The St Aubyn Centre Education Department

Inspection Report Longview Adolescent Unit

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134260 Unique Reference Number ESSEX LEA LEA 282515 Inspection number 15 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 Inspection dates Ms. Linda Murgatroyd AI Reporting inspector

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

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216 Turner Road School address Pupil referral unit Type of school CO4 5JR Pupil referral unit School category 11 to 16 Age range of pupils 01206 287626 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01206 505042 Fax number 7 Number on roll Mr.Bill James Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Gill Jackson Headteacher Not applicable Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282515 15 June 2006 - 11 to 16 15 June 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

Longview is an adolescent psychiatric unit, a multi-disciplinary in-patient provision for young people from 11 to 17 years of age whose ability to access education is being hampered by their mental health difficulties. The education department is registered as a pupil referral unit (PRU), providing education for pupils who are referred because of medical rather than educational needs, and their health issues take precedence over education, although they attend the PRU as often as their health allows. Because of the nature of the unit's work, pupils stay for relatively short periods of time, usually only a few months. There are places for 12 pupils, although at the time of the inspection unusually there were only seven pupils. All current pupils are from White British or mixed backgrounds. Longview Education also provides a mental health support and outreach service for schools. A partnership with a local leading edge school provides

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Description of the school

support to the school in achieving academic rigour.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Longview Adolescent Unit, 15 June 2006 to 15 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Longview Education (PRU) has good provision, and some of its work is outstanding. Inspectors agree with the PRU's self-evaluation that it is effective. In particular, it works exceptionally well in the multi-disciplinary setting of the unit to address seamlessly the needs of the pupils it serves, and is highly valued by parents and the range of professionals concerned with the pupils. The education team places a strong emphasis on the personal and educational development of each pupil, to meet the challenges that they face in their emotional lives. Pupils enter the unit at various levels in their work, but good teaching and understanding of the needs of the pupils ensure that they make good progress. This plays an important role in enhancing their personal development while attending the unit. Teachers usually judge their interventions carefully according to the needs of pupils. However, some lessons could have more

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Grade: 2

educational challenge, and some topics are somewhat remote from pupils' lives. The curriculum is good, focussing on helping pupils to return to school where possible, and to providing a good range of experiences while they are in the PRU. Many pupils recognise the importance of the opportunity given to carry on with their education while attending the unit. Attendance is satisfactory, as health issues sometimes prevent pupils from taking part in lessons. The PRU is well led and managed, and well supported by the local authority and management committee. In a relatively short time in post the headteacher has united the staff team in a series of improvements to bring the education provided more in tune with that in mainstream secondary schools, without losing sight of the emotional needs of the pupils. The capacity for further improvement is good and, despite high costs per pupil, the PRU provides good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Further raise teachers' knowledge and understanding of the expectations of mainstream schools, and increase the level of challenge in some lessons. -Engage pupils' interest more by increasing the relevance of some topics to their lives.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well. Standards cover a wide range and are overall broadly average. Most pupils have patterns of broken schooling, and may be performing below their ability because of their medical difficulties, especially when they are admitted to the PRU. Staff work hard to help them overcome any initial or long-term anxieties about their academic work. Pupils start to thrive academically and personally with the individual attention they receive. Pupils work towards clearly set targets in their individual plans across a range of subjects and aspects of personal development. These targets, which are relevant and challenging, are usually met. Careful assessment, good teaching and close working partnerships with the multi-disciplinary unit staff help pupils to regain the levels at which they had previously been working and increase their self-esteem by doing so. A number of pupils are in the middle of GCSE examination

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Grade: 2

2 Inspection Report: Longview Adolescent Unit, 15 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 courses when they become ill. These courses are continued by the PRU and, overall, pupils do well. Taking into account pupils' illness, anxieties and diverse starting points, their progress is good and they improve their standards during their stay. Pupils are rightly proud of the good progress they are making and parents are very pleased with their children's progress. One pupil wrote after leaving Longview, 'I came to school in a bad way, I didn't enjoy anything - now I'm pleased to say that I am beginning to believe in myself'.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good and are an integral part of the success the unit has with the young people it serves. The PRU plays a vital role in building pupils' confidence in their capacity to learn and thus in their sense of themselves as individuals. Spiritual, moral and social development are good. While in the PRU, pupils increase their awareness of themselves and others, learn to respect each other's views and to understand how their actions have an impact on those around them. Their awareness of cultural differences is satisfactory. There are some opportunities to celebrate festivals in a range of religions and to learn about other countries and cultures in their independent studies, but this aspect of their work is underdeveloped. Although learning is a challenge for most pupils, and their attitudes to school work are affected by their health, the majority try hard and usually behave

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Grade: 2

well. Attendance is satisfactory overall. Health issues also have an impact on attendance, although staff do everything possible to ensure that pupils attend whenever they can, and maintain contact when pupils are not attending, including providing alternative work. Pupils appreciate the work of the staff to help them, and say that they make some learning fun. They learn about safe practices in their work, such as care with chemicals in science. Pupils adopt safe and healthy lifestyles effectively. The staff place a great emphasis on the contribution of exercise to good health, and pupils understand the benefits. Pupils make a satisfactory contribution to their own community by participation in meetings and by supporting each other. The nature of their difficulties makes it difficult for them to play a role in the wider community, but they do raise funds for charity. The focus on regaining confidence in their education,

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Grade: 2

the way they learn to support each other and some of the relevant work they do in their independent studies as well as the close attention staff pay to their mental health prepare them well for the future. Pupils are satisfactorily prepared for the next stage of education and the world of work.

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Grade: 2

Pupils learn well because of the careful, individual approach taken by staff. Relationships between staff and pupils are good, which greatly supports pupils' learning. Staff have good knowledge across a wide range of subjects as well as an understanding 3 Inspection Report: Longview Adolescent Unit, 15 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 of the needs of the pupils with whom they work. They consult with one another and other professionals for their views and support. Good assessment procedures and careful and appropriate target setting enable staff to provide work that meets pupils' varying needs. Good links with a nearby leading edge school have helped staff in assessing levels of pupils' work. Pupils mainly work productively because of the support, encouragement and expertise of the staff. Often, pupils do better than at their own schools because of the individual tuition and support provided. Teachers are flexible

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Grade: 2

and work well to meet the needs of pupils, and teaching is well supported by the behaviour support worker. Staff usually achieve a good balance of challenge and support, judging the receptiveness of pupils at any particular time. Occasionally there is a need to raise pupils' expectations and increase the level of challenge. For instance, in a lesson about thinking skills pupils were, at times, given too much help with answers to a problem-solving task, and in a science lesson greater demand was needed for pupils to repeat an experiment to achieve a reliable result. Some topics are not particularly relevant to pupils' everyday lives, and opportunities to engage pupils' interest and enhance their personal development are missed. Resources used in lessons are of good quality, relevant, interesting and well-prepared. Teachers use a good mixture of questioning, explanation and discussion to draw out and extend pupils'

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Grade: 2

knowledge and understanding. Good use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning and independence, and to motivate pupils. One pupil writes about his stay at Longview 'The teaching here is great and without it I feel my exams would have been a write off. My inspiration has been re-awoken'.

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Grade: 2

The PRU offers a good, developing and varied curriculum which is closely tailored to individual needs and interests. There is a strong core curriculum which is well supported by a wide range of age-appropriate National Curriculum based activities. Everything pupils do builds on what they are learning in their home schools. The PRU helps to give another dimension through a range of activities which pupils enjoy and they learn how to relax. Activities are rooted in the Every Child Matters framework of staying safe and healthy, enjoying and achieving in education, contributing to society and preparing for life after school. Lessons make good use of the Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) and thinking skills in the curriculum. Both are positive ways in which Longview is helping to re-engage pupils in their learning. Many lessons are practical, like science experiments and problem solving, in

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Grade: 2

order to engage pupils fully. Learning is also enriched by good use of local facilities such as sport and leisure centres, and an outdoor activities centre. Pupils benefit from a wide range of visits to local galleries, bookshops, an Islam awareness event, the theatre, fieldwork and tree planting in the nearby Highwood Country Park. Visitors to school also enhance their learning. Because of the health of pupils the provision for work based learning is rather limited. 4 Inspection Report: Longview Adolescent Unit, 15 June 2006 to 15 June 2006

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Grade: 1

The support that the PRU provides to its pupils and the care it takes of them is excellent. Working closely with the full range of professionals in the unit and outside, the PRU provides exceptional care and attention to pupils' needs and their personal growth and development. As a result of this, pupils feel safe enough to make good progress with their work. They express great confidence in their teachers and the behaviour support worker, knowing that they will get help and support if they need it. Staff take excellent care of pupils through very clear health, safety and welfare procedures. Child protection arrangements and careful risk assessments are central to the work of the PRU, and conscientiously followed. Assessment of pupils' progress is very thorough, and targets are set and agreed with pupils and their parents. These are kept under constant review, and pupils know what they need to do to improve their

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Grade: 1

work. Discussion with pupils about their progress and guidance about their futures is an integral part of the PRU's work and is very effective in enabling them to make progress.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management of the PRU are good, and the partnerships staff make to foster pupils' recovery are outstanding. The headteacher provides good leadership, and is well supported by all staff. She works very effectively with the whole range of professionals involved with the pupils, and the work of the education team is highly valued by colleagues. In her relatively short time in post, she has led the team in significant improvements, but always sensitively, to ensure that changes were appropriate and manageable. For example, the partnership with the leading edge school is ensuring that teaching staff increase their familiarity with the levels of National Curriculum assessment in order to have a more accurate view of pupils' standards and make teaching and assessment more rigorous. The quality of teaching and learning is kept under constant review but there remain some lessons that lack challenge. All

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Grade: 2

staff are involved in frequent discussions about pupils' targets and their progress towards them. The arrangements for all staff to be involved in reviewing the PRU's work and planning developments are thorough, resulting in an accurate view of its strengths and areas for development. The capacity for further improvement is good. Parents' and pupils' views are sought and acted upon where appropriate, and parents have confidence in the PRU's work. Management of the PRU is complex. The local authority has overall management responsibility, and there is also a management committee, which draws on a range of professionals and users of the PRU. The members of this committee mainly know the work of the PRU first-hand, but perform a more advisory than management function. The headteacher is also a member of the senior management team of the overall unit, and as such is in part accountable to that group. All the various forums act as effective sounding boards, and ask searching questions

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Grade: 2

of the headteacher to ensure that the PRU is being well managed. Finances are 5 Inspection Report: Longview Adolescent Unit, 15 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 managed and targeted well and their impact is checked to ensure that the PRU achieves value for money in its spending. 6 Inspection Report: Longview Adolescent Unit, 15 June 2006 to 15 June 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. 7 Inspection Report: Longview Adolescent Unit, 15 June 2006 to 15 June 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?

NA 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 NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA NA Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

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

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 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?

NA 1 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?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA 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 NA 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 talking to us and showing us your work when we visited the education department of the unit recently. We were impressed by the confidence that you have in the staff, and the way they help you to get back into school work. We found that the staff of the education department work very closely with all other professionals involved with your care, as well as your parents, and everyone concerned highly values their work. We think that teaching is good, and that the relationships you have with staff and their understanding of your needs are important in the progress you make. We can see how the careful assessment you told us about helps the staff to plan carefully and to set targets, and are especially pleased at the way you and your parents are involved in the discussions about how much progress you are making. We think you behave well, and that you are usually interested in your work. The education

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

department is led and managed well by Gill, and she is well supported by all staff. They have been working with other schools to help them to be more familiar with the levels of work you would have been doing before you came to Longview, and we think that is an appropriate development. We think that usually staff are very good at judging when to accept your levels of work and when to push you more. However, we think that sometimes they could ask more of you, especially when you are well enough to cope with more challenge. Although a lot of the work you do is relevant to your futures, some of it is rather remote, so we suggest that more of the topics you cover are relevant to the lives of young people of your age. We are confident that Gill and the staff will be able to address these developments, and help the education department to go on improving. Best wishes for the future.

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