South Somerset Partnership School

Inspection Report - Amended South Somerset Tuition Base

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134697 Unique Reference Number Somerset Local Authority 282649 Inspection number 26 September 2006 Inspection date Charles Hackett Reporting inspector

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

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Buckland House, 8 Buckland Road School address Special Type of school

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Penn Mill Estate Pupil referral unit School category Yeovil BA21 5EA 5 °16 Age range of pupils 01935 476130 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01935 382039 Fax number 33 Number on roll (school) Gloria Cawood Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Helen Perris Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 282649 26 September 2006 5 °16

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Amended Report Addendum

Report updated to resolve formatting inconsistency

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

South Somerset Tuition Base is part of the Somerset Medical Tuition Service. It is one of five centres that serve the whole of Somerset. The base is there to support pupils who are temporarily unable to attend school on a full-time basis mainly because of medical reasons. Pupils attending the base include pregnant schoolgirls. Almost all pupils are on the roll of a mainstream school. Not all pupils are well enough to attend the base and many are educated in their own homes. All pupils who currently attend the base are of secondary age.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: South Somerset Tuition Base, 26 September 2006

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Grade: 1

The South Somerset Tuition Base is an outstanding educational provision. Pupils benefit enormously from the sensitive support of staff and achieve very well. When pupils join the base, many are unable to be involved in learning due to their medical conditions. Staff very effectively re-engage them in learning and help them to feel safe and secure and gain more confidence in themselves. Education programmes are tailored to meet the needs of each individual pupil and staff skilfully judge the degree of challenge appropriate for each pupil. The standards that pupils reach are about average; this represents excellent progress given their prior difficulties. The quality of teaching is outstanding. Teachers, as one parent put it, 'show amazing flexibility' in how they approach their work. The 'virtual classroom', a facility to enable pupils to use the internet to access lessons in their own homes, is highly effective. It means that

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Grade: 1

pupils who are too ill to leave their homes have access to lessons and regularly learn alongside other pupils and staff. Pupils' opportunities to benefit from attending the base are reduced by the small teaching space available which restricts the numbers who can be taught at any one time. Pupils' personal development is excellent and they enjoy their time in the base. They appreciate that the high quality of support they receive successfully helps them to become more confident in their own ability and prepare them for the future. The level of success was demonstrated last year when all pupils leaving the base either successfully returned to their schools or moved on to further education or employment. Pupils stress how they feel valued and how much their views are taken into account. 'They listen to what you are saying', was a comment of one pupil. Staff are happy to amend the curriculum to meet the requests and needs of individual pupils. Through

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Grade: 1

engaging in enterprising projects such as the one to distribute organic vegetables and use the profits to sponsor the education of a boy living in a remote part of Vietnam, pupils are given insights into many aspects of life both in the local community and the wider world. The base is extremely well led and managed. There is a strong sense of direction and purpose that underpins the work of everyone involved. All staff, including those who work independently teaching pupils in their homes, feel valued. They have benefited from the many and regular training opportunities to refine and update their skills. Recent improvements in how pupils' progress is recorded have been particularly beneficial. The evidence gained from the regular tracking of how pupils are doing is being used well to set targets for pupils' achievements and manage the performance of staff. The base's own evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses is very good. The

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Grade: 1

results of this have led to appropriate priorities for development. The most important one of these is the move to a bigger teaching area and a separate room for administration.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Move into more suitable teaching and administration premises as soon as possible. 2 Inspection Report: South Somerset Tuition Base, 26 September 2006

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Grade: 1

The standards that pupils reach are close to, and at times exceed, the national average. Pupils' individual achievements, however, are outstanding, a view fully endorsed by parents. 'I find it difficult to believe the wonderful progress my child has made,' commented one parent. Pupils who attend the site, and those taught at home, all achieve well. GCSE results demonstrate how well pupils make progress. Last year all achieved, and many exceeded, their predicted grades in English, mathematics and science, and many also passed in several other subjects. Other evidence of the excellent progress pupils are making includes increases in their reading skills. Records show that most pupils are making rapid progress and soon become confident readers.

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Grade: 1

Pupils very much enjoy and appreciate the support they receive from the base. Pupils say they feel safe and know they will be well supported and that this gives them the confidence to move forward and try new things. 'There is always somebody there for you,' stressed one pupil. Pupils show significant improvements in many aspects of their personal development. These include their attendance, attention to personal care, readiness for lessons and ability to communicate with others. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. These aspects are very carefully supported through personal, social and health education programmes, where pupils say they have benefited from the discussions on topics such as the dangers of drugs, alcohol and violence. As one pupil put it, 'I am going to bring my baby up very differently now.' Pupils very much enjoy the fact that the atmosphere in the teaching base is calm and, pupils were keen to point out, 'there is no major silliness

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Grade: 1

here.' Pupils feel they are listened to and that staff will respond to their concerns and differing needs. The base makes a significant contribution to pupils' future economic well-being by supporting them academically and socially, and enabling them to confidently move back to a school or leave and go on to further education or employment.

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Grade: 1

Teaching is very effective in enabling pupils to achieve well. Teachers are very flexible in their approach, recognising the individual needs of pupils. They have very good relationships with pupils and use these well to encourage pupils in their learning. Teachers very sensitively gauge the level of challenge that individual pupils can cope with and this makes sure that pupils remain motivated and comfortable about attempting new work. Pupils are encouraged to work together, but also say that they 3 Inspection Report: South Somerset Tuition Base, 26 September 2006 appreciate the 'personal space' staff give them. Staff make a point of encouraging pupils to be as independent as possible in their learning. Information gained from assessing what pupils know and can do is used well to plan work and set targets for pupils' achievements. The use of the virtual classroom is a very imaginative way in which pupils who are unable to leave their own homes are able

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Grade: 1

to access learning through interactive sessions with other pupils. The effectiveness of the virtual classroom means that those who are not able to attend the base make similar progress to pupils who attend it.

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Grade: 2

The base offers a good curriculum, despite the limitations of the accommodation. The limitations of the space mean that it is very difficult to teach practical subjects. Staff, though, are very imaginative in the activities they plan to try to overcome the very small space they have available for teaching. For example, a recent experiment in science involved pupils collecting different leaves and hanging them on a washing line in the classroom to see how they change over time. Very good links with secondary schools enable staff to plan work for pupils that ensures that they can keep up with their coursework for examinations. The timetable for the virtual classroom extends the curriculum very positively for those pupils confined to their homes. The curriculum is extended well by enrichment activities, such as an 'India day' and a 'fair trade day'. These contribute greatly to pupils' spiritual and cultural development. The

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Grade: 2

accommodation, however, does mean that the number of pupils able to be taught on site at any one time is limited and this reduces the teaching and learning time for some pupils and the range of subjects they can study.

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Grade: 1

Undoubtedly a key strength of the work of the base is the excellent care, guidance and support offered to pupils. There are very effective systems to check and record pupils' progress, and staff use these well to help pupils to better their achievements and set appropriate targets. The very good emphasis placed on involving pupils in this process, and the use of 'smart charts', means that pupils themselves are constantly reviewing how well they have done and what they need to do next. The emphasis placed on supporting pupils' emotional health ensures that their personal development is excellent. For example, pupils who are initially reluctant to leave their homes soon gain in confidence and join in lessons and happily work alongside others. All the expected arrangements to ensure that pupils are safe are in place. However, the lack of a separate area for administration means that it is not possible to have

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Grade: 1

confidential conversations, with pupils or their parents, while the base is in session. 4 Inspection Report: South Somerset Tuition Base, 26 September 2006

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are excellent and have played a significant role in developing the high quality of the base's work. The Medical Tuition Service is very clear about its brief and this helps staff at the base understand what it is they are being asked to achieve. Much has been achieved since the base was established, although, plans to move to a bigger teaching space are very appropriate and will enhance the work of the base even further. The base leader provides very effective leadership. She has a clear understanding of the importance of knowing how effective the provision is through the collection of evidence of pupils' achievements. This means that the base has a very clear understanding of the quality of its work and is able to make changes, as necessary, to improve what it can do to support pupils. The work of staff is checked carefully and training is provided to address any aspects that need

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Grade: 1

improvement. Aspects in need of improvement are linked very well to training opportunities. The management committee plays its part well in monitoring the work of the base and regular contact with the service leader ensures the base is working effectively with others in the local authority. Strategic development planning to improve the effectiveness of the base is of a very high standard and shows that the base has the capacity to improve even further. 5 Inspection Report: South Somerset Tuition Base, 26 September 2006 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: South Somerset Tuition Base, 26 September 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 1 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 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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and interests of learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: South Somerset Tuition Base, 26 September 2006

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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 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, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: South Somerset Tuition Base, 26 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you so much for putting up with me when I visited you recently. I was very pleased to discuss the base with those of you who were in that morning. From your comments I can see very clearly that you enjoy being there and are very appreciative of the efforts of all the staff. I agree with you that the base is providing an excellent service to support you. I think it is particularly effective in helping you get over the difficulties you have faced that have made attending a school difficult. I think as a result you are becoming stronger people emotionally and much more ready to deal with the challenges of life outside. The base is very sensitive in the way it deals with your difficulties and does an excellent job in trying to push you to achieve as much as possible. Because of this I think you make excellent progress. Examination results of pupils in previous years are very good and I am sure you, through the hard work you are

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

doing now, will do as well when it comes to the time for you to take examinations. A real strength of the base is the way it is always striving to improve the quality of its work. My one criticism is that the teaching room is too small. The local authority has also recognised this and plans to provide a new larger teaching room. I hope you will soon be able to move into the new room when I am sure you will be able to achieve even more. With very best wishes for your future, 9 Inspection Report: South Somerset Tuition Base, 26 September 2006

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