Sandside Lodge School

112466 Unique Reference Number Cumbria Local Authority 289290 Inspection number 21 °22 March 2007 Inspection dates David Smith 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 Community special School category 2 °19 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 68 School 10 6th form

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Ed Shuttleworth Chair Mr Martin Alloway Headteacher 1 January 2003 Date of previous school inspection Sandside Road School address Ulverston Cumbria LA12 9EF

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01229 894180 Telephone number 01229 894180 Fax number

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2 °19 Age group 21 °22 March 2007 Inspection dates 289290 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Of the 78 pupils on roll, 16 are girls. All of the pupils have statements of special educational need. They have a range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities that include profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and autism. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is low and a small minority of pupils are in public care. The pupils are all White British. The school has received a range of national awards, including ActiveMark, SportsMark and Bronze Eco Award.

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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: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 2007

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Grade: 2

Sandside Lodge provides a good education and good value for money. Good leadership and management have ensured that improvements since the last inspection have been effective. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Assessment systems are used effectively to track pupils’ progress and set challenging but not inhibiting targets. This enables all pupils to succeed, irrespective of their learning difficulties. They mainly make good progress towards their targets and work is well matched to their needs. In Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress because pupils are not always challenged sufficiently. Pupils enjoy their lessons and make good progress in their willingness to take increasing responsibility for their work. The teachers’ good subject knowledge and understanding of pupils’ learning needs enables them to challenge pupils of all abilities. Pupils are involved in the assessment of their own learning but the marking

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Grade: 2

of their work is inconsistent and opportunities are missed for them to be fully aware of how to improve. Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage are good and the children achieve well. They enjoy the opportunities provided to experience and take part in practical tasks and show good progress in their ability to work with increasing independence. The sixth form provision is good. Good leadership and management are effective in monitoring and where necessary improving the provision. Students are provided with good care, guidance and support that help to promote their good personal development and well-being. The good curriculum is extended by the courses provided at a local college. Students in the sixth form and the pupils at Key Stage 4 make satisfactory progress in their work-related skills, but are capable of doing even better. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Learners’ overall spiritual, moral, social

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Grade: 2

and cultural development is good. However, pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory because they do not have a clear enough understanding of what it is like to live in a culturally diverse society. Pupils enjoy their education, and this is demonstrated by their positive attitudes and good behaviour. They report that they like coming to school and their attendance is good. Pupils, including those with autism, make good progress in their ability to work with others. They feel safe from bullying and have confidence in the support available if they have concerns. Most pupils have a good understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle. The school has national awards that reflect their good provision for sport and physical exercise. Pupils make good progress in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) and their ability to work in teams. Pupils make a positive contribution to day-to-day aspects of the

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Grade: 2

life of the school and are confident that their views are listened to and respected. There are effective links with parents to help involve them in their children’s education. Safeguarding procedures are in place and the school works well with other agencies to reinforce the good care, guidance and support provided for the pupils. The curriculum is good. The grouping of pupils and the organisation of activities help pupils to achieve well. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to learn alongside their mainstream peers. The curriculum is rich and stimulating and engages pupils’ interest. The school’ self-review is accurate and their evaluation of the quality of its provision has contributed to improvements in the use of data to tackle underachievement. Senior leaders supported by the governors promote a good capacity to maintain continual improvement. This is shown by the recent improvements in the curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4. There is an

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Grade: 2

4 of 12 Inspection Report: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 2007 effective focus on the provision of equal opportunities for all of the pupils in this inclusive school.

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Grade: 2

The sixth form provision is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good and students achieve well. Despite the limitations of the accommodation at the school, students are provided with a good curriculum. This is made possible by the effective use of facilities in the locality. For example, students attend a good range of courses at a local college and take part in an increasing range of work placements. For example, they enjoy their hairdressing and motor vehicle engineering courses, where they learn alongside their mainstream peers. They also attend more general courses that help to build their confidence and independence skills. Leadership and management are good; as a result, the curriculum is carefully tailored to meet the students’ wide range of learning needs. Care, guidance and support are good and students are prepared well for the next stage of their education. Their involvement in an exciting range

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Grade: 2

of activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and residential trips help to promote their good personal development. The provision of enterprise activities is satisfactory and, as a result, students make satisfactory progress in the development in their work-related skills

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that marking of pupils’ work is consistently good across the school and that pupils are aware of how to improve their work. • Extend the opportunities provided for pupils to understand life in a culturally diverse society. • Develop the provision for learners’ work-related skills at Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Boys and girls achieve well. The extent of their learning difficulties means that they do not attain national expectations but they make good progress towards their challenging targets. Pupils eligible for free school meals and those in public care achieve as well as their peers. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress. Children carry out their tasks with increasing levels of independence and make good progress in their ability to work with others. In particular, they enjoy opportunities to join in activities where they can learn through exploration. The level of challenge for pupils at Key Stage 1 is inconsistent and, as a result, their achievement is satisfactory rather than good. Throughout the school, pupils make good progress in English; in particular, a good range of strategies is used to boost pupils’ communication skills. Consequently, pupils use appropriate methods for communicating their views; for example, in

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Grade for sixth form: 2

signing or when indicating choice or preference. Pupils also make good progress in their numeracy skills; for example, higher attaining pupils in Years 10 and 11 make good progress in the use of a calculator. Also, pupils take a full and active part in a good range of investigations in science and this helps to engage their interest and promote good progress. A survey of pupils’ views concluded that they particularly enjoy and achieve well in practical subjects such as music and physical education. Good use is made of ICT in other subjects and pupils enjoy the 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 2007 opportunities to practice and extend their skills. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 make good progress in challenging accredited courses and achieve well.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. They enjoy their learning and attend regularly. Pupils have positive attitudes and behave well. Pupils have strong relationships with staff and feel safe in school. This gives them the confidence to communicate with staff if they have any concerns. Pupils excelled in their joint arts performance alongside pupils from a local primary school. They respond well to the opportunities provided to promote healthy lifestyles. The new gymnasium facility is used effectively to improve levels of fitness and pupils enjoy their weekly water skills session at the local swimming baths. Also, pupils drink water regularly and in some lessons they take part in exercises prior to their learning and this helps them to be alert. Pupils take on increasing responsibility as they progress through the school. Boys and girls on the school council express their opinions confidently and feel that their views are

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Grade for sixth form: 2

listened to. They are very positive about their residential trips and would like activities to be provided after school. The school’s Eco Committee has effectively led initiatives to increase the care of the environment and their work has helped the school gain an Eco Award. Pupils are provided with satisfactory opportunities to understand life in a culturally diverse society.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Typically, no time is wasted, teaching is well planned and pupils achieve well. The effective use of assessment ensures that work is mainly pitched at the right level to meet pupils’ wide range of learning needs. Tasks are sufficiently broken down to be accessible for the lower attaining pupils. Members of staff are positive role models. They know the pupils very well and give pupils the confidence to become more independent learners. Pupils’ successes are celebrated. Relationships are good, which helps to promote a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Interactive whiteboards are used very well; for example, to extend pupils’ understanding of the factors that promote healthy lifestyles; and boost their ability to calculate the area of irregular shapes. Every opportunity is taken to make pupils’ learning relevant and motivating; for example, by extensive use of the local environment

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Grade for sixth form: 2

and, consequently, they make good progress. The marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent. At times, pupils are not made aware of how to improve their work.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

The quality of the curriculum is good and meets pupils’ wide range of learning needs. The carefully planned curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage motivates the children and this helps them to achieve well. 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 2007 Members of staff have worked hard to provide a particularly stimulating curriculum that is tailored to meet the needs of pupils in Years 7 to 11. For example, a parent described the life skills course as, ‘innovative and exciting with good promotion of independence skills’. Throughout the school, there is good support for pupils’ key skills including their literacy, numeracy and ICT and they achieve well. The good provision for pupils’ personal development boosts their self-confidence and ability to work with others. The school has appropriate specialist rooms and a pupil survey indicated that they thoroughly enjoy their work in the practical

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Grade for sixth form: 2

subjects. The work-related curriculum, including enterprise activities, is satisfactory and pupils make adequate progress in their work-place skills. The school makes particularly good use of the local area to enrich the curriculum. The school provides an extensive range of visits and visitors to extend pupils’ learning. The staff team has a good range of skills; in particular, their expertise is used to promote music as an inspirational aspect of school life. Staff and pupils are keen to organise after school activities but this is restricted by transport arrangements for pupils.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The staff team works hard to promote a safe environment. Arrangements for the safeguarding of pupils are robust and risk assessments are carefully managed. The staff team is very supportive of the pupils; as a result, pupils feel safe from bullying and other forms of discrimination. The good tracking of pupils’ progress ensures that the staff is alerted to any signs of underachievement and action is taken to promote their good achievement and personal development. The staff are well trained and have the expertise to meet pupils’ wide range of learning needs. The school works well with parents and other agencies to ensure that pupils make generally good progress. Parents are very confident in the quality of care provided and typically they comment that, ‘the care in the school is second to none and staff are very available and show high levels of commitment’. The school now provides good

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Grade for sixth form: 2

detailed information to parents, which is an improvement since the last inspection.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Leadership and management are good. The recently appointed headteacher has a clear agenda for improvements to the school and he has good support from the effective leadership team. The staff team share his vision for continual improvement and make an effective contribution to the school’s good capacity to improve. Self-review procedures now involve subject leaders and they continue to extend their expertise; for example, by attendance at middle management courses. Performance management systems are effective and are linked to the good programme of professional development for staff. This is an inclusive school with many exciting opportunities provided for pupils to enjoy their learning alongside their mainstream peers. Governors know the school well; in particular, the chair of governors is very actively involved with the school. They provide valuable support to senior leaders and share their commitment for continual

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Grade for sixth form: 2

improvement. There are, for example, exciting and necessary plans in place to build improved 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 2007 play areas. Mainstream staff value the high quality support and guidance provided for them and their pupils by staff from the school. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 2007 .

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Grade for sixth form: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 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? 2 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 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 2 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Sandside Lodge School Sandside Road Ulverston Cumbria LA12 9EF 21 March 2007 Dear Pupils I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Sandside Lodge School. You made me feel very welcome and your performance with the pupils from the local primary school was particularly well done. The school council has many good ideas and I hope you get your new play areas in the near future. This is what I found out about your school. • Your headteacher, with good support from the governors and staff, ensures that you do your best and make good progress in your learning. • You enjoy the good range of exciting visits organised by the staff. The residential visits are particularly popular. • The staff makes sure that your work is neither too difficult or too easy and you make good progress in your learning. • Many of you in the sixth form have good opportunities to follow courses in the local college. • You thoroughly enjoy your time in school and behave well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Members of staff provide you with good care and guidance, encouraging you to stay healthy and keep safe. Even though I thought your school was good it could still be improved. I think that the following things would help to do this. • Staff need to make sure that you always know how to improve your work. • You should have more opportunities to learn about life in different cultures. • The enterprise activities for the older pupils and students need to be extended to help boost your work-related skills. Yours sincerely David Smith Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Sandside Lodge School, 21 °22 March 2007

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