John Jamieson School

108119 Unique Reference Number Leeds LEA 277907 Inspection number 15 February 2006 to 16 February 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Rosemary Eaton CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Hollin Hill Drive School address Special Type of school Leeds Community special School category West Yorkshire LS8 2PW 2 to 19 Age range of pupils 0113 2930236 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0113 2930237 Fax number 103 Number on roll Mr Roger Cannon Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Diane Reynard Headteacher 31 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277907 15 February 2006 - 2 to 19 16 February 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Until January 2005, John Jamieson was a school for pupils with physical disabilities. It was then re-designated as the East Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre (SILC). This is resulting in a change of its population, as pupils are admitted with a wider range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities. All Foundation Stage children are educated in one of two Early Years Centres (EYCs), which are working in partnership with the school. In addition to the main school, the SILC also includes Leeds' Physical Difficulty and Medical Service (PDMS) and, on three sites, the Hospital Teaching Service (HTS). It also provides general outreach support to pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in mainstream schools. From September 2006, the school will be a specialist college in the area of technology. Around one in four pupils on roll are from a minority ethnic group and about half of these are in the early stages of learning English as an

p.3

Description of the school

additional language. Very small numbers are refugees or asylum seekers, travellers, or are looked after children.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: John Jamieson School, 15 February 2006 to 16 February 2006

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a good school with outstanding features, providing good value for money. The school's judgements about its overall effectiveness and most aspects of its performance are accurate, although its view of leadership and management is too modest. Although standards are exceptionally low, compared to mainstream schools, pupils achieve well considering their starting points. The school provides exceptionally well for children in the Foundation Stage and their achievement is outstanding. Working and playing alongside children without learning difficulties and/or disabilities promotes their learning and development extremely effectively. Teaching and the curriculum are both good, with significant changes taking place in response to the increasingly varied and complex nature of the school population's learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Additionally, systems for gathering and using information about pupils' achievement

p.4

Grade: 2

are being refined, in the main school and the HTS. Pupils' personal development is outstanding. They readily take on responsibilities, try to be as independent as possible, and overcome significant barriers to their learning. Behaviour is good and absences are usually related to health problems. Pupils are looked after outstandingly well, a wide range of agencies and professionals work closely with the school to support learning and personal development. There has been outstanding development since the previous inspection - the establishment of the PDMS and acquisition of specialist school status, for example. This has been possible owing to first rate leadership and management. The principal's vision and determination to provide an excellent education for all pupils is enhanced by very able support from governors and senior staff. As a result, the SILC has an exceptionally good capacity to continue to move forward.

p.4

Grade: 2

The school considers its sixth form to be good and the inspection confirms this. Students achieve well, gaining external accreditation for all aspects of their work. Their personal development is outstanding, equipping them extremely well for their lives after school. The sixth form is led and managed well, with a clear focus on establishing individual pathways for students' transition to further education. A current area for development is increasing the opportunities for work related learning, such as placements in the community, as students join the sixth form with fewer physical disabilities.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Carry out the plans to develop teaching and the curriculum in order to meet the needs of the school's changing population and of the pupils within the HTS. • Continue to gather assessment information, analyse this, and utilise it to identify ways of improving achievement. 2 Inspection Report: John Jamieson School, 15 February 2006 to 16 February 2006

p.4

Grade: 2

Owing to their learning difficulties and/or disabilities, pupils in the main school work at levels which are significantly lower than those expected for their age. However, they make good progress overall and they achieve well. The school's records show that the challenging targets set for individuals and the school as a whole, in subjects such as English and mathematics, are regularly met and sometimes exceeded. The oldest pupils are successful in accredited courses, including general certificate of secondary education (GCSE), and Entry Level Certificate. The four pupils who completed Year 11 in 2005 all achieved GCSE passes in art and mathematics, better achievement than in most similar schools. However, they did not have their achievements in every subject recognised through accreditation. Sixth form students build on these achievements, for example, through a Youth Award at Bronze level and Open College

p.5

Grade: 2

Network courses up to Level 2 (equivalent to grades A* to C at GCSE). They go on to a variety of colleges, pursuing their studies in topics such as child care or information and communication technology (ICT). Children in the Foundation Stage achieve outstandingly well, owing to the excellent arrangements for them to attend mainstream settings. Their progress is particularly striking in personal, social, and emotional development and in communication, language and literacy, because they are stimulated so much to interact with others. With support, they regularly move on to mainstream schools in Year 1. Pupils supported by the HTS maintain their academic progress - for instance, to keep up with examination coursework - or to begin learning again, after long periods of disruption to their education. In the hospitals and the main school, small numbers of pupils with very complex medical needs are helped to retain their skills for as long as

p.5

Grade: 1

This aspect is outstanding. Great care is taken to raise pupils' awareness of differing lifestyles, for example, meeting a Sikh visitor, mendhi painting, and trying new foods: this contributes significantly to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They become aware of other people's needs, looking out for each other and regularly supporting charities. Pupils' enthusiasm during lessons and the fun and laughter in the playground show how very much they enjoy school. As one said, 'It's good for me here'. Behaviour is good and absences are usually due to ill health. Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties and/or disabilities cooperate with the adults who help them and often make supreme efforts during lessons. For example, older ones competed keenly to knock down cones, during a game of 'Button it Bobby', with rules devised by themselves. Children in the Foundation Stage blossom and become confident

p.5

Grade: 1

learners, striving to be as independent as they can. Sixth form students are responsible young adults, reliably undertaking tasks such as running the tuck shop. Opportunities such as this, work experience around school, and membership of the very active school 3 Inspection Report: John Jamieson School, 15 February 2006 to 16 February 2006 council, help to prepare pupils for their lives beyond school and enhance their ability to contribute to the community. They learn how to stay safe and healthy, taking part enthusiastically in physical activity and conscious of the importance of having a good diet and drinking water.

p.5

Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers are skilled at planning activities that capture pupils' imagination and make them want to learn. For instance, during a French lesson for Year 8 pupils, a towel and a shower cap were amongst the resources pupils selected to wear in order to illustrate different rooms in the house. The school is well aware that teachers are still developing the skills needed to adapt their methods to suit the growing number of pupils with a much wider range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities than they have taught previously. In particular, training is being provided in meeting the needs of those with profound and multiple learning difficulties and/or disabilities or whose behaviour is challenging. Teaching assistants make strong contributions to teaching and learning, for example, by providing additional support for pupils who need help in order to concentrate.

p.6

Grade: 2

Comprehensive systems to record the levels at which pupils are working are in place in the core subjects and personal, social and health education; in other subjects information has only recently started to be collected. In the main school, teachers have compared their assessments, in order to ensure that these are accurate. The HTS has not yet been involved in similar exercises. In the Foundation Stage, extra support to meet individuals' needs is identified accurately.

p.6

Grade: 2

The curriculum is in a state of transition, but is nevertheless of good quality. For example, in the main school, courses are being constantly evaluated and modified in order to meet the needs of its changing population. Physical education, already very wide ranging, has been adapted to pupils who are independently mobile. In other subjects, resources and methods are increasingly taking into account pupils who have profound and multiple learning difficulties and/or disabilities or who are not motivated by an academic curriculum. Again, external accreditation has been extended, although this is not yet entirely relevant to lower attaining pupils currently in Year 10. Developments in the HTS include the creation of packs of activities suitable for short stay patients of all ages. The curriculum throughout the SILC has a strong focus on the key subjects of English, mathematics, science and ICT, in conjunction with a very

p.6

Grade: 2

relevant programme of personal, social, health and citizenship education. Plenty of enrichment activities are provided, such as visits, residential opportunities, visitors, and a weekly youth club. Growing mainstream school links add to pupils' experiences 4 Inspection Report: John Jamieson School, 15 February 2006 to 16 February 2006 in subjects such as history and design and technology. The Foundation Stage curriculum is outstanding, taking excellent account of the needs of individual children. In the sixth form, arrangements are flexible and enable students to build on their previous learning and have important new opportunities such as college courses and experience of work placements within school.

p.6

Grade: 1

The school's care for all pupils is outstanding and much appreciated by parents. Formal procedures, such as those for child protection and health and safety, are comprehensive. Underpinning these are the staff's thorough knowledge of each pupil and the sensitive way in which, for instance, personal care needs are met. Additional and highly significant strengths are the partnerships with a host of other professionals, such as therapists and medical staff, whose skills help to ensure that pupils are safe, comfortable, and able to learn. This is becoming increasingly important as pupils with more varied and complex needs join the school. Staff training is extensive, covering aspects such as the safe movement of pupils. The HTS provides valuable support during times of stress and change - for example, through the appointment of a learning mentor, working with young people who have cancer. There are carefully organised arrangements to

p.7

Grade: 1

introduce young children to the EYCs and equally to prepare older pupils and students for moving on.

p.7

Grade for sixth form: 2

Leadership and management are outstanding, although the school judged this aspect more modestly. Ambitious leadership and effective management have moved the school on rapidly. In order to achieve this, a very strong leadership team has been established, its members fulfilling significant responsibilities. Governors work closely with senior managers on the strategic development of the SILC, ensuring good value for money. The HTS and PDMS are both led energetically. The impact of this means that, for example, pupils throughout Leeds have speedy access to the resources they need to overcome physical barriers to learning. The effective collection and analysis of information about the SILC is leading to change and improvement, for example, in teaching and learning strategies. Accurate self-evaluation means the school identifies correctly its priorities for improvement. The outcomes of regular checks on progress

p.7

Grade for sixth form: 2

towards the targets within action plans illustrate clearly the fast pace of change. Alongside and supporting developments are the comprehensive arrangements for analysing and meeting staff training needs. Constructive and growing partnerships with a large number of agencies and professionals, and with other schools, contribute strongly to what the SILC provides and enable it to share expertise. Parents' and pupils' views are sought and taken fully into account, helping the school to judge its performance. Parents are extremely happy with what it provides. The school's eager 5 Inspection Report: John Jamieson School, 15 February 2006 to 16 February 2006 and successful response to all the changes taking place indicates that it has outstanding capacity for even further improvement. 6 Inspection Report: John Jamieson School, 15 February 2006 to 16 February 2006 .

p.7

Grade for sixth form: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: John Jamieson School, 15 February 2006 to 16 February 2006

p.9

Inspection judgements

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

p.10

Overall effectiveness

2 2 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 1 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

p.10

Achievement and standards

2 2 How well do learners achieve? 4 4 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.10

Achievement and standards

2 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.10

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 1 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community 2 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

p.10

The quality of provision

2 2 How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of the learners' needs? 2 2 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?

p.10

The quality of provision

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

p.10

Leadership and management

2 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

p.11

Leadership and management

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

p.11

Leadership and management

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

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for being so friendly and helpful when we visited your school. We know that some of you find reading difficult, so your teachers will tell you what is in this letter. What we liked most about your school: - you all learn well and the oldest pupils pass lots of exams - the youngest children get on especially well - you behave well, take care of each other, and help people in need, by supporting charities - the school council has very good ideas for making the school even better - all the adults in school do their best to make sure you are all safe and have lots of fun - Miss Reynard sees to it that the school keeps getting better and better. What we have asked the school to do next: - keep working hard to make sure that every one of you gets exactly the right help so you all learn as well as possible.

p.12