Marshlands School

124518 Unique Reference Number Staffordshire LEA 281739 Inspection number 17 October 2005 to 17 October 2005 Inspection dates Steven Parker RISP Reporting inspector

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

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Lansdowne Way School address Special Type of school Wildwood Community School category Stafford, Staffordshire ST17 4RD 3 to 19 Age range of pupils

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01785 356385 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01785 356385 Fax number 51 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Belinda Whale Headteacher 6 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281739 17 October 2005 - 3 to 19 17 October 2005 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

Marshlands is a small school for pupils with severe learning difficulties. Consequently, attainment on entry is well below national expectations, with most pupils functioning within P levels. As a result of ongoing reorganisation in the county, the school started this current academic year with no pupils above Year 10. The expectation is that it will be providing for just primary-aged pupils by next September. There are 44 pupils on roll. Nearly two thirds are boys, and a third are on the autistic spectrum. Another 10% have profound and complex learning difficulties. There is only one pupil from a minority ethnic background. No pupils are identified as having English as an additional language. The social background of pupils reflects the overall mixed nature of the school’s catchment area.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Marshlands School, 17 October 2005 to 17 October 2005

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Grade: 2

This is a good school, where pupils make good progress and achieve well. Teaching and learning are consistently good. Very good teamwork between teachers and their teaching assistants is effective in supporting each child to succeed. Children in the Foundation Stage are given a particularly good start to their education. The school is well managed at all levels and governors provide good support and challenge. This collaborative approach has been important during the current unsettled period of re-organisation. Pupils’ personal development is excellent. The school has a relevant curriculum that is thoughtfully adapted to meet the needs of all its pupils well. Systems to monitor and evaluate its effectiveness are not yet fully secure. The school provides good value for money. There have been very good improvements since the last inspection, particularly in relation to pupils’ achievements and the environment where they learn. The school

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Grade: 2

knows itself well and its judgements accord with those of the inspection team. It plans effectively to ensure its continuous improvement and is very well placed to make further improvements. Parents are justified in their appreciation of the school. Grade: 2

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What the school should do to improve further

•make better use of assessment information to record the progress of each pupil more thoroughly •improve the way it checks how well it is doing, with a stronger emphasis on what has been successful, what has been less effective, and why this is so.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good, with some pupils, particularly those in the Foundation Stage, performing very well. Staff have high expectations of their pupils. They set realistic but challenging targets for them to work towards. As a result, pupils make good progress, often from a very low starting point, and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. A small number of pupils make such good progress that they are able to transfer to mainstream schools. There are no discernible differences in the achievement of different groups of pupils. The needs of pupils with autism are especially well served. Improvements since the last inspection have been substantial across all subjects, but especially in basic literacy and numeracy skills. Parents are very appreciative of these outcomes. Grade: 2 2 Inspection Report: Marshlands School, 17 October 2005 to 17 October 2005

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Grade: 1

The provision for pupils’ personal development and well-being has an outstanding impact. From an early age, pupils are encouraged to develop their independence and social skills and to face the world with confidence. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Many activities, such as school productions, extend pupils’ social skills. A notable feature of the school is the care and consideration pupils give to each other and the adults who work with them. Their behaviour is outstanding. Attendance is also outstanding and there is no unauthorised absence. In lessons, pupils persevere with tasks for long periods because they enjoy them. On being asked the best thing about the school, a ten-year-old immediately answered, ‘learning’! The pupils benefit from effective teaching to stay safe and adopt healthy lifestyles through sensible diet and physical activity. The school council, and very well organised opportunities to integrate with mainstream

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Grade: 1

schools, help pupils to make a positive contribution to the community. By developing literacy, numeracy, information, and communication technology (ICT) and social skills, the school greatly enhances the pupils’ future capabilities to live as successful and independent adults. Grade: 1

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good overall. Some examples of excellent practice were seen during the inspection. Teachers and their assistants work very well together to encourage and facilitate successful learning, as seen in pupils’ work, especially their writing. Staff know their pupils very well and plan learning opportunities effectively to meet their individual needs. Assessment, though thorough, is generally informal. The school accepts the need to do further work to make its structured approach to collecting information about pupils’ achievement more rigorous. The very positive atmosphere in classrooms and around the school is the direct result of very good relationships between all staff and pupils and the highly effective way that staff manage behaviour. When combined with the imaginative and engaging activities that teachers plan, pupils enjoy themselves and give of their best. There is an appropriately strong emphasis on the teaching of literacy, numeracy and

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Grade: 2

communication skills. Teachers use the widest range of approaches and materials available to them. These include signing, visual timetables and symbols to ensure that all pupils, especially those with autistic spectrum disorders, can take part in the full range of learning opportunities presented to them. Teachers are particularly effective at helping pupils understand what they need to do to improve their work. Grade: 2 3 Inspection Report: Marshlands School, 17 October 2005 to 17 October 2005

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Grade: 2

There is a well-planned curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils. To ensure that activities take pupils on to the next stage of learning, teachers carefully adapt their plans. For instance, more able five year olds are learning to read and write at a similar standard to mainstream pupils. The school rightly concentrates on developing the basic and social skills needed for adult independence, but ensures that lessons include the full National Curriculum, enhanced by visits and after-school activities. The effective use of computers enables pupils with coordination difficulties to achieve high standards of presentation. Pupils especially enjoy physical activities, such as swimming and horse riding. Appropriate emphasis is placed on personal, social and health education. The valuable involvement of the school nurse in the sex and relationships education programme is an example of how the school strives to meet pupils’ individual needs.

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Grade: 2

There is a good range of out of school activities. The after-school sports club is attended by one third of all pupils, demonstrates how well the school includes all pupils, whatever their age or disability. Grade: 2

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Grade: 2

Pupils receive good care from staff at all levels. The presence of a qualified school nurse enhances this, as she is able to respond immediately to any medical needs. She also advises parents on health issues. Pupils are well provided with support from other services such as speech and language therapy. There are appropriate arrangements for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ health and safety. Parents especially value the level of care their children receive and the ways in which independence is encouraged. The school works well with parents and other agencies to ensure that pupils make good progress. Pupils and their parents get good guidance on how work can be improved in preparation for the next stage of education. The annual progress report and separate review of statements of special educational need provide parents with a comprehensive picture of their child’s progress. Grade: 2

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Grade: 2

The school is well led and managed. The headteacher has had a significant impact on all aspects of the school, and understands what still needs to be done to fulfil her vision for the school’s future success. The impressive improvements she has made on the whole school environment and in the way staff work together has had a powerful impact on morale. This, in turn, has resulted in the improvements to pupils’ learning 4 Inspection Report: Marshlands School, 17 October 2005 to 17 October 2005 since the last inspection. The strong partnership that she has built with her able deputy and the supportive governor body has enabled the whole school community to cope well with the changes it is experiencing. Everyone, including parents, pupils and governors, feels valued for their opinions and involved in decision-making. Whilst the school knows itself well, this knowledge is based mostly on informal monitoring. The school recognises the need to gather more detailed information about

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Grade: 2

its activities, and use that data better to evaluate the impact of its work, which will guide its plans for improvement. Finances have been very well managed and all resources are used to very good effect. Governors have had an important influence on these aspects and, despite the fact that they are not up to full strength, are actively and productively involved in the life of the school. They plan to recruit new governors with particular skills, and expect to visit the school more frequently in their monitoring role. Grade: 2 5 Inspection Report: Marshlands School, 17 October 2005 to 17 October 2005 .

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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: Marshlands School, 17 October 2005 to 17 October 2005

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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 1 The quality and standards in foundation stage 3 3 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 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 1 The behaviour of learners 1 1 The attendance of learners 1 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community 1 1 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?

2 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education 3 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review 1 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can 2 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money 2 2 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

Marshlands School Lansdowne Way Wildwood Stafford ST17 4RD 7 November 2005 Dear Pupils, We really enjoyed our recent visit to your school, because you made us feel so welcome. Thank you for talking to us and telling us about how much you enjoy going to school. There were lots of things we liked about your school you work very hard and learn well about all sorts of things you behave very well and are kind to each other your teachers and support staff do their very best to help you learn, no matter what your difficulties are your very good headteacher runs the school well, because she makes sure she knows about you and your work. She has done a lot to make your surroundings very attractive your parents and carers are right to think that you go to a good school. You have good reason to be proud of it. We thought your school could be even better if: teachers find out more about how well you learn and how you can be even more clever

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the headteacher and governors collect more information about how your school works to make it more successful. We are sure that your school council can help them with this. Yours sincerely Steven Parker Lead Inspector

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