Ifield School

IFIELD SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 24 th November 2004

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IFIELD SCHOOL

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

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IFIELD SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Special School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 16 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 159

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cedar Avenue Gravesend Kent

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01474 365485 Fax number: 01474 569744

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Peter J Read

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 th June – 2 nd July 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Since September 2004, Ifield School has been re-designated as a school for pupils with profound, severe and complex difficulties and communication and interaction difficulties. Prior to this it was a school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and a significant number with autism.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school’s facilities are on three sites; the main school, a woodland of four acres, owned by the school, approximately a mile away, and the Supporting Multi-professional Inclusive Education (SMILE) centre which provides services to mainstream schools

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

All pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs. Fifty three pupils have moderate learning difficulties. A similar number have autism and 32 have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The remainder includes pupils with speech and language difficulties, severe learning difficulties, physical disability and sensory impairment. The school is significantly bigger than average for one of this type and age range, and has more than twice as many boys as girls. The school is organised as two departments, which are referred to as the lower school (for pupils in reception and in Years 1 to 6) and senior school (for pupils in Years 7 to 11). At the time of the inspection, the only child in the Foundation Stage was taught alongside pupils in Year 1. Because of the pupils’ increasingly complex learning difficulties, their attainment on entry to the school is now well below those of pupils of a similar age.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Ifield School - 4 The school has a broad socio-economic mix in keeping with its intake from a wide geographical area. The vast majority of pupils have a white British background. No pupils are at the early stages of learning English. Currently, only one pupil attends classes at a local mainstream school, although a number attend a local college as part of their curriculum and a group of 10 lower school pupils enjoy a social link with the adjacent primary school on two lunchtimes each week.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school was awarded a School Achievement Award in 2003, and in 2004 it was successful in reapplying for a Sportsmark. In the same year it was given a Healthy Schools Award. Ifield School - 5

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

13101 Mike Kell Lead inspector English as an additional language

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

9052 Helen Barter Lay inspector 21713 Chris Lewis Team inspector Personal, social and health education and citizenship Geography 20211 Mike Marra Team inspector Art and design Special educational needs Physical education 31963 Malcolm Padmore Team inspector English Design and technology 8056 Howard Probert Team inspector Science Music Religious education 22178 Kate Robertson Team inspector Mathematics History 27429 Margaret Smith Team inspector Information and communication technology French

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Penta International Upperton House The Avenue Eastbourne BN21 3YB

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Ifield School - 6

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Ifield is an effective school with some very good features. The headteacher provides very good leadership and management. The leadership and management of other key staff are satisfactory. Good teaching promotes pupils’ learning well, and they make good progress. The positive ethos means that pupils achieve well in their personal development. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The headteacher has shown very clear vision in leading the school through a difficult period. • The very good teamwork between teachers and very effective teaching assistants is an important contributor to overall good teaching and learning. • The school makes very good use of local resources and facilities and visitors into school, and its woodland area is a very valuable resource. • The SMILE centre is innovative in the way it produces resources for mainstream schools and provides in-service training • The very good provision for extra-curricular activities, and enrichment of the curriculum, give pupils many additional and valuable experiences. • Some key staff have limited impact in contributing to the school’s development and so aspects of management, such as the induction of new staff and performance management, are underdeveloped. • Senior staff are not routinely monitoring and evaluating the curriculum or collecting

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OVERALL EVALUATION

and using whole school performance data. • There is no uniform system of assessment to measure pupil achievement and progress throughout the school.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Overall improvement since the last inspection has been good because the quality of provision in many aspects of the school’s work has improved, or has at least been maintained, even though the nature of pupils’ special educational needs has become much more complex. Only one key issue was identified at that time; the poor accommodation has already been partly addressed and plans are well under way to improve the remainder. Other development areas, relating to extending the range of accreditation, developing the curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) and the provision for English have all been improved.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

in relation to individual targets in: Pupils’ achievement at the end of: Subjects of the curriculum Personal and social education Year 2 Good Good Year 6 Good Good Year 9 Good Good Year 11 Good Good Inspectors make judgements in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall, pupils achieve well. Pupils’ achievements in PSHE and citizenship are very good. Pupils in all year groups achieve well in work-related learning (WRL) and in all other subjects except mathematics. Pupils’ achievement in mathematics is satisfactory. It is Ifield School - 8 good in Years 1 to 6, but satisfactory in the senior school. Boys and girls make similar progress. On a few occasions pupils with the most complex needs do not achieve so well. At these times, teachers tend to provide all pupils with the same activities, providing additional support where needed, rather than giving less capable pupils different activities that better meet their needs. Throughout the school, pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour are good. Attendance is good and punctuality is satisfactory. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Their moral and social development is fostered

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality education for its pupils. Teaching and learning are good with some very good features. Pupils learn well and make good progress in developing new skills, knowledge and understanding because adults manage them very well and have very high expectations of behaviour. Adults use praise very well and appropriately to encourage pupils and develop many opportunities to promote their personal development.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The vast majority of pupils benefit from a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum that prepares them well for the next stages of their education. However, the school has recognised that it needs to continue adapting it to meet the more complex needs of some pupils already in the school. These pupils receive the same broad and balanced curriculum as their classmates, but teachers do not yet routinely modify the way in which they provide this curriculum, such as a greater focus on a sensory-based curriculum. Staff make the best possible use of the good accommodation and resources available.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is good. The support and guidance given to them is satisfactory. The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school enjoys good links with parents and carers that contribute positively to pupils’ learning and development. There are very good links with the community and strong links with other schools and colleges. The advice and support provided to mainstream schools is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The headteacher provides very good leadership and management, but some other key staff are less effective. In part, this is because the management and leadership structure of the school, in terms of individuals’ roles and responsibilities, is unclear and, therefore, some features of management are underdeveloped. In addition, although all senior staff strongly support the vision for the school, some currently have limited impact in contributing to its future development.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Parents have positive views of the school. They like the way in which the school works with them to support their children. Pupils are well satisfied and enjoy everything the school offers. Inspectors agree with parents’ and pupils’ views that the provision for homework is erratic and needs to be more consistent. Ifield School - 9

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Review the roles and the responsibilities of senior staff to ensure that programmes such as induction and performance management procedures are effectively managed. • Introduce robust systems to ensure that senior managers monitor and evaluate the quality of the curriculum routinely, and that the relative performances of different groups of pupils in different subjects are analysed and any issues addressed. • Develop routine, consistent assessment systems that will enable teachers to use this information in lesson planning and to track individual pupils’ progress over time. Ifield School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Across the school, all pupils achieve well. Boys and girls, and those whose home language is not English achieve equally well. Pupils’ attainment is well below the level expected of pupils of similar ages.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall, pupils achieve well because they are well taught. • A well-organised curriculum generally provides pupils with a good range and balance of learning opportunities. • Pupils in all years achieve well in their personal development. • Pupils are successful in the good range of accredited courses that are available to them in Years 10 and 11. • Teachers promote the skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) well through different subjects of the curriculum. • Older pupils’ achievements are extended well through the school’s links with colleges and the community and through its provision for work-related learning (WRL).

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Commentary

1. Pupils’ overall good achievements are supported well by a good match of teachers to the needs of the curriculum, very effective teaching assistants and, overall, good accommodation and learning resources. However, on a very few occasions pupils with the most complex needs do not achieve so well. This is because although these pupils receive the same broad and balanced curriculum as their classmates, teachers do not yet routinely modify the way in which they provide this curriculum, such as a greater focus on a sensory-based curriculum.

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Commentary

2. Pupils’ achievements in personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship are very good. Teachers with very good subject knowledge are responsible for pupils’ very good achievements in PSHE. Lessons across the school are carefully planned, showing clearly what it is anticipated pupils will learn and how pupils’ individual needs will be meet. Skilled teaching, particularly in the senior school, helps pupils to overcome their reluctance to learn about subjects that may be sensitive in nature, such as sex education.

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Commentary

3. Pupils in all year groups achieve well in WRL because of the effectiveness of the careers education programme, work experience, activities developed with the support of the local business education partnership (BEP) and good college link courses. Pupils achieve well in all subjects except mathematics. Pupils’ achievements in mathematics are satisfactory overall, although there is a difference between the progress they make in Years 1 to 6 compared with how well they achieve in Years 7 to 11. The former group of pupils achieve well, whereas those in the senior department achieve satisfactorily, because of more effective teaching and planning, which is based on better assessment information. Ifield School - 11 4. Pupils’ good achievements in English result from good quality teaching and learning. They make good progress in developing speaking and listening skills because the school has instituted a number of good strategies, such as the Social Use of Language Programme

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Commentary

(SULP) to promote learning in these areas. It has responded well to the increasing numbers of pupils with communication difficulties by extending and adapting its provision, through the development of additional communication systems such as the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Makaton signing and British Sign Language (BSL). However, it has recognised it has to use these systems more consistently and to consider the need for other systems, like electronic communication aids. Pupils in all years make good progress in acquiring and developing their reading skills because of the well- structured approach to assessing and teaching these skills. Teachers provide a good range and variety of stimuli to promote writing skills and, therefore, pupils in all years make good progress.

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ achievements are good in science in both the junior and senior schools because work is planned well for different groups of pupils and the subject benefits from having the expertise of two specialist teachers. Pupils enjoy their work and find the investigations great fun. Well-planned and challenging lessons, enhanced by a very good use of resources including interactive whiteboards, enable most pupils to achieve well in ICT. Teachers provide their pupils with a good variety of activities, which build systematically on prior learning.

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Commentary

6. Pupils’ good achievements in the accredited courses that they follow in Years 10 and 11 prepare them well for further education or employment. These include General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and Certificate of Educational Achievement (Entry Level) examinations and the ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) Youth Award Scheme. The school also uses its woodland area to enable pupils in Years 10 and 11 to follow a National Vocational Qualification accredited course in Land and the Environment.

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Commentary

7. Language and literacy are developed well across the curriculum. Teachers introduce new vocabulary carefully in lessons to develop understanding, and key words are displayed on boards and worksheets to help learners. The mathematical skills of pupils of all ages are promoted well in subjects across the curriculum. Planned activities enable them to create graphs of traffic surveys in ICT, reinforce their shape recognition and number vocabulary in swimming, and recognise Roman numerals in history. Teachers plan the use of ICT well in a range of subjects and in a variety of ways. They provide well-chosen CD ROMs in subjects like mathematics, French, art and design and science to enable pupils to reinforce their understanding. Good and appropriate use is made of the Internet to search for information, such as details about the National Trust and Islamic prayer mats. Technology is also well used in many subjects to improve the quality of presentation of

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Commentary

pupils’ work. There is good provision for pupils with more complex needs as their communication is supported by the use of specific programs such as writing with symbols.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. Their personal development through the provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Attendance is good and punctuality is satisfactory. Ifield School - 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils like their school, enjoy learning and participate well in the activities on offer. • Most pupils have a good understanding of how they are expected to behave. • Pupils’ very good moral and social development is evident in the very good relationships they have with one another and with adults. • Pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness are good.

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ attendance has improved since the last inspection. There are very few unauthorised absences because parents value the school and want their children to attend. The education welfare officer supports the school very well and works very effectively with families where attendance is an issue. Punctuality is satisfactory, although pupils are sometimes delayed by the late arrival of transport in the morning. Ifield School - 13 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 9.3 School data 0.5 National data 8.2 National data 1.8 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

9. Most pupils have good attitudes to school. They are keen to participate in lessons, concentrate well and are motivated to improve. Examples of these positive attitudes were seen among junior pupils who concentrated very hard when designing thank you cards on the computer and senior pupils who showed great enjoyment when playing recorders and tambourines together in a music lesson. Pupils say that this is a friendly school where teachers make learning fun and where they have a lot of friends.

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Commentary

10. Upon taking up her post, the headteacher determined that pupils’ behaviour was an issue that the school had to address. As a result, both permanent and fixed-term exclusions were used and these were applied appropriately. The effect this had is evident in the fact that the number of fixed term exclusions has fallen in the last three terms as the school has committed itself to including and supporting pupils with challenging behaviour. As a result, most pupils understand the school rules and behave well because staff are consistent in reinforcing their expectations. Consequently, pupils’ behaviour overall is now good and makes a positive contribution to their achievement and the pleasant atmosphere in the school. They behave well in lessons and, generally, they do so around the school. However, older pupils are sometimes noisy in the less structured situations outside the classroom, such as at break time, when all staff’s expectations are not so obvious or

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Commentary

reinforced as clearly. Lunchtimes are sociable occasions, enjoyed by pupils and staff. Although there was no evidence of bullying during the inspection, pupils say it does exist but it is dealt with well by staff, who resolve issues well with all pupils concerned.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

White – British 143 35 2 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Indian 8 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi 1 0 0 Black or Black British - Caribbean 3 0 0 Any other ethnic group 2 0 0 Parent / pupil preferred not to say 1 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

11. Pupils’ personal development is very good. Their social development is promoted very well through the many opportunities in lessons and around the school to work Ifield School - 14 together, co-operate with one another and take responsibility, such as school prefects. They are proud of their roles as members of the school council and sports teams, for example. Pupils’ relationships with one another are a very good feature of the school. They are considerate towards others and are always willing to help, to share resources and to take turns. For instance, a lesson on discrimination was a very good example of the school’s work in developing pupils’ moral understanding. As a result, they are very considerate and understanding towards others’ difficulties.

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Commentary

12. Assemblies make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development through opportunities for prayer and celebration of others’ achievements. Pupils participate with pleasure in songs and music. The woodland resource is used very effectively not only to offer pupils many opportunities to enjoy and share the natural world together, but also as a powerful atmospheric venue for drama. Pupils’ cultural education is also good. Their understanding of their own and different cultures is developed well through religious education, music and art and supported very effectively by trips and visitors into school.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. Pupils benefit from good teaching, a broad and balanced curriculum and a good level of care. Their learning is supported by good links with parents and other schools and colleges, and very good links with the community. The school provides a good outreach support service to mainstream schools.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is good overall, with some very good features. Therefore, pupils learn well and make good progress in developing new skills, knowledge and understanding. Assessment procedures are satisfactory but require further development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers generally engage all pupils very well in all activities. • Adults use praise very well and appropriately to encourage pupils. • Teachers manage pupils very well and have very high expectations of behaviour. • Teachers develop many opportunities to promote pupils’ personal development. • Teaching assistants make a very significant contribution to pupils’ learning. • Although there are examples of good practice, senior staff recognise that there is not yet a uniform system of assessment to measure pupil achievement and progress throughout the school. • Procedures for giving homework, particularly to the oldest pupils, are inconsistent.

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Commentary

13. There has been good improvement in the quality of teaching and learning since the last inspection, particularly in the proportion of teaching that is very good or better. Currently, teachers are generally able to meet the needs of the changing school population by including all pupils in activities. However, on a few occasions teachers tend to provide all pupils with the same activities, providing additional support where needed, rather than giving less capable pupils different activities that better meet their needs. Ifield School - 15 14. Teaching across the school, in all age groups, has many very good features. Teachers and teaching assistants know their pupils well and have good relationships with them. The quality of interactions is a strength of lessons and, therefore, teachers are able to manage pupils in quiet but effective ways. They expect pupils to behave in a respectful way, prepared to listen to each other and to commit themselves to focussing on what is

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Commentary

required of them. Pupils respond to this well and generally work hard in lessons.

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Commentary

15. Pupils’ learning is further enhanced by the very good quality of support provided by teaching assistants; this is an important factor in the good learning that takes place in lessons. They do this by encouraging oral responses, supporting individual pupils and, on the few occasions when it is necessary to do so, they deal with any instances of unacceptable behaviour. They are well briefed about lesson content and their contribution is further eased by the fact that all lessons follow a three-part format. Therefore, they know how lessons will be structured and this enables them to make sure resources are readily available and that pupils move smoothly from one activity to another. These well- established routines are also beneficial to pupils because they, too, understand how lessons are organised. As a result, time is used efficiently.

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Commentary

16. Lessons are well planned, with a clear indication of what, it is anticipated, pupils will learn. Many plans identify how teachers intend to promote pupils’ literacy and language skills, and elements of their personal development too, and even those teachers who do not show this in their planning still maximise opportunities that present themselves. In particular, they encourage pupils’ speaking and listening skills through skilfully managed question and answer sessions that require pupils to think and to explain their answers. Many teachers support these sessions well by using additional communication systems such as PECS, BSL, Makaton signing and symbols in order to involve all pupils. A good mixture of activities also incorporates tasks that require pupils to practise and extend their reading and writing skills. Personal development is developed in many ways as, at different times, pupils are required to work independently, in pairs and in small groups. Pupils work well

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Commentary

independently on activities such as practising their swimming technique or using computer programs, and they collaborate well when working as small teams on tasks like determining strategies they can use to reject someone who offers them drugs. Larger group co- operation is seen in lessons such as music, when pupils perform together, and English when they act short scenes from books they have been reading.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 59 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

2 (3%) 21 (36%) 29 (49%) 7 (12%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

17. One feature of teaching and learning that requires further development is the use of homework to support learning in school. Both parents and pupils, particularly older ones, commented on shortcomings in this provision. Parents are not fully clear about the policy, and a number of teachers are not following the procedures. As a result, pupils who want regular homework are not receiving it.

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Commentary

18. Teacher’s assessment of pupils’ work is satisfactory overall, although the school has not yet adopted a uniform system of pupil assessment to measure their achievement and Ifield School - 16 progress throughout the school. There are pockets of good practice being developed. For instance, in subjects such as English and science assessment systems are well used to track pupils’ progress and to influence lesson planning. Pupils are tested annually in English and mathematics, using commercial tests, and this provides a check on pupils’ progress. Generally, assessment systems are better organised and used more effectively in the lower school. In addition, there is inconsistent practice in the marking and annotation of pupils’ work; some is very effective as it gives pupils routine, good quality information about how they can improve but in other classes it is much less informative. As a result, pupils across

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Commentary

the school receive variable feedback on their learning.

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Commentary

19. Senior managers are aware of the need to develop assessment procedures and have recently introduced a pupil tracking system, but this is not yet effective in enabling teachers to see where individuals and groups need reinforcement in different areas. In addition, current assessment arrangements do not yet ensure teachers’ judgements on pupils’ achievements are routine, consistent or accurate enough to influence lesson planning.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good. There are very good opportunities for enrichment activities. Accommodation, overall, is good and there are good resources. Ifield School - 17

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The broad, balanced and relevant curriculum prepares pupils well for the next stages of their education. • The very good provision for extra-curricular activities, and enrichment of the curriculum, give pupils many additional and valuable experiences. • Although extensive preparations for change are in hand, the curriculum has not yet been fully adapted to meet the needs of increasing numbers of pupils with additional, complex and challenging needs. • Staff make the best possible use of the accommodation and resources available and the woodland is a very valuable resource.

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Commentary

20. The curriculum is well planned to meet the needs of the majority of pupils, such as those with autism and moderate learning difficulties, and is reviewed regularly. Teaching is based on well thought-out long-term plans, although in music these plans do not show sufficient balance between different elements of the subject curriculum. Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and the effectiveness of the planned programme is evident in pupils’ attitudes and behaviour. This programme is equally effective in smoothing the transition from one stage of education to the next, including the preparation for leaving school. As pupils move through the school there is a steady increase in adults’ expectations of independence and self-determination, supported well by links with colleges and the WRL provision. The success of this programme is evident in the maturity and confidence of pupils as they move on to college or work. Of the 11 Year 11 pupils who left

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Commentary

school in 2004, nine continued with their education elsewhere.

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Commentary

21. While the vast majority of pupils benefit from the curriculum provided, the school has recognised that it needs to adapt it to meet the more complex needs of some pupils already in the school. These pupils receive the same broad and balanced curriculum as their classmates, but teachers do not yet routinely modify the way in which they provide this curriculum, such as a greater focus on a sensory-based curriculum, so that pupils are presented with appropriate tasks they can attempt with less support. However, the school is already begun to meet this challenge through a planned programme of professional development for teachers and teaching assistants. This includes visits to a range of other special schools that gives staff first-hand experience of a variety of special educational needs.

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Commentary

22. Pupils benefit greatly from a range of interesting activities that take place outside the normal school day. After school music and sports clubs take place weekly, and the school has an occasional breakfast club. Older pupils enjoy a residential visit to Wales and also benefit from the experience as activities are planned to promote aspects of their personal development. A planned programme of visits into the local and wider communities enlivens the curricula in both the junior and senior schools very well. Pupils have enjoyed theatre trips, experienced a visit to a Victorian classroom, met French pupils in Dover, and visited local churches. Many visitors into school stimulate pupils’ learning very well. The arts curricula have been supported by recent visitors such as a storyteller, a local potter, and theatre groups like Chicken Shed. Pupils’ interest and participation in sport is encouraged very well through the work of professional football and rugby coaches

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Commentary

and competitive matches against other special schools in a range of sporting activities. Ifield School - 18 Other visiting specialists make a valuable contribution to pupils’ personal development through their input into topics like sex education and drug awareness.

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Commentary

23. The accommodation was judged as poor at the time of the last inspection and, although many improvements have been made, there is still a lot to do. Planning is well under way for this to begin. Currently, there is a mixture of very impressive new buildings and very poor rooms. All the rooms in the new building are very high quality and they include specialist accommodation for subjects like science and art and design. Other areas, like the Year 11 common room, are of very poor quality and the current layout of the site means that pupils have to walk outside, having got changed, in order to get to the sports hall and swimming pool. This is unsatisfactory. Overall, staff work very hard to minimise the impact of the shortcomings of the accommodation on the curriculum the school provides. They do this by making the most of what there is by maintaining a high standard of teaching in some inadequate accommodation. The woodland is used extremely well as a

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Commentary

teaching resource. Teachers in many subjects, such as science, use it specifically to teach elements of the curriculum while in other subjects, such as English, teachers use it to produce a unique atmosphere when doing activities like drama.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is good. The support and guidance given to them is satisfactory. The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good relationships with adults and know who to go to for help. • Teaching assistants make a very strong contribution to pupils’ care and support. • Assessment information is not used as consistently as it might be to target individual support, advice and guidance for each pupil. • The school council is a very effective forum for pupils to contribute to the life of the school.

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Commentary

24. All adults working in the school have understanding of, and show sensitivity towards, pupils’ different needs. Good health and safety and child protection procedures and careful monitoring of pupils in public care ensure that all pupils are cared for well and are helped to achieve their best. The school makes good use of its links with outside support agencies when pupils and their families or carers need additional support. Parents say that the standard of support and care provided for their children is one of its strong features. They praise the positive school ethos where everyone works together to encourage and reward good behaviour. Parents feel that their children are helped to settle in well when they start school.

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Commentary

25. Pupils’ trusting relationships with adults working in the school mean that they are confident that they can go to any adult who will help them if they are worried or feel that are being treated unfairly by other pupils. Pupils are very positive in their views that the school’s emphasis on promoting and rewarding good behaviour is helping and guiding them to improve. Consultation with pupils is good; for example, their views have been sought Ifield School - 19 about the latest building programme. Pupils are certain that the school council is an effective way for them to make their views known and are pleased that changes come about as a result.

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Commentary

26. Teaching assistants play an important role in supporting pupils’ learning and personal development. They work very effectively with teachers to support and guide pupils in lessons and to provide pastoral care for their individual needs. They are well trained and understand pupils’ difficulties well. The support they give around the school is sensitive and caring and reinforces the school’s positive ethos.

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Commentary

27. Some features of the school’s support and guidance systems are good. For example, references to individual pupils’ targets in individual education plans (IEPs) are frequently evident in lesson planning. However, other features are less effective. In particular, the information gained on pupils’ academic achievements in lessons is not used consistently, on a day-to-day basis, to modify future activities or to guide pupils’ learning by helping them to understand what they need to do to improve.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school enjoys good links with parents and carers that contribute positively to pupils’ learning and development. There are very good links with the community and strong links with other schools and colleges. Through SMILE, the school provides good advice, guidance and support to mainstream school pupils with learning and behavioural difficulties and to the staff who work with them.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents like the way in which the school works with them to support their children. • Good links with other schools and colleges enable pupils to extend their learning and prepare for leaving school. • The school makes very good use of local resources and facilities and visitors into school. • The SMILE centre is innovative in the way it produces resources for mainstream schools and provides training for staff. • Parents would like to see an improvement in homework. • The school’s communication with parents is good but pupils’ end-of-year reports are not as helpful to parents as they might be.

p.19

Commentary

28. Parents say that the school’s family atmosphere, where everybody works together as a community, has a very positive impact on their children’s education and personal development. They are confident that the school listens to their concerns and takes their views seriously. There are good opportunities for them to help in school and to take part in activities and fundraising events run by the active Friends’ Association. Parents also appreciate the informal contact that they have with staff on a daily basis, either in person or by telephone. There is good attendance at the Annual Reviews of their children’s Statement of Special Educational Needs.

p.19

Commentary

29. Parents of older pupils are concerned that the provision for homework is erratic. Pupils themselves repeated these views to inspectors. While the school has recently reviewed its homework policy, it is not sufficiently clear to parents what is provided or what Ifield School - 20 their children are expected to do. Written communication to parents has improved with good quality newsletters and a new prospectus. However, pupils’ end-of-year reports are not evaluative enough to give parents have a clear understanding of how well their children are achieving and what they need to do next to improve

p.19

Commentary

30. The school is quite progressive in the way that it uses external facilities in the community. There are frequent visits to support pupils’ opportunities to learn, such as trips to different places of worship and work experience placements. Visitors into school like artists, storytellers and theatre groups bring additional expertise that also provides valuable learning experiences. The school has developed other interesting links by providing a resource for the community. For instance, it provides school-based work experience for mainstream pupils and acts as a placement for the local Voluntary Service Unit as a group of young people from various secondary schools run an after school club at Ifield.

p.20

Commentary

31. The social link with the adjacent primary school involves up to10 lower school pupils going there for lunchtime play and activities on two days a week. These visits are planned well by teaching assistants. Although this link is primarily for social reasons, it has had very positive repercussions elsewhere. Friendships between pupils have developed and this has resulted, on occasion, to some pupils being placed there for particular lessons, such as mathematics, and joint curriculum projects involving the use of the woodland. Other individual pupils also benefit from links that enable them to pursue subjects at levels that Ifield cannot offer, such as attendance at a local girls’ secondary school to study food technology to GCSE level. Theses links are well supported and monitored.

p.20

Commentary

32. Good links with a local college enable a group of pupils in Year 10 to follow a performing arts course, and a group from Year 11 to study practical skills including carpentry, bricklaying and painting and decorating. These links prepare pupils very well in their transition from school to college and work by giving them additional skills and by providing a useful introduction to college life that assists pupils with their confidence and knowledge of potential courses at post-16. However, further monitoring of college courses is necessary to ensure that the work complements pupils’ studies at school and that reports on pupils’ progress are made available.

p.20

Commentary

33. The SMILE centre is responding effectively to the increasing number of requests to provide strategies and guidance to meet the needs of pupils with both learning and behavioural difficulties in mainstream schools. The centre manager provides good management of resources, administrative staff and the deployment of herself and the other teacher based at the centre. The staff provide a range of good services to local schools, teachers, parents and neighbouring local education authorities. They do this in a variety of ways; they provide resource packs to supplement teaching topics, such as ‘conflict’; staff run training courses for mainstream teachers; they visit schools and support teachers’ in developing strategies for meeting the needs of pupils with learning and behavioural difficulties.

p.20

Commentary

34. While the day-to-day management of the centre is good, long-term systematic evaluations of the impact of its work are less effective. Those attending courses at the centre are asked to evaluate their usefulness and the quality of the training, and there are some procedures for assessing the progress made by pupils on programmes that are supported by SMILE staff. However, there are not routine and rigorous procedures, for instance, to sample individuals and small groups of pupils. In addition, the school does not Ifield School - 21 yet formally and systematically collect data from schools that receive support about the quality of its service in order to make it even more effective. The effectiveness of management systems is, to some extent, reduced by the location of the SMILE centre, which is approximately a mile from the main school site. The centre’s separate location also reduces the impact it can have on the main Ifield site. Centre staff provide some

p.20

Commentary

support, such as devising programmes for training in the use of symbols, but their contribution to the overall effectiveness of the school is likely to remain reduced until the centre’s planned, and imminent, relocation to the main school site is completed.

p.21

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school by the headteacher are very good. The leadership provided by other key staff is satisfactory. Management procedures are satisfactory. The governance of the school is good and governors ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has shown very clear vision in leading the school through a difficult period. • Other managers support the vision for the school, but some have limited impact in contributing to its future development. • The headteacher has a very clear view of budget management in order for the school to achieve its priorities, and is supported by efficient financial management systems. • The governing body is very good at challenging and supporting senior managers. • Procedures for inducting new staff and for their performance management are underdeveloped. • The management structure of the school, in terms of managers’ roles and responsibilities, is unclear and this is having an adverse impact on its efficiency. • Management procedures for tracking pupils’ progress, and using the data obtained, are unsatisfactory.

p.21

Commentary

35. The headteacher has only been in post since January 2004. During this short time she has provided very effective leadership following a very difficult period of uncertainty for the school. This was caused by the enforced early retirement of the long-serving headteacher on medical grounds in July 2003, and subsequent appointment of an acting headteacher for one term. The absence of a substantive headteacher had a detrimental effect on management systems within the school. Upon appointment, the headteacher was confronted with three major issues; the organisation, re-introduction and implementation of management systems that had become ineffective; the early stages of an extensive rebuilding programme; the transition from a school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties to one for pupils with profound, severe and complex difficulties and communication and interaction difficulties. The difficulties were further compounded by

p.21

Commentary

the departure of a deputy headteacher, who has not been replaced.

p.21

Commentary

36. The headteacher has shown great skills in innovating and implementing new ideas while managing change, and staff and governors have enthusiastically endorsed these developments. She has been the significant driving force in moving the school forward Ifield School - 22 because, although some senior managers are now beginning to contribute creative ideas, in the past too few have done so in ways that extend, support and, at others times, challenge the headteacher. In part, this is because the management structure is unwieldy. There is a small leadership group, which then becomes enlarged to nine when the four key stage managers join the group to become the leadership team. The different functions of these two bodies are unclear, as are the precise roles and responsibilities of their members. The effectiveness of subject leaders is good overall. Most carry out their duties well; they have produced effective subject action plans and monitor provision well. In other subject

p.21

Commentary

areas communication between staff is less efficient and there is limited evidence of leading the subject with clear vision and purpose. Senior staff’s management of the whole school curriculum is satisfactory; while curriculum modifications for pupils with more complex special educational needs are taking place, they now need to do so at a greater pace.

p.22

Commentary

37. Some aspects of the school’s management are good. These include opportunities for the continuing professional development of staff and the contribution to initial teacher training programmes, including the graduate teacher programme. Other features are much less well developed. Induction procedures for new staff are not yet sufficiently well organised and structured and do not include evaluation judgements from inductees. The performance management of teachers is now beginning to pick up pace after a period of delay. It did not have a sufficiently high profile in the school and there were not enough appropriately trained staff to help with the process. These deficiencies have now been addressed and there is developing evidence that performance management is being used to bring about change.

p.22

Commentary

38. The collection and use of assessment data to track pupils’ progress and to analyse trends in pupils’ progress is an underdeveloped feature of school management. The school is only just beginning to recognise the importance of collecting whole-school data in a systematic way in order to raise standards of achievement. The performance of different groups of pupils and their achievements in different subjects are not compared sufficiently well. Therefore, assessment information is not being used routinely as a management tool to, for example, target intervention strategies on areas needing improvement and to help with moderating teachers’ assessments of the ‘p’ levels and National Curriculum levels that pupils achieve.

p.22

Commentary

39. A very recently changed governing body is now committed to fully supporting the school. Governors are hard working and enthusiastic about supporting its work. They have worked very hard to ensure that the school continues to fulfil all of its statutory duties even though it has been through a difficult period and the nature of pupils’ needs has widened and become more complex. Liaison between the headteacher and governors is strengthening, and governors are becoming increasingly involved in helping the school to achieve its aspirations. Governors have been very effective in supporting the headteacher with managing the rebuilding programme and the changes she has implemented. They are able to do this because they have a good understanding of the school and how it is developing. Governors have developed insight about the school through receipt of headteacher reports to well-organised committees and through formal visits to the school,

p.22

Commentary

which are recorded and reported upon. As a result, they are well informed and are in a very strong position to challenge and question senior managers about proposed developments and associated expenditure.

p.22

Commentary

40. The school’s budget and financial planning are managed and controlled well, in accordance with local authority recommendations; the most recent audit, carried out in July 2003, found no high priority areas for improvement. The budget is organised efficiently on a day-to-day and long-term basis by the headteacher and governors, well supported by the school bursar and administration staff. The headteacher has a very clear view of how money needs to be spent, based on an Ifield School - 23 accurate identification of the school’s priorities. The school plans, successfully, to save sufficient money to fund major spending projects, so that the funds that are currently being carried forward represent a deliberate and planned saving strategy.

p.22

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1528343 Balance from previous year 130500 Total expenditure 1568272 Balance carried forward to the next year Expenditure per pupil 8860

p.23

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

41. Best value principles are satisfactory. The school seeks value for money in all of the its spending, but it is not yet using data sufficiently well to evaluate the impact of its spending decisions on raising pupils’ achievements.

p.23

WORK-RELATED LEARNING

Provision in work-related learning is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good programme of visits and visitors to enhance learning. • Good links with the local college enable pupils to learn basic vocational skills. • There is a good programme of work experience in Years 10 and 11. • The woodland area is used well for enterprise activities.

p.23

Commentary

42. Provision for WRL is very well led and managed. A lot has been achieved in a short time. The senior teacher responsible has only recently taken up the post, but she has successfully introduced a number of well thought-out measures to develop WRL. There remains the need to complete an audit of provision that will guide this development, such as ensuring that all pupils can benefit from WRL, but this is well under way. For instance, the manager is in the process of developing the use of pupil portfolios to record WRL experiences.

p.23

Commentary

43. Pupils have a good range of opportunities to learn about the world of work throughout the curriculum. For example, the good number of visitors such as the armed forces, the emergency services and a mobile exhibition bakery give an insight into aspects of their work. Other visitors have explored working practice with pupils in various team building exercises, such as bridge building using a massive construction kit. Visits to the local supermarket and the fire station add to these experiences. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 receive careers education, supported by the Connexions service, and those who are following ASDAN receive a highly structured approach to learning about the world of work.

p.23

Commentary

44. Within the careers education programme, one week’s work experience is arranged for all pupils in each of Years 10 and 11. The programme is well managed and supervised. Ifield School - 24 The local BEP is involved closely in this very successful programme that provides pupils with work-based learning that meets their individual interests and needs. The BEP supplies good quality exemplar materials that are used by pupils to log their experiences and record what they learn.

p.23

Commentary

45. Pupils’ good preparation for leaving school is further developed through good links with the local college. A number of Year 11 pupils attend the college to follow courses that offer them the chance to acquire basic skills such as carpentry, painting and decorating, food technology and bricklaying. This provision is highly valued by the pupils and so their attendance is good.

p.24

Commentary

46. The school also runs various enterprise activities. The woodland is used for several of these, including a charcoal-making enterprise. Pupils also learn about various woodland management practices, such as path laying and bat and bird box making. In all enterprise and other work-related activities teachers are especially vigilant in emphasising the need to work to industrial standards in safeguarding the safety of themselves and others. Ifield School - 25

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils of all levels of capability achieve well because of good teaching and learning. • Teaching assistants provide high quality support in lessons. • Assessment procedures are good and teachers track the progress of pupils well. • The programme for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning is variable in its impact.

p.25

Commentary

47. Pupils in all years achieve well in developing speaking and listening skills. The school has instituted a number of good strategies to promote learning in these areas. Pupils are carefully selected from an early age for involvement in a number of activities that are designed to help them improve their skills. Intervention programmes are well structured and they continue until sufficient progress has been made. There is an effective assessment system to measure the gains they make. The Social Use of Language Programme (SULP) is used to good effect to promote good language skills, and teachers and teaching assistants work very well together to ensure pupils get maximum benefit from sessions. In these sessions they gain confidence that they will be listened to and that their contributions will be valued. This helps to sustain their interest in improving their performance. The programme also makes a very good contribution to learning in all

p.25

Commentary

subjects as pupils learn to listen and to conform to classroom conventions such as waiting in turn to contribute. The school also makes good use of speech and language therapists to promote skills in listening and speaking, and as there is a greater demand for this service than the school can presently supply, it has appropriately made plans to extend provision.

p.25

Commentary

48. The woodland area is used extremely well to develop listening and speaking skills through story telling and the other activities that take place there. Teachers use the environment very well to create conditions that turn simple stories into memorable experiences. During the inspection, Year 2 and Year 9 pupils benefited, respectively, from the ‘The Gingerbread Man’ and ‘Danny,the Champion of the World’. In both they were able to act out the parts and greatly enjoyed the experiences. In addition, storytellers are brought into school and these sessions are of good quality and make a valuable contribution.

p.25

Commentary

49. As the school admits increasing numbers of pupils with communication difficulties, it has begun to extend and adapt its provision. For instance, it has introduced some additional communication systems, such as PECS, BSL and Makaton signing, and has Ifield School - 26 recognised it has to use these systems more consistently and to consider the need for other systems, like electronic communication aids.

p.25

Commentary

50. Pupils in all years make good progress in acquiring and developing their reading skills because of the well-structured approach to assessing and teaching these skills. Pupils’ attainment is assessed accurately and the information obtained is used appropriately to develop individualised reading programmes within which pupils’ progress is tracked effectively. In addition, a number of pupils benefit from a ‘reading recovery’ scheme as teachers and teaching assistants have been appropriately trained to help develop reading strategies for those pupils within this scheme. The school has developed a room that is largely dedicated to ‘reading recovery’; it is a book-rich environment that helps to form positive attitudes to learning. Teachers also use ICT appropriately to reinforce and develop basic reading skills as well as to promote aspects of independent reading.

p.26

Commentary

51. Teachers provide a good range and variety of stimuli to promote writing skills and, therefore, pupils in all years make good progress. Initial work involves experiences that are meaningful to pupils, such as memorable events or journal entries. As pupils move through the school they develop and practise these skills in other contexts. For instance, they retell events from books they are studying as teachers stimulate interest and engagement well through setting tasks that are developed from exciting stories such as ‘Treasure Island’. By the time they enter Year 10, pupils are adept at writing for different audiences, ranging from postcards describing holiday experiences to completing work experience log books and writing formal letters. Some good use is made of ICT to improve pupils’ presentation of their work.

p.26

Commentary

52. Teachers have good knowledge of the subject and of their pupils. They use this well to plan lessons that are effective in promoting good learning. This good quality planning is continuously reviewed to ensure that work matches pupils’ needs. Consequently, different groups of pupils, such as those with autism or severe learning difficulties, achieve equally well. Lessons are structured to include a variety of activities, and this helps to engage pupils’ interest and sustain their involvement. Lessons consistently follow a three-part format and so pupils have a good understanding of this well-established routine. Introductions are used well to discuss and explain to pupils what the lesson is about, and plenary sessions are well used to celebrate what has been achieved. The relationships that teachers and experienced and highly effective teaching assistants have with pupils are very good and create good conditions for learning, and so lessons are enjoyable experiences.

p.26

Commentary

As a result, pupils make good progress as they move through the school so that they achieve well in the Entry Level examinations they take at the end of Year 11.

p.26

Commentary

53. There has been good improvement in the quality of pupils’ learning since the last inspection. In part, this is due to good leadership and management by the three subject leaders, who work well together as a team. As a result, assessment procedures have been developed well and are an example of good practice within the school. A particularly good feature is pupils’ personal portfolios, which provide good records of their progress and are suitably annotated by teachers.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. Language and literacy are developed well across the curriculum. Teachers introduce new vocabulary carefully in lessons to develop understanding, and key words are displayed Ifield School - 27 on boards and worksheets to help learners. Teachers and teaching assistants use sympathetic question and answer sessions well, in all lessons, to promote understanding and pupils’ speaking and listening skills. This was illustrated very well in a Year 11 design and technology lesson when the teacher introduced the idea of simple electrical circuits through an interactive display of the circuit and its components, provided labels to promote key words and then worked closely with individuals to promote understanding.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are well planned, challenging and interesting and so pupils are fully involved. • Lesson plans make good references to pupils’ IEPs. • Information technology is used very well to enhance teaching and learning.

p.27

Commentary

55. Pupils’ good achievements represent good improvement since the last inspection. The pupils enjoy their learning in well-planned and taught lessons. The teacher is enthusiastic and has a realistic and practical approach to the subject. As a result, pupils learn about French culture and traditions as well as acquiring a range of simple French vocabulary, such as greetings and responses. Therefore, pupils in Year 9 know the days of the week, months of the year, ask and answer questions about names and ages, and understand many commands and statements. By Year 11, pupils have extended their vocabulary to include the names of places such as the station and beach, and can ask for directions and understand the answers.

p.27

Commentary

56. Lessons are based on strong planning that identifies what pupils will learn. Planning also shows good links with pupils’ IEPs and so activities are targeted towards individual pupils’ learning needs, and specific opportunities to develop pupils’ literacy skills are also identified. In particular, there is a strong emphasis on speaking and listening so that pupils listen carefully and speak confidently, following the good examples provided by the teacher. Pupils have good attitudes in lessons and behave well so that they are able to work harmoniously together in small groups or pairs. Information and communication technology is used very well in lessons to enhance teaching and learning. For instance, pupils are very adept at using interactive CDs that enable them to improve their pronunciation as they hear and copy a variety of voices.

p.27

Commentary

57. Though very new to the post, the subject leader is very keen to learn and has improved the subject provision in a very short time. He has a very clear vision of how the wants the subject to develop, and this is based on good research. For example, this is evident in his recognition of the need to develop the current assessment and recording procedures, which are satisfactory, by formalising his very good awareness of pupils’ capabilities into a more effective system that will enable their progress to be tracked better.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory. Ifield School - 28

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Years 1 to 6 achieve well, while those in the senior school achieve satisfactorily. • Teaching assistants make a good contribution towards pupils’ learning and progress. • There are good opportunities for using and applying mathematics in different subjects of the curriculum. • The assessment and recording of pupil progress is not consistent across the school.

p.28

Commentary

58. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall, although there is a difference between the progress pupils make because of more effective teaching and planning, which is based on better assessment information.

p.28

Commentary

59. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall although some lessons, in both the junior and senior schools, have good features. Throughout the school, teachers and teaching assistants show good levels of expertise in supporting pupils to learn. Their good knowledge of the pupils contributes effectively to their learning, and in the best lessons there is effective and imaginative planning, linking overall learning expectations with individual pupils’ needs.

p.28

Commentary

60. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 are taught well and, as a result, are enthusiastic about their learning and enjoy the motivating activities. The National Numeracy Strategy is being implemented very successfully in the junior department, with three-part lessons being a common feature. Lively introductory sessions are generally followed by activities that pupils find interesting and to which they can relate. For instance, a group of more capable Year 1 pupils counted, matched and labelled fruit from The Hungry Caterpillar, a book they knew well. This practical application of number knowledge enabled pupils to progress well. A lesson involving Year 5 pupils saw them making very good progress in their understanding of shape because the teacher’s good use of questions challenged pupils and, when responses were limited, the teacher probed to extend pupils’ answers. This lesson also showed how teachers in the lower school are using the final plenary sessions well in

p.28

Commentary

61. Pupils in Years 7 to 11 learn satisfactorily. Teachers plan three-part lessons with reference to national objectives, but they have yet to establish accuracy in terms of pitching the work at the most appropriate level. Consequently, the activities provided do not always recognise individual pupils’ needs and, therefore, the pace and challenge of lessons is sometimes limited. Therefore, on a few occasions the highest attaining pupils are not always extended and lower attaining ones do not always get opportunities to consolidate their learning. At these times, there is an over-reliance on textbooks. Attempts are made to summarise learning in plenary sessions but, often, this time is too short to really evaluate pupils’ learning. In addition, the use of homework is limited and some pupils were disappointed that more was not forthcoming. However, pupils in Years 10 and 11 do make sufficient progress to be successful in the Entry Level and GCSE

p.28

Commentary

modular course that they follow; in 2004, 15 pupils gained the highest grade at Entry Level and three pupils passed their GCSE examination. However, given the prior attainment of the more capable pupils, more might be expected. Ifield School - 29 62. The leadership and management of mathematics are satisfactory, although new developments for all year groups are becoming evident. For instance, the lower school subject leader has noted the need to have an increased focus on investigative mathematics. The new secondary subject leader has identified the need to develop aspects such as working with all colleagues on consistency in moderating ‘p’ scales and National Curriculum assessments. The lack of consistently recorded assessment data sometimes makes it difficult for teachers to judge correctly the level at which each pupil should be working or to be sure about gaps in their learning that need to be addressed.

p.28

Commentary

However, this is now beginning to be addressed through teachers’ increasing use of portfolios of pupils’ work showing their progress over time, in conjunction with the developing use of data analysis stemming from testing and informal assessments. Day-to- day assessment in the lower school is good. For instance, short notes are frequently made during lessons by the teaching assistant to be fed later into pupils’ records for planning the next lesson.

p.29

Mathematics across the curriculum

63. The mathematical skills of pupils of all ages are promoted well in subjects across the curriculum. For example, Year 9 pupils in ICT compiled the results from a traffic survey, creating graphs, and Year 6 pupils in physical education reinforced their shape recognition and number vocabulary in a swimming lesson. In religious education, Year 5 pupils used ordinal numbers to sequence their writing, and in history pupils’ recognition of Roman numerals and their understanding of centuries was developed well.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good due to consistently good, and sometimes very good, teaching. • Teaching assistants support different groups of pupils very effectively. • Good lesson planning and a rich provision of resources support investigative learning across the school. • Existing long-term planning and assessment procedures do not fully reflect the needs of the changing school population.

p.29

Commentary

64. Pupils’ achievements are good in both the junior and senior schools because work is planned well for different groups of pupils, such as those with severe learning difficulties or autism. There is no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls. The most capable pupils in Years 10 and 11 follow a GCSE single award Special Pilot course. This is a graduated qualification that also tracks the Entry Level qualification so that pupils who find the GCSE course too difficult can still obtain accreditation. The Entry Level course is aimed at less capable pupils, but this is introduced early, in Years 8 and 9, and so pupils are well prepared. They are well prepared for entry into the senior school because by the end of Year 6 pupils have developed very good investigative habits. They recognise the need to Ifield School - 30 observe carefully and understand what constitutes a ‘fair test’. These skills are built upon

p.29

Commentary

and developed in the senior school so that, by the end of Year 11, many pupils are successful in the accredited courses they follow.

p.30

Commentary

65. Teaching and learning are consistently good and often very good because the subject benefits from having the expertise of two specialist teachers. In the best lessons, teachers are very well prepared and have high expectations and so they challenge pupils to do well. For instance, in a Year 9 lesson pupils were studying how blood circulates around the body and the structure of the heart. Very good teaching challenged the pupils to understand the structure of the heart and, by the end of the lesson, pupils had a good grasp of the meaning of artery, capillary, vein and blood vessel. Effective use was made of the interactive whiteboard to illustrate the lesson content and to revise the main points covered during the lesson. The science room in the senior school benefits from the availability of very good ICT equipment, as do some classrooms in the lower school. Pupils enjoy their work in science and find the investigations great fun; for example, pupils

p.30

Commentary

in Years 2 and 3 enjoyed exploring how magnets can ‘pull’ towards each other and ‘push’ each other apart. Teaching assistants support pupils’ learning very effectively. They have clearly identified roles and provide pupils with a high level of care and support as well as having a key role in assisting with the very few incidents of unsatisfactory behaviour that may occur.

p.30

Commentary

66. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. In particular, the improved ICT provision, and the development of resources and materials linked to investigations in lessons are helping to meet the needs of the changing school population. The subject is well led and managed by the two subject specialists. They work closely together to ensure there is good lesson planning, with appropriate resources to support practical investigations. In the lower school, work at the end of units of study is annotated well and assessments based on ‘p’ level descriptors are carried out. All pupils in the senior school are tested annually and their progress is measured against National Curriculum levels. These are used for preparing individual targets and for writing reports. Although these assessment procedures have been effective, the subject leaders acknowledge that a review of these procedures is necessary to meet the needs of a changing school population

p.30

Commentary

in the junior and senior schools. Similarly, they recognise the need to develop and modify the curriculum for this group of pupils. The school’s woodland area is a very valuable resource that is used particularly well. In addition to giving pupils of all ages many opportunities to work in a safe and well organised area, it allows pupils in Years 10 and 11 to follow a National Vocational Qualification accredited course in Land and the Environment.

p.30

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching leads to good learning and appropriate accreditation at the end of Year 11. • Currently, the leadership and management of the recently appointed subject leaders are satisfactory but there is great capacity to improve. • Assessment information is not used consistently to develop lesson planning. Ifield School - 31

p.30

Commentary

67. Well-planned and challenging lessons, enhanced by a very good use of resources including interactive whiteboards, enable most pupils to achieve well. A few pupils, with more complex needs, such as severe learning difficulties, do not achieve so well because tasks are not matched to their needs. There is a tendency for them to be given the same activities as others, with a higher level of very good adult support, rather than tasks that suit their level of capability so that they can learn to work more independently.

p.31

Commentary

68. Pupils learn many skills as they move through the school and use an increasingly wide range of programs. They develop mouse skills early and use them to click on on- screen icons to open and read interactive stories. By the time they enter the senior school, pupils change font styles, resize inserts, and save their work. They learn about other applications of ICT too, such as Year 9 pupils who showed clear understanding of the function of a database when they designed a questionnaire, sent it out by email, collated the results and produced a graph. Year 11 pupils have already gained Entry Level qualifications and are now working towards accreditation in a GCSE short course, and they show good understanding of how information can be stored and organised on computers.

p.31

Commentary

69. Teaching is imaginative. Teachers provide their pupils with a good variety of activities, supported by appropriate resources, which build systematically on prior learning. Lessons are characterised by very good relationships and pupils’ very positive attitudes and behaviour. Teachers are well prepared and organised and, therefore, time is used well in lessons. All of these features were evident in a lesson that enabled a group of Year 9 pupils to achieve very well in a lesson on databases. They used their understanding of databases to input data from a survey they had conducted on how pupils travel to school. More capable pupils worked independently while others worked in pairs, co-operating very well together and celebrating each other’s success. Support was readily at hand for less capable pupils, but a good balance was maintained between adults’ help and expectations of pupils doing things for themselves.

p.31

Commentary

70. The subject leaders have only recently been appointed, but they are improving their expertise quickly and show great enthusiasm in developing the subject. Therefore, there are signs of rapid progress being made in these areas because of the commitment of both teachers. There are satisfactory assessment procedures in place in both the junior and senior schools, although they have two limitations. There is a lack of a consistent approach to using this assessment information in planning, and current arrangements do not allow the efficient assessment of the very small gains made by those pupils with the most complex needs. There has been satisfactory improvement in provision since the last inspection.

p.31

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

71. Teachers plan the use of technology well in a range of subjects and in a variety of ways. They use resources well themselves, such as interactive whiteboards and digital cameras, and they encourage pupils’ use equally well. In subjects like mathematics, French and science, well-chosen programs are used to enable pupils to reinforce their understanding, and a graphics program is used well in art to develop design ideas. Good and appropriate use is made of the Internet to search for information, such as details about Ifield School - 32 the National Trust and Islamic prayer mats. Technology is also well used in English and other subjects to improve the quality of presentation of pupils’ work. There is good provision for pupils with more complex needs as their communication is supported by the use of specific programs, such as one that enables them to write using symbols.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Well-planned lessons ensure all pupils are involved and interested. • Teaching assistants support learning very well. • Effective assessment and record keeping procedures are not yet fully in place.

p.32

Commentary

72. Although relatively few lessons were observed, teaching and learning in these were very good. Pupils achieve well and clearly enjoy their geography studies because the activities given to them are well planned to meet individual needs. Consequently, this very good variety of challenging activities maintains pupils’ interest so that they show good attitudes to the subject. The very good relations that exist between pupils and staff further enhance this positive response. Teaching assistants are very effective in supporting pupils and, therefore, all are included fully in lessons. Teachers use ICT very well and imaginatively to assist their teaching, such as using interactive whiteboards and digital photography to illustrate map work.

p.32

Commentary

73. The two subject leaders from the junior and senior schools work well together. Although they are both new to their posts, they have carried out an audit and have used this to prioritise needs, which are identified in a subject action plan. Their good qualities of leadership and management have maintained the quality of provision identified in the last inspection and the subject leaders are now building on this. They have drafted a subject policy and have produced good long-term plans. Pupils’ work is marked efficiently, but assessment information is not recorded in sufficient detail to enables pupils’ progress to be tracked effectively.

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Commentary

74. Resources for the subject are good overall, although there is a shortage of programs to reinforce pupils’ learning. The woodland facility provides a superb environment for studying some aspects of the subject.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Well-organised lessons give pupils many varied and interesting learning experiences. • The imaginative use of resources and artefacts contributes well to pupils’ achievement. Ifield School - 33 • Procedures for assessing pupils’ progress are limited.

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Commentary

75. Pupils’ good achievements result from teachers’ use of methods that interest pupils and make the subject relevant to them. Well-chosen topics, such as toys, are meaningful to pupils and capture their imagination. Their achievement is further enhanced by teachers’ very effective use of costumes and other artefacts to ‘bring the subject to life’, particularly in the lower school. Very good teaching assistants make sure that all pupils make the same good progress. They do this in a variety of ways; sometimes they act as a scribe; they keep pupils focused if their attention begins to wander; they enable pupils to participate in activities by helping them to understand questions or tasks they are given.

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Commentary

76. Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are characterised by very good relationships and pupils’ willingness to work. Lessons begin with teachers sharing with pupils the learning that the lesson aims to promote and they conclude with teachers evaluating the quality of learning that has taken place. This consistent lesson format gives pupils a routine that they know and understand and contributes to a productive use of time. In the lower school, pupils develop a sense of time, through comparing ‘old’ and ‘new’ objects, and an early understanding of chronology, such as the Year 4 pupils who examined an excellent variety of Tudor artefacts to make comparisons between ‘then’ and ‘now’. Teachers plan other activities and events equally well to try and give pupils as many practical experiences as possible. For instance, Year 5 pupils dressed up as Victorian children and ‘went back in time’ to a market place where they were ‘hired’. Year 9 pupils

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Commentary

have begun to show some awareness of cause and effect; they understand some of the events leading to the First World War and discuss the horror of the trenches, supported by a well-chosen video.

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Commentary

77. As well as developing pupils’ understanding of earlier times, teachers also provide pupils with historical skills such as research and the use of different sources. These activities also strengthen pupils’ literacy skills as, for example, when they read job descriptions of a chimney sweep and maid and recorded an account of working conditions and wrote letters describing the wretchedness of the conditions in the trenches. Consequently, the most capable pupils have developed sufficient skills by the time they enter Year 10 that they are able to have their work accredited through an Entry Level course.

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Commentary

78. Teachers do not assess consistently how well pupils are learning. As a result, they have limited information upon which to plan work, for the next lesson, for individuals and to provide information for teachers new to a class. In addition, although they make reports about pupils at the end of each topic these tend to report on the topics studied rather than what pupils have learned.

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Commentary

79. Leadership and management of the subject are good. Since the last inspection, the provision for history has improved well. The subject leadership team has developed long- term planning well and has extended the use of the local area and volunteers to provide opportunities for promoting pupils’ social and cultural development. Year 4 pupils developed great understanding of some of the differences between then and now as they took a journey across the River Thames in the company of volunteers who took on the roles of ‘Francis Drake’ and ‘Queen Elizabeth II’’. Ifield School - 34

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are well planned to promote pupils’ subject knowledge and their moral development. • Pupils gain a good understanding of major world faiths. • Resources for religious education are good. • The assessment of achievement and progress is underdeveloped.

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Commentary

80. Throughout the school, pupils achieve well and develop a good awareness of basic religious themes and ideas. The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. For example, Year 1 pupils have examined different ways of using light to understand about the significance of Christingle and Year 4 pupils understand why Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem, by following the route on a map and acting out the events of the journey. A good range of artefacts and multi-faith resource boxes are used well to develop pupils’ knowledge of other faiths. As a result, Year 5 pupils know the features of religious life and practice of the Islamic faith and pupils in the senior school follow a course which leads them to develop a good understanding study of the main features of faiths like Hinduism and Judaism.

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Commentary

81. Teaching and learning are good overall and sometimes very good, so that pupils reveal very good knowledge of previous work. Pupils do not only learn about the details of the different religions, but they also consider more complex and sophisticated moral topics. Lessons are well planned to produce a balance between discussion, providing information and practical activities. Both of these features of teaching and learning were illustrated well in a Year 10 class when pupils considered the meaning of ‘discrimination’. They treated the topic maturely and provided many interesting and relevant contributions. The quality of the discussion and the knowledge shown by the pupils indicated clearly their awareness of the need to avoid treating people differently or unfairly because of their race, sex or religion. Activities such as this also promote pupils’ literacy skills very well. They are required to listen carefully to the views of others and to articulate their own ideas as

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Commentary

precisely as possible. Lessons also provide valuable opportunities for teachers to develop pupils’ understanding of key subject vocabulary.

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Commentary

82. There has been a good improvement in the quality of teaching, and in the growing use of ICT to support learning, since the last inspection. Subject leadership and management are satisfactory. Both the junior and senior school subject leaders demonstrate good subject knowledge and commitment. They have developed good long- term plans that take full account of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. The subject leaders are establishing the use of ‘p’ level assessments but, at present, assessment procedures are not fully effective. There is no consistent assessment system across the school and portfolios of work are not maintained. The school recognises that the establishment of such procedures will be essential if the small gains made by increasing numbers of pupils with more complex needs are to be evaluated and recorded. Ifield School - 35

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• New, very good quality accommodation has helped to raise achievement. • Elements of information and communication technology, such as digital photography, technology are used very well to enhance teaching and learning. • Art and design makes a good contribution to supporting learning in other subjects through teachers’ well-planned links in lessons. • Not all pupils are able to use the new facilities.

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Commentary

83. At the time of the last inspection, pupils’ progress was judged as satisfactory. They now achieve well. A very good purpose-built new art room, and associated resources, have contributed greatly to this improvement by giving older pupils additional opportunities to work with different materials and techniques. As a result, the school has now been able to introduce recently a short course in GCSE at Year 10. However, younger pupils do not currently have access to the new accommodation. Therefore, they do not have the same opportunity to benefit from the resources and facilities that it has to offer and this reduces the breadth of applications and equipment with which they can work.

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Commentary

84. Pupils receive good teaching and they learn well. Teaching is characterised by effective lesson planning that makes available activities that recognise individual pupils’ needs and capabilities. These activities are interesting and, therefore, pupils respond well; across all years, pupils are totally engrossed in lessons with sustained levels of concentration. Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ positive learning positive experiences. They are well briefed about the lesson planning and in the techniques and media to be used. As a result, they help to ensure that time is used efficiently by prompting, supporting and responding effectively to pupils seeking advice on how to improve their work.

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Commentary

85. The well-planned curriculum gives pupils many experiences of working with different materials, exploring a variety of techniques and learning about the properties of different media. Much of this work is used particularly well to reinforce what pupils are learning in other subjects of the curriculum. For instance, Year 6 pupils linked their exploration of the properties of colour and design with their study of Islam. Work on three-dimensional windows and autumnal colours supplemented the poetry and other written work produced in English. Year 9 pupils were also able to link their work in English as they worked collectively and collaboratively on printing, sewing and beading work with fabric squares, which were to be combined to make a blanket, depicting stories and books, that would provide a whole school conclusion to Book Week. Artwork from all years is displayed in the public areas and corridors of the school and supplements many subjects in the celebration

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Commentary

of pupils’ work. Ifield School - 36 86. The subject leaders provide good leadership and management. In particular, they have extended their own use of ICT resources and have increased the opportunities for pupils to do likewise. An interactive whiteboard and the availability of digital imagery to modify and develop their work in graphics and design have given pupils valuable additional experiences. Access to a CD-ROM that offers examples of work produced by former pupils provides ideas and inspiration to current ones. Present assessment procedures are satisfactory, and a recently introduced tracking and assessment system is beginning to give teachers the information they require to focus more specifically on the skill acquisition of individual pupils.

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Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have very good subject knowledge. • There are good opportunities for pupils to experience a range of materials. • The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are promoted well. • Management is restricted by the lack of a subject leader.

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Commentary

87. The good provision reported in the last inspection has been maintained. Pupils’ good achievements occur in all aspects of design and technology, including food technology, textiles and when working with resistant materials. Their skills are encouraged from an early age. In Years 1 and 2 pupils learn, through stories, about some of the basic equipment used in cooking and they then use this knowledge to prepare simple foods such as snacks. They achieve equally well when making simple vehicles or greeting cards, when they learn about mechanisms, as well as developing cutting and measuring skills. Good progress is maintained in Years 3 to 6 as pupils widen their experiences of different materials and techniques.

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Commentary

88. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 build on their earlier achievements well. They make good progress in food technology preparing healthy food, while in textiles they acquire skills such as embroidery and knitting and in resistant materials they work with wood and card to make board games. In Years 10 and 11, pupils achieve well when working with a good range of materials. In addition, they begin to acquire analytical skills and critical awareness, such as examining manufacturing techniques when they study existing products in textiles, and comparing home made and commercially produced soups in food technology.

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Commentary

89. Learning is good because teachers have very good subject knowledge and understand the requirements of the National Curriculum, adapting it well to the needs of their pupils. Relationships are good and this means that pupils remain focussed throughout lessons and complete tasks enthusiastically and with good humour. Teachers make sure that the curriculum is varied, thus helping to maintain pupils’ involvement in the subject, and activities such as a Food Week and visits to supermarkets and a bakery further develop their interest. Teachers are very adept at challenging pupils to practise, and extend, other skills too. They provide many opportunities for them to estimate, measure Ifield School - 37 and weigh and to consolidate their understanding of shapes. Key vocabulary is developed and the idea of sequencing is encouraged as pupils follow recipes and making instructions.

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Commentary

90. Teachers make extremely good use of the woodland resource. In various projects, pupils have created a range of artefacts using wood and other materials. They have researched musical instruments and then searched the woods for suitable materials to make such instruments as wind chimes and xylophones. They learned about structures when they constructed woodland shelters for themselves, as well as for the animals that inhabit the woods. The woodland context is also used very well in food technology as pupils prepare picnics and barbecue meals.

p.37

Commentary

91. Long-term curriculum planning is good for the individual aspects of the subject, such as food technology and resistant materials, but the lack of a subject leader means that the different teachers of these aspects sometimes duplicate effort in some areas. Also, there is no single informed view to formulate the priorities for development of the subject. Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall. There are good examples of assessment being used, such as pupil self-evaluation in food technology, but assessment is an area that requires further development to ensure consistency.

p.37

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well because lessons are adapted to meet their different learning needs. • The teacher is a skilled musician. • Curriculum planning is unsatisfactory because it does not show balance between the different parts of the curriculum.

p.37

Commentary

92. Pupils’ good achievements are due to the teacher’s adaptation of work to meet their needs and the presentation of activities that are varied and interesting. Music is a strong feature of the school and, therefore, pupils’ appreciation of music, and their acquisition of skills, is supported in other ways too. Music makes a significant contribution to school assemblies and there are two music clubs and a school orchestra that participates in music festivals and events in the local community.

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Commentary

93. All lessons are well taught by the music therapist, who is supported very well by teaching assistants. Pupils achieve well in lessons that are planned well and contain challenge and enjoyment for all pupils across the school. Pupils are organised and managed well and lessons are lively and proceed at a good pace. Lessons have a particular focus on performing and pupils demonstrate many skills in this area. Year 5 pupils play a range of simple tunes using three or four notes and follow musical instructions accurately, while some in Year 8 were most impressive when playing recorders to compact disc accompaniment and when following notation accurately. They responded very well to the teacher’s challenge ‘you might find this difficult’, by playing very well and were proud of Ifield School - 38 their achievement. Lessons provide many such opportunities for pupils to succeed and develop their self-esteem and they also help with pupils’ personal development through

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Commentary

activities that require them to take responsibility, collaborate and work together as a team.

p.38

Commentary

94. There has been good improvement in overall provision since the last inspection; the quality of the accommodation is now very good and there is a good range of resources, including tuned and untuned instruments. Overall, leadership and management are satisfactory. While there are clear strengths, such as the quality of performance, the music therapist is not a teacher and, therefore, there are deficiencies in planning with respect to the National Curriculum requirements. The emphasis is on performance and there are fewer opportunities to develop musical ideas and understanding, such as composing and exploring how sounds can be made and changed. In addition, the curriculum has not yet been fully adapted to meet the needs of a changing school population, although the subject leader is aware that this is a development area that needs to be addressed further. Procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ achievements and progress are satisfactory.

p.38

Commentary

The teacher has a very good knowledge of individual pupils’ capabilities and musical competence, but formal recording of their achievements is not yet sufficiently routine or comprehensive. Ifield School - 39

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Physical education makes a significant contribution to pupils’ personal and social development and encourages the healthy enjoyment of physical activities. • Pupils acquire a number of different skills because of a well-planned and varied curriculum, although provision for outdoor education is underdeveloped. • Learning is supported well by community links.

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Commentary

95. Although pupils were mainly following a swimming module during the inspection, during which they achieved well, there was strong evidence of them achieving equally well in other sports and activities, such as gymnastics and games. In addition to developing new skills, pupils also acquire increasing understanding of the link between healthy exercise and well being. For instance, they appreciate the importance of warming up correctly and know the beneficial effects of exercise to the heart and lungs.

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Commentary

96. Pupils make good progress in developing personal skills too, such as working collaboratively and supporting others, as well as the improved confidence and self-esteem they feel as a result of the success they achieve. The strong focus on personal development is evident in the stated ethos for the subject, ‘there is honour in winning and losing’, and pupils are always encouraged to accept victory or defeat with good grace. As a result, they respond to winning and losing equally well.

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Commentary

97. Teaching is good and pupils make good progress in developing new skills. Health and safety aspects are reinforced very well in lessons, ranging from attention to the need to wear the correct clothing to using equipment. A particular feature of lessons is the inclusion of all pupils, including those with additional special educational needs, through the effective and routine use of additional forms of communication such as symbols and Makaton signing. The inclusion of all pupils is also enhanced very well by the very good input of teaching assistants, so that pupils who have trepidation about attempting some activities are given individual and sensitive support. The subject knowledge, confidence and expertise of all adults involved in lessons have a very positive effect on pupils’ progress. Humour and creative analogies are used particularly well to both encourage pupils and to illustrate what is required. For example, pupils in the swimming pool were

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Commentary

encouraged to lift their feet from the bottom “so the crocodile does not get you”, and Year 4 pupils learnt about dribbling a football by comparing it with taking a dog for a walk on a short lead.

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Commentary

98. Pupils enjoy the subject and always approach lessons with enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. The joy they experienced as a result of their successes was evident in a number of lessons, such as the Year 2 pupils who were visibly excited at putting their heads under the water for the first time. Ifield School - 40 99. Improving leadership and management has been influential in producing satisfactory improvement in provision since the last inspection. The recently appointed subject leader is enthusiastic and provides an excellent role model for pupils. He has planned the subject well so that pupils experience a wide range of sporting activities overall, but provision for outdoor education, particularly for older pupils, is underdeveloped. This prevents them participating in activities they might not otherwise experience, such as rock climbing and abseiling. Assessment procedures are satisfactory. Pupils’ achievements are assessed

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Commentary

against National Curriculum levels, but recording systems do not allow effective mapping of their progress in the different activities they study.

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Commentary

100. Good resources and equipment are available and there are some good features of accommodation, such as the sports hall and swimming pool. However, the current layout of the buildings means that pupils’ movements from the changing rooms to these facilities requires them to go outside. This is unsatisfactory. The school’s own facilities are supported by good use of local agencies, such as the input of a football coach from Charlton Athletic to give older pupils a more detailed insight into developing their techniques. Sporting links are being developed with other schools within the local area, with a good range of local competitive events offered to pupils.

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Personal, social and health education

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have good subject knowledge. • Key vocabulary is explained carefully and sensitively. • The curriculum is broad and imaginative. • The system for recording pupils’ progress is not yet sufficiently refined to show some pupils’ small gains in knowledge and understanding.

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Commentary

101. No previous report exists for PSHE, and the teaching of citizenship is a new development. However, much progress has been made with the implementation of the citizenship programme and the continuing development of PSHE.

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Commentary

102. The impact of the school’s effectiveness in these areas is evident in a number of ways. Informally, its influence is reflected in the positive relationships between pupils and staff and the responsible and mature behaviour of the majority of pupils by the time they reach Year 11. Older pupils look after younger ones and a number are involved in the running of the school council. The school has won a healthy eating award, pupils regularly support charities such as UNICEF and Action for the Blind, and all pupils in the upper school have taken part in the Kent Youth County Council elections, the only special school in the county to do so. On a more formal basis, the strength of the planned PSHE and citizenship programme can be seen in the knowledge that pupils develop. They learn how to identify the dangers of drugs and other harmful substances. They know what to do if offered drugs and the legal age for buying and consuming alcohol and the dangers of

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Commentary

Ifield School - 41 addiction. Practically based lessons, with the specialist school nurse supporting the teacher, give pupils the understanding of how to avoid unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

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Commentary

103. Both teaching and learning are very good. Teachers have good knowledge of the subject and all of them have received training in drug awareness, and the subject leader in the senior school has undertaken an additional certificate in PSHE teaching. Lessons across the school are carefully planned, showing clearly what it is anticipated pupils will learn and how pupils’ individual needs will be met. Activities are well prepared and appropriate resources are to hand, so lessons are well paced and the different activities are well timed. Very capable teaching assistants are well briefed and support pupils’ learning very well.

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Commentary

104. All teaching in the senior school is undertaken by the subject leader, who is highly skilled at helping pupils to overcome their reluctance to learn about subjects that may be sensitive in nature, such as sex education. She is able to motivate and interest pupils when they discuss issues in circle time, work in small groups to produce written work or give presentations to the class about their views on a given topic. A good range of activities allows pupils to take part in role-play and reflective discussion. Vocabulary specific to PSHE and citizenship is carefully explained, and additional communication systems such as symbols are used when required. This supports the development of pupils’ literacy skills well and enables all to be included and to make contributions. Relationships are very good and all staff are adept at dealing with individual difficulties whether they are behavioural

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Commentary

challenges, embarrassment or lack of understanding and communication.

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Commentary

105. Leadership and management are very good across the school. The junior and senior school subject leaders work well together and meet regularly. Much thought and effort has gone into preparing the policy and planning in order to ensure topics are relevant and accessible to all pupils. Resources are good, supported by a programme of visiting speakers. Pupils’ progress is recorded, but this is not yet complete and does not show the very small gains made by pupils of less capability. Ifield School - 42 Ifield School - 43

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Inspection judgement Grade

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

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3

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

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3

The quality of education provided by the school

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3

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

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3

The leadership and management of the school

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4

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

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4

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Ifield School - 44

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