The Constance Bridgeman Centre

Inspection Report The Constance Bridgeman Centre

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102794 Unique Reference Number Redbridge Local Authority 286496 Inspection number 11 December 2006 Inspection date Bill Stoneham 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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Redbridge College School address Special Type of school Little Heath, Barley Lane Pupil referral unit School category Romford RM6 4XT 14 °16 Age range of pupils 020 8599 2972 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 8597 6532 Fax number 36 Number on roll (school) Mr K Robson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs E D'Ath (Acting) Headteacher 23 September 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 286496 11 December 2006 14 °16 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

The Constance Bridgeman Centre is a pupil referral unit (PRU) for students aged 14 to 16 and is part of the New Rush Hall group, a selection of five different units offering specialist education provision within the Redbridge Education Authority. The unit operates on two sites, with one site specialising in vocational education. There are approximately four times as many boys on roll than there are girls. Fifteen students have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools and, though most of the students are from White British backgrounds, six are from homes where English is not their first language. Six students have statements of educational need and four are looked-after children. Many have regular access to other professional support services and all experience a range of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. There have been recent difficulties with staff recruitment and there has been a delay

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Description of the school

in appointing a new headteacher. At the time of the inspection, there was an acting headteacher. Other staffing positions have been difficult to fill and some of the accommodation is neither of good quality nor convenient, with one site being located a significant distance from the main site.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: The Constance Bridgeman Centre, 11 December 2006

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Grade: 3

The Constance Bridgeman Centre provides a satisfactory standard of education. The centre is improving the life chances for its students, especially for those who attend regularly. The centre does not aim to reintegrate its students into mainstream education; its objective is to prepare students for the next step beyond Year 11 into further education or the world of work. This is done with some success, with about 70 per cent of youngsters annually making this transition. Those who do not make the transition usually do not succeed for reasons beyond the centre's control. Some students have very poor attendance records, for example, and fail to make any significant improvements despite the efforts made on their behalf by their staff. Others may have problems with substance, drug or alcohol abuse, or may be in trouble with the authorities. In such cases their ability to progress to a settled life in a college, or

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Grade: 3

a place of work, is drastically reduced. The staff work hard and liaise satisfactorily with external agencies to provide the students with a sense of purpose and direction. The quality of care, guidance and support is satisfactory, which contributes to the students' satisfactory personal development. The students feel safe and appreciate the guidance and support provided. The few parents who completed the inspection questionnaire were supportive and appreciative of the work being done. One commented, 'When my son returns home he always has something positive to report. The style of teaching sustains his interest and promotes learning.' Achievement and progress are satisfactory, though standards overall are well below average. Students can complete accredited courses, including GCSEs in English and mathematics and up to seven other subjects including a range of vocational options. Though the students' behaviour is satisfactory and improving, the overall attendance

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Grade: 3

rate is unsatisfactory and this adversely affects the progress made by a significant minority. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. There are some good features. Teachers know the students well and plan lessons to meet their needs. There are, however, inconsistencies in the use of data to set challenging targets and in the monitoring of progress against such targets. Efforts to improve the students' literacy skills show too much variation. The curriculum is satisfactory. It has been revised in response to student requests for sport and, as far as possible, the centre attempts to meet needs. However, given the prevailing accommodation and staffing issues, staff have not been able to offer all they would like. Further improvements are planned but a key weakness is the lack of provision for science. Information and communication technology (ICT) resources are good and used effectively to support teaching and

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Grade: 3

learning. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The acting headteacher has worked very hard to maintain the centre's work and she has been well supported by her colleagues. She is aware of what the centre's strengths are and where improvements are needed. Self-evaluation is generally accurate and there is a satisfactory capacity to improve. Assessment data is collected but its analysis and use to check on the centre's performance and further improve standards is unsatisfactory. The management committee is supportive of the acting headteacher but they are not robust in acting 2 Inspection Report: The Constance Bridgeman Centre, 11 December 2006 as a critical friend and do not have a clear enough vision about how improvements might be secured. Thus the overall capacity for improvement is satisfactory.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards by ensuring greater consistency in teaching, particularly in literacy. • Set challenging academic and personal targets for all students and develop robust systems to monitor their progress. • Improve students' attendance rates. • Increase choice by ensuring the provision of suitable science courses. • Improve monitoring arrangements including the role of the management committee.

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Grade: 3

Standards on entry are variable but most start with attainment that is below, or well below, average. This is mainly because of poor attendance and negative attitudes towards education. Whilst at the centre students make satisfactory progress in their learning and many successfully progress to further education or the world of work. Some successfully complete GCSE courses and other qualifications, however, by the end of Year 11 standards remain well below average overall. Target setting is inadequate. Too little emphasis is placed on setting students challenging targets for their academic work and ensuring that their progress is regularly and thoroughly monitored.

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Grade: 3

Personal development is satisfactory. The students are developing some of their basic personal skills at an acceptable rate as the staff with whom they work are dedicated and committed to improving their motivation and raising their self-esteem. Spiritual, social, moral and cultural education is satisfactory overall, but social development is good because of the time and effort staff spending helping the students. Behaviour is satisfactory and students get along well together and with their teachers. As one girl remarked, 'They like you here and give you respect'. Attendance, however, is unsatisfactory and this impedes the levels of improvement made. Some students can show significant improvements in their attendance and their attitudes, but a significant minority fail to attend regularly and the responsibility they show for their own actions is too casual. The students feel safe and say that they enjoy their education at the

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Grade: 3

PRU more than they did previously. Most students are appreciative of the support they receive; some Year 11 students commented on how grateful they are to take subjects such as graphics and photography at GCSE. Opportunities to participate in sport are improving and the personal, social and health education programme (PSHE) and the breakfast club are enhancing the students' awareness of healthy eating. The students' views are sought and good efforts are made to encourage the youngsters to assume responsibility and make decisions. The school council and the citizenship 3 Inspection Report: The Constance Bridgeman Centre, 11 December 2006 programme foster such skills. Vocational education, the careers programme and some work with outside agencies is developing economic well-being appropriately.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory; indeed some of the teaching seen was good. Teachers are sensitive to the students' needs and are enthusiastic in their approach. All lessons seen contained some good features but there were inconsistencies. Most of the students have poor literacy skills, but the teachers are not tackling this issue with consistency. For example, in some lessons there were missed opportunities to encourage the students to read. Staff did not always check that key, or unusual, words were understood. There are variations in the quality of marking; spelling and grammatical errors are not always highlighted, though other aspects of marking are good. Such inconsistencies mean that for most students their achievements are satisfactory rather than good. Care is taken to match the work to the needs of the students. This was aptly demonstrated at the centre's vocational unit where the activities were suitable to enable each individual to make at least acceptable progress.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and provides a suitable framework for the students to progress to further education or the world of work. Evidence shows that the curriculum has developed well since the previous inspection and that vocational provision has improved. Students can study as many as nine GCSEs and there are also courses specifically designed to help the youngsters prepare for working life. PSHE and citizenship, for example, help to develop personal skills and raise awareness of issues related to lifestyles and general behaviour. The leadership team plan to develop the curriculum further but the existing accommodation, allied to issues about recruiting suitably skilled and qualified staff, impede the scope for development. Some parents want science to be offered. Staff are aware of this and also want to develop vocational education. Plans are in place to tackle these issues.

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Grade: 3

The centre provides a safe and supportive environment where learners can develop their personal qualities. The centre works closely with specialist outside agencies and this enhances the effectiveness of the support offered. Provision for health and safety is satisfactory. Child protection and risk assessment procedures are securely in place and all staff are aware of their responsibilities. Assessment data from 'home' schools is not always available. On their arrival all learners are assessed and their academic and developmental needs are established, though 4 Inspection Report: The Constance Bridgeman Centre, 11 December 2006 target setting and recording the students' progress are inconsistent. The students' individual education plans are too descriptive and do not always clearly state targets or show what progress has been made.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Leaders are aware of the strengths and areas for development. The acting headteacher has managed the centre very well during a difficult period of transition and has succeeded in establishing a happy and friendly working environment. Some planning has also been undertaken that should help to improve the quality of provision. Although assessment data is collected, the analysis and use of this to improve their achievement is unsatisfactory. There is a good ethos of fairness and equality of opportunity in which every student matters. Recent staffing difficulties have hindered progress. The management committee are supportive and keen to help, but their function has not been adequately defined. Thus the centre is lacking the services of a critical friend who can objectively evaluate the work being undertaken and set challenges necessary for improvement. 5 Inspection Report: The Constance Bridgeman Centre, 11 December 2006

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: The Constance Bridgeman Centre, 11 December 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? 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 4 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 4 The attendance of learners 3 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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?

3 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: The Constance Bridgeman Centre, 11 December 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: The Constance Bridgeman Centre, 11 December 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming me recently to your centre. I enjoyed my visit and I would like to thank you for telling me about the things you liked and what you would like to see improved. I know most of you enjoy coming to the centre and you told me that you feel safe and are treated well. I agree with you and, overall, I have concluded that you are receiving a satisfactory standard of education. I was pleased to learn that some of you are doing well in your work and that some of the Year 11 students have already made definite plans for next year. I list below some ideas for improvement, but one thing that some of you could do to help your staff is to ensure that your attendance improves. The staff are all committed to helping you; it is only fair that you help them more. The other improvements I have suggested are: • That you should be set targets for your work, personal conduct and attendance and that

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

staff should regularly measure your performance against these targets. • Staff should be more consistent in their approach to helping you develop your literacy skills. • They should offer you science courses. This is something that some parents said they would like to see. • A closer check should be made on how well you are doing and the management committee should be more involved. I would like to finish by wishing you every success in your future work at the centre. Bill StonehamLead inspector 9 Inspection Report: The Constance Bridgeman Centre, 11 December 2006

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