Woodlands School

WOODLANDS SCHOOL

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

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WOODLANDS SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Special School category: Community Age range of pupils: 2-19 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 92

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Whitegate Drive Blackpool Lancashire Postcode: FY3 9HF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01253 316722 Fax number: 01253 316723

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Graham Fletcher

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a mixed community special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 years, with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. There are currently 92 pupils on roll and all pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs. There has been an increase in the number of pupils since the last inspection and there is a higher proportion of pupils with more complex needs, such as autism, on roll. Nearly all pupils are of white British heritage and a very small number of pupils are from other ethnic backgrounds. There are no travellers, no asylum seekers and no pupils for whom English is not their first language. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is above average for this type of school. When leaving school, pupils move on to either continuing education or social services provision. The number of pupils joining and leaving the school at times other than usual is broadly average. The school has further strengthened its partnerships with other

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

local primary schools, secondary schools and colleges. A high proportion of primary aged pupils attend the school’s resource base at St John Vianney School for part of their work. Older pupils and students also attend neighbouring schools and colleges for part of their work. The school is part of Blackpool’s Healthy Schools initiative, and the recent New Opportunities Fund ArtXtra project, which helps to build pupils’ self-esteem through the performing arts. The school has achieved Investors In People status three times, and won a National Training Award in 1998 and a Schools’ Achievement Award in 2001. Woodlands School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23886 Declan McCarthy Lead inspector Personal, social, health and citizenship education Work-related learning Provision for students post-16 9981 Saleem Hussein Lay inspector 15600 Colin Richardson Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Music 23300 Lily Evans Team inspector English Geography History Religious education 2971 Kathy Hooper Team inspector Foundation Stage Science Physical education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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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). Woodlands School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a highly effective school , which continues to build on its successes under the inspirational leadership of the headteacher. There is an exceptionally strong ethos for inclusion, which promotes pupils’ excellent personal development. Achievement throughout the school is very good because teaching and learning are very good. School management is excellent. The school provides excellent value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

• The headteacher provides excellent and inspirational leadership that results in a school community where everyone is valued and pupils are happy in their learning. • Pupils and students achieve very well against the targets in their individual education plans (IEPs) because they are taught very well. • Relationships within school are excellent, and this leads to pupils showing excellent personal development and attitudes to learning, and very good behaviour. • The curriculum is adapted very well so that it meets the diverse needs of the pupils and prepares them very well for life after school. • School management is excellent and school leaders select highly appropriate priorities for further development. • Excellent links with the community and other schools significantly boost pupils’ achievement. • Assessment procedures are very strong.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school has made very good improvement since it was last inspected in February 1999. All key issues from the last inspection have been well addressed. The accommodation has improved and is now very good. Pupils’ achievements throughout the school have also improved as a result of very good leadership, very good teaching and learning, and a very good curriculum. Links with other schools and the community are now excellent and have led to excellent opportunities for inclusion, which greatly enhance pupils’ achievement and personal development. The school is now fully in control of its own development and has a very good capacity to continue to improve.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

In relation to individual targets in: Pupils’ achievement at the end of: Subjects of the curriculum personal and social education Year 2 Very good Very good Year 6 Very good Very good Year 9 Very good Very good Year 11 Very good Very good Year 13 Very good Very good Inspectors make judgements in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Achievement is very good as all pupils throughout the school achieve very well. The achievement of children in the Foundation Stage is very good in all the areas of learning. Achievement in Years 1–14 is also very good. Pupils’ achievement in English, mathematics, science, Information and communication technology (ICT), religious education (RE) and personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) is very good. Their achievement in personal development is excellent and in their IEP targets it is also very good. Students’ Woodlands School - 7 achievement in Years 12 to 14 is very good in PSHCE, and in their accredited courses. It is excellent in personal development, and in independence for life.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are excellent and result in their excellent attitudes, excellent relationships and very good behaviour. Pupils enjoy school and attendance and punctuality are very good.

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The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching and learning

are very good in all year groups and in English, mathematics, science, ICT, RE and PSHCE. Teachers make very good use of ICT to support pupils’ learning and achievement. Very good teamwork between teachers, support staff and therapists ensures that all groups of pupils, including those with autism and those with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), receive very good support for learning and achieve equally well. The use of assessment to check and record pupils’ progress against their individual targets is very good.

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The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching and learning

The curriculum is very good, with an excellent range of out-of-hours activities to enrich pupils‘ learning. Provision for pupils with additional special educational needs, such as PMLD and autism, is also very good. There is a very good work-related programme for older pupils and students. Resources for learning and accommodation are very good. The school provides excellent care for its pupils. Partnership with parents is very good and links with other schools, colleges and the community are excellent.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good. The leadership of the headteacher is excellent and he receives excellent support from the deputy head. Subject leaders provide very good leadership overall with a strong staff commitment to raising pupils’ achievements and improving teaching, learning and the curriculum. Management is excellent. Performance management arrangements, the school’s use of self-evaluation and financial management are excellent. School governance is good. Governors are very supportive, monitor the work of the school effectively and ensure that statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are extremely satisfied with the work of the school. Pupils show the greatest respect and trust towards staff and have the highest regard for their school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

There are no significant areas of weakness. The school has already correctly identified what it should do to improve and is currently implementing these initiatives through the school improvement plan. Woodlands School - 8 Woodlands School - 9

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Achievement is very good throughout the school. It is very good in PSHCE, English, mathematics, science, ICT and RE. Achievement is very good in the Foundation Stage in all the areas of learning. Pupils also make very good progress towards their IEP targets. Students in Years 12 to 14 are achieving very well in their accredited courses. Boys and girls achieve equally well and pupils with more complex special educational needs achieve as well as other pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

• Achievement is very good because teaching and learning are very good. • Teachers make very good use of assessment information to track pupils’ progress within subjects and this impacts positively on pupils’ achievement. • Excellent opportunities for inclusion enhance pupils’ achievements.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

1. All groups of pupils, including those with PMLD, are achieving very well because teachers have high expectations for pupils’ learning. Children in the Foundation Stage and students in post-16 achieve consistently very well because the curriculum at these stages is highly relevant to their needs. Very good leadership and management have led to very effective teaching and learning and ensured that achievement over time is very good, with no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls. Parents are particularly pleased with the progress their children are making.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

2. The setting of clear targets in pupils’ IEPs and the very effective use of these in lesson planning also enhance pupils’ achievements. Teachers make very good use of assessment within subjects to correct any possible errors pupils make. They then provide consistent feedback to pupils on what they have achieved and how they might improve their learning. As a result, pupils work very hard and show very good achievement. There has been good improvement in pupils’ achievement in ICT as a result of much improved resources. The successful adaptation of the literacy and numeracy strategies has also led to more effective learning and higher achievement.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

3. Very good and consistent use of nationally recognised structured teaching techniques enables pupils with autism to access the curriculum and to make very good progress in their communication and social interaction skills. Parents of autistic pupils are very pleased with the progress their children are making. Support assistants are very well trained and make very good use of signing and communication aids to ensure pupils with autism have full access to learning. Pupils with other complex needs, such as PMLD, are fully included in lessons and also greatly benefit from the support provided by teaching assistants, who work very effectively with teachers to promote learning and achievement. As a result all pupils make very good progress towards their IEP targets.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

4. Pupils’ progress is very effectively tracked through IEP reviews, and the school’s own analysis of pupils’ achievements against IEP targets throughout the school is very good. Teachers take full account of pupils’ IEP targets in planning activities, and this ensures that all pupils, including those with additional special educational needs such as autism and PMLD, are provided with tasks that they can do and achieve very well. Woodlands School - 10 5. There has been excellent improvement in opportunities for inclusion since the last inspection, and these have impacted very positively on pupils’ achievement. The headteacher, in close collaboration with mainstream headteachers, has established very good working relationships so that pupils have more opportunities to learn alongside their mainstream peers. The establishment of the learning resource base at St John Vianney Primary School is a particular

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

strength and greatly enhances learning and achievement of pupils in Years 1 to 6. Students from St Mary’s Secondary School visit the school regularly to work alongside pupils. Students in Years 12 to 14 benefit greatly from the courses and leisure activities in Myerscough College and Blackpool and Fylde College of Further Education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attitudes are outstanding and behaviour is very good. Pupils’ spiritual and social development is outstanding and their moral and cultural development is very good. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school encourages learning particularly well. • The school sets the highest standards for behaviour. • Pupils’ excellent personal development contributes markedly to their achievements. • Exemplary relationships between pupils contribute to the school’s excellent ethos.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

6. The school has maintained very high standards of behaviour, relationships and moral development since the last inspection. There has been good improvement in terms of attitudes, and spiritual and cultural development. Improvement to attendance has been very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.9 School data 0.0 National data 8.8 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

7. The school has created an excellent atmosphere and climate for learning. The ethos and level of inclusion are outstanding. Every chance is taken to celebrate achievement. Staff frequently praise and reward pupils, for instance, at weekly celebration assemblies where special mentions, house points, shields and certificates encourage pupils to continue their efforts in learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

8. Pupils love school life and their enthusiasm is reflected in high rates of attendance. The great majority of absence is due to health reasons and there is no unexplained absence because of the school’s very good monitoring procedures. The dropping off and picking up of pupils in the car park are very orderly.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

9. Pupils show exceptionally high levels of interest in the full range of school activities. In lessons they work particularly hard and persevere very well. It is common for pupils to show their work to adults in class and then insist on showing it to others in school, especially senior managers. It is delightful to see them bursting with pride in their achievements as they show their work to others. During sports club activities there is often a frenzy of excitement as pupils compete Woodlands School - 11 with each other in games such as new age curling. The after-school club is a similar situation, where yet again pupils demonstrated excellent attitudes as they enacted scenes from Mary Poppins and sang ‘It’s a jolly holiday’ and ‘Feed the birds’ so well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

10. The school promotes good relationships, including racial harmony, exceptionally well. The race equality policy is very effective. Pupils like to help each other in lessons and at other times. During a Year 11 European Awareness lesson, for example, pupils worked in mixed SLD/PMLD pairs particularly well as they used switches for greetings in Spanish.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

11. Pupils behave very well in the classroom, at assembly, in the canteen and around the school. Although there are some pupils with challenging behaviours, the school promotes good behaviour especially well – the system of individual credit card style ‘behaviour cards’ kept by some pupils is very effective in alerting adults about issues, and represents good practice. Parents and the vast majority of pupils say that there is no bullying. The school has not excluded any pupil in many years.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

12. The pupils at this school develop an excellent self-knowledge and spiritual awareness as time goes on. Opportunities through PSHE lessons, assembly and in subjects such as science and music allow pupils to consider feelings, the beauty of the natural world and the inspirational nature of human achievement. Sensory experiences for pupils, especially those with PMLD, are excellent. The sensory garden and two sensory rooms provide a rich variety of experiences that result in remarkable responses from pupils. Pupils always put others ahead of themselves – they don’t feel self-pity; rather, they consider others, for instance, through fundraising for the community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

13. Pupils develop a very good sense of right and wrong. They take responsibility for their own behaviour and are quick to remind each other of staff’s expectations. They often consider issues such as the rights of people and animals in a moral context. They hold very strong views about respect and valuing others – they treat people the way they want to be treated.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

14. Staff are excellent role models for pupils’ social development. Many contacts with a range of different people in the community (school trips and visitors) also help pupils to develop their social skills. Consequently, pupils are extremely well mannered and feel comfortable in various social settings. Pupils accept responsibility especially well and know that they have an important role to play in the community. Many pupils act as ambassadors for the school, for instance in showing visitors their school and explaining what it has to offer to new pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

15. Cultural development is very good because pupils have so many chances to appreciate their own and others’ cultural traditions. School trips make a very good contribution – for instance, pupils visit art galleries, theatres and various places of worship including churches, mosques and synagogues. Pupils learn very well about the rich diversity of cultures in Britain.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching, learning and assessment are very good. The curriculum is very good with excellent opportunities for enriching learning and for the inclusion of all pupils. Pupils are exceptionally well cared for. There are very good links with parents and excellent links with the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good, which results in pupils’ very good achievement. Assessment is very good. Woodlands School - 12 Main strengths and weaknesses

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Teaching and learning

• Teachers’ high expectations for pupils’ learning and very good teamwork with support staff result in pupils’ very good learning and achievement. • Teaching is consistently very good in the Foundation Stage and at Post-16. • Teachers’ excellent relationships with pupils build high levels of trust and confidence in pupils. • Teachers make very good use of use of assessment to promote learning and achievement.

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Teaching and learning

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 49 lessons

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Teaching and learning

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 1 (2%) 32 (65%) 12 (25%) 4 (8%) 0 0 0 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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Teaching and learning

16. The quality of teaching and learning has improved significantly since the last inspection, with a much higher proportion of very good or better teaching now observed in lessons. Excellent arrangements for staff development and performance management have been the major contributory factors to this very good improvement. As a result of very effective planning, teachers ensure that expectations for learning are high by matching tasks and adapting methods to suit the range of learning needs of different groups of pupils in the school. Staff are highly skilled in teaching basic skills, promoting literacy, numeracy and particularly the use of ICT to support learning. In the very few lessons where teaching was satisfactory, lesson pace was too slow and learning was not managed as well as in the other lessons.

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Teaching and learning

17. Very good teaching in the Foundation Stage and at post-16 has made a very positive impact on very good learning throughout the school and pupils’ achievement over time. In the Foundation Stage the teacher makes very good use of assessment to continually check and record children’s progress, and uses this in high quality planning and delivery of lessons. She has very good subject knowledge and sets very high standards for learning and achievement. In the post-16 department, all teachers constantly challenge students’ learning and set the highest expectations for a mature response in lessons so students learn to the best of their ability and as independently as possible.

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Teaching and learning

18. Pupils show the utmost respect for staff because teachers and support staff ensure that their relationships with pupils are excellent. Pupils are praised consistently, very well supported and always encouraged to do their very best in lessons. As a result, pupils always listen carefully, focus on their activities and follow instructions very well. All staff manage the most challenging behaviour very effectively, which deepens pupils’ sense of security.

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Teaching and learning

19. There are very good - and some highly innovative - systems of assessment in place and teachers are making very good use of these in planning, supporting learning, target setting and tracking pupils’ progress. They include very good initial assessments in the Foundation Stage within six weeks of the child’s arrival in school, which enables targets to be set and strategies to be put in place quickly. Teachers assess pupils’ Woodlands School - 13 work against their IEP targets and learning outcomes in all lessons. They then make amendments to lesson planning to maximise learning for all groups of pupils. Assessment levels in very small steps known as P-levels and PIVATS are used to ensure very good tracking of pupil progress. Teachers ensure that regular reviews are held with parents and senior pupils are also involved in these. The school continues to further refine assessment systems throughout the school. Statutory requirements for

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Teaching and learning

the review of Statements of Special Educational Needs are fully met, with annual review meetings held to evaluate pupils’ progress against their individual targets. Teachers and support staff have a very good knowledge of pupils and use this information very effectively to support pupils’ learning in lessons.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is very good overall, with excellent enrichment features such as the provision for learning outside the school day. Accommodation and resources are very good.

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The curriculum

• The curriculum is highly relevant and is very well matched to pupils’ learning needs. • Very effective provision for pupils with more complex educational needs has a very positive impact on their achievement. • The excellent range of opportunities for learning outside the school day includes a strong emphasis on health-related fitness. • The provision for personal development is very well planned and is at the heart of the school’s work. • The resource centre at St John Vianney promotes excellent inclusion. • Accommodation and resources are now very good.

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The curriculum

20. The improved curriculum is now very well planned, broad, balanced and very relevant to the needs of all pupils, including those with more complex difficulties such as autism and PMLD. It fully reflects the school aims, the National Curriculum and each pupil’s Statement of Special Educational Needs. The school teaches the full subject range of the National Curriculum plus RE and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Highly effective curriculum development and organisation, particularly by the deputy headteacher and other members of the senior management team, has led to an individualised and inclusive curriculum that ensures that pupils, including those with the most complex learning difficulties, achieve very well. National strategies are implemented very well and are fully embedded in very good lesson plans which are very effectively targeted to meet the individual needs of all pupils. The very well chosen

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The curriculum

targets in pupils’ IEPs promote very good progress. There are very good opportunities within school for older pupils and students to gain external accreditation in a range of modular courses from Year 9 onwards. These include art, learning skills, vocational skills, European awareness, performing arts, design technology and geography. Students may gain awards at entry level in the OCR National Skills Profile and, when appropriate, at GCSE.

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The curriculum

21. The work of therapists and support assistants greatly enhances the very good provision for pupils with more complex needs, such as autism and PMLD. Very well thought out targets in communication, personal care and independence are included in planning and these successfully ensure pupils’ access to the curriculum. All learning is Woodlands School - 14 highly structured using very small steps with pupils' achievement recorded systematically and regularly. Subject leaders, the deputy head who is responsible for the curriculum and assessment, and other members of the senior management team very closely check these. The school has very good and highly detailed data on pupils in order to analyse pupils' progress over time and uses this information very effectively to promote pupils’ achievement. For example, the use of very effective methods such as PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) for developing communication

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The curriculum

skills has been instrumental in the very good achievement of pupils with communication difficulties such as autism. Furthermore, the very good planning and use of objects of reference, electronic communication aids and specialist sensory resources have further facilitated the very good progress made by pupils with PMLD.

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The curriculum

22. Since the last inspection the school has worked exceptionally well to provide appealing and well-attended clubs, both during and at the end of the school day. The wide range of clubs includes a choir, art attack club, primary art club, senior craft and ICT/DVD club, a newspaper club and sports club. The after-school sport clubs, led by a mainstream teacher and supported by a group of pupils from Montgomery High School, provide an excellent opportunity for pupils to exercise well and mix with people from another school. Pupils from both mainstream schools and Woodlands make very positive gains in mutual understanding and social interaction. The excellent performing arts club offered to all pupils in Years 7 to 11 and post-16 students is very well attended and the choir singing during assembly demonstrated their increased confidence and skills in performing in front of the whole school. Older pupils and

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The curriculum

students provide wonderful role models for singing to younger ones. The newspaper club in the junior department, which meets at lunchtimes, promotes very effective communication skills, a spirit of enquiry and confidence in addressing an unfamiliar person. For example, they welcomed the local community policeman during the inspection week, and had questions ready prepared to ask him about his work such as the use of a truncheon and radio.

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The curriculum

23. The planning for personal, social, health and sex education is very good, often delivered through circle time but planned through and across the curriculum in most subjects. It is very strong within RE and supports citizenship very effectively. It has a significant impact on pupils’ attitudes to school, particularly their level of independence and increased self-esteem. For example, pupils develop a concern for others in need through their fundraising activities such as red nose day. The excellent role models presented by staff promote pupils’ consideration and care towards others. This was seen in many activities where pupils worked cooperatively and helped each other. Pupils work in mixed pairs in lessons such as European Awareness, where they helped partners by holding the communicator and sharing mutual greetings. The planned integration of pupils into school, and of pupils into the local school, is highly

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The curriculum

effective in developing social awareness and citizenship. The school provides many very good opportunities for pupils to develop their social skills and interact with different groups, such as work experience for older pupils, and older pupils and students and pupils from mainstream primary schools joining in with lesson activities with younger pupils.

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The curriculum

24. Since the last inspection there has been good improvement in staffing and accommodation. Staffing is now very good. A strong team of classroom assistants and therapists provide very good support to teachers and pupils. The deputy head has ensured that training for all staff is extremely relevant and precisely linked to the changing needs of the school. For example, pupils entering the school are increasingly more needy and require high levels of support. Priorities for staff development have Woodlands School - 15 therefore been very precisely and effectively linked to this changing pattern of admissions so that pupils’ needs are very well met. Outside professionals from the sensory impairment services support curriculum planning very effectively by regular visits to the school and providing very good advice to teachers. The school liaises very effectively with other agencies such as the complex learning difficulties team, and

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The curriculum

provides highly effective support for pupils’ families. Such support has influenced the very good provision of communication systems used in school. The school has very good specialist therapy rooms and there is a good supply of hoists and lifting equipment for pupils with more complex needs. All pupils have access to the heated pool, which is located within the school site and managed by the local authority, for hydrotherapy. The unique development of a resource base at a local primary school is of exceptional quality and promotes excellent inclusion of all primary aged pupils. The school has fully addressed shortfalls in accommodation within the building at the last inspection and there are now specialist rooms for the library and ICT, as well as a staffroom, storeroom and science room. Resources to support teaching and learning within subjects are very good, particularly in terms of ICT equipment such as

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Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for pupils' care, welfare, health and safety are outstanding. The provision of advice, support and guidance is very good and pupils are exceptionally well involved in aspects of the school’s development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• A very good induction system ensures that new pupils settle into the school quickly. • Pupils feel valued because they are treated as individuals. • Excellent in-house health care and support contribute to continuity in learning. • Very good guidance on further study and careers helps older pupils to make choices. • Pupils enjoy excellent, trusting relationships with staff. Woodlands School - 16

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Commentary

25. New children have very good chances to experience the learning routines as their parents spend as much time as they want with staff on initial school visits. All new children and pupils from other schools are offered a pre-school home visit by a community paediatric nurse. Blenheim Child Development Centre refers a significant number of children to this school: very effective links ensure that the school knows these children’s health needs very well.

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Commentary

26. The school treasures all pupils in its care. Typical parental comments included “this is a haven for pupils with these sorts of learning needs…my child is happy, so I’m happy…my life has changed as a parent, I know that my child is cared for and safe here”. Arrangements for child protection are excellent. The designated officer is fully trained, as is another member of staff and nursing staff. Procedures to ensure health and safety have improved very well since the last inspection. Arrangements for first aid and fire procedures are excellent. Risk assessments are undertaken regularly to ensure a safe learning environment and safety at educational visits. The quality of care is excellent because of the level of staff training: all teaching and classroom support staff have basic training in child protection, risk assessment, lifting and handling, first aid and poolside safety.

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Commentary

27. Staff know pupils particularly well and give very good support, advice and guidance. Post-16 students receive outstanding advice and guidance. The school treats every pupil as a unique individual. ‘Helping Me To Learn’ booklets and information are used very well by staff in classrooms to ensure that all pupils take advantage of learning chances and are supported appropriately. Staff work especially closely with health and social care agencies. On-site medical and health care is a particular strength, and several nursing staff and therapists are based at the school. Specialist advisers for complex learning difficulties, hearing and visual impairment also work in school regularly, developing learning programs and supporting individual pupils.

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Commentary

28. Impartial guidance on study and career chances for pupils is very good. Staff work very closely with the ‘Connexions’ agency that provides considerable advice to pupils and parents on further study and personal matters. Arrangements for work-related experiences are very good.

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Commentary

29. Relationships between pupils and adults are a towering strength of the school. Pupils are confident that staff will always do their best to resolve any concerns or worries.

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Commentary

30. The school council provides an excellent chance for pupils to pool their ideas and views on school matters. It also enables pupils to develop citizenship skills and learn about democracy and decision-making. The atmosphere at meetings is especially business-like with an assertive pupil chairman and representatives observing all the courtesies and formalities found in dynamic groups. Staff, including the deputy head, support the group especially well. An inspector observed a meeting where the chairman admirably asserted his authority at the start, reminding all present that “I am in charge” followed by very effective chairing which ensured a smooth flow of business. A member was invited to show the council the first of the birdhouses made by pupils, as requested by the council at a previous meeting. The member, although a generally quiet individual, had no hesitation in addressing the council with confidence and

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Commentary

unashamed pride as he described how well he and his classmates had carried out the council’s directive. The youngest member (from the Foundation Stage) looked on, along with others, showing the enthusiasm, concentration and air of responsibility so Woodlands School - 17 characteristic of pupils at this school. It is pleasing to see that the school has taken on board many of the pupils’ ideas, such as those regarding the sensory garden, play resources and school clubs.

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Commentary

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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Commentary

The school has a very effective partnership with parents and excellent links with other schools, colleges and the wider community.

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Commentary

• The school actively seeks parents’ views and acts on them. • Parents make a very good contribution to the school and their children’s learning. • Links with other schools have improved significantly and now ensure that pupils have excellent opportunities for integration. • Community links help to enrich the curriculum and support learning exceptionally well.

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Commentary

31. The school welcomes parents as partners in the education of their children. The headteacher and staff are very approachable and always pleased to discuss any concerns. Many formal and informal opportunities are provided to enable parents to influence school policies and how their children are taught and cared for. The school makes of point of consulting parents regularly about its development plan. It is pleasing to see that the school has made significant changes in response to parents’ views regarding, for instance, school clubs and information they receive.

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Commentary

32. Parents receive very good information about the school and their children’s standards and progress. Leaflets about the Foundation Stage and the resource base (at St John Vianney), computer-based information (the website) and newsletters are very well presented and helpful. Pupils’ annual review and end-of-year reports are very good, giving much information about how well they are doing, along with future learning targets.

p.17

Commentary

33. Members of the parents and friends association give their time generously to the school through organizing many social and fundraising events. The group regularly makes contributions towards the maintenance of school mini-buses, new toys and personal equipment for pupils. Home and school records show that the vast majority of parents give very good support to their children’s learning. The school regularly organizes workshops for small groups of parents where a need arises, for instance, in PECS, signing or ICT.

p.17

Commentary

Example of outstanding practice Excellent links with other schools and the wider community have a considerable impact on pupils’ achievements Links with other schools are outstanding because there are so many highly effective and individual integration programs on offer. Integration involves many pupils who take part in mainstream lessons and other activities on a regular basis. The school positively maintains, pursues and develops partnerships to benefit pupils. There are many excellent links with primary and secondary schools. The partnership with St John Vianney Primary School is exemplary, making a highly significant contribution to pupils’ achievement. Many pupils from both schools have already made lifelong friendships with each other as they learn and play regularly in the resource centre and all other areas of St John Vianney Primary School. The mutual personal and social development is excellent – pupils from each school benefit tremendously. A scheme from St John Vianney

p.17

Commentary

Woodlands School - 18 Primary School is now firmly established at Woodlands, namely ‘PALS’ (play-leaders). This is an excellent responsibility for a small number of Woodlands pupils who trained at St John Vianney Primary School alongside ‘Play At Lunchtimes’ there. The success of the partnership between the schools is a credit to the local education authority and the senior managers and staff from both schools, who have shown vision and commitment – the reasons for the success of this partnership.

p.18

Commentary

34. Excellent links with Blackpool and Fylde College and Myerscough College ensure that pupils receive much encouragement about further study and can attend access, taster and training courses in various occupations.

p.18

Commentary

35. Progress Recruitment (a supported employment group) also provides pupils with many work experience chances in a range of occupations including retail, office and animal care. The group gives pupils much careers advice and guidance based on monitoring. Links with St John Vianney and St Paul’s churches make an excellent contribution to pupils’ personal development. For instance, a member of the clergy frequently leads assembly and religious services. A toy-makers charity group has very close ties with the school and is extremely generous in giving financial donations towards equipment such as special leisure bikes. Many toys are donated to the school each Christmas by the charity and a bakers association is also very supportive at this time. Links with a local radio station ensure that school issues are highlighted regularly and disc jockeys support school discos. A broad range of school trips enrich learning, for instance in art,

p.18

Commentary

music, history and environmental studies. The school itself puts much back into the community; for instance, families and staff are generous in supporting many charities and good causes.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good. The leadership of the headteacher is excellent, and key staff fulfil their roles very effectively. Management is excellent and school governance is good.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

• The headteacher’s excellent leadership leads to every individual being valued and wanting to give of their best. • There has been very good improvement in leadership and management since the last inspection. • The deputy headteacher, senior managers and other key staff provide very good leadership. • Subject leaders provide very effective leadership, although some are still new to their roles. • Performance management, financial management and the day-today running of the school are excellent.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

36. The headteacher has not only sustained aspects of very high quality provision identified in the previous inspection, but has also been the driving force in creating excellent inclusion opportunities for pupils and students. These initiatives have had a significant impact on pupils’ achievements and personal development. The headteacher has also strengthened leadership and management within the school, setting the highest aspirations for all staff and showing exemplary leadership of the curriculum. This is reflected in wide-ranging awards and the very high regard in which Woodlands School - 19 the headteacher is held by the whole school community and within the local education authority.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

37. The deputy headteacher and senior management team provide very good support for the headteacher in developing strong teamwork in the school and driving initiatives forward. For example, the deputy head has been instrumental in pioneering very high quality assessment practices in the school and has taken lead responsibility for the excellent professional development and induction arrangements for all staff, which have impacted particularly well on improvements to teaching. Another significant factor that has led to improvement in teaching is the thorough and systematic monitoring of the quality of teaching through regular lesson observations by the deputy head and headteacher, so that staff performance continually improves. Leadership of the Foundation Stage and Post-16 provision is very good. Subject leadership varies from excellent to satisfactory and is very good overall. New subject leaders have made a

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

38. School governance is good overall. Governors are effective in holding the school to account for its work, for example in reviewing key subject areas with subject leaders. New governors are beginning to fulfil their roles effectively and the governing body ensures that all statutory requirements are met. All governors are very supportive of staff and regularly visit the school and attend events such as school functions and performances. Governors are also fully involved in school improvement planning.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

39. The school is extremely well managed. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and senior managers are most effective in monitoring the school’s targets and improving the quality of teaching through regular monitoring of teaching, learning and pupils’ achievements. Performance management arrangements are excellent and apply fully to all staff. Performance management targets are precisely linked to key priorities for school improvement and are closely linked to the excellent continual professional development opportunities for all staff. Financial management is excellent. The school’s finance officer provides excellent support for managing the budget with very secure financial controls and very detailed budget statements for scrutiny by the finance committee of the governing body. The school is also very effective in achieving the best value in its spending decisions.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,375,330 Balance from previous year -182 Total expenditure 1,342,812 Balance carried forward to the next 32,336 Expenditure per pupil 14,595

p.19

WORK-RELATED LEARNING

Provision for work-related learning (WRL) is very good; statutory requirements are met.

p.19

WORK-RELATED LEARNING

• Provision for work experience impacts very positively on pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. • Students are very well prepared for work experience. • The leadership and management of WRL are very good. Woodlands School - 20 Commentary

p.19

WORK-RELATED LEARNING

40. There are very good opportunities for pupils in Years 10 and 11 and students in Years 12 to 14 to participate in WRL. Pupils and students learn very effectively about the world of work through direct contact with local employers, who provide very good support for them and demonstrate a good understanding of their needs. Consequently pupils and students thoroughly enjoy their work experience, and gain in confidence. For instance, a student on work experience in a local supermarket arranged items on shelves systematically and with very good support from a teaching assistant. He was very happy and worked hard in order to ensure accuracy with the task in hand.

p.20

WORK-RELATED LEARNING

41. The school is highly successful in ensuring that pupils and students become as independent as possible and socially acceptable so that they are able to gain work experience and pursue leisure skills. For example, pupils and students investigate both the manufacturing and retail industries. Pupils and students are very effectively prepared for work through mini-enterprise activities such as preparing to run a tuck shop. For example, in a very good lesson seen, pupils in Year 10 and 11 researched the Internet to compare the most cost-effective prices of produce in a range of high street supermarkets for selling in their tuck shop. Students also meet people from a variety of occupations within the local community, such as a café assistant, a local librarian and a garden centre assistant, in order to learn more about particular jobs and career choices. They also visit a variety of employers such as a hairdresser and a tyre

p.20

WORK-RELATED LEARNING

fitter in order to develop a greater understanding of a range of occupations. Students walked along Whitegate Drive, learning the differences between a variety of jobs such as office work, work in a newsagents and work in a public bar. They learn about health and safety in the workplace and examine work-related topics such as dress code, following instructions, and good time-keeping at work, all of which very effectively promote personal development. Through very effective links with the Connexions service students learn to make informed choices about careers opportunities. They are also provided with careers guidance, and they work on self-awareness and decision- making. Through excellent links with Myerscough College, students follow accredited practical courses in a range of work-related topics such as horticulture, animal husbandry, dog grooming and tractor driving. Many students take up work placements

p.20

WORK-RELATED LEARNING

in these areas on leaving school. Students with more complex needs have very good opportunities for supported work experience. Furthermore, students have excellent opportunities to gain accreditation at Blackpool and Fylde College in a number of work- related areas such as construction, painting and decorating, catering, hair and beauty, sport and leisure, car maintenance, plastering and bricklaying.

p.20

WORK-RELATED LEARNING

42. The co-ordinator leads and manages WRL very effectively and has ensured very good improvement in the curriculum since the previous inspection. For example, she is highly innovative in writing accredited units of work for the retail and horticulture modules of the vocational skills programme. She has also ensured that pupils in Years 10 and 11 follow a European awareness programme to increase their knowledge of the world of work and leisure. Monitoring of pupils’ progress and the use of assessment are more highly focused and there are very good cross-curricular links with a range of other subjects, such as PSHCE, literacy and numeracy. The co-ordinator has also ensured that very effective use is made of ICT to select appropriate businesses that could offer work experiences to pupils and students. Local businesses have also provided very positive feedback on the quality of the students’ involvement in work

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. The Foundation Stage curriculum is very good. It is broad and balanced with a very good emphasis placed on developing key skills in personal and social development, communication and physical needs. Areas of learning are thoughtfully linked together so that the best use is made of each activity to improve children’s learning.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. Teaching and learning are very good because individual needs are very well understood and addressed accurately and imaginatively. Routines are consistent and help children to anticipate events. Learning is very well reinforced through a wide range of activities and supported through very well selected, and often tailor-made, resources. Children very much enjoy practising their emerging skills in different contexts. Adults are very sensitive and patient and give children lots of time to respond to requests. Classroom assistants and nursery nurses are very confident and build excellent relationships with the children. Assessment is very good. Children’s progress is consistently charted against their early learning goals and well-chosen evidence of what children can do is kept to support these assessments.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Very good leadership and management have accurately identified strengths and weaknesses and taken very good action to ensure a stimulating curriculum. Staff and resources are very effectively deployed to support and extend each child’s individual needs. The school has successfully sustained its very good provision since the last inspection.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. The provision in most of the areas of learning is reported in full below. Physical development was sampled. Children perform a variety of floor movements in the classroom and play energetically outside on bikes, in toy cars and in empty boxes. There is a strong emphasis on the development of key physical skills such as head control and the development of hand and arm movement as children dance and move to music, and play with a range of apparatus such as balls and hoops.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• Teaching and learning are very good. • Children achieve very well and parents are extremely pleased with their progress.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. Children make very good progress towards achieving their early learning goals. They are becoming increasingly confident because they enjoy school activities, and as a result of the carefully taught daily routines, the world is becoming increasingly predictable for them. Every child is becoming more aware of themselves and others. The higher attaining children develop self-help skills, such as how to use a spoon. They learn to anticipate activities and perform tasks independently, for example, recognising their own photograph and that of others, completing a task initiated by an adult, or taking the register to the office unescorted. Parents say that their children have improved in confidence since joining the Foundation Stage.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good. Woodlands School - 22 Main strengths and weaknesses

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• The achievement of all children is very good. • Early communication and literacy skills are given a suitably strong emphasis. • Teachers and support staff have very good age-related subject expertise.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and, as a result, children’s achievement in their communication, language and literacy is also very good. Higher attaining children respond appropriately to short commands and instructions. They are beginning to trace over lines, recognise their written names and know how to turn the pages of a book. The achievement of children with PMLD is very good. They are beginning to respond to sensations and maintain very good eye contact when addressed. Those children who are on the autistic spectrum work increasingly purposefully with symbols to formulate simple sentences.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49. A key to the very good learning in the Foundation Stage is the understanding of the teacher and support staff of the stages of learning of very young children, and the very small steps that are needed in their development. They also have strong and specific expertise in teaching those who learn more slowly.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• Very good teaching and learning enable children to achieve very well.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. Children’s achievement in mathematics is very good as a result of very good teaching and learning. The highest attainers sequence numbers to six, and sort objects into colour groups. They understand cause and effect when using a touch screen on the computer. The lower attaining pupils take part in counting games with obvious pleasure.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51. A very good range of activities supports children’s learning, with a particular emphasis on numeracy. All the children enjoy a wide and stimulating repertoire of number songs, which are brought to life with some imaginative props. Staff ensure that all children see what has happened so that they relate the number vocabulary with actions. A number line effectively supports higher attaining children in recognising and counting numbers one to five. Children with PMLD show very good concentration during number songs, because staff make the learning fun and engage them in active learning.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• Very well conceived stimulating and structured activities extend children’s awareness of the world around them. • Teachers provide very good opportunities to promote children’s learning of ICT. Woodlands School - 23 Commentary

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52. Teaching and learning are very good and as result children’s achievement in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. Very well planned sensory activities, such as experiencing the story of the Little Red Hen, feeling the soils, planting the seed and looking at and tasting a variety of breads deepen children’s awareness of cause and effect. Staff work patiently with children to involve them as much as possible. Children, for example, were able to feel the ingredients of bread in the story of the Little Red Hen and taste exotic fruits in the story of Handa’s Surprise Fruit.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. Children learn to use ICT very effectively, using touch screens, bubble tubes and toys activated by switches. Higher attainers use a mouse to control and manipulate objects on the computer and the use of technology greatly enhances their ability to communicate more effectively.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

• Teaching and learning are very good and lead to very good achievement. • Teachers provide very good opportunities to extend children’s creativity.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54. Children with PMLD are given very good opportunities for sensory experiences and staff show great sensitivity to children’s responses. Children with PMLD laugh when being twirled in a wheelchair to music. Higher attaining children know how to select and strike percussion instruments purposefully. All the children enjoy songs and take part as best they can. They love making music and have the chance to experience a number of different instruments. Higher attaining children copy simple sound patterns played by an adult, and many children can differentiate between playing loudly or softly. Children with PMLD show excitement at the vibration made by some instruments.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. The very good range of resources in the class is used very effectively to enable the children to explore and experiment with various materials. They have daily opportunities to work with a range of media. They are given good opportunities to select materials and to make creative decisions for themselves. Children have very good opportunities to engage in imaginative play, through for example, dressing up, role playing in the house corner, making a bed for the bear and using toy bricks to build houses. Children also use paints and a variety of other media to create attractive pictures and collages.

p.23

ENGLISH AND MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

56. The provision in French was sampled. However, it is clear from the evidence provided that this subject is strength of the school. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 achieve very well because they enjoy French so much. In the one lesson observed in Year 9, pupils immersed themselves in listening and communicating in French with great enjoyment, and were eager to ‘get it right’. They knew the common greeting words, how to introduce themselves, and how to ask for food in a café, using whole sentences such as, ‘Je voudrais du café et du gateaux s’il vous plais!’ In Years 10 and 11 pupils study European Awareness as a modular course. During the inspection, pupils were learning Woodlands School - 24 about Spain through key greetings words and the flag and features of Spanish culture. The planned modules devised by the coordinator are recognised and accredited through the Accreditation and Qualifications Authority (AQA) at entry level. PMLD

p.23

ENGLISH AND MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

pupils gain certification at experiential level. Pupils with the potential for higher attainment in French are prepared for entry level GCSE.

p.24

English

• Achievement has risen since the last inspection and it is now very good. • In most lessons observed, the quality of teaching and learning is very good. • The needs of pupils with PMLD are met very well. • Some teachers have insufficient skills in using signs and this hinders the communication for some pupils.

p.24

English

57. Improvement in English since the last inspection is good. Analysis of pupils’ profiles and the school’s assessment data shows that standards are rising. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that achievement in reading and writing is very good across the school. The focus on pupils writing freely is resulting in very good progress in writing skills. There are many planned opportunities for higher attainers to use the computer to practise writing, both in text alone and with widget symbols. Pupils also make very good progress in speaking and listening and in communication skills, through very effective support from the speech and language therapist. This leads, for example, to highly effective short sessions with higher attainers in developing thinking and expressive skills in creating a story. Some of the pupils attending lessons in the resource centre in St John Vianney Primary School are making excellent progress in

p.24

English

acquiring English skills, particularly in developing speaking and listening alongside mainstream pupils. Pupils also have excellent opportunities to select and read a range of interesting books and stories. Staff also make very good use of ’big books’ to develop and consolidate their reading skills. The school has achieved all of the targets it set for itself two years ago and exceeded them in Years 9 and 11. This is partly due to teachers focusing on planning lessons so that activities are better matched to pupils’ attainment levels. This has been made possible by improved assessment and the very good recording of pupils’ progress against the targets set in their IEPs.

p.24

English

58. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. This is an improvement since the last inspection, especially in Years 2 and 6. In English lessons throughout the school, learning is fun, relationships are excellent, and spiritual and social development are fostered very well. Teachers and special needs support staff give pupils high quality care and support which promotes self worth and the excellent attitudes of the pupils, who work hard individually and cooperatively, responding well to challenge. In the primary department, teachers make sure that lessons have a very good balance of speaking and listening, reading and writing. This results in the very good achievement of higher attaining pupils in all three areas. In Year 3, for example, higher attaining pupils listened to stories on tape and followed the pictures in the book. With the class teacher they read simple texts using a special phonographical system to identify simple

p.24

English

words as sound pictures. Pupils with PMLD, at the very early stages of reading, have Woodlands School - 25 individual targets to improve, for example, their visual tracking skills. Teachers include many short, well-focussed learning activities within lessons and link them to big book texts, which enables pupils to focus well for brief periods. By Year 4, higher attaining pupils are able to draw a picture from the story and write a comment by themselves under it, which they then read back.

p.24

English

59. Teachers and staff use a wide range of communication styles and support very effectively. These include speech, PECS, symbols and text, signing, gesture, and a range of switches. For many pupils, spoken communication skills develop quickly in the primary department. However, this rate of progress slows in the secondary department because the development of spelling and writing skills for senior pupils, although well planned, is limited in range and purpose. It is taught in separate sessions and would benefit from planning into literature sessions. Speech and language therapists work very effectively with groups of pupils within literacy lessons. For autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) pupils in particular, PECS provides the structure they need and staff make sure that pupils in Years 1 and 2 enjoy well focused one-to-one communication activities, where they make choices between pictures and symbols in a ‘low

p.25

English

stimulation’ work bay. At times, the use of signing in lessons is spasmodic. This is because some staff have insufficient skills in signing and are not using it enough to help all the pupils with expressive language difficulties. This leads to some frustration among hearing impaired pupils. Teachers ensure switch devices are used very effectively and take great care to assess the most appropriate switch devices for individual pupils.

p.25

English

60. Teachers are beginning to use interactive whiteboards effectively, for example, to practise the sound-picture reading development programme adopted by the school. The clear visual focus this gives helps pupils to concentrate. In Years 7 to 11, pupils enjoy role playing and drama in literature and show from their actions that it helps to clarify their understanding. For example, in a lesson seen in Year 9, pupils gave squeals of excitement and called scary noises to accompany the role play of other pupils acting out part of a story of Count Dracula. Pupils use computerized symbols accompanied by text to complete comprehension work. Higher attaining pupils fill gaps in sentences and other pupils match pairs of symbols.

p.25

English

61. The leadership and management of English are very good. The subject is monitored very well and the co-ordinator has a clear view of development for the subject, with a very good awareness of strengths and weaknesses. The co-ordinator also takes effective action for improvement, such as the very good development of the use of ICT in lessons to promote learning and achievement in literacy.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

62. There are very good opportunities in a wide range of subjects such as RE, history, science, geography and French for pupils to use and extend their speaking and listening, reading and writing skills. In French, pupils listen attentively and speak in sentences, giving and receiving instructions. In RE, pupils in Year 6 draw a picture and ‘write’ underneath it. In the study of moderation in Buddhism, Year 11 students sort foods into categories, spelling and writing the names of the foods in columns.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

Provision in mathematics is very good. Woodlands School - 26 Main strengths and weaknesses

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

• The very good content and organisation of the curriculum ensure that all pupils achieve very well. • Teaching overall is very good and ensures pupils’ very good progress. • Teachers and assistants work very well as a team. • Leadership and management are excellent, and the subject leader has an excellent vision for continuing subject development. • Pupils’ mathematical skills and knowledge are practised very well in other subjects.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

63. On entry to school, pupils’ attainments in mathematics are very limited. By the end of Year 2, pupils are achieving very well. This very good progress is maintained throughout the school. Recent results for the targets set for the subject for pupils in Years 2, 6, 9 and 11 for 2004 confirm inspection judgements and show that all pupils achieved their targets. A major factor for the very good achievement of the pupils is the very effective use of assessment data and the adaption of the curriculum to meet individual needs, particularly those of pupils with PMLD or autism. Annual assessment data is used very well to ensure that all pupils are correctly placed into one of the three ability sets throughout the school.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

64. The second major factor is the delivery of the curriculum through very good teaching. The quality of teaching is overall very good, and never less than good throughout the school. Where lessons are very good they are very well planned to meet the individual needs of the pupils and all pupils are included in the lesson. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils, know their individual abilities very well and use this knowledge effectively in guiding pupils’ learning through the very good use of direct questioning and presenting tasks at a suitable level. The very good pace to the lesson allows for time at the end to consolidate and test new learning. Where lessons are less than very good, some pupils, particularly those with autism, are not fully engaged in the lesson and the bad behaviour of some pupils disrupts the learning of all. However, generally, pupils’ attitudes are very good. They enjoy their learning,

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

work well in small groups and are pleased with their achievements. A noted feature of most lessons observed was the way in which teachers and teaching assistants work very effectively as teams to manage pupils’ learning. Together they provide very good individual support, encouraging and challenging pupils in their learning. They also help pupils to improve their performance by clarifying their misunderstandings, and provide constant feedback on how well pupils are doing. As a result of this very good support, all pupils, particularly those having difficulties in grasping new knowledge, make very good gains in their learning. Provision for the subject shows very good improvement since the previous inspection, when pupils’ progress was judged to be satisfactory and teaching good overall.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

65. In Year 2, pupils are learning their primary colours through song and the use of tactile resources, as in their singing of “This is the way we pass the bag” where individual pupils take a coloured Lego brick out of the bag and match it to a larger Lego brick of the same colour. By Year 6, most pupils are consolidating their number recognition to six through, for example, a practical activity of making chocolate cakes with the pupils having to count the number of squares of chocolate and, later, the number of cakes made. During this session the pupil with PMLD was working very well with an assistant on the recognition of colours. In Year 9, pupils are given a very good introduction to the use of data handling through building up bar charts based on a survey of holiday preferences. By Year 11, most pupils are able to recognise coins and to total them to a given value. They are able to identify and match common shapes, with

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

the higher attaining pupils recognising and ordering numbers to 100 and telling the time in five- minute intervals.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

66. The subject leader provides excellent leadership and is continually seeking to further improve the development of the subject and to better meet the wide range of individual learning needs of the pupils. ‘Units of Work’ have been written. These include appropriate aspects of the Woodlands School - 27 National Numeracy Strategy and are very effective in meeting the learning needs of all pupils, such as using multi-sensory experiences to teach pupils with PMLD. Accreditation modules have also been written to provide very appropriate accreditation opportunities. Very detailed assessment using ‘Performance Indicators for Value Added Target Setting’ is being very effectively used to track pupils’ individual progress and to set annual targets. Pupils have been provided with specific sessions to work on the targets in their IEPs. However, these are related mainly to tasks associated with number work and there is not enough emphasis on other

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

aspects of mathematics. ICT is used well to support teaching and learning and teachers are using the interactive whiteboards well, particularly in their introduction and consolidation of lessons.

p.27

Mathematics across the curriculum

67. The use of mathematics within other subjects is very well promoted. Teachers ensure that the required mathematical skills are considered when planning lessons for other subjects. This provides very good opportunities for the teaching of using and applying mathematics and has helped to raise pupils’ standards in this area. Observed examples of mathematics used in other subjects included weighing and measuring ingredients in food technology, reinforcement of number through counting in physical education, and good reinforcement of numeracy in science through counting tally charts.

p.27

SCIENCE

• Pupils’ achievement is very good overall, and particularly good in Years 7 to 11, as a result of very good teaching. • The higher attaining pupils benefit greatly from sharing lessons with mainstream peers. • Leadership and management are very good.

p.27

SCIENCE

68. Overall, pupils’ achievement is very good and is at a higher level in Years 7 to 11 than in Years 1 to 6. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ achievement is good. Their achievement remains good until the end of Year 6. Some higher attaining Year 6 pupils are beginning to predict what might happen and use this to focus their investigations, for example, the choice of a sieve for separating mixtures. Pupils who learn alongside mainstream peers achieve exceptionally well. They carry out investigations alongside mainstream pupils, observing accurately and following scientific lines of enquiry to enhance their knowledge and skills. For example, one pupil asked why seeds were growing without soil. Pupils write up their investigations scientifically, showing their predictions, the methods they have used and the results. Higher attainers draw accurate conclusions. By Year 9, pupils’ achievement is very good. They use tally charts to record

p.27

SCIENCE

groups of materials that they found in their classroom. By Year 11, the higher attaining pupils have had a wide range of experiences, and last year 80 percent achieved much more than the school had predicted.

p.27

SCIENCE

69. Teaching and learning are very good. In occasional lessons they are excellent because excellent use is made of resources for science investigations and the excellent teamwork between support staff the teacher moves pupils’ learning forward rapidly. For example, pupils are encouraged to predict and investigate methodically using fair testing. The sensory curriculum is well thought out and teachers use this very well to plan activities in lessons that enable PMLD pupils to take a full part. In the best lessons, teachers skilfully use strategies that allow every pupil to be involved at an appropriate level. Pupils are encouraged to ask Woodlands School - 28 questions and make predictions. Good scientific skills are taught. Pupils are encouraged to make predictions and use these to investigate. Older pupils are taught how to gather and collate evidence. Lesson plans are detailed to show how individual needs will be met. Pupils

p.27

SCIENCE

enjoy lesson activities because they are relevant and practical and they use a very good range of resources. Classroom assistants work very effectively with pupils, taking considerable responsibility for enabling their learning. Where teaching was weaker, some pupils were insufficiently challenged because they were not fully engaged in all activities, and the teacher’s planning was insufficiently focused .

p.28

SCIENCE

70. Assessment is very good. Systematic assessments ensure that pupils’ progress is regularly charted and measured.

p.28

SCIENCE

71. Leadership and management are both very good. There is a very good understanding of how to teach science to SLD/PMLD pupils. Systems for monitoring are very good, but there are insufficient opportunities for the co-ordinator to observe teaching and learning in the primary department to ensure consistently very good provision. There are excellent links with mainstream schools that support pupils’ learning very effectively by providing opportunities for pupils to extend their learning by working on activities with their mainstream peers. There have been very good improvements since the last inspection. There is now a greater emphasis on investigations and there is better involvement of PMLD pupils in lessons. The areas of high quality have been very well maintained.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

• Pupils enjoy their learning and are achieving very well over time throughout the school. • Very good use is made of ICT to help pupils with more profound and complex learning difficulties. • Management and leadership are very good. • The use of ICT across the curriculum has improved and is now very good.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

72. Although only two lessons of ICT could be observed during the period of the inspection, due to timetabling, a scrutiny of pupils’ work and assessment data, along with displays of work, show that pupils are making very good progress and are achieving very well over time throughout the school. Additionally, 2004 results in Year 9 showed that all pupils achieved the targets set for them. Hardware resources such as computers and interactive whiteboards (IWBs) have improved very well since the previous inspection. Pupils in Years 7 to 11 now have individual access to computers to practise their skills and teachers are using IWBs to very good effect in supporting their teaching and helping the pupils with their learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

73. A major contributing factor to the success of the curriculum in meeting the learning needs of all pupils is the range of teaching styles and methods employed. These have the type and severity of pupils’ special needs as a focus. For example, pupils with more complex needs are assessed for appropriate use of switches to control computer programs and electrical devices. This provides them with access to learning and some independence, and the use of such peripheral devices is an integral feature of teaching these pupils. Pupils who are more independent learners are challenged very well and, as they progress through the school, they increasingly use computers purposefully and become more competent in their use of generic applications such as word processors and in the use of the Internet to search for information. Pupils are highly motivated, as they thoroughly enjoy their ICT activities. For example, pupils

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Woodlands School - 29 with PMLD move and turn towards brightly coloured bubble tubes as they concentrate and focus very well on the change of colours.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

74. The subject leader is very experienced and very effective, working successfully to raise the profile of the subject. The importance the school places on the subject is reflected in the recent appointment of an ICT technician to support further development. Plans of what is to be taught are evolving, and an adapted Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) scheme is now being used for Years 7 to 11. Further, plans are in hand to shadow pupils in Year 1 to Year 6 to check on the continuity and progression of their learning in the subject. Assessment, based upon the performance (P) levels, is very good and is used to set annual targets. Overall there has been a very good improvement in the provision for the subject since the previous inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

75. The subject leader has placed emphasis on ensuring that ICT is used in all subjects to support the pupils’ learning. This has been successfully achieved, mainly through recognising opportunities to plan for the use of ICT within other subjects. In this, teachers receive very good informal support and guidance from the subject leader and the ICT technician. A very good example of this is the use by Year 4 pupils of still and video cameras in their production of ‘Wonderful Wally’, based upon a bullying theme, which is the school’s entry into the local ‘Video Project 2005’. Other subject-specific uses of ICT were observed, such as in literacy where pupils word processed their names, in mathematical work on data handling, and the use of the Internet for research and for copying and inserting images.

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HUMANITIES

RE was inspected in full and is reported in detail below. History and geography were sampled.

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HUMANITIES

76. Geography and history are well planned and the requirements of the National Curriculum are being well met . The school’s assessment data shows that standards have risen in recent years. Pupils with PMLD have well-planned sensory experiences which enhance their learning and at the same time provide opportunities for practising skills.

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HUMANITIES

77. There is great emphasis on role play and drama in order to enhance understanding. For example, pupils in Years 3 to 6 take turns to be the maid of a Victorian household. They learn some of the action songs from the period and mime some of the actions of her work such as ironing with a flat iron and mangling clothes. In developing a sense of chronology, they compare modern irons with Victorian times and notice some relevant differences.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education (RE) is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well because work is planned to match their needs and literacy skills. • Pupils develop very good understanding because of the methods teachers use. • RE promotes personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. Woodlands School - 30 • Resources and the use of ICT are areas for development

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Main strengths and weaknesses

78. Very good achievement in RE has been maintained since the last inspection. A good improvement includes the use of data on individual pupils’ attainment to inform lesson planning. As a result learning tasks and resources are closely matched to individual needs, particularly in the development of literacy and communication skills. Tracking data shows that there is a shift upwards in the attainment of pupils since this planning has been in place. The curriculum is planned so that pupils visit and revisit topics on several world religions and spiritual, moral, social understandings are promoted very well. It meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

79. Teaching and learning are very good overall. In lessons seen, teaching and learning were often very good but always at least good because of very good planning. Teachers use a wide range of methods such as role play and dressing up, sensory experiences and a good range of resources and artefacts very well so that pupils develop as full an understanding of the subject as possible. Examples of these were seen where pupils dressed up as Jesus and Thomas and handed out the bread for the parable of the five loaves and two fishes, using a false bottom in the basket so that more and more fishes could appear. This led one pupil to suggest a solution to insufficient bread of sharing it with others. Teachers promote spirituality further by creating atmospheric moments through the lighting of a candle, putting hands together and closing eyes.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

80. Leadership of the subject is very good. The co-ordinator has identified very well chosen priorities for development which include further improvements to the curriculum and the development of resources, particularly ICT. Woodlands School - 31

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were sampled.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. In art and design, a very good lesson was seen in Year 4. Pupils clearly enjoyed making patterns by blowing paint through a straw. The introduction to this was very good with pupils using streamers outside the classroom and then copying the traces they saw in their painting. This was a very good practical introduction that helped pupils in their production of patterns. The lesson was very well planned and managed, and supported very well by pupils from a local high school. This led several of the Woodlands pupils to respond in a very positive manner, both academically and socially, to the peer group models provided by the mainstream pupils. Pupils follow an appropriate curriculum. Leadership and management are very good. The subject leader has a very good vision for further improvement of the provision. ‘Units of Work’ have been written which are appropriate to the learning needs of pupils in Year 7 to

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Year 11, particularly those pupils with PMLD. The present plans of what is to be taught to pupils in Year 1 to Year 6 are going to be rewritten to provide more appropriate learning opportunities for pupils who are operating below National Curriculum levels.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82. In design and technology, a very good lesson was observed in Year 2. Pupils experienced the tactile feel of different fruit, and put fruit into sets so they could later make models of the fruit from dough and ‘sell’ them in the class shop. Teachers’ planning was based upon very appropriate assessment procedures and activities matched the particular learning needs of the pupils. The lesson also had pace and frequent changes of task that kept attention and motivated the pupils. The curriculum is well planned for all year groups and effective links are made with other subjects, for example combining work with mathematics so that pupils are provided with a very practical method of learning basic skills in both subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. In music, a music club session was observed. This was led by the subject leader and the teaching was excellent. The teacher’s enthusiasm, subject expertise and experience clearly motivated the pupils very well, as did the excellent relationship between the teacher and pupils. That the pupils enjoyed the session was shown by their reluctance to finish, asking for ‘just one more song’ and with several pupils, of varying abilities, volunteering to sing solo parts. A lesson was also seen for pupils in Year 4. Here, the teacher had a very good relationship with pupils, encouraging their efforts well. The pupils danced and clapped with great enthusiasm, showing an emerging understanding of timing and rhythm. The lesson had good pace and was very well led by the teacher. The curriculum is excellent and music is given a very high profile within the performing arts curriculum. Management and leadership of the

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

subject are exceptional and this is a major reason why the subject has such a high profile in the school. All staff and pupils work together under the direction of the coordinator to produce a magnificent termly performance, which is attended by parents, governors and pupils and staff from local schools. Everyone looks forward to this occasion, as pupils clearly excel in performing in front of this audience, showing high levels of confidence and enthusiasm as they do so. Such events have a highly positive impact on pupils’ self-esteem and communication skills.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. In physical education, pupils in Years 1 to 6 enjoy their activities. There is much laughter and anticipation of familiar but challenging activities in lessons. In Years 7 to 11, higher attaining pupils are beginning to understand how their bodies work and how to keep healthy. Pupils with PMLD are fully included in all activities and enjoy them enormously. Pupils’ social development is very well addressed through physical Woodlands School - 32 activities. There is an excellent emphasis on health-related fitness through a wide- ranging and innovative curriculum. An after-school club and visiting coaches, for example, for cricket, further promote pupils’ involvement and achievement. Pupils are assessed in detail. Individual evaluations completed each term show clear progress. Leadership and management are very good. As a result of carefully monitoring, an imaginative curriculum continues to be developed. There are productive curriculum

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

links with other schools. Improvement since the last inspection is very good and the issues identified at that time have been addressed.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

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

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

• Very good teaching and learning result in pupils’ very good achievement. • Excellent inclusion opportunities greatly enrich pupils‘ learning. • The new co-ordinator is beginning to manage the subject effectively.

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Commentary

85. PSHCE is not only taught as a discrete subject but also permeates throughout in significant aspects of the school’s work. Throughout the school, teaching and learning are very good. A particular strength is the teachers’ use of very good assessment information to set realistic and challenging targets, which are then incorporated into planning. This ensures that all pupils build up their skills systematically over time. By Year 2, pupils learn to take turns as part of the classroom community. By Year 6, pupils learn how to make personal choices by learning how to look after themselves and others, for example by singing ‘Happy Birthday’, sharing and passing biscuits and using appropriate sign language to greet one another. By Year 9, pupils learn to work independently and help others by, for example, tidying things away and learning to care for the environment by recycling cans. Pupils also get dressed quickly and

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Commentary

carefully after swimming. By Year 11, pupils develop greater confidence to perform in both work-related and leisure activities. They become more involved in fund-raising, for example through mini-enterprise activities, and more confident in performing in front of an audience in musical performances. Teachers and support staff provide excellent role models to pupils so that they learn to respect others and develop deep trust and a sense of security in school. Excellent teamwork between teachers, support assistants and therapists ensure that all pupils are always fully included in activities. Teachers also provide very good opportunities for group work so that pupils learn to take turns, share and show consideration and empathy for others.

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Commentary

86. The excellent links with local primary and secondary schools and colleges greatly enhance pupils’ learning. For example, pupils rapidly develop greater confidence in mixing socially with mainstream pupils at primary age in St John Vianney and St Kentigern’s. Senior pupils from St Mary’s Secondary School also visit Woodlands pupils and work with them on a variety of mutually rewarding tasks such as the preparation for the termly performing arts event. The Healthy Schools initiative is helping pupils to deepen their awareness of about healthy foods and lifestyles very effectively. Strong inclusive links with colleges enable pupils to develop greater confidence in relating more appropriately to mainstream students and the wider community. A wide range of educational visits, such as shopping trips and having breakfast together in supermarkets, also enable pupils to apply their skills to everyday Woodlands School - 33

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Commentary

life. The very good opportunities for pupils’ involvement in fund-raising develop their greater awareness of the needs of others and promote citizenship very effectively. Through the school council, pupils also learn very effectively about democracy and decision-making. Older pupils practise their citizenship skills in helping younger pupils.

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Commentary

87. The new co-ordinator is making a good start in leading and managing the subject and has ensured that high quality provision for PSHCE has been maintained since the last inspection. The co-ordinator has rightly concentrated on ensuring that all pupils have individual targets for PSHCE and is actively developing the Healthy Schools initiative. However, she has yet to monitor teaching and learning, particularly within Years 7 to 11. Woodlands School - 34

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POST-16 PROVISION

88. Personal development, English, mathematics and ICT were inspected in full and are reported in detail below. Leisure and health education were sampled. In leisure, students participate in a range of leisure pursuits, such as swimming, (in which they achieve particularly well), completing jig-saw puzzles, going out on trips, listening to music and watching television or videos. In a lesson observed at the local swimming pool, students demonstrated extremely good skills of swimming, jumping into water, treading water and ducking under water. Higher attaining students used a variety of strokes to swim a full width of the pool. All students participate in the same swimming award scheme as their mainstream peers and demonstrate excellent achievement over time in gaining a range of swimming awards. Students complete a leisure diary which helps them to identify leisure time in school with activities they engage in at various

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POST-16 PROVISION

times during the day. In health education, students follow a range of topics including personal growth and development and personal care. They observe tadpoles and identify various life cycles, such as for a frog and a hen. They look at human growth and developments and notice how their bodies change as they get older. They explore relationships and increase their understanding of who they can show physical affection to, such as close family, and who they should not. They learn how to care for their skin through massage and how to shave independently. Teachers make very good use of ICT, using digital photographs, for example, to enhance students’ learning and motivation.

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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GENERAL PROGRAMMES

Provision in personal development is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Students achieve very well because of the very good teaching. • Excellent relationships based on mutual respect increase students’ confidence and willingness to take risks in their learning. • Staff very effectively promote students’ independence skills, preparing them very well for life after school.

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Commentary

89. All students, including those with PMLD, achieve very well in personal development, in their accredited courses and towards the individual targets in their IEPs. The main features of very good teaching are the high expectations staff set for students’ learning, their very good subject knowledge, and very effective planning. Students work hard within a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and increase their confidence and independence as learners. They display high levels of maturity and take great pride in their achievements.

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Commentary

90. Relationships in the department are excellent. Staff have utmost respect for all students, always affording them dignity, taking their views seriously and valuing their opinions. As a result, students fell very secure and are able to share their aspirations and concerns without fear or ridicule. This leads to them making great gains in understanding themselves, their own needs, and the needs of others. Woodlands School - 35 91. The curriculum is very good and prepares students thoroughly for life after school. Staff consistently explore ways in which students can become more independent by developing practical skills that will help them when they leave school. For example, at lunchtimes, students help to prepare the tables, serving drinks and meals and then clearing away cutlery and plates when lunch has ended. They use laptop CD players, the video and television, and other leisure equipment independently. They will speak

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Commentary

up in public settings like assemblies and take a highly effective and active role in the school council. In work-related learning, students monitor and review their own strengths and areas for development, and develop targets and strategies to address these.

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Commentary

92. The post-16 department is very well led and managed. The head of department has brought about very good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in overseeing changes to the accommodation, developing assessment systems and widening the range of accredited courses on offer. The head of department is highly effective in raising students’ achievements and ensuring consistently very good teaching as a result of more focused monitoring.

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ENGLISH AND COMMUNICATION

Provision in English and communication is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan very well, making very good use of communication aids to help students achieve very well in English. • Students have very good opportunities to gain accreditation. • Leadership and management are very good

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Commentary

93. Teachers’ very good planning and use of communication aids such as PECS, signs and symbols, and the interactive whiteboard enable students to achieve very well. Students with PMLD respond very well to clear signing, prompts and cues by teachers and support staff. Most students are able to write familiar words such as their own names and addresses. Many higher attaining students write business letters, letters to friends, and their own stories in a range of writing styles, such as ‘persuasive’. During lessons, students with severe communication difficulties increase their skills of communicating as they make very good use of communication aids such as PECS. Staff constantly promote very good speaking and listening skills, through question and answer sessions in lessons and by creating many opportunities for group and whole class discussions. Students listen carefully and show great respect for each other’s

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Commentary

contributions. Assessment is very good and includes a range of ways in which students can self-evaluate.

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Commentary

94. Students are very successful in achieving accreditation in key aspects of literacy and communication as a result of the very good opportunities provided for them within the department. For example, they gain accreditation for attending and responding in a group, for holding a conversation and for word processing on the computer. They identify and develop their own portfolios of evidence to support their achievement, such as tape recordings of conversations they have held, with the help of staff. Very good leadership and management has resulted in very good improvements since the last Woodlands School - 36 inspection, particularly in the use of ICT to support teaching and learning, and a much wider range of accreditation available to students.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Students achieve very well in mathematics because teachers have high expectations for their learning. • Students enhance their independence and life skills in using and applying mathematics in everyday situations. Woodlands School - 37 Commentary

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Main strengths and weaknesses

95. Teaching is consistently very good with excellent teamwork between teachers and support staff. Students are achieving very well in mathematics as a result of high expectations for their learning and enhanced opportunities to gain accreditation. For example, they recognise and learn how to use money, show well-developed skills of measuring, learn to tell the time and become increasingly confident in handling data.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

96. Students achieve very well in the use of mathematics in everyday situations. For example, they use the Internet to search for the most cost-effective products to buy and sell in their mini-enterprise and they use money and handle change very sensibly in purchasing snacks in the local supermarket cafes. They also apply these skills when using public transport and to recognise function keys on personal CDs, and settings on the controls of various kitchen appliances such as a microwave oven. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in the use of ICT, and a much wider range of accreditation available to students, as a result of very good leadership and management.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Students’ achievements are very good because teachers make very good use of ICT resources to promote very good learning. • Very good opportunities for accreditation enhance students’ achievements.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

97. Teaching and learning are very good and this leads to very good achievement. Teachers and support staff use every opportunity to use the much improved ICT facilities in promoting teaching and learning. Interactive whiteboards are constantly in use in lessons. This promotes high levels of student motivation in learning and students develop and consolidate very good ICT skills in using pcs, laptop computers, and a range of peripheral devices such as digital cameras and printers. Many use search engines such as Google with proper safeguards in place and higher attaining students demonstrate high levels of competence in word processing, using paint programs, researching the Internet and sending e-mail. Lower attaining students with PMLD use a variety of switches and technological devices as aids to communication.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

98. Students make very good use of ICT, such as digital photographs as part of the evidence base for assessment of their accredited courses. In addition they are very successful in gaining accreditation in a number of ICT course, such as making a graphic record, using a television, running a music or graphics programme, and using multi-media programmes. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection in ICT resources and their use to support teaching and learning. with a broader range of accreditation available to students, as a result of very good leadership and management. Woodlands School - 38

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the sixth form and the school 2 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Cost effectiveness of the sixth form / value for money provided by the school 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 1 Attendance 2 Attitudes 1 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 1 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 1 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 1 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 1 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). In a special school such as this, standards achieved are judged against individual targets and not national standards.

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