Cloughside College

105376 Unique Reference Number Bury LEA 277346 Inspection number 27 March 2006 to 27 March 2006 Inspection dates Mr Jeffery Plumb CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Bury New Road School address Special Type of school Prestwich Community special School category Manchester, Lancashire M25 3BL 12 to 18 Age range of pupils

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0161 772 4625 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0161 772 3478 Fax number 27 Number on roll Mrs Sally Claydon Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Norman Cooke Headteacher 29 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277346 27 March 2006 - 12 to 18 27 March 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one additional inspector.

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Description of the school

Cloughside School makes unique provision for students with complex mental health difficulties. There are two separate units. The Gardner Unit is a ten bed secure male adolescent forensic psychiatric unit. The McGuinness Unit is a twenty bed mixed adolescent psychiatric open unit which is a more local provision. Both units have separate school provision integral to them and share the same teaching staff. However, provision within the Children Act and Child Protection matters preclude the students in the two units from mixing. The two units on one hospital site have recently come together under The Young Persons' Mental Health Directorate of Bolton, Salford and Trafford NHS Mental Health Trusts. The admission and re-integration of students back to mainstream or on to adult mental health provision is determined by a multi-disciplinary team (of which the school is a part), led by a consultant psychiatrist.

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Description of the school

All students are identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities because of their current mental health difficulties; few have statements for special educational need; all are deemed to be at School Action Plus because they are at the school. Attainment on entry varies: from students recognised as gifted and talented through to those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. At the time of the inspection all of the students in the secure unit were post-16 students. A significant proportion of the students come from minority ethnic backgrounds, but none are at an early stage of learning English. The socio- economic backgrounds of the students are very varied. A proportion of students, particularly in the secure unit have experienced deprived circumstances in their lives; a significant number having been in custody. At the time of the inspection there was a proposed plan for a new build for the open unit but some

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Description of the school

uncertainty about who will take responsibility for its funding.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Cloughside School, 27 March 2006 to 27 March 2006

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school, a judgement which concurs with the school's evaluation of itself. Collaborative working between teachers and health professionals enable the majority of students with very complex mental health difficulties to get better, begin to believe in themselves and succeed academically. Achievement is outstanding and the school provides outstanding value for money. Given their mental health difficulties students, enjoy school and behave well, as evidenced by their good attendance at lessons. The school is particularly successful in promoting healthy lifestyles (with an emphasis on emotional health), safe practices and positive self-esteem. Teaching and learning are outstanding. Students' learning and mental health needs are carefully identified and assessment is used to inform an individual learning plan for each student. The tracking of students' progress against targets set is excellent, and the progress

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Grade: 1

of each student is kept under constant review so that they begin to reach the standards they are capable of. The excellent curriculum is flexible and contributes to students' engagement with and enjoyment of learning; accreditation opportunities are matched to the needs of each student. The quality of care, support and guidance is exemplary. The headteacher and senior leadership team provide outstanding leadership and management. The current staff has the capacity to take the school from strength to strength.

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Grade: 1

The majority of the post-16 students are in the secure unit. These students have largely had huge gaps in their education prior to being admitted to the unit, many have been in custody, and they have very complex mental health difficulties. There are a few post-16 students in the open unit. The provision for post-16 students is outstanding. The flexible curriculum and accreditation opportunities are excellent. As a result of the high quality provision, many begin to believe in themselves and turn their lives around; regretfully a few, because of the seriousness of their mental health, regress. Those who get better and have the academic ability return to school or go on to college and achieve A-level success. Those who are very ill remain at school beyond 18, then go on to adult mental health provision because they remain a danger to themselves and others.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Continue to implement the school improvement plan to ensure rigorous monitoring and evaluation so that the high standards of teaching and learning, and outstanding care and achievement found at the time of the inspection are sustained. 2 Inspection Report: Cloughside School, 27 March 2006 to 27 March 2006

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Grade: 1

Achievement is as much to do with getting better as it is to do with improving academic performance. Students' complex mental health needs and medication adversely affect their achievement; it often varies from day-to-day. The ability range of students on entry to the school is very wide, and their severe mental health needs correctly take precedence over their educational needs. Some students in the secure unit have been out of school for long periods. Achievement is outstanding because, as students get better, they engage with learning: for some post-16 students this is a breakthrough, a stepping stone on the ladder of lifelong learning. As individual students begin to feel better, they gain in confidence and take off with their learning. After treatment and with educational support, students make very good progress in English, mathematics and science; this is evidenced by the school's detailed system for tracking

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Grade: 1

progress. Post-16 students who arrive with no qualifications are proud of their achievements in adult literacy and numeracy. Individual students achieve outstanding general certificate of secondary education (GCSE) grades when they have returned to their mainstream schools after successful treatment and re-integration. A few students in 2005 achieved very creditable GCSE results: five A*, three B and one C grades between them. An imaginative and flexible approach to a nationally accredited course allows all students to experience success: some detained students with poor previous education experience excel in music composition, writing lyrics, and poetry. This enables them to express themselves openly and contributes significantly to their emotional well-being.

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Grade: 1

The personal development and well-being of students is outstanding. Students enjoy school; this is reflected in their good attendance in lessons. As they get better they have positive attitudes to learning. They say, 'Lessons give a structure to our lives'. Learning builds their self-confidence. Students say, 'We love our lessons because our teachers have faith in us; we may go into a lesson feeling down but feel good when we come out'. Given their mental health difficulties students behave well. They say 'There is no bullying in school'. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Students' views are heard and acted upon through a vibrant young people's council. Through this council students have brought about improvements on both the ward and in the school. They respond well to the opportunities to care for each other. Students are enabled to believe in themselves again, no matter what they have done in the past. The school successfully

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Grade: 1

raises their awareness of cultural diversity and a multi-faith room is set aside for prayer and quiet reflection. The multi-professional approach to support improvement in students' adopting a healthy lifestyle and safe practices is successful. There is a strong emphasis on promoting students' emotional well-being. Programmes to support healthy eating and 3 Inspection Report: Cloughside School, 27 March 2006 to 27 March 2006 physical exercise are tailored to the mental health needs of the individual. Boys who 'put on weight' because of their medication are steered towards aerobic exercise; students with eating disorders have tailored programmes to support them with their difficulty.

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Grade: 1

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Teachers know the mental health and academic needs of each student and plan effectively to meet them. Planning is reviewed regularly to accommodate changes in the state of the mental health of the students. Flexibility in teaching and the skill of starting afresh, sometimes over and over again in a single lesson when a student is having a particularly bad day, make teaching and learning successful. The excellent relationship between students and teachers builds up the students' confidence and improves their learning. Teachers' subject knowledge is good; expectations in lessons are high. Lessons move along at a punchy pace. Teachers give clear instructions when they move students on to a new and interesting activity. A multi-professional approach results in a good balance between important therapy and stretching students academically. Art and music therapists enable students to express their feelings through powerful poems,

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Grade: 1

art work, and lyrics for songs. These therapies contribute effectively to their emotional well-being. Because learning is made to be interesting and fun, students are fully engaged. For example, in a personal, social and health education (PSHE) lesson in the secure unit students collaborated well during a game, which extended their thinking about relationships. The weaknesses in the teaching of modern foreign languages and English as an additional language identified at the time of the last inspection have been overcome. Frequent and regular assessment involving the students when they are well enough informs planning to raise achievement. New health, behaviour and academic targets are often set on a weekly basis and consultant psychiatrists and teachers are jointly involved in this process. In partnership they work successfully on improving the mental health and academic achievement of each student.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding. Flexible planning enables the needs of gifted and talented students and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, all of whom have complex mental health difficulties, to be met. The magical ingredient is the individual learning programme; tailored to the needs of each student. This enables all to realise their full potential. Flexible timetables allow students to start afresh each week, particularly important when a student has slipped backwards in a particular week because of the severity of their mental health difficulty. The curriculum strikes a good balance between therapy and academic provision. Effective communication with 4 Inspection Report: Cloughside School, 27 March 2006 to 27 March 2006 mainstream schools ensures continuity for some students and facilitates successful re-integration and examination success for them when they are better. For others with

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Grade: 1

huge gaps in their education, the innovative curriculum often engages them with learning, sometimes for the first time in their lives. Significant improvements in the accommodation and resources since the last inspection in the open unit mean that the identified deficiencies in the provision for music, science and design and technology have been overcome. Links with local schools have enhanced the drama and science provision. The provision for PSHE is a strong feature: provision for sex education and drugs education is outstanding. Planned programmes promote an awareness of what it means to be a responsible citizen.

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Grade: 1

The quality of care, guidance and support that students receive is outstanding. Robust child protection and health and safety procedures are in place and are known by staff. Students say that they feel safe. They are confident about approaching a member of staff with any problems they may have. The system for tracking students' health and educational progress is outstanding. Difficulties students encounter are spotted quickly and they are given good guidance and support to overcome them. Excellent teamwork between teaching and health care staff ensures that students' induction into the school and re-integration back into mainstream are effective. Teachers, doctors, nurses and therapists work well together to enable students to access an outstanding quality of education. After leaving school a student wrote, 'You've all helped me in my recovery and helped me develop and change. You are very special teachers'. A parent wrote of

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Grade: 1

her child, 'She is very proud of her achievements whilst with you'.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher's vision for the highest possible achievement for all students with severe mental health difficulties is shared by all staff. Effective teamwork provides a culture where very poorly students have the opportunity to succeed; there is an excellent balance between focusing on improving their mental health and raising their academic achievement. Teachers work in partnership with nurses in supporting students to get better and re-integrating them back into mainstream school or equipping them to embrace lifelong learning in a new setting. The systems for keeping check on performance are very good. The school improvement plan is an effective tool for managing improvement and all teachers contribute to the plan. Governance is good. The chair of governors visits the school regularly and the governing body have a good knowledge and understanding of what goes on in the

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Grade: 1

school. They are very supportive but not afraid to ask the headteacher tough questions when necessary. They ensure that quality dialogue takes place between the Health 5 Inspection Report: Cloughside School, 27 March 2006 to 27 March 2006 Trust and the Children's Services Directorate over the funding required for school provision in the planned new build for the open unit. 6 Inspection Report: Cloughside School, 27 March 2006 to 27 March 2006 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: Cloughside School, 27 March 2006 to 27 March 2006

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Inspection judgements

16-19 School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Inspection judgements

1 1 How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? 1 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA The quality and standards in foundation stage 1 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation Yes Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Inspection judgements

Achievement and standards 1 1 How well do learners achieve? 4 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Inspection judgements

1 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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Inspection judgements

Personal development and well-being 1 1 How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the learners? 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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Inspection judgements

The quality of provision 1 1 How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of the learners' needs? 1 1 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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Inspection judgements

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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Annex A

Leadership and management 1 1 How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners? How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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Annex A

The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them The extent to which learners make a positive contribution Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the

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Annex A

wider community The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams Yes Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form Yes Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming me as a visitor to your school. I enjoyed the day I spent with you. It was good to talk with you and to find out how you are getting on. I was pleased to find that so many of you are getting better and beginning to enjoy life again and succeed with your studies. What I most like about your school - The quality of care and support you receive from your teachers and nurses. - The outstanding teaching and learning. - The way in which you care for each other and make decisions to improve the quality of life for others. - The rich curriculum you experience and the wide range of accreditation opportunities available to you to enable your success to be celebrated. - The manner in which the school so carefully tracks your progress and uses the information gained from this tracking to provide a high quality of education for you. - The outstanding leadership and management provided by your headteacher and his effective

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

team of teachers. - The commitment the school makes to ensuring that you are safe and the way in which it works so hard to improve your emotional health. What I have asked your school to do now - To continue to implement its plan so that the outstanding provision it makes for you at present is sustained. I hope that you continue to get even better and begin to thoroughly enjoy your interests.

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