Welburn Hall School

121766 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire LEA 281094 Inspection number 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006 Inspection dates Mr Bob Thompson 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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Kirkbymoorside School address Special Type of school York Community special School category North Yorkshire YO62 7HQ 8 to 18 Age range of pupils 01751 431 218 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01751 433 157 Fax number 44 Number on roll Mrs J Robinson Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr J.V. Hall Headteacher 27 September 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281094 16 January 2006 - 8 to 18 17 January 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 two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school provides day and residential education for boys and girls aged 8 to 18. Of the 44 pupils on roll, 28 are boys and 16 are girls; 13 boys and 12 girls board. Thirty eight pupils are of white British background. Pupils are drawn from all areas of North Yorkshire and some neighbouring authorities. Few pupils are entitled to free school meals. One pupil is learning English as an additional language. Because of their learning difficulties and/or disabilities, pupils' standards on entry are well below those expected for their age. All pupils have statements of special educational need. The school was last inspected by Ofsted in September 1999, and by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) in November 2004.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Welburn Hall School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006

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Grade: 2

The school is good and offers good value for money. It provides pupils with opportunities to succeed, which they readily accept. The headteacher and governing body were overly modest in judging the school to be satisfactory, because they know there is some room for improvement. Boarding experiences, links with mainstream schools, and a wealth of out of school activities enhance the education of the pupils. The school is rightly proud that pupils learn to participate quickly. Because of this, pupils' self esteem and confidence are boosted. Success is constantly celebrated. Pupils' achievement and personal and social development are good as a result of high quality teaching. However, the quality of individual education plans are variable and the school has recognised the need to be more specific and ensure there are much smaller steps in pupils' targets. The school has implemented an innovative post 16

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Grade: 2

provision, the Independence Education Unit, which caters for students from the whole of North Yorkshire. Rigorous self-evaluation has secured good improvement since the last inspection. Parents, carers and pupils are asked for their views about the effectiveness of the school and how things can be improved. The school takes notice of their responses. Parents are delighted with what the school offers and see positive changes in their children; for example, how they gain in confidence, enjoy school and feel safe and valued. All this is possible because of good leadership, management and governance.

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Grade: 2

Opportunities offered to students in the Independence Education Unit encourage confidence and successfully form a bridge between school and adult life. Promotion of independent living is a high priority of the unit and this works well. Provision meets the needs of all students and offers appropriate and worthwhile accreditation that clearly demonstrates their achievement.

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Grade: 2

The last inspection by CSCI in November 2004 shows good improvement from the previous report. It recognises that National Standards are satisfactorily met, with many exceeded. Since then, the school has given good attention to implementing each of the recommendations. Good procedures for handover at the beginning and end of the day are effective in alerting staff to any difficulties or successes that may affect pupils' attitudes, either to their work in the school or to the way they may behave in the residence. Well established routines and the good relationships with care staff ensure that pupils are well cared for, are happy and that the residential provision makes a good contribution to the work of the school. The boarding curriculum is well planned. Pupils take a full part in a wide range of activities that are aimed primarily at developing their personal 2 Inspection Report: Welburn Hall School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006

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Grade: 2

and social skills and their enjoyment of learning. Older pupils mix freely with younger ones. They are encouraged to participate in a good range of activities such as swimming, fitness activities, and the Duke of Edinburgh Open Award scheme.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the quality of individual education plans to ensure targets are more specific and set in smaller, more measurable, steps.

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Grade: 2

The school was unduly cautious in its assertion that achievement is satisfactory. Meaningful data provided by the school point to pupils making good progress from a starting point generally well below national expectations. For example, in 2005 the Year 11 cohort averaged seven subjects at Entry level and five pupils had GCSE success. Pupils make good progress because they are taught well, enjoy school and are eager to learn. The school sets challenging targets and exceeds them. Pupils make good progress as they move through the school and are rightly proud of their achievements in food technology, design technology, physical education, science and personal, social and health education including citizenship. The different groups of pupils make good progress over time. There are no significant differences in the progress of boys and girls and those pupils with additional learning difficulties do equally well.

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Grade: 2

Inspectors agree with the school that pupils' personal development is good. Pupils are supportive of each other's needs and difficulties and their behaviour is outstanding. They have very positive attitudes to learning, attend well unless there are specific medical reasons for their absences, and are punctual to lessons. Pupils said they feel safe and there is no bullying in the school. Pupils are keen to take part in all the activities the school offers. Basic skills, teamwork skills, residential opportunities and self confidence gained through the school's support for the Duke of Edinburgh Open Award, prepare pupils to become mature young people. The school council makes a positive contribution to school life. Work related learning, especially through established projects in the area and vocational courses, provide good opportunities for pupils to make informed choices and good preparation for life after school. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Grade: 2

Pupils make a good contribution to the local community and raise considerable funds for local and national charities. 3 Inspection Report: Welburn Hall School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good overall. The school had modestly judged it as satisfactory with some good aspects, but there are considerable strengths in teaching throughout the school, especially in physical education, careers and guidance and food technology. Activities in lessons are carefully planned, increasingly with the participation of teaching assistants, to stimulate and involve all pupils in the class. Teachers and support staff work well together using many different ways, based on their very good understanding of pupils' individual needs, to develop pupils' skills and knowledge. The excellent relationships they establish with pupils pre-empts difficult situations well. Lessons are well paced and teachers use questions effectively to challenge pupils to encourage them to express their own ideas and check for understanding. Information technology is used well. A significant strength of the teaching is the effective impact

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Grade: 2

of specialist teachers and outside agencies, such as therapists, who ensure that pupils and students are given the right amount of support, encouragement and challenge. The use of assessment is good and the school makes effective use of data to track pupil's progress and set more challenging targets. However, the school should improve the quality of individual education plans to ensure targets are more specific and set in smaller, more measurable, steps.

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Grade: 2

The school is developing specific areas of the curriculum to meet the more complex needs of a minority of pupils in the school. Because of this it has been overly modest and judged the curriculum as satisfactory. However the inspection team judges that the curriculum is good. There is an appropriate concentration on ensuring that pupils and students acquire the basic skills to enable them to learn well across all subjects. Specialist teaching facilities are good. The enrichment of the curriculum is good and good opportunities for sporting, recreational and vocational success are provided. Pupils take part in a British Heritage archaeology project at Rievaulx Abbey and two pupils have represented the area in the Special Olympics in Glasgow. One pupil described this as 'the best thing I have ever done in my life'. Pupils enjoy the opportunities open to them as boarders, especially where activities are extended after

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Grade: 2

school by residential staff. There is a good uptake of these extra activities by both day pupils and those who board, which enhances their development. Students from the Independence Education Unit have many opportunities to take part in enterprise challenges and understand the requirements of being a good employee through well planned and appropriate work experience placements. The development of pupils' personal and social skills and the importance of living safe and healthy lives are emphasised in all aspects of the school's work. 4 Inspection Report: Welburn Hall School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006

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Grade: 2

Pupils and students, including the most vulnerable and those with additional educational needs, are well cared for. The school accurately judges this aspect of its work as good and inspectors agree. Good attention is given to ensuring that the school and the residential facility are safe places for pupils and students to live and work. Statutory requirements for child protection and health and safety are in place and the residential facility fully meets the National Standards of Care. Relationships between adults and pupils are excellent. In a sex education lesson for Year 11 pupils, both boys and girls were very comfortable discussing a range of contraceptives, even to the extent of suggesting that 'by the kettle was a good place to keep the contraceptive pill'. Intervention and support in lessons by teaching assistants is a significant strength in ensuring that pupils and students gain independence and make progress in their

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Grade: 2

learning. Pupils in one lesson were quick to identify classroom assistants and key workers as people they would turn to if they had any worries. Guidance for pupils and students regarding their academic progress is variable and not always sufficiently linked to targets in individual education plans. Care plans are good and closely monitor pupils' personal progress and behaviour.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The senior management team has an enthusiastic and solid base for future development. Subject leaders are effective, monitoring pupils' progress well and taking action to secure improvements. They accurately track individual pupils' progress, know their strengths and weaknesses and what to do next to improve, which in turn enhances pupil progress. The headteacher shows perceptive leadership; his vision and determination to improve the school has been successful. He has a strong commitment to pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and to promoting the personal development of all pupils. This has resulted in a school ethos that is positive and inclusive and a learning environment that ensures that every child matters and each pupil or student is valued and allowed to blossom. Robust self-review and good assessment procedures are in place. As a result, senior

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Grade: 2

staff and governors have an accurate view of the school's strengths and areas to develop. Governance is good. Governors provide a good balance of challenge and support to senior managers. The views of parents and pupils are taken into account and acted upon. The school improvement plan focuses on raising achievement and is a good management tool to move the school forward. The school has improved well since the last inspection. Because of the good leadership and management, standards and achievement are strengthening. Based on this the school is in a good position to make further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Welburn Hall School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Welburn Hall School, 16 January 2006 to 17 January 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

2 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA The quality and standards in foundation stage 2 2 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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Achievement and standards

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

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Achievement and standards

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

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 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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needs and interests of learners?

2 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

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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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 insufficient evidence Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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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

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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

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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 wider community

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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

As you know we recently visited you to find out how well your teachers are helping you with your learning. Thank you for being so friendly and willing to talk to us. It was useful to know what you think about your school. We did enjoy having lunch with you and listening to some good advice on 'healthy eating'. There are some things that we think are really good about your school. These are: - the enthusiasm from you and your teachers in wanting to do well - the good progress you make in your work - how well your headteacher and teachers know you so that they can plan exciting activities and lessons that will challenge you to improve even more - your parents are happy with the school and all it does for you - your behaviour is excellent and you are learning to be safe and have healthy lifestyles. We have asked your teachers to use smaller steps when setting your targets so that your progress can be more accurately measured.

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