Manor Green School

110183 Unique Reference Number Windsor and Maidenhead Local Authority 288593 Inspection number 22 °23 May 2007 Inspection dates Kay Charlton 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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Special Type of school Foundation special School category 2 °19 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 153 School 13 6th form

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Robert Williams Chair Mrs Frances Larner Headteacher 17 February 2003 Date of previous school inspection Ascot Road School address Holyport Maidenhead SL6 3LE

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01628 623196 Telephone number 01628 623608 Fax number

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2-19 Age group 22 °23 May 2007 Inspection dates 288593 Inspection number .

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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

Holyport Manor School is a special school. All pupils have statements covering a very wide range of intellectual and social needs. Pupils are drawn from a wide range of socio economic backgrounds and a significant number come from outside the Local Authority (LA). The vast majority are from White British backgrounds. A small proportion are from other ethnic backgrounds and most of these pupils are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. Attainment on entry is well below that expected for pupils of this age. Seven pupils are in the nursery, thirteen are in the sixth form provision and seventeen pupils are in boarding accommodation. The school is organised in mixed age and mixed ability classes within key stages. It has gained the Healthy Schools Award and has recently been granted £23.6 million under the 'Schools for the Future' initiative to build a new school. The present headteacher

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Description of the school

took up post at Easter 2007 after a term when one of the deputies acted as headteacher.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 2007

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Grade: 3

Holyport Manor School provides a satisfactory education with good features, notably in pupils' personal development. Parents overwhelmingly make very positive comments about the provision and say that pupils are happy in school. One said 'there is a really dedicated team of staff who care about the children' and another made positive remarks about the 'whole package being offered' by a range of professionals working together. These exemplify well parents high regard for the school. Throughout all age groups, the development of life and social skills is emphasised and the boarding provision offers pupils good opportunities to prepare them for independent living. The school has strong links with others, including parents, external agencies and other schools and colleges, which give particularly good support to pupils' personal development. Pupils' achievements throughout the school, including in the Foundation Stage, are satisfactory

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Grade: 3

based on satisfactory teaching and learning. In many lessons staff expect the most of pupils irrespective of their backgrounds and abilities and, in turn, pupils respond with enthusiasm and do well. However, there are a number of situations where teaching lacks sufficient challenge and pace and does not fully match the wide range of pupils' needs. In these lessons pupils could do better. The curriculum ensures suitable development of pupils' skills in literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT). Pupils are confident to turn to staff if they need support and clearly appreciate the good relationships that are established. These features are key aspects of the school's success in guiding the pupils' personal development. However, there is some inconsistency in the use of the whole school systems to support and guide pupils' academic development and this means that they are not always

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Grade: 3

sufficiently clear what they need to do in order to meet their targets. The overall leadership and management of the school is satisfactory. Governors visit on a regular basis but they are not sufficiently rigorous in checking the strengths and weaknesses of the school's provision in order to gain a realistic picture of its overall effectiveness. They do not ensure that all statutory requirements are met. The new headteacher, has won the confidence of staff and, along with senior staff, has made some important changes in the school based on a strong commitment 'to the pupils coming first'. All members of the senior leadership team are keen to improve the outcomes for pupils. They are clear what needs to be done and, as a result, the school is in a satisfactory position to go forward with some confidence.

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Grade: 3

Students in the sixth form make satisfactory progress. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and the curriculum covers all expected areas, although there are occasions when it is not well matched to the interests of pupils of this age. Good careers guidance ensures that, at age 16, the appropriate provision is identified for students either within school or in other schools or colleges.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

The boarding provision caters well for its pupils. The most recent Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) report judges the provision to be good and notes that staff address pupils' 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 2007 personal development needs well through a range of purposeful and enjoyable activities. Staff from the boarding provision are working well with those in school to ensure further consistency of approach, for example in using pupils' education targets to guide their academic development when they are involved in after school activities.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that, in all lessons, teaching provides sufficient challenge and pace and fully meets the wide range of pupils' needs so that they can achieve of their best. ■ Ensure consistent use of whole school systems to guide pupils' academic development so that all pupils are clear about how to meet their targets. ■ Ensure that all statutory requirements are met and that the governing body critically evaluates the overall effectiveness of the school's provision. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

Across the school pupils' achievements are variable but, overall, they are satisfactory including for the children in the Foundation Stage. Before they leave school at age sixteen or nineteen, all pupils gain nationally recognised qualifications. A small number gain GCSE grade A* to G. Pupils make the best progress in subjects where assessment is used well. In a Key Stage 3 music lesson pupils achieved very well because of their involvement in evaluating the quality of both their own compositions and those of others. However, the use of assessment as an integral part of the pupils' learning is inconsistent and the assessments recorded are not always reliable since they have not been subject to external moderation. Because of this, there are situations where pupils can still do better. The school places a suitable emphasis on developing pupils' basic skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT so that pupils make satisfactory progress in these

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Grade for sixth form: 3

areas. There are no significant variations in the progress made by different groups, for example those pupils who are learning English as an additional language.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Overall pupils' personal development is good. They enjoy school and speak very positively about the extra activities they undertake; for example when they went to talk to and shake hands with Prince Charles at a 'Live Music Now' event. Pupils' behaviour is good and most show significant improvements in their levels of self-discipline from first starting the school. Attendance for many is also improved and is satisfactory overall. There are few instances of bullying but pupils are clear about what they should do if any occurs. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Assemblies contribute well by offering time for pupils to reflect; for example when listening to each others' poems that show keen insights into their feelings. As one of these about 'Your mum being your one true friend who is always there for you' was read out a very special moment was created for all pupils. Pupils work successfully as

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Grade for sixth form: 2

members of a group. They show respect for one another and are very supportive of each other. 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 2007 Pupils of all ages are aware of the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle and are also aware of the need to adopt safe practices, for instance about not talking to strangers. They make a positive contribution to the school and wider community, such as when they participated in a borough-wide conference of all school councils. The school prepares pupils satisfactorily for their future economic well-being through the systematic development of pupils' basic skills.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

Across the school, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory although there is some variation. Occasionally it is excellent but there is also some inadequate teaching. Lessons are usually well organised, proceed smoothly and staff work well as a team. There is a very good working atmosphere in lessons based on the good relationships between staff and pupils. Most pupils are keen to contribute their ideas, often showing a good sense of fun. Resources and 'hands-on' activities are usually used well to engage pupils' interest and participation. This is especially noticeable in the Foundation Stage where children benefit from the well thought out opportunities to encourage them to play. Some excellent teaching was seen in a language and communication lesson in one of the Key Stage 2 classes. In this lesson the teacher used an extremely wide range of approaches linked to detailed knowledge of each pupil's level of understanding to drive forward their achievements.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

Pupils responded extremely well to the high expectations set and their level of participation was a joy to behold. In lessons where teaching is less effective, staff do not make full use of assessment information to challenge pupils in order to reach their targets. The pace of learning slows and not all pupils' needs are fully met. These features were especially noticeable in the few instances where the same worksheet was used with nearly all of the class.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. It is broad and balanced but not always relevant to pupils' needs, in particular to those of the older pupils in Key Stage 1 and occasionally to the students in the sixth form. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage appropriately covers the six areas of learning and provides a sound start to the early stages of the child's education. The curriculum for older pupils in the main school has an appropriate balance of academic, vocational and work-related activities which gives pupils an introduction to life after school. In the sixth form, these opportunities are further extended to develop students' understanding of the world of work. A suitable range of national accreditation is provided for pupils at age 16 and for those in the sixth form. Pupils who are capable have the opportunity to take GCSE examinations because of the close links established with local schools.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

Enrichment is good with a wide range of visits, such as the Globe Theatre and other local places of interest. It is well enhanced by the strong links the school makes with other schools and colleges. 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 2007

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Grade for sixth form: 3

Overall, the quality of care, guidance and support is satisfactory. There are strengths in the support which staff give to promote pupils' personal development. They show that the pupils' needs are paramount and, at all times, display good respect towards them and value their efforts. Relationships are good and pupils know that they have a voice and that the staff will listen to their ideas, a good example of this being the way the school has involved pupils in the recruitment of staff. From the moment children first start school, they make noticeable improvements in developing their confidence and independence because staff ensure that the development of these skills underpins all that they do. The school's strong links with parents help to ensure that there is smooth transition between home and school, and pupils settle well in their new surroundings. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are satisfactory. Many areas are given due regard to

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Grade for sixth form: 3

ensure that pupils feel safe and secure. For example, by the use of comprehensive care plans so that all staff are clear about the administration of medicines and by ensuring that child protection procedures are rigorously carried out. However, the accommodation is far from ideal and there is no accessibility plan to show how the school intends to convert aspects of the building to meet legislation under the Disability and Discrimination act. The support and guidance for pupils' academic development is satisfactory. Staff assess pupils' progress regularly, and they use this information to set them targets. However, these targets are not always sufficiently well matched to the needs of individual pupils and there is inconsistency in the extent to which they are used to help pupils appreciate how they might improve their work.

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Grade for sixth form: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The new headteacher has won the confidence of staff and, along with the senior team, shows a strong determination for future improvement. In the short period of time since her appointment she has worked well with the senior team to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. She has made important changes, for example in reviewing staff responsibilities, and these are already having a positive impact on pupils' learning. The senior team's evaluation of teaching and learning is accurate and middle leaders speak with enthusiasm about their roles in future developments. Staff make the best use of resources available to them including getting the best out of the inappropriate accommodation. The school continues to have a large but reducing loan and there is a plan agreed with the Local Authority to repay this. Governance is inadequate. Governors visit the school on a regular basis and have a clear schedule

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Grade for sixth form: 3

of meetings. However, they do not ensure that all statutory requirements are met and are not sufficiently rigorous in checking the strengths and weaknesses of the school's provision in order to gain a realistic picture of its overall effectiveness. For example, the requirements of the Disability and Discrimination Act are not met and governors are not rigorous in checking 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 2007 to ensure that all procedures to safeguard pupils are in place. They do not fulfil requirements about reporting information to parents and they have not ensured that there is a responsible person to check that all relevant staff are aware of pupils' needs as set out in their statements. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 2007 .

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Grade for sixth form: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 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

3 3 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? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 2 The effectiveness and efficiency of boarding provision 3 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 3 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

3 3 How well do learners achieve? 4 4 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

3 3 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?

3 3 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 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 No No 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Holyport Manor School,Maidenhead,SL6 3LE Thank you for your help when we came to inspect your school on 22 and 23 May 2007. You told us that you enjoy school, staff will listen to your ideas and they help you to learn a lot so that you gain confidence. We agree with you and rate Holyport Manor as a satisfactory school that has some good features. We could see that you like being with your friends and that you enjoy taking part in some of the special activities such as going to meet Prince Charles. You make satisfactory progress towards your targets and you develop your personal skills well. You show respect towards each other and work together well. Many of you have improved your behaviour a great deal so that it is now good. We know that you were proud to have gained the Healthy Schools Award which shows that you are trying hard to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Teaching is satisfactory. Staff work

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

well as a team and there is often a good sense of fun in lessons. You show that you are happy to go to staff if you need help. In order for the school to improve in future we want teachers to ensure that all lessons fully meet your needs and, at all times, staff make it clear to you what you need to do to help you reach your targets. There are also some issues that the governing body need to address to ensure that your school is a safe and secure environment where you can achieve your best. Yours sincerely Kay Charlton Lead Inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Holyport Manor School, 22 °23 May 2007

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