Dryden School

131200 Unique Reference Number Gateshead LEA 282179 Inspection number 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006 Inspection dates Mr Andrew Margerison Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Shotley Gardens School address Special Type of school Low Fell Community special School category Gateshead, Tyne and Wear 11 to 19 Age range of pupils 0191 4203811 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0191 4203701 Fax number 51 Number on roll Mrs Janet Holliday Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Becky Harrison Headteacher 1 September 2003 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282179 17 January 2006 - 11 to 19 18 January 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 one additional inspector

p.3

Description of the school

This is a special school for 51 boys and girls aged 11-19 with severe, profound or complex learning difficulties. When they are admitted, all students are working at levels well below national averages for their age, some at the lowest point that can be measured. Most students are white-British although a few are of Asian backgrounds and two students have English as an additional language.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Dryden School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a good school that provides good value for money. Good leadership by senior managers means the school has improved well since the last inspection and no longer has serious weaknesses in any aspect of its work. The inspection endorses the school’s view of itself in most areas, but inspectors consider that the school is too modest in its evaluation of students’ achievement and teaching and learning, both of which are judged to be good. Overall, students achieve well. Students achieve well in speaking and listening, mathematics and science because they have many opportunities to use these skills in practical situations, but there are fewer activities for them to use the full range of their literacy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills in lessons. As a result, their progress is not as good in all aspects of English and ICT. Students develop good personal skills. Their attitudes and enthusiasm for learning are

p.4

Grade: 2

outstanding. The headteacher and governors have established good procedures to identify areas for further school improvement. The role of governors has developed well since the last inspection although their contribution to checking the effect of new initiatives on students’ learning is under-developed. The school has a good capacity to improve further not applicable

p.4

Grade: 2

The inspection confirms the school’s view that the provision for students aged 16 to 19 is good. Staff place a strong emphasis on developing students’ abilities to use their basic literacy and numeracy skills in real-life situations such as using money to shop. A great emphasis is also placed on promoting students’ independence and encouraging them to do things for themselves whilst staying safe. Although there is more scope to develop students’ ICT skills to help them offset their difficulties, students make good progress overall and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The leader of the sixth form has clear and innovative plans for developing the provision further.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Improve students’ progress in writing by providing a broader range of ways in lessons for them to show what they know and understand. • Develop students’ ability to use their ICT skills by providing more opportunities for them to use ICT in lessons. • Ensure that governors’ monitoring procedures focus on the effect that new initiatives have on students’ learning. 2 Inspection Report: Dryden School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006

p.4

Grade: 2

The school evaluates students’ achievement as satisfactory. However, inspection evidence shows that, relative to their starting point, all students, achieve well as they move through the school. Parents strongly agree with this judgement. Due to the broad range of difficulties, there is huge variation in the speed at which students learn. In Years 7 to 9, students make good progress in developing their communication, mathematics, science and personal skills. The school has correctly identified that progress in writing is satisfactory. This is because students do not learn to record their work in enough different ways, including using ICT as a practical tool. In Years 10 and 11, students continue to build on their basic skills and make good progress in most subjects. As a result, in Year 11, most students achieve externally awarded accreditation for their work. Students in the sixth form achieve well so that in 2005 all students in

p.5

Grade: 2

Year 14 achieved external accreditation. Students with the greatest degree of difficulty remain at a very low level until they leave, but all these students make demonstrably good progress against the detailed targets in their individual education plans. Achievement in ICT is satisfactory throughout the school. Students develop secure basic skills, but their ability to use these skills in different situations to show what they know and understand is not as strong.

p.5

Grade: 2

Students’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. Parents fully agree that their children enjoy school. Students’ love of school is reflected in their outstanding attitudes to learning and their good behaviour. They are really enthusiastic and eager to take part in anything the school provides. Their enthusiasm makes an important contribution to the very positive atmosphere in school and the good pace of learning. Attendance figures are average, mainly due to a few students who miss a lot of school due to ill-health. The school places a very strong emphasis on developing students’ awareness of health issues and staying safe. As a result, students understand the importance of having a good diet and plenty of exercise. Students learn about the many risks they face as a result of their vulnerability so they can help themselves to be safe in school and outside.

p.5

Grade: 2

Students make a good contribution to the school community through the school council and taking part in whole school ventures and activities. The school also takes an increasingly prominent role in the local community through, for example, music and drama. The progress students make in improving their communication and social skills makes a huge contribution to their future well-being. 3 Inspection Report: Dryden School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006

p.5

Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good in all classes. Strong teamwork between teachers and support staff is a major feature of all lessons. They work very closely together to ensure that the needs of all learners are met well. Teachers’ planning is good and provides a range of activities in lessons that challenge learners of all abilities effectively. This careful planning is based on the effective use of assessment information. In the best lessons, activities are often practically based and use familiar objects or situations. This contributes particularly to students’ good achievement in mathematics and science. Teachers also successfully develop students’ communication skills using a range of techniques. In class discussions, they use questions very well to check what students can recall from previous lessons, to explain their ideas and to extend students understanding. Teachers are particularly good at directing questions to all the students

p.6

Grade: 2

in the class. These questions are usually well matched to the level of understanding of the students, so that they are all fully involved in lessons. When students work in groups, teachers and support staff constantly talk to students about what they are doing. However, the range of ways that teachers ask students to record their ideas and demonstrate their understanding are not varied enough which affects the pace at which students develop their writing and recording skills. This is closely linked to the fact that not enough opportunities are planned for students to use ICT as a method of recording or presenting their work.

p.6

Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and has improved well since the last inspection when a number of serious weaknesses were identified. Due to good leadership by senior managers, these weaknesses have been addressed effectively. As a result, the curriculum meets statutory requirements, is well planned and makes good use of the extensive facilities the school has. It is carefully planned to reflect the very individual and diverse learning needs of students. Personal, social and health education, including sex and drugs education has a high priority. The curriculum for students aged 14 to 19 reflects the national guidance well and provides students with careers advice and, where possible, access to college-based courses and work experience. The curriculum is enriched well by guest speakers and visits out of school, including a residential visit to an outdoor pursuits centre in the Lake District. However, the school has recognised that the range

p.6

Grade: 2

of activities out of school hours is limited and has plans in place to extend them in the near future. 4 Inspection Report: Dryden School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006

p.6

Grade: 2

This aspect of the school’s work was a key strength of the school at the last inspection and continues to be the case. Very close attention is paid to ensuring that procedures for health and safety, including risk assessments and child protection measures, are rigorous and robust. Parents are quite rightly very confident that the school takes every possible step to ensure that their children are safe at school. Relationships between adults and students are very positive so students are confident that they will be helped if they have a problem. The school involves students well in reviewing their individual plans and in each classroom, students’ targets are displayed to remind them what they are working towards. The school has established good procedures to involve students in the work of the school through the school council.

p.7

Grade: 2

The school is well led and managed. The headteacher and the senior managers are a very strong team who, in a short time, have successfully created a very positive school ethos based on close teamwork and mutual respect between staff, governors, students and parents. The good procedures for evaluating the work of the school are based on careful analysis of assessment data and the monitoring of teaching and learning. As a result, most of the judgements the school made on its own performance were accurate. However, inspection evidence shows that a few of the judgements, particularly on students’ achievement, were over-critical. This was because the school places too much weight on the apparently slower progress students make in reading and writing compared to the good progress they make in the other areas of their learning. However, this year the school has implemented a new tracking process that provides even more

p.7

Grade: 2

precise information on how well students are doing. This shows that progress, particularly in reading, is better than the school initially thought. The role of governors in the work of the school has improved a great deal since the last inspection. They make a good contribution to setting priorities for development, and specific governors have established good links with subject leaders. However, they are not fully involved in evaluating the effect that new initiatives have on students’ learning in the classroom. The school has improved well since the last inspection and successfully addressed the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. It has clear direction and is well-placed to sustain the pace of development. 5 Inspection Report: Dryden School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006 .

p.7

Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Dryden School, 17 January 2006 to 18 January 2006

p.8

Inspection judgements

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

p.9

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? 2 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

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

p.9

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

p.9

Personal development and well-being

2 2 How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the learners? 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 1 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

p.9

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

p.9

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.9

Leadership and management

2 2 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.10

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.10

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.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 Dryden School Shotley Gardens Low Fell Gateshead Tyne and Wear NE9 5UR 19 January 2006 Dear Students Thank you very much for welcoming me to your school this week. I enjoyed talking to you and finding out about all the things you do. You were really friendly and I would have liked to have been able to stay longer. I am pleased to tell you that I agree with you and your parents that your school is doing a good job. The things I particularly liked were: your attitudes to learning, which are outstanding - you are really keen and enthusiastic to take part in lessons and other activities the way teachers make sure you do well in speaking and listening, mathematics and science that when you leave school you are well prepared for moving on to college or work how your teachers and governors know exactly what they want to do to make your school

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

better the very good way you are looked after and cared for. I have asked your headteacher and the governors to make your school even better by: giving you more ways of showing what you know and understand providing more opportunities for you to use your ICT skills in lessons involving governors more in checking how well your school is doing. The thank-you card Richard from class 4 gave me was really appreciated and is pinned up on my office wall. Thanks again for helping me so much with the inspection. Yours sincerely Andy Margerison (Lead inspector)

p.11