Highshore School

100872 Unique Reference Number Southwark Local Authority 285904 Inspection number 9 °10 January 2007 Inspection dates Kiran Campbell-Platt 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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Bellenden Road School address Special Type of school Peckham Community special School category London SE15 5BB 11 °17 Age range of pupils 02076397211 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02072529024 Fax number 124 Number on roll (school) 9 Number on roll (6th form) Mrs Judith Lask Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Ms C Wood Headteacher 30 September 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 285904 9 °10 January 2007 11°17 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Highshore School is for pupils aged 11 to 17 with statements of special educational needs. It caters for complex needs including speech and communication difficulties, emotional and behavioural needs, Dyslexia and physical difficulties. Two thirds of the roll is boys. About half of the pupils are of white, British backgrounds with a third being of black heritage. A fifth of the roll has English as an additional language needs. Achievement at entry is well below average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Highshore is a good school with some strong features. The inspection agrees with the school's judgement that overall effectiveness is good. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership in her unwavering focus on improving pupils' outcomes and their well-being. The school has recently emerged from a difficult period when it operated without the full senior leadership team. This slowed the previously good pace of progress and delayed implementation of some plans for school improvement. It also reduced the effectiveness of behaviour management across the school. The senior leadership team has been strengthened by the recent appointment of the deputy headteacher and is now well placed to implement further improvement. Despite its recent difficulties, progress on issues for development from the last inspection has been good. Self-evaluation is now firmly linked to improving outcomes for pupils. Subject co-ordinators are actively involved in departmental self-evaluation; assessment

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Grade: 2

information to inform whole school target setting is now in place; the school has been effective in raising the achievement of more able pupils through improved teaching and curriculum provision and their achievement is now good. Capacity to improve is good. Achievement is good. Pupils enter school with low starting points and make good gains in learning. The school is accurate in its judgement that teaching and learning are good. Strong relationships and the positive ethos for learning are strengths of teaching. The school uses monitoring information effectively to improve its quality and is well-placed to make further improvement. Care, guidance and support are good. One parent said,and;quot; The staff are exceptional and extremely caring as well as being considerate of children.and;quot; The school is very effective in harnessing the expertise of local services to promote pupils well-being. As a result, their personal

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Grade: 2

development and well-being are good. Most pupils behave well in lessons and around school. A small but significant number of pupils with challenging behaviour are disruptive and this has resulted in a high number of fixed term exclusions. Overall pupils enjoy school, feel safe and participate well in sporting and the extra-curricular activities offered. They make an exceptionally strong contribution to the school and local community and progress well in developing life and work-related skills. The curriculum is good. It is well-matched to pupils needs and promotes their personal development. The school has an accurate picture of strengths and weaknesses overall but it has overestimated the quality of care, guidance and support and the personal development and well-being of pupils in view of the high number of fixed term exclusions. The actions taken by the school to reduce these exclusions through pastoral support plans,

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Grade: 2

home visits by the Connexions adviser and Local Authority services are beginning to have an impact; however it needs to take rigorous action to reduce these swiftly as the annual targets currently set are not challenging enough. The school is aware that access for pupils with physical difficulties around the site and to classrooms on the first floor is unsatisfactory and needs to be addressed. 2 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Grade: 2

The school has a small group of vulnerable students in Year 12 as part of a pilot Pathfinder programme set up in partnership with a local school. Achievement and social and personal development of students are good. All the students in the first year of the pilot gained a college, training or work placement. Teaching and care, guidance and support are good. The curriculum is well-matched to students' needs and includes ongoing college and work placements. It promotes basic and life skills and prepares them well for transition to college or training placements.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Take rigorous action to reduce fixed term exclusions. • Improve access for pupils with physical difficulties around the site and to first floor classrooms.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Pupils' attainment when they enter the school is low compared with other learners of the same age because of their learning dificulties and, in some cases, complex needs and challenging behaviour. Despite their low starting points, pupils make good progress in their time at school. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 make good gains in developing their confidence as learners. They make good progress in improving their social and communication skills. Their written work is well presented and some older pupils are able to express their views in a variety of creative ways, for example, the posters created by Year 11 pupils for their English course work on Macbeth. Older students make steady progress in developing basic and life skills. Many are successful in achieving a range of accreditation including General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in art, entry level in a wide range of subjects and ASDAN Awards. Most students leaving

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Grade for sixth form: 2

at the end of Key Stage 4 take up college or training places. There is no significant difference in the progress made by different groups of learners, such as looked after children and those learning English as an additional language needs.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Pupils progress well in improving their self-esteem, confidence and have positive attitudes to learning. The school is a harmonious community. Pupils' spirital, moral, social and cultural development is good. They are considerate of each others' feelings and courteous to staff and visitors. The school's ethos enables them to recognise right from wrong. Behaviour is generally good although some pupils with emotional and 3 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007 behavioral difficulties behave inappropriately. Socially, pupils develop well; they get on with each other and are able to participate in group work. They say, and;quot;teachers have a laugh with youand;quot;, explaining why they enjoy school. Culturally, their development is good and promoted by very good enrichment activities such as celebrations of festivals, trips and concerts. High numbers participate in school sporting activites including local tournaments and extra curricullar sports clubs. They

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Grade for sixth form: 2

have healthy options in school meals. They make a strong contribution to the school and local community through charitable fund raising, school fair and other activities. One pupil explained, and;quot;I walked around a lake,and;quot; for the sponsered walk in aid of Landmines. Attendance is satisfactory and in line with similar schools. Pupils act safely in the school and some older School Council members show good awareness of risk assessment and point out the poor access for pupils with physical difficulties to all parts of the school. Pupils progress well in skills that contribute to economic well-being.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

The majority of teaching observed was good with a small proportion being satisfactory. The school's monitoring identifies a small amount of outstanding teaching. Teachers typically use a wide range of methods and resources effectively to involve pupils and to enable them to understand what they are doing. Teachers make good use of projectors and interactive white boards which add to visual and practical learning which pupils enjoy. Teaching is purposeful and well-linked to pupils' prior knowledge and previous learning. Teachers and learning assistants are patient and consistent in managing students who find the work difficult. Praise is used effectively to encourage hesitant or less able students. There are good opportunities for pupils to develop communication and collaboration skills through pair and group activities. As a result most students make good progress. The school works well to help teachers to improve

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Grade for sixth form: 2

less effective teaching and is well placed to make further improvement.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

The school offers the National Curriculum in Years 7 to 9. In Years 10 and 11, students have good opportunities for accreditation through GCSE Art and a wide range of entry level courses. There is specialist teaching for most subjects. The Personal, Health, Citizenship and Moral Education (PSHME) programme, and core programmes, help pupils to develop life and social skills and awareness of healthy and safe lifestyles. Vocational provision is good. It includes college and work placements and enterprise activities. The school makes good use of assessment information to improve curriculum 4 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007 provision to match different needs, for example, for pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) at Key Stage 4. More able pupils sit the Key Stage 3 national tests and those at Key Stage 4 are appropriately challenged through access to higher level accreditation, for example, the ASDAN Gold award. The school has good plans to

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Grade for sixth form: 2

modify the provision in Year 7 for increasing numbers of pupils with more complex needs. Some of the pupils at risk of exclusion in Years 10 and 11 have a personalised curriculum to promote re-engagement in learning. The school needs to accelerate its plans to provide personalised curriculum provision for all pupils who are repeatedly given fixed term exclusions. The school offers an enriched curriculum which includes, for example, links with a Dutch school for exchange visits, participation in Peckham Spash for music, drama and dance. The extra curricular activities offered are a strength. These include sporting activities, homework and breakfast clubs and musical activities such as drumming, all of which have high participation rates.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Staff are highly committed to providing a caring and safe environment for pupils. The school's partnership with local services and community based providers is a strength. It works very effectively with many external agencies to meet the needs of learners. These include local authority services such as the Connexions Service, Speech and Language therapy, Educational Psychology, specialist teachers for Hearing and Visual Impairment and the Educational Welfare Service. The school has a counsellor and a well-trained team of support assistants who provide valuable additional support and supervision in lessons and breaks. There is in-class or small group specialist support for pupils with Dyslexia, EAL needs, and those with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Although the school has improved the support and guidance for pupils at risk of exclusion, it is aware that more rigorous action needs to be taken to re-engage the

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Grade for sixth form: 2

significant number who are repeatedly excluded. Partnership with parents is very good and their attendance at annual reviews is high. Pupil progress is monitored regularly through regular reviews of Individual Education Plans, annual reviews and teacher assessment. Individual target setting is currently an area for development as the school's recently introduced assessment system is being implemented in a rolling programme. Risk assessments, child protection procedures, CRB checks and Health and Safety assessments are carried out rigorously.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher's leadership is outstanding. She has led the school effectively since the previous inspection. She is supported by an experienced senior leadership team which is focused on making further improvement. Self-review is developing well and has had a positive impact on improving achievement 5 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007 and well-being of pupils. Information from monitoring of teaching is used effectively to improve the quality of teaching. The school recognises that the high number of fixed term exclusions run counter to its ethos of inclusion. The actions it has taken are starting to have a positive impact. The school seeks the views of pupils, parents and staff to inform its priorities for development through surveys such as the Well-Being project and Future Proof audit. Its effective collaboration with external agencies to

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Grade for sixth form: 2

meet pupils' needs and promote pupils' well-being is reflected in their good personal and academic achievement. Resources are used efficiently reflected in good staff retention and effective training and deployment of teachers and support assistants. The school works well within the constraints of limited accommodation provided by the hall which restricts provision for PE, other sporting activities and drama. However, it is aware of the urgent need to improve access for pupils with physical difficulties to first floor classrooms which can only be accessed by stairs. There are effective financial systems in place. Governors play a strategic role and are actively involved in supporting the school through visits and review of the school improvement plan. The school provides good value for money. 6 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007 .

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Grade for sixth form: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Inspection judgements

16-19 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

2 2 How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? 1 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 2 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 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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well-being of the learners?

The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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 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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range of needs and interests of learners?

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

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range of 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 to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 8 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007

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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 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 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? 9 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming me to your school this week. I enjoyed seeing you in your lessons and talking to you. I was impressed by the confident and courteous way with which you greeted me in lessons and around school. I was pleased to meet with some of the members of your School Council and to hear what they thought about the school. I think you will see from the full report that I have taken your views into account. I am writing to let you know my main findings. Highshore School provides a good education for you. Most of you make good progress in your learning. You told me that you enjoy lessons and feel safe. Most of you have positive attitudes to learning. You like the different methods that teachers use for class work. You have good relationships with each other and with your teachers. You behave well in lessons and in breaks. Your school provides you with a good range of learning activities during lessons. You benefit from the many after-school clubs like the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

breakfast and homework clubs and musical activities such as drumming. All the staff are very committed to helping you to learn and make good progress in your personal and social development. There are some things that the school could do better. I have asked the school to do more to bring down the numbers of pupils who are given fixed term exclusions. I have also asked the school to improve the access to the first floor classes and across the school for pupils with physical difficulties. Thank you again and I wish you all the best for the future. Yours sincerely, Kiran Campbell-Platt Lead inspector 10 Inspection Report: Highshore School, 9 °10 January 2007

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