principles of reproduction and know how different methods of contraception work. They learn well from a video about the role of hormones and participate sensibly in a discussion about sexually transmitted infections. This is extended through very good work in PSHE as pupils learn parenting skills through discussion and working with life-like dolls that mimic infant needs. In other lessons, pupils learn how to deal with difficult issues without losing their temper and how to avoid confrontation. They are encouraged to think of the needs of others and, in particular to examine how others are feeling as a way of understanding interactions. 25. Progress in art is very good as pupils put the final touches to their GCSE projects. They work in a range of materials,

p.12

The Cable Street Centre (catering for out-of-school girls in Year 11)

including collage, paint chalk and charcoal, planning and recording their work in high quality work journals. They use primary and secondary source materials, recording their observations and ideas. They research into the work of artists such as Andy Warhol and use aspects of his style in their own work. They demonstrate very good skills in three- dimensional work when they produce very high quality ceramic handbags that they decorate with texture and coloured glaze. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 13 26. Pupils use their ICT skills very effectively for recording and communicating ideas as, for example in their art journals. Pupils use the Internet and CD-ROMs very well when researching and revising for their upcoming science examination. 27. Pupils make limited progress in physical development and skills as there is currently no consistent programme to provide for these. This reflects, in part, the reluctance on the part of many Year 11 girls to participate and the centre is looking for

p.12

The Cable Street Centre (catering for out-of-school girls in Year 11)

ways to meet their needs through an extension of current activities such as periodic visits to an ice-skating rink or swimming baths.

p.13

The Docklands Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils in Year 11)

28. At the time of the inspection, pupils were preparing and revising for GCSE examinations so that only a limited range of work was available to be observed. Skills in English develop very well as pupils show appropriate knowledge of spelling and punctuation in short pieces of writing with largely simple sentence structure. Speaking and listening, including the ability to take turns and build on each other’s contributions show significant improvement during pupils’ time at the centre. However, there is insufficient writing of any length so higher-order writing skills are not developed. 29. Progress in mathematics is very good as pupils follow a modular GCSE course. Most pupils are expected to pass at foundation level, with higher-attaining pupils expected to gain an intermediate pass. They show secure number skills, including the use of fractions and decimals. They have an effective knowledge of shape, including angle facts that they

p.13

The Docklands Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils in Year 11)

use in work with triangles. Data-handling skills are well developed; pupils collect and display data in a variety of ways using graphs and charts, including the use of a single chart to display two data sets for comparison. They show good understanding of the basic principles of probability. Higher-attaining pupils extend work on shape, using Pythagoras’ theorem. They create graphs of linear functions and solve linear equations and inequalities. They find different fractions of quantities and work with ratio and proportion. 30. In science, pupils make very good progress towards GCSE in human physiology and health. They explore how plants provide food, which is broken down by the digestive system, and how waste products are evacuated. In studying human health problems they identify the importance of an appropriate diet and learn how health is affected by drugs or disease. They consider public health issues in nutrition and disease, including the way food is preserved, water is

p.13

The Docklands Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils in Year 11)

purified and waste materials are processed through the sewage system. They learn about the human life cycle from conception to birth and subsequent development. 31. Pupils make very good progress in PSHE as they prepare for life after school. They show appropriate understanding of the social requirements for job interviews and learn how to manage a bank account. They learn about a range of social situations and processes that could pose dangers, including substance abuse and explore strategies for avoiding these dangers. 32. In following a newly introduced GCSE course in citizenship , pupils are making very good progress. They have a good knowledge of the social structures of a multicultural society and recognise the wide range of ethnic and cultural diversity represented in this country. They understand the importance of mutual respect and explore some aspects of discrimination against minority groups. When considering human and legal rights, they examine the work of

p.13

The Docklands Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils in Year 11)

organisations such as Amnesty International. They develop an awareness of consumer legislation and learn how the criminal and civil courts work. 33. Pupils make very good progress in art, often starting from a low base in terms of skills and confidence as they explore and reproduce the work of artists such as Andy Warhol and Edward Hopper, showing great attention to detail. They demonstrate good use of colour and confident brushwork. They have good techniques for observational drawing and painting, especially of inanimate objects, although they are less confident in representing the human form. They begin develop three-dimensional skills in ceramics as they mould and decorate a model of a baseball cap although these skills are at a relatively early stage of development. They record their ideas and the processes they have used in well-kept work records 34. Pupils participate well in activities designed to promote physical development , including sporting activities and make

p.13

The Docklands Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils in Year 11)

good progress as a result. When participating in a football match with a local special school, they show good skills in passing, receiving, tackling, shooting and defending. They respect the rules and show good awareness of the importance of tactics in a team game. 35. Pupils make very good progress towards GCSE in ICT , producing a wide range of work reflecting a good variety of processes. They use their developing skills very effectively to support work in other subjects as, for instance, they produce high quality curricula vitae showing grasp of layout, the use of different fonts and highlighting to give emphasis. They use a spreadsheet to carry out calculations and model costs as, for example, when giving a party or decorating a room and use spreadsheet data to carry out a mail-merge. They use control programs to give instructions to switches as, for instance in making a set of traffic lights work. They use digital technology to take and download

p.13

The Docklands Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils in Year 11)

photographs that they then incorporate in other pieces of work.

p.13

The Third Base Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

36. At the time of the inspection, pupils were preparing and revising for GCSE examinations so that a limited range of work was available to be observed. Pupils make very good progress in English following GCSE courses in language and Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 14 literature at grades C-E. They produce good quality workbooks showing a consistently high standard of work in both areas. 37. Progress in mathematics is also very good as pupils work towards a foundation level GCSE. They make effective use of published schemes to extend and reinforce their learning. The high quality presentation in their workbooks demonstrates that they take their work very seriously and have pride in their work. They calculate the areas of regular plane figures, solve simple algebraic equations including those involving powers of numbers, show good ability to find factors of larger numbers and work confidently with negative numbers. They handle data efficiently, collecting and displaying

p.13

The Third Base Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

information in block and pie charts. They understand the ground rules of probability and work with reflective and rotational symmetry and transformation of shapes. Higher-attaining pupils know a range of theorems relating to angles and parallel lines, construct a triangle given the length of its sides and produce a scatter graph to test correlation between two sets of data. They have a good understanding of ratio and proportion and use this in problem solving. 38. Pupils show that they have made very good progress in science as they prepare to take the GCSE examination in human physiology and health, in which they are likely to achieve grades from E-G. They use revision exercises very successfully to reinforce and demonstrate their knowledge of the sensory organs, especially the eye and the ear, as well as the digestive and respiratory systems. They have a good basic grasp of how the nervous system functions and

p.14

The Third Base Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

explain the basic principles of genetics. They have a good range of appropriate vocabulary that they use correctly in context. 39. Pupils are making very good progress towards an external GCSE in citizenship , which is being offered for the first time this year. Most are on course to achieve grades F or G, but higher attaining pupils are likely to achieve as high as C. They develop good understanding of the way in which human rights develop and the difficulties many people experience. They reflect on the relationship between human rights and the more limited concept of legal rights. This leads on to an exploration of consumer and employment rights as well as the civil and criminal justice system. They talk about the impact of power politics and consider the image of a ‘global village’. They have extended well their knowledge of political systems as a result of the visit they made to Brussels and they have examined the effects of tourism on a

p.14

The Third Base Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

country such as Mexico. They have a good understanding of the way that opinions may be formed and altered, including examining the role of the popular media. They examine the multicultural nature of British society, developing an awareness of the importance of religious tolerance and respect for one another’s views. 40. Evidence of very good progress in PSHE from displays and teachers’ records shows that pupils have explored relationships and examined how people interact as part of the process of enabling them to achieve greater success in their own interactions. They have a good knowledge of the dangers of substance abuse and reflect the importance of relationships in sexual matters in discussions. They display a responsible attitude towards the environment and take good care of the centre’s very good premises. 41. Pupils make very good progress in ICT in both a full and a short course GCSE. They use a range of applications

p.14

The Third Base Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

competently including word-processing, which they also employ effectively in desktop publishing. They are familiar with the structure and uses of spreadsheets, which they use to model the budget for a small business and to mail merge addresses. They create and use simple databases, for example, products and prices. They discuss the advantages of different hardware choices, for instance between laser and inkjet printers. Higher attaining pupils develop skills for designing and creating web pages and use a spreadsheet to model a payroll, including net tax and pension payments. They use a graphics program to create and edit images to form a logo. 42. Pupils make very good progress in art showing high productivity in producing GCSE coursework of a good standard over a very short period. They study the works of well-known artists such as Paul Cézanne and develop their own work drawing on elements of his style. They examine the three-dimensional work of Thomas Hirshhorn, and emulate this with

p.14

The Third Base Centre (catering for out-of-school pupils below Year 11)

their own structures from waste materials. Work produced following visits by various artists as part of a community project is of a very high standard. Following a visit to an exhibition of the works of Bridget Riley, pupils produced some very effective work in black and white using rectangles and circles. 43. There were no opportunities to observe lessons or other activities to support pupils’ physical development , including sporting activity, but on the basis of the limited evidence available, progress is at least satisfactory in response to opportunities for physical pursuits at a range of offsite centres.

p.14

The Royal London Hospital Centre (catering for in-patients of school age in the hospital)

44. The circumstances that affect pupils’ learning are very varied. In the main, pupils are short stay patients for whom the centre provides very effective teaching to ensure the momentum of previous learning is not lost. However, there are some pupils who are hospitalised for long periods or who regularly come in for short treatments and the centre provides a significant part of their education. Pupils of all ages make very good progress in a wide range of subjects as they follow well-planned cross-curricular topics. While they have had a variety of previous educational experiences, and have a range of medical conditions, they settle well to the routines and benefit very well from the well-organised and sensitive teaching they receive. As a result, many pupils are able to maintain their learning progress in spite of the discomfort and anxiety that many experience. For a number of pupils, the trauma or disease they have suffered has seriously impaired

p.14

The Royal London Hospital Centre (catering for in-patients of school age in the hospital)

their access to or ability to demonstrate previous learning so that, in some respects they are beginning again. In many cases, they show rapid progress across the curriculum. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 15 45. Pupils make very good progress in English as they improve their reading and comprehension skills through having access to a range of fiction and information texts. The youngest infant pupils make good progress in identifying and learning the letters of the alphabet and relating these to sounds. Younger junior pupils follow up topic work on British birds by looking at a book about barn owls, which they compare and contrast with robins. Older pupils, including those from abroad, make rapid progress in appreciation of literature from a range of cultures for example the construction of their own attempts at Shakespearean sonnet, working from first draft to final copy. For some pupils who have lost the

p.14

The Royal London Hospital Centre (catering for in-patients of school age in the hospital)

power of speech or the ability to write, progress in developing alternative forms of communication is very good, enabling them to sustain learning in other subjects. For other pupils, communication skills are very well supported by drama activities as when, supported by an outside drama group, they act out scenes from the Harry Potter stories. 46. Pupils show good literacy skills and demonstrate these in a geography lesson where they write prose and poetry illustrating their understanding of the weather as part of a study of the natural world. They have a good range of ‘weather’ vocabulary which they augment by studying a poem about a storm, learning new words and examining the role of metaphor and kenning as a way of providing vivid description by reference to the language of Norse mythology. 47. Pupils of all ages make very good progress in science topics. Year 6 pupils consider the solar system and questions

p.15

The Royal London Hospital Centre (catering for in-patients of school age in the hospital)

about space, exploring the basis for believing that alien societies might exist and considering how they might appear. They look at the practical issues surrounding the existing space stations. They look at life processes through work related to the natural world. They link scientific understanding with work in history when they look at the design of ancient Egyptian water clocks. Year 11 pupils look at states of matter and describe the properties of solids, liquids and gases. They explore the properties of materials, including testing them for strength and use their knowledge of chemical reactions to explain how iron rusts as part of their revision for GCSE examinations. 48. Skills in ICT are also developed and very well used through work in other subjects. They use a word-processing program to write very imaginative, poetry as well as completing worksheets provided by their own schools and interrogate a database to extract information about clouds. They use the Internet as a source of information, navigating

p.15

The Royal London Hospital Centre (catering for in-patients of school age in the hospital)

sites and printing off the material they judge to be most useful. They make effective use of digital cameras to record events and visits they make. 49. Pupils make very good progress in mathematics , working at age-appropriate levels. Very young pupils count sets of objects to 20 and beyond, reading the numbers in the same range. They count on and back in ones to 30. Older primary school pupils recovering from debilitating conditions make rapid progress in re-learning their numeracy skills and show increased ability to sort and match shapes. Although unable to communicate through writing, they make very good use of alternative ways of demonstrating mathematical knowledge. 50. Progress in art is very good as pupils learn how to work in two and three dimensions to produce patterns based on pictures of cells from histology slides. Older pupils show good understanding of the importance of scale and perspective in their preparatory drawings as they work with a great sense of purpose to create a collage to represent the

p.15

The Royal London Hospital Centre (catering for in-patients of school age in the hospital)

cell structure, while younger pupils explore shape and colour in pattern at an age-appropriate level. They study the work of famous artist such as Pablo Picasso and examine the influence he has had. 51. Progress in PSHE is also very good as pupils take advantage of structured opportunities to socialise across age and gender groups. They show good awareness of and empathy for each other’s difficulties and support one another generously in lessons. 52. Although the medical condition of many pupils limits the opportunities for physical development , The very effective working relationships between teachers an physiotherapists ensure that a prolonged stay in hospital does not lead to deterioration of their physical skills and, where possible, pupils make effective use of the hospital gymnasium, where they make very good progress following carefully designed programmes to enable them to regain physical skills and

p.15

The Coborn Centre ( catering for school-aged psychiatric in-patients)

53. Very little teaching could be observed and there is very little previous work available for scrutiny. The overall progress that pupils make is limited by their poor attendance, related to their ongoing difficulties and by the limited teaching time that is offered. There is insufficient evidence to make reliable judgements about progress in most individual subjects as the very small number of pupils follow individual programmes designed to support their mainstream education. On the basis of the evidence available, pupils make satisfactory progress in terms of the time actually spent in lessons. 54. Pupils develop their literacy skills well through writing in a range of subjects as well as producing poetry and prose in a range of styles. 55. In individual tuition sessions, pupils make good progress in extending their knowledge of mathematics and applying this in problem solving, for example in learning how to construct an isosceles triangle. Pupils make satisfactory progress

p.15

The Coborn Centre ( catering for school-aged psychiatric in-patients)

in consolidating basic numeracy skills. In mental mathematics activities, they carry out basic addition and subtraction, multiply by 10 and demonstrate the effect of this on decimal fractions. Higher-attaining pupils use a secure knowledge of multiplication tables to carry out long multiplication and division. They understand the relationship between fractions and decimals, which they know how to add and identify the change to be given from ten pounds when paying different amounts. Pupils learn well at an appropriate level as they use a range of revision or assessment tasks, including ICT - based revision programs to reinforce their understanding Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 16

p.15

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

56. Pupils’ attitudes to learning, their behaviour, their personal development and the relationships in the unit are all good, as they were at the last inspection. Attendance is now good, an improvement over the last inspection. 57. Attitudes and behaviour improve as the period in the unit increases and its management of pupils takes effect. They are very good at the Royal London Hospital, Cable Street and Coborn centres and good elsewhere. 58. On joining the unit, pupils rapidly come to show an interest in what the various centres provide, which is planned to be challenging and related to their needs. They recognise the success they are achieving as a result of the support given to them. Some pupils show reluctance to participate, particularly at Bromley Hall, where the length of stay is short, but the skills of staff quickly bring out some better attitudes. For example in a design technology lesson one pupil was

p.16

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

acting bored and ignoring instructions, but after a discussion with a teacher he had developed his project, somewhat reluctantly, and later, by the end of the lesson, was displaying what he had achieved and was smiling broadly. Behaviour develops in a similar way. For instance, in a physical education lesson at the Mile End Climbing Wall, pupils needed a good deal of reminding about appropriate behaviour in the early stages, but soon displayed some excellent climbing talents. As they did so their behaviour improved so that by the end of the lesson they were voluntarily helping to clear up and showing excellent relationships with the instructor and other staff. There have not been any exclusions. Bullying is virtually unknown and there are no recorded instances of racism. 59. Personal development is good, particularly at Cable Street, where it is very good; the girls show mature and caring attitudes and a strong sense of responsibility for one another. At Bromley Hall, where younger pupils tend to show less

p.16

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

maturity, it is satisfactory. Again this is related to the length of stay – in the Behaviour Improvement Programme, for example, the pupils had only been in the centre for an average of seven days – although records show that in many cases good improvements in personal development are achieved by the time pupils leave. 60. Relationships between adults and pupils are very good indeed. This is a major strength of the unit and is crucial for its success. Pupils accept the authority of adults and hence stick to the rules that are universally applied. Relationships between pupils are satisfactory at Bromley Hall because the ethos of the centre is only acquired slowly and stays are short. In the other centres relationships between pupils are good. They spend more time together and are able to absorb the example shown by adults. For example in a football match involving a team from the Docklands centre, the

p.16

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

relationships between the players were excellent and the team set a very good example to the teams they were competing with. 61. Attendance is good at all centres. It ranges from 70 to 79 per cent, which is much better than most referral units taking chronic non-attenders, although unauthorised absence still makes up the bulk of non-attendance. Registration is efficient and records are well kept. Timekeeping through the day is satisfactory. Pupils are punctual.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

62. Teaching is very good overall and a strength of the unit. Since the last inspection there has been good improvement in the quality of teaching, and this is reflected in the much-improved attainment of pupils at the end of Year 11. Most of the teaching seen during the inspection was at least good and more than half the lessons were judged to be very good. No unsatisfactory lessons were seen. While very good teaching is seen in all centres, very high quality teaching is particularly consistent in the Cable Street centre and in the Royal London Hospital schoolrooms. 63. Teachers have very good knowledge and understanding of their subjects and this is the case for qualified teachers and for instructors, unqualified teachers and teaching assistants, all of whom who make a very valuable contribution to the unit . This is especially the case where specialist teachers work in several centres.. Teachers in the Royal London

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Hospital demonstrate a high level of competence over a very wide range of subjects, age ranges and ability levels. For example, one class included a pupil under five, pupils from infant and junior classes and a pupil who had just finished taking GCSE exams; all were helped to achieve very well in subjects that included early literacy skills, geography, art and information technology. Very good use is made of the expertise of outside speakers – for example, health professionals’ contribution to health education and parenting skills in the Cable Street centre. Pupils recognise the very good subject knowledge of their teachers and respect it, increasing their readiness to learn. 64. Basic skills are generally very well taught and this helps pupils make good and often very good progress with literacy, numeracy and information technology skills. However, teachers have not fully adopted the national strategy for

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

teaching numeracy to pupils in years 7, .8 and 9 at Bromley Hall and while pupils’ learning is at least satisfactory, in this area it lags behind the very good standards of learning generally seen. Pupils have many opportunities to use their reading and writing skills in support of the range of subjects, and they are encouraged to develop and use information technology skills to support their English work and to support research, measurement and analysis of data in science and mathematics. 65. Teachers plan lessons very well. In those Bromley Hall classes that include new and often unsettled pupils, the lesson planning is often impressive in its thoroughness and flexibility. For example, a physical education lesson remained effective even though plans had to be changed because of transport difficulties and new pupils arrived to take part up to half an hour after the start of the lesson. Secure and detailed planning ensured that no time was wasted and all pupils

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 17 participated fully in worthwhile and enjoyable activities, learning and consolidating skills and knowledge. Occasionally lessons cannot be delivered as planned, for example, in a school skills session where only one pupil attended and the material required pupils to interact with one another. In the Coburn centre, the differences in attainment and experience of pupils taught in the same group require planning at an individual level and this does not always fully meet the needs of all pupils. Throughout the unit very good examples were seen of planning which included adaptation of tasks and materials to meet the needs of individual pupils. 66. Teachers have extremely high expectations of behaviour and achievement. At Docklands, Third Base and Cable Street pupils are expected to complete course work and achieve grades in externally accredited examinations, and this despite

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

the fact that most pupils have gaps in their knowledge and experience which mean they have only one year to complete the courses. Teachers teach actively and seriously even when only one pupil is present and they persist in engaging pupils’ attention and interest even when they arrive in the lesson in distressed or disruptive mood. 67. Teaching methods are generally very appropriate and effective. Teachers prepare work that is interesting and demanding, while supporting those pupils who have difficulties. Objectives are made clear to pupils and feedback about their progress is positive and reassuring. Work sheets, where used, are appropriate and tailored to the needs of pupils, and they are not over-used. However, national numeracy strategy methods need to be introduced for pupils in years 7 to 9. Practical experience plays an important role in pupils’ learning – for example, girls in the Cable Street centre had to

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

cope with the demands of feeding, changing and comforting computer programmed “babies” as they revised work on reproduction and contraception. Third Base pupils took part in a visit to the European Parliament in Brussels as part of their Citizenship course. Activities for pupils of the Behaviour Improvement Programme are motivating and enjoyable and participation in mountain biking and rock climbing help to bring behaviour under control through good focus on safety and the need to work together. 68. Teachers use very good strategies for managing behaviour. The very good framework for this is generally consistently and successfully applied, in a context of very good relationships between pupils and teachers. Pupils can be extremely challenging and there is occasionally disruption to planned activities, however staff are persistent in maintaining their calm and patience; senior staff support teachers very well and mentors provide support for pupils which is different from

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

and complementary to that provided by teachers. 69. Staff and resources are generally very well used. Teachers adapt to the particular characteristics of the buildings they use; for example, Third Base pupils make good use of a computer suite, while in the Docklands centre teachers take advantage of the more dispersed computer resources to encourage incidental use in all lessons. Teaching assistants, instructors and unqualified teachers work very well as part of the team, while external agencies and facilities are also very well used to enrich the curriculum offer to pupils. 70. Teachers carry out good ongoing assessment and often record useful evaluations of lessons on their planning sheets. This helps to maintain pupils’ progress and allows revision and repetition of material not fully mastered. The targets on pupils’ individual education plans are not consistently good or well used and this aspect of teachers’ assessment needs

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

further development as identified in school development planning. There is some very high quality marking which helps pupils see how they need to improve, but this is not consistent for all teachers. 71. Homework is appropriately used and pupils are encouraged to complete course work for externally accredited examinations. Teachers have to work very hard at this because of pupils’ previous history of disrupted education. 72. The skills and commitment of the teachers across the centres of the unit are making a profound difference to the educational success and life opportunities of its pupils.

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

73. The overall curriculum provided by the pupil referral unit is good. It conforms to the LEA’s curriculum policy in relation to PRUs and is planned with an early return to mainstream or special school, or transition to further education or work in mind. It is suitably broad, balanced and relevant and meets well the interests, aptitudes and needs of pupils, who for a variety of reasons are not attending school. It gives reasonable attention to the programmes of study of the National Curriculum. Importantly, the curriculum develops pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding in the key areas of communication, literacy, and numeracy and information and communication technology. High priority is given in all curriculum programmes to the way it is delivered and to pupils’ personal development and emotional needs. While the curriculum aims of the overall provision are in many aspects similar, they are in some respects defined by the different

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

client groups. In each case, good use is made of information provided by the referring school about a pupil’s attainment and their strengths and weaknesses. 74. The curriculum for pupils aged 15-16 in their last four terms of statutory education in the Bromley Hall, Third Base, Docklands and Cable Street centres is particularly relevant, and effective. It includes work-related education through careers education and guidance, citizenship, college links and work experience, and opportunities for accreditation. This includes the GCSE in English, English literature, mathematics, science, art, information technology and citizenship and Entry Level and unit Awards in a number of subjects. While each of these centres follows more or less the same curriculum, within the overall provision, there are slight but discernable differences in emphasis. For example, the all girls’ centre at Cable Street achieves very high GCSE passes; the Third Base centre is very strong on the aesthetic

p.17

OR STUDENTS?

Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 18 curriculum, particularly art and music, and the Docklands centre has a clear emphasis on the academic curriculum and makes good use of community resources to enhance its work. However, the main aim in all these centres is to ease transition to adult life, to raise pupils’ self-esteem and develop in them a positive self-image. To this end, pupils are encouraged to complete a Progress File as a record of their achievements and are assisted in their transition from school to college, training or employment by a variety of support agencies. 75. The curriculum for pupils aged 11-14 in the Bromley Hall base is also relevant, although limited in breadth. Pupils are dual registered with the aim of returning them to their mainstream schools as soon as possible. The main emphasis is on literacy, numeracy and ICT but more importantly on the way the curriculum is delivered. Work is carefully planned to

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

ensure success and to repair any sense of failure. As a result pupils attend regularly, are re-motivated and re-engage with learning. An important aspect of this curriculum offer is that of teaching ‘School Skills’ - a unique and innovative course that addresses the skills and reasoning pupils need to adopt, in order to function in a school environment. The unit is aware that this centre’s curriculum currently lacks sufficient breadth and plans are in hand to re-introduce humanities for the next school year. 76. The curriculum for pupils aged 5-16 in the London Royal Hospital centre is broad, relevant and flexible. Education centres are attached to all wards and pupils attend a centre when they are medically fit to do so. Because their stay may be short or long term or involve them in frequent visits over a period of time, the curriculum is flexible and staff are sensitive to pupils’ needs. Staff welcome pupils and make them feel valued and at ease. They immediately engage them

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

in positive curriculum experiences supported by a range of exciting resources. This has a therapeutic effect so that pupils, for a time at least, forget their pain and discomfort. The centre offers all the subjects of the National Curriculum, including opportunities for pupils to sit Standard Assessment Tests and public examinations. For long stay patients, teachers follow the programme planned by the pupils’ own school. This requires teachers to liaise closely with schools across several local education authorities (LEAs). 77. The curriculum provided for pupils aged 12–19 in the Coburn adolescent psychiatric centre is severely restricted by the small amount of taught time thought to be appropriate for them - as little as two hours a day. In this time, if pupils are considered well enough, they follow a programme that includes English, mathematics, PSHE, citizenship and history. They also can take part in Standard Assessment Tests and public examinations up to GCSE, A/S and A level, if

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

necessary. A teacher works as a member of a multidisciplinary team and liaises with a number of professionals as well as a number of schools and authorities in order to facilitate learning. The unit has little influence over the amount of taught time. There is no science teaching. 78. Across the unit, strategies for teaching the basic skills of literacy are good and well established. Training and good direction and support from the LEA consultant has raised awareness. As a result, literacy skills are more deliberately reinforced across the curriculum, with teachers emphasising key words in each subject area and planned opportunities for pupils to extend their speaking, listening and writing skills. Significant curriculum time is allocated to literacy. By comparison, strategies for teaching the basic skills of numeracy are not well developed with staff awaiting the appropriate training. 79. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good. A ‘Breakfast Club’ at Bromley Hall ensures pupils are well fed and fit for

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

learning and gives them the opportunity to talk at length to adults. It provides a calm start to the day. The ‘Full Marks at Lunchtime’ club held each day for all pupils at the centre, provides additional support for the LEA’s behaviour improvement pilot (BIP). Staff model positive social skills and relationships around food. Games and activities afterwards, including table tennis, pool, 5-a-side football or cricket and a music centre provide opportunities for pupils to bond with staff and to learn good sporting and social behaviour. In addition pupils attend short residential school journeys on the Tarporley barge or trips to Calais, and enjoy such activities as mountain biking and rock climbing. 80. Equality of access and opportunity are good. The curriculum of each centre is inclusive in its organisation and content and ensures equality of opportunity for all those pupils attending them. For example, all pupils can be included in their

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

centre’s formal curriculum, breakfast and lunchtime clubs. All pupils can take part in residential trips when they reach the appropriate year group and can progress to college link courses and suitable work experience placements. Managers at each centre review all aspects of their work to ensure that there is no unintended or incidental discrimination and monitor all incidents to establish whether they might be related to racism, bullying or harassment. Resources are targeted to ensure equality of access and opportunity. The school analyses a range of data on, for example, numbers returning to school and ethnicity to ensure equality of opportunity for all groups of pupils. 81. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good, although the unit cannot provide full access to the National Curriculum as outlined in their statements. The unit meets pupils’ special educational needs well, by targeting resources

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

and by setting appropriate work for them. More precise targets in pupils’ individual education plans are needed in order better to inform teachers’ planning and provide more accurate information on their progress. 82. Provision for personal and social education is very good. A comprehensive personal and social education programme, which includes drugs, alcohol, sex and relationship education is carefully planned, resourced and delivered throughout all centres in the unit. In addition, aspects of the PSHE curriculum are reinforced throughout the day, at meal times, tutorials, on residential trips, and through deliberate and incidental links with other subjects like science, citizenship and careers. The unit is particularly proud of its citizenship programme, which addresses such issues as human rights, youth crime, and car crime, crime in the local area and rights and responsibilities in the world of work. The unit is the first

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

educational establishment in Tower Hamlets to offer an accredited course. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 19 83. The unit has very good links with the community that contribute to pupils’ learning. The centres use a range of resources in the community to enhance its curriculum, for example, visits to sporting and recreational centres, museums and art galleries. Joint work with a number of agencies such as Docklands Outreach and Drug Action Team extends pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Close and supportive links with a range of work experience providers gives pupils opportunities to learn ‘about work, through work’. A number of charities and benefactors provide funds to improve the unit’s resources and extra-curricular activities. For example, the very good ICT resources and library books at the Royal London Hospital School have been provided by Express Link Up and the Times, Guardian and Telegraph

p.18

OR STUDENTS?

newspapers respectively. 84. The unit provides good careers education and guidance, and vocational education for its pupils. Pupils receive good taught careers education from Year 10 onwards. Key skills such as decision-making and research skills are actively promoted. A personal advisor from Connexions provides pupils and their parents/carers with on-going support and advice. Work experience organised in co-operation with the Rathbone Society gives pupils a taste of the world of work. Close liaison with a number of external providers, for example, Tomorrow’s People, ensures that all pupils access employment or training. The effectiveness of the vocational related curriculum and support from external providers has been much improved by the appointment of a vocational worker and vocational mentor. 85. The unit works very closely with partner institutions. It is central to the Tower Hamlets Access and Inclusion Service,

p.19

OR STUDENTS?

providing formal and informal support to schools to help them develop inclusive practices. By the nature of its work, it is the focus of information about pupils out of school, and liaises closely with schools across several boroughs to meet their various needs. It is also included in a number of national and LEA initiatives, for example, the Healthy Schools Initiative and the Borough’s Substance Misuse Plan, which brings it into contact with schools similarly involved. 86. There have been good improvements in the curriculum since the last inspection. The curriculum is now broader, more coherent, and relevant. The Cable Street centre is planning to extend the opportunities for physical development which are limited at present. It is also better resourced and more vigorously monitored so that senior managers know areas that need to be developed. Good subject policies and schemes of work reflect the vision of the unit and guide teachers’

p.19

OR STUDENTS?

planning and expectations. As a result, the outcomes for pupils at fourteen are vastly improved. For example, there has been an improvement in attendance and in the proportion of pupils returning to their mainstream schools. At age sixteen, there have been similar significant gains in terms of personal development and in the range and quality of accreditation. In addition, there is a notable rising trend in the take up of Further Education and training places. 87. Provision for the development of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very good. These qualities are fostered throughout the unit through aspects of pupils' learning and strategies in extra curricular activities and dining arrangements. However, behaviour management techniques, consistently applied form the basis of pupils' very good personal development. Subject departments are given guidelines on how to include the promotion of these features m

p.19

OR STUDENTS?

curriculum planning. 88. Spiritual development is never less than satisfactory. At Cable Street, Docklands and Third Base centres, it is good; at the Royal London Hospital, it is very good. The curriculum offers a number of planned opportunities for spiritual development. In personal, social and health education lessons and the behaviour improvement programme, pupils discuss their feelings and develop self-awareness and the effects of their behaviour on others. Many lessons provide opportunities for discussing questions of human experience, and the meaning and purpose of life. English lessons help pupils to explore and reflect on their own feelings through drama and literature. 89. An effective lesson was based on the poem "Half Caste" when pupils examined the feelings of people who are discriminated against because they are different. Appreciation of the creative arts is promoted through curriculum

p.19

OR STUDENTS?

planning in art and music. Art lessons provide the opportunity for pupils to appreciate their own creativity and that of others. This was particularly effective for pupils from the Docklands and Third Base centres who were involved in a project led by a local artist. Pupils visited exhibitions at a nearby gallery and were inspired to try to produce work in the style of the particular artist in follow-up lessons 90. Spiritual development at the Royal London Hospital centre is very good. In humanities subjects, geography, pupils learn of their place in the world in relation to others. Teaching staff relate to pupils who are often very ill, with great sensitivity and help pupils to respond to the challenging experience of suffering. Occasionally, spontaneous occasions arise which demonstrate pupils’ capacity for joy and wonder. For example, when a seven-year-old pupil posed for a photograph using a digital camera, he was amazed by the fact that he could see his image immediately.

p.19

OR STUDENTS?

91. Arrangements for moral and social education arc very good in all centres. A high quality programme for personal, social and health education is a strength of the unit. The ‘school's skills’ programme is highly effective in promoting improvement in pupils' behaviour. This programme has three facets, moral and ethical reasoning, lunchtime arrangements and lessons examining ‘ cognitive distortion’. The latter involves the development of pupils’ understanding that inappropriate beliefs lead to inappropriate behaviour while sensible beliefs lead to sensible behaviour. 92. An example of this is when a pupil says, "It isn't fair" when he or she is told about some inappropriate behaviour and blames others rather than reflecting on the behaviour. This leads the pupil to make the situation worse by challenging the teacher. In one lesson, the teacher related a story about a boy who was constantly in trouble at home and at school.

p.19

OR STUDENTS?

At various points in the story, the teacher stopped and asked the pupils what type of silly belief the boy had. Pupils were very perceptive and were able not only to identify the wrong belief of the boy that caused him to behave badly, but also to say why he was wrong. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 20 93. All members of staff act as good role models and much of the day-to-day conversation with pupils is specifically aimed at giving a sense of right, wrong and appropriate behaviour, The behaviour management policy of the unit, based on the principles of consistent rewards and sanctions, is implemented very well. Pupils, especially those excluded from school, understand the fairness of the system and develop honesty in discussing their own behaviour and its effect on others. Pupils receive messages of positive reinforcement from posters displayed in classrooms and corridors. For example, one effective poster has the quotation "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist" with an appropriate illustration.

p.19

OR STUDENTS?

94. Social development is an equally important part of the unit's personal development programme. It is very good in all centres. There are excellent relationships between staff and pupils but, particularly at Bromley Hall, , relationships between pupils are not as strong. To overcome this pupils are encouraged to work collaboratively in lessons and to celebrate each other’s achievements when receiving awards in assemblies. Pupils are supported in taking responsibility for their own learning, and this is promoted in most centres by the setting of homework. 95. The curriculum makes a significant contribution to social development. In personal, social and health education lessons, pupils learn of the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. Citizenship provides knowledge and understanding of society in all its aspects, and the rights and responsibilities of a citizen. 96. Provision for cultural development is good overall. It is very good in Bromley Hall and Royal London Hospital centres,

p.20

OR STUDENTS?

good at Cable Street and Third Base and satisfactory in the Coborn and Docklands centres. The units with the best development offer drama as an integral part of the curriculum. These sessions are provided by visiting groups. The actors choose topics appropriate to the needs of the pupils. At Bromley Hall, with pupils excluded from mainstream school, the theme of the session was the consequences of conflict. At the Royal London Hospital centre, with a group of mixed age pupils, the activity was based on the Harry Potter stories. 97. Outside visits extend cultural development well. In the past year, pupils from the various centres have visited the Docklands museum, taken a boat trip to France and have been rock climbing. The hospital centre also benefits from six visits each year from the music group, Sinfonia 21 who perform different types of music at each visit. 98. The unit's cultural values are strongly reinforced through a variety of posters and displays, which include the life, and

p.20

OR STUDENTS?

works of Picasso and Paul Cézanne. However, pupils have limited opportunity to study the cultures and faiths of different ethnic groups, nor do the wall displays fully reflect the multi-ethnicity of the unit.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

99. The monitoring of pupils’ academic performance and personal development and the educational support and guidance for pupils are good. Both would have been very good if the individual education plans had contained better and more precise targets. Procedures for achieving good behaviour and the welfare provision are very good. These are similar to the findings at the last inspection. 100. Procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ academic and behavioural progress are good overall. Assessment of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses on entry to the unit is very thorough. A wide range of appropriate assessment and testing methods are used in each centre to provide a whole picture of each pupil and progress is carefully monitored and recorded. However, the absence of an agreed unit format for recording improvements in basic literacy and numeracy skills and behaviour together with progress in National Curriculum subjects makes it difficult to monitor the rate of

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

pupils’ progress across the different centres. The unit has recognised this and is in the process of introducing a common format. 101. The primary school age pupils in the Royal London Hospital are sensitively assessed in the core curriculum and the information is used well by teachers in their lesson plans, which are carefully tailored to meet individual needs. The pupils’ progress in all areas of the curriculum is assessed against National Curriculum targets and recorded in the teachers’ daily observational records that demonstrate very good knowledge and understanding of the pupils and their situations. Weekly reports to parents are detailed and helpful in providing evidence of positive progress. 102. Pupils of secondary school age in Years 7, 8 and 9 are assessed using standardised tests in reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic and this information is used effectively by teachers in planning work that is suitably challenging. Good

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

support for pupils who are identified as experiencing difficulties is provided in class by teachers and learning support assistants. Pupils who require additional teaching in basic literacy skills are taught individually and their progress is satisfactorily monitored. This has been identified as an area for further development in several centres. Behaviour is closely monitored in every lesson and a grade awarded so that pupils are constantly made aware of the outcomes of their own actions. Awards for endeavour and achievements in both academic and behavioural targets are valued by the pupils and form part of their ongoing Certificate of Achievement Files. 103. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 are regularly assessed in all subjects as part of the requirements of the examination courses they follow. Teachers’ marking and oral feedback during lessons provide very good guidance for improvement and success in each module is recorded on the Certificate of Achievement File. Behaviour and attitudes to learning are

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

assessed at the end of each session and this is recorded daily. A weekly report is then sent home to parents. This detailed information is much appreciated by parents, who are given good opportunities by the unit to be involved in their children’s progress. 104. The wealth of observational data, which some teachers record, provides very useful insights into different pupils’ approaches to learning and their individual strengths and weaknesses but it is often difficult to access and therefore of Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 21 limited use in planning new work. Individual Education Plans make a satisfactory contribution to the assessment and monitoring of pupils’ progress but the targets are insufficiently focussed to facilitate accurate measurement. This has been identified as a whole staff development issue in the new school year. 105. Annual Reviews of Statements meet statutory requirements and reports on pupils’ progress are detailed and informative.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Transitional reports on older pupils moving on to college and work placements and the Certificate of Achievements Awards reflect the whole person and celebrate each young person’s successes. 106. Self-evaluation of progress by the pupils is encouraged throughout the secondary phase and this makes a significant contribution to enabling them to become more responsible for their own learning and behaviour. The regular reports to parents are an important feature of the unit and form a key link in the assessment process. 107. Health and Safety procedures are very good. Child protection procedures are also very good. The headteacher is the nominated person. He has been well trained and is thoroughly experienced. Most staff have also been well trained and the unit has some very good child protection practitioners, but there are gaps in training particularly at the Third Base centre. At the Royal London Hospital child protection procedures are excellent, with first class co-operation between

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

the centre and medical staff. The unit is fully conversant with the home circumstances of all its non-medical pupils because a review meeting takes place before any admission. This meeting has a high focus on the welfare of all members of the family and is attended by professionals such as social services, education support staff and charities able to provide positive support and encouragement. At the meeting attended during the inspection very constructive action was agreed for families regardless of whether their children were accepted for the unit. Welfare is a paramount consideration. For instance school skills are taught at Bromley Hall to help pupils to re-integrate smoothly. Docklands Outreach holds workshops in the unit on drugs and high-risk behaviour. One worker works full time in the unit holding workshops on drug abuse and surveying drug use. The Behaviour Improvement Programme contains sessions on anger

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

management, moral and ethical reasoning and drama groups acting out social problems. At the Royal London Hospital there is a strong focus on welfare, whether it is simply calming pupils before operations, creative handling of pupils with severe injuries, the careful planning of visits back to their school or the raising of self-esteem to enable pupils to learn. The welfare of the girls at Cable Street is of a high order, with the involvement of a number of valuable support groups. 108. The procedures for attaining good attendance are good. Telephone calls are made on the first day of absence if no reason has been received. On the third occasion the education social worker is informed. Home visits are made by education social workers from the partner school, but for pupils permanently excluded a part time worker is employed by the unit. Rewards for good attendance are promoted. The screening procedure used by the Borough, in which the

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

headteacher actively participates, aims to detect poor attenders before attendance becomes a serious issue, and there is particular interest in the siblings of poor attenders. 109. The procedures for achieving good behaviour are very good. Much depends on the ability of staff to build good relationships with pupils and act as good role models, but backing all this is a system of school rules that are fair and firmly imposed. The hierarchy of sanctions is well known, but many rewards are available. In every lesson in the non- medical centres the pupils’ performance is assessed under six headings and the weekly total is related to a number of lottery entries. The winner of the lottery receives £5. At Bromley Hall, the regime is rigorous but tolerant in the early stages because of the transitory nature of the pupils, but at Docklands, the Third Base and Cable Street the emphasis is on rapid learning to pass exams, and, to achieve this, the regime is more exacting on behaviour requirements. Pupils who

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

cannot cope with the centres’ behaviour requirements can be given individual tuition for a short period to bring their behaviour up to the norms required for group working. These procedures for achieving good behaviour also eliminate oppressive behaviour. 110. Personal development of pupils is very good. It can be seen in the results: the low level of repeated referral at Bromley Hall [around ten per cent], the high levels of academic success at Docklands, Cable Street and Third Base, and the very high levels of performance by staffing the medical centres, referred to in the testimonials of hospital consultants. The Behaviour Improvement Programme at Bromley Hall has not been operational for long enough to enable a success rate to be determined, but surveys of pupils at the end of the course are positive and reports from headteachers on their initial return are favourable. Typical of the creativity of the Behaviour Improvement Programme is the inclusion of

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Japanese – a subject where all start on an equal footing and which gives all a chance to demonstrate their learning capabilities irrespective of their chequered educational experiences. An outstanding example of achievement is the education provided for brain-injured pupils at the Royal London Hospital, which the Consultant commends very highly for its creativity in restoring the use of the brain. In the non-medical centres there is a lesson-by-lesson record of pupils’ attitudes, which is summarised weekly and sent to parents. Personal development targets for individual education plans are reviewed frequently with a maximum review period of six weeks. Pupils at these centres have an interview with their tutor every two weeks, designed to develop pupils’ self knowledge and hence the management of their own behaviour

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

111. The unit has a strong commitment to working in partnership with parents and is very successful in achieving this. Parents are enabled to support their children’s attendance and progress through the comprehensive communications that they receive. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 22 112. Parents have very high opinions of the unit. They particularly like the approachability of staff, the high quality of teaching, the progress their children make, the good behaviour the unit achieves and the fact that their children enjoy coming to the unit’s centres. They raise some concerns about homework and the range of activities outside lessons. The inspection team agrees with the positive comments. Homework is set when appropriate and pupils often spend lunchtime completing work. There is a good range of recreational activities at lunchtimes and there are good opportunities for visits including residential ones.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

113. The information provided for parents is very good. There is an excellent prospectus and many helpful leaflets. At the end of every week the parents of pupils at non-medical centres receive a report on the performance of their child, showing attitudes at each lesson, attendance and punctuality and, in year 11, academic performance too. Every half term parents receive a copy of the individual education plan for their child and the progress made, together with attendance and punctuality data. At the end of each term there is a full written report with comments and targets for all the subjects being studied. Parents are invited to attend reviews of both the termly and half termly reports. Pupils and parents are invited to comment and sign them. There is frequent telephone contact with parents and the relationships with teachers are often on first name terms. 114. Parents’ involvement in the work of the unit is satisfactory. The major involvement is on admission when the parents

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

are made aware of the importance of their role and the relationship between the pupil and the parent is explored. Meetings are held at the start of term when an education social worker and a representative of Docklands Outreach are also present. There is a very good response on Certificate of Achievement Day, when Year 11 pupils are presented with their certificates. Parents’ contribution at termly and half termly meetings is useful and very good for pupil motivation. Parents help with trips out and in earlier years have helped to decorate rooms and adapt accommodation. 115. The various centres give valuable help to parents. For example at Bromley Hall a base is provided to Docklands Outreach for its Community Families programme. Elsewhere staff with responsibility for family liaison provide information and advice to families while seeking to improve attendance and behaviour. At the Royal London Hospital,

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE UNIT WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

teachers talk knowledgeably to parents about how their children’s treatment will affect their learning capabilities, using their past experience, and this is much valued. This is particularly so when children return to the hospital for further treatment. Parents and pupils telephone or visit the centres after the pupils have left – often to seek advice. 116. Parents’ views are sought by questionnaires at the end of courses, as are pupils’ views. This procedure confirms that parents’ views are valued and the data collected helps the unit in its self-evaluation.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

117. The Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) operates on six sites (centres). Bromley Hall, the Royal London Hospital, Coborn adolescent psychiatric unit, and three ‘off site’ centres Third Base, Docklands and Cable Street. The headteacher manages Bromley Hall, the Royal Hospital and with some limitation the Coborn centre. The deputy headteacher ‘off site’ manages Third Base, Docklands and Cable Street, reporting directly to the headteacher. 118. Overall leadership and management of the whole unit are very good. Stated aims and values are well reflected in the entire unit’s work. The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher offsite, second deputy headteacher, key staff and management committee have taken very successful measures to set high standards. Their shared commitment to bringing about continuing improvements is very strong. The headteacher’s leadership is inspirational and has ensured the unit has fully met all key issues from the last inspection.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

119. The management and leadership of individual centres are also very good, with the exception of Coborn, where the management of the PRU has limited input into the management of the centre, consequently, the leadership and management provided by the Unit is satisfactory. 120. The headteacher, and senior staff, have a very clear educational and community vision for the future development of the unit, except at the Coborn centre where vision is satisfactory being driven by the perception that a major task is to impress upon other professionals the importance of education. Their plans for the development of the unit are fully supported by the local education authority staff and delivered through the management committee. The headteacher has a deep commitment to enabling all students to achieve their full potential and to have a happy and fulfilling experience during their stay in the unit. He is a very good organiser who gets things done and has the ability to take other people

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

along with him. He has a high profile not only in the unit, but also the authority, and is recognised for his knowledge of both the academic and personal characteristics of the students. He very successfully balances the demands of being a headteacher with his management role and responsibilities of liaising with external training providers. 121. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good. . The head teacher’s drive to continually develop the unit has moved it on considerably since the last inspection in a number of important areas. Areas of improvement include: • the number of pupils supported full time in the unit; • planned development to meet the needs of excluded pupils; • the number of pupils leaving the unit with external accreditation, reflecting increased teachers’ aspirations and experience in teaching examination courses; • the upward trend in take-up of further education (FE) and training placements of school leavers;

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

• improving data collection, and meaningful use of it; Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 23 • creating greater co-operation between agencies, raising the quality of care and guidance and establishing better relationships and participation; • increased staff expertise, enabling them to teach these pupils more effectively; • establishment of a multi-disciplinary approach in the still-evolving Coborn centre; • increased teaching at the Royal London Hospital as new wards have been opened; • the introduction of pupil’s improvement behaviour’ pilot scheme (BIP); • Increased re-integration rates that have doubled since 1997 and are now 17% compared with national figures of 8%. 122. In course of these improvements, the success of the unit has been recognised in various ways including: • receiving a National Award in recognition of providing continuity of education to sick children; • recognition by the government as an example of good practice, including a visit from the Prime Minister;

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

• high profile involvement in government educational initiative planning. 123. The unit is not, however, prepared to rest on its laurels. It recognises the need to further improve the number of pupils returning to mainstream school. It is attempting to make earlier identification of needs within schools and expand its preventative intervention work. With this in mind the BIP pilot programme has been established. 124. The management committee is very effective. It meets regularly and is kept very well informed by high quality reports from the headteacher. As a result, members have a good understanding of strengths and weakness of the unit. The committee offers an impressive range of professional expertise and represents a wide cross-section of the community. Many members are frequent visitors to the unit, both in their professional capacity and as management committee members. There is good liaison between the chair of the management committee and the headteacher. They work closely

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

together on issues that arise between scheduled meetings. Members have a very clear understanding of their responsibilities and are appropriately involved in shaping the direction of the unit, in monitoring and evaluation of the unit’s performance and in ensuring value for money is given and received. 125. Performance management is well established and is of a good standard. The headteacher and management committee give a high priority to providing professional support for staff. There is an impressive list of professional in-service training completed by staff across all centres. Improving teachers’ subject knowledge and competence are seen as important steps in raising the quality of teaching and learning in the unit. Clear priorities are based on good procedures and strategies of self-evaluation, with a clear focus on raising standards and improving provision. The unit’s improvement plan contains the necessary detail to provide a framework for staff to work to. It contains clear targets and

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

details of costs and monitoring. The staff and management committee are fully involved in the production of the plan and the identification of priority areas for development. 126. This is a very effective and efficient unit. As the unit hitherto has been effectively treated as an LEA service, the budget is held by the LEA and there is no provision for external funds to be carried over from one year to the next although there are plans to delegate the budget in the near future. Expenditure is carefully managed by PRU staff. Great care is taken to ensure all funding is correctly spent and accounted for. The principles of best value are implemented fully. Day-to-day administration and support is very good, allowing the teachers to do what they do best, which is to teach the pupils. 127. There is a good number of staff who provide for a wide spread of experience and expertise, which is very well used to

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

help pupils make progress. Induction procedures for new staff are good. There is a very good match of staff to the demands of the curriculum and pupils’ needs, and most staff are well qualified and experienced in teaching pupils with special educational needs. Support staff make a significant contribution to the progress pupils make. There is inevitably a high turnover of staff, given the temporary nature of many contracts; this is managed well by the PRU so that this does not negatively affect the progress made by pupils. 128. There has been good investment in information technology resulting in a substantial amount of high quality ICT equipment and this is used very effectively. ICT is also used very well in the administration and self-evaluation of the PRU For example: • The headteacher and deputy headteacher use personal digital assistants, ICT devices that allow handwritten notes to be downloaded into computer systems.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

• Management use ICT effectively to analyse data collected which is available to analyse and improve in areas such as pupils’ achievement, attendance, exclusions and teaching and learning. • The unit has created an in-house ICT programme to analyse exclusions. • The unit has access to the London Grid for Learning, which enhances pupils’ access to ICT programmes. • The unit uses ICT to compare, graph and present data such as the performance of pupils in the unit against pupils in Tower Hamlet or London as a whole. • The headteacher uses a ‘blue tooth’ mobile phone that allows him to tap into all school ICT devices at any time. • New Opportunities Fund (NOF) ICT training has been completed by all teaching staff. • Every classroom is networked, allowing staff to access the Internet and intranet at any time. • The unit is trialling an ‘attendance programme’ at two centres. • Video conferencing has been introduced. The unit took part in a conference between London,

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

Washington, New York and Tel Aviv on the ‘Education of sick children’. • Authorised and unauthorised attendance is monitored electronically. • Science and citizenship have incorporated computer courses. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 24 • There is now extra ICT provision at Bromley Hall and Third Base including a new video projector and three digital cameras as well as a new colour laser printer. • Monitoring and evaluating pupils’ exclusion. This is to be upgraded to include monitoring pupil attendance across all six centres. 129. Accommodation is very good at Third Base, which provides a permanent location. Other centres are in temporary or joint-use accommodation and this creates some uncertainty. The present satisfactory accommodation at Bromley Hall is to be relinquished in favour of a permanent move to the premises of a local special school. This will provide a good range of facilities, but there is some concern about the numbers to be accommodated. There is good accommodation at

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

Docklands, which is in premises shared with other agencies and satisfactory accommodation at Coborn. However it is unsatisfactory at the Royal London Hospital, where teaching accommodation is too hot, insufficiently ventilated and the teaching area is too small. During the week of the inspection, the temperature in the one of the teaching rooms reached 34 degrees Celsius, making it almost impossible for teachers to teach and pupils to learn. Accommodation at Cable Street is poor. It is too small for the size of groups, has little natural light and lacks proper ventilation. The external environment at Bromley Hall, over which the unit has no control, is very discouraging for pupils. 130. Learning resources at Third Base and the Royal London Hospital are very good. They are good at Bromley Hall and Docklands, and satisfactory at Cable Street and Coborn. 131. Accommodation, staff and learning resources are used efficiently and effectively. Day-to-day administration is very

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE UNIT LED AND MANAGED?

good. Staff offer very good teaching and learning opportunities that are appreciated by pupils. As a result pupils achieve well. Taking into account the effectiveness of the unit, the relatively low unit cost per pupil, and the good academic and very good personal progress pupils make, value for money is very good.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

132. In order to raise standards still further and improve the quality of education offered the management committee and headteacher should: • Implement the planned improvements to the curriculum, recording of assessments and the quality of IEPs (para.67, 75, 77, 86, 99, 100).

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE UNIT DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

133. In addition, the LEA should make improvements to the accommodation provided for the Cable Street centre in such a way as to ensure that it is of satisfactory quality while preserving the essential qualities that enable Year 11 girls to make such good progress there (para. 129). Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 45

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons. Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.25

Information about the unit’s pupils

Pupils on the unit’s roll No of pupils Number of pupils on the unit’s roll

p.25

Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 30

p.25

Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils on the unit’s special educational needs register 302

p.25

Information about the unit’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the unit’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 122

p.25

Attendance

Bromley Hall (BIP) 6 Bromley Hall (BIP) 12

p.25

Attendance

Royal London Hospital N/a Royal London Hospital N/a

p.25

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for last whole term before the inspection Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 26

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 5 - -

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 2 - -

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 113 - -

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background - -

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 7 - -

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 9 - -

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 44.6 Financial year 2002/3

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils (FTE) per qualified teacher 6.8

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y11 Expenditure per pupil (FTE) 8027.52

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 15 Balance brought forward from previous year N/a

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 361.5 Balance carried forward to next year N/a

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 11.4 Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 27 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 7.8

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 9.8

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) N/a

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Tower Hamlets Pupil Referral Unit - 28

p.27

Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 255 Number of questionnaires returned 33

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 24 9 0 0 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 23 8 1 0 1

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 19 8 4 0 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 28 4 1 0 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 25 6 0 0 2

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 28 3 1 0 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 23 9 1 0 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 27 3 1 0 2

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 25 7 1 0 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 18 6 4 4 2

p.28