Brompton Hall School

121764 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire Local Authority 292214 Inspection number 13 °14 November 2006 Inspection dates Adrian Simm 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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High Street School address Special Type of school Brompton-by-Sawdon, Scarborough Community special School category

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North Yorkshire YO13 9DB 8 °16 Age range of pupils 01723 859121 Telephone number Boys Gender of pupils 01723 850239 Fax number 49 Number on roll (school) Mr B Honeysett Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr M Mihkelson Headteacher 30 September 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 292214 13 °14 November 2006 8°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 one Additional Inspector and two Commission for Social Care Inspectors (CSCI).

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Description of the school

Brompton Hall provides for boys with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties which are recognised in their statements of special educational need. An increasing number of boys have complex behaviour needs. The school offers day, extended day and weekly boarding places to boys from throughout the local authority area and on occasions, outside of the county. Boys tend to be of White British heritage. Some 16% are in the care of a local authority. Boys start at the school between the ages of eight and 14 years which means the ability range, specific needs and cohesion of any class can change.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 2006

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Grade: 1

The boys attend an outstanding school which offers them a first class preparation for life once they leave school. The school judges itself as good but is overly modest. Boys' understanding of the high expectations for living together in the school 'family' is excellent. As a result, their community spirit, concern for their own and others well-being and their support for charities and those in less advantageous positions than themselves is praiseworthy. Their overall personal development is outstanding. Boys start at the school with social and behavioural difficulties so severe that they are unable to stay in their mainstream schools. In this school they develop confidence, self-esteem and citizenship skills to impressive levels. Parents readily acknowledge this strength of the school. At the same time, boys' learning and achievement 'takes off' well. At times, boys at the end of Year 6 attain levels similar to pupils in mainstream

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Grade: 1

schools in English, mathematics and science. By Year 11, although standards are below national expectations, boys leave with a growing number of nationally recognised examination passes such as in the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). This aspect of school life is strengthening. The school recognises that more can be done for boys to build success in relevant subjects and vocational courses other than those currently accredited. Overall, boys have progressed well from their individual starting points and achievement is good. The school has worked extremely hard to reach the current level of success. It has overcome obstacles along the way, such as set backs when small numbers of particularly difficult boys started at the school at the same time. However, the headteacher and senior staff have remained focused on their ultimate goal of offering boys the best possible opportunities for personal development and academic learning. Teachers,

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Grade: 1

teaching assistants and care staff all play their part in ensuring seamless provision which provides an excellent 24-hour curriculum package. Whether in lessons, lunchtimes, break times or after school activities, the consistent package of support for personal development is outstanding. The range of after school activities is so exciting and realistically matched to boys' interests that their desire to take part and their enjoyment of school is 'tangible'. The vehicle for achieving this desire is the school's rewards and sanctions system, designed in part by the boys themselves. Boys are very clear what they have to do to gain their chosen activities and staff operate the system scrupulously. Boys are encouraged to recognise the rights and wrongs of situations and to make decisions about their own actions. The broad range of ways the school cares for, guides and supports the boys is outstanding, including the vast

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Grade: 1

array of ways in which boys' achievements are celebrated. Although there have been peaks and troughs along the way, the school has improved impressively since the last inspection. For example, despite changes in a minority of teaching staff, good teaching has been maintained; the behaviour management part of teaching is now excellent and subject expertise is strengthening. Good attendance by a large majority means most boys benefit from everything the school offers. Subject accommodation for art, music and information and communication technology (ICT) is far more effective. However, despite determined effort by senior staff and governors 2 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 2006 to overcome the poor indoor accommodation for physical education, plans for this have been shelved because of difficulties with the regulatory planning process. Nonetheless, leadership and management by the headteacher, senior school staff and

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Grade: 1

others with responsibilities are extremely effective. Their clarity of vision for school improvement, their decisions about the order in which to introduce improvements and the success in achieving a cohesive approach to moving the school forward is outstanding. Governors are effective and play an integral part in this. The school provides excellent value for money because of its high level of success in improving the boys' chances in life.

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Grade: 2

The residential provision is a vital part of the school's success and is a good quality resource. Day, extended day and boarding boys have the chance to benefit. The care and welfare aspect of boarding provision is inspected annually by the Commission for Social Care Inspection whose recent separate report will be available on the CSCI website. In all respects, the National Minimum Standards for residential special schools were met with a good number exceeded. The boarding provision aims to complement the school day by offering opportunities for boys to extend what they learn in school, especially in the areas of social and emotional development and self-care skills. Boarding provision is especially good in this respect and in organising the exciting and purposeful after school activities. Recommendations from the last inspection have largely been implemented. Parents value highly the opportunities offered and comment that, 'now

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Grade: 2

our sons have a future because their experience of life is enriched'.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve boys' achievement and levels of accreditation by Year 11 in a broader range of relevant subject and vocational courses.

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Grade: 2

Prior to arriving, boys' attainment has been affected detrimentally by disrupted learning at their previous schools. As a result, their starting points are below national expectations for their ages. School data shows that once settled, boys, whether boarding, living at home or in the care of a local authority achieve well overall, with particular age groups on occasions achieving very well. For example, most of the small class of Year 6 pupils in 2006 improved so well that they attained or exceeded national expectations. Whilst this impressive success is not yet the norm, boys do achieve well in the other year groups so that by Year 11, all generally leave with at least one GCSE grade D to G with a good number achieving more passes. To ensure those boys who might begin to have problems with attendance in Year 11 also succeed, GCSE success in Year 10 is becoming the norm. As a result, for example, higher attaining Year 11

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Grade: 2

boys now push on with studying for even higher levels, aiming for GCSE grades B or 3 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 2006 C. Whilst this particular initiative in English and mathematics has only just started, a boy who not many years ago was only working on adding and subtracting numbers to 20, is now competent in developing quadratics. The excitement and enthusiasm to succeed from this small number of Year 11 boys and their teacher can virtually 'be touched'. A large majority of boys who leave the school at Year 11 go into employment, gain entry to employment courses or attend further education colleges. Boy's good progress in their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills contributes well to their chances of future success.

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Grade: 1

Boys show a remarkable capacity to get on together given their previous major social and behavioural difficulties. Whilst break times and lunchtimes are well supervised, boys generally control their own behaviour very well. There has been no need to exclude any boy from school for over two years and the number of serious incidents in which boys have to be restrained for their own or others' safety are minimal. Excellent behaviour and good attendance by a high majority mean they have every opportunity to benefit from everything the school offers; boys take those opportunities enthusiastically. As a result, their spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is exceptional given their starting points. Healthy food choices are encouraged and boys have a good understanding of how this affects them. Impressively, some younger boys have special lunchtime place mats upon which they record the balance of their diet.

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Grade: 1

They look after the school building and grounds with pride, make decisions about how to improve their school via the school council and unit forums, take particular pride in their personal hygiene and appearance and are generally, very good citizens. Older boy's success on work experience and college courses show just how far most have progressed in socialising, working without close school supervision and in making the right choices necessary in becoming young adults.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Typically, the management of behaviour in lessons is exceptional. It is consistent with the agreed ways of working within the school. In the main, with a teacher and teaching assistant to each lesson, this ensures individual knowledge of and support for behaviour and learning. This is particularly important in practical lessons, for example, where safety is a prime need in carrying out science experiments. Good staffing ratios also enable effective support in making sure boys work at their own levels either in supporting those who need extra help or in stretching those capable of doing more. This works well. The recent setting of boys by ability in Year 11 for English and mathematics is a new initiative to see if teaching and learning can be even more effective. Whilst this is in its infancy, a mathematics 4 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 2006

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Grade: 2

lesson during the inspection was extremely effective with higher attaining boys and the teacher extremely excited by the speed and depth of learning that was possible. This was a fun session with boys providing as much impetus to learn as the staff. Examples seen of teaching and learning in Key Stage 2 were an excellent balance between supporting boys' behavioural needs and driving on with learning. Now that the school has achieved such high levels of successful support for boys' behaviour in lessons, this gives teachers the opportunity now to drive on with improving boys' achievement consistently across school to the same high level.

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Grade: 1

The excellent curriculum that extends across the whole school day both in lessons and the after school activities is linked closely with the school's reward and sanction system. These elements are integral to the very strong foundations laid by the headteacher and senior staff for improving the boy's life chances. Trips abroad, visits to theatres and sporting events or voluntary work at the local country museum are just a few examples of the extensive range of activities open to boys providing they are being good citizens. Most choose to be so, which means they also benefit from the very well planned and extensive curriculum taught in lessons. The curriculum is designed specifically to match boys' ages and needs and reflects closely the style of a mainstream primary or secondary school curriculum. Work related learning and vocational courses are developing also into strengths of the school.

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Grade: 1

Staff have very high expectations of boys based upon detailed knowledge of their social and behavioural needs, and where they are up to with their learning. This leads to an exceptionally calm and purposeful environment where boys thrive. Procedures for ensuring the boys are safe are in place. Staff vetting procedures are in line with new requirements. At any one time, boys and staff are clear about the points boys have amassed from the reward system to spend on different activities. This system contributes extremely well to the excellent guidance and support particularly for boys' personal development; staff operate it consistently and it ties together extremely well all teaching, social and after school activities. All boys, whether day, extended day or boarding, are attached to a boarding unit which is effective in supporting boys' sense of belonging to a unit within the family of the school. A very large majority of parents

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Grade: 1

responding to school and inspection questionnaires considers the school provides 'a caring experience and considerate attention'.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher's vision and determination to improve the school, and the support from key staff and effective 5 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 2006 governors, has resulted in outstanding provision for the boys. There is an atmosphere of celebration, with the boys' needs first and foremost. The headteacher has first hand knowledge of the effectiveness of lessons and supports staff in strengthening their teaching. Subject leaders keep track of boys' progress and their strengths and weaknesses in learning and behaviour which contribute to subsequent improvement. Teamwork from teaching assistants and care staff contribute significantly to the success of the school. Systems for self- evaluation work very effectively and impact extremely well in staff knowing what else needs to be done to improve provision further. The school makes effective use of the resources available to improve the school

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Grade: 1

accommodation and grounds, thus impacting very positively on pupils' good achievement and outstanding behaviour. 6 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 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. 7 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 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? 2 The effectiveness and efficiency of boarding provision 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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

2 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 2 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 2 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. 8 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 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? 9 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for working so hard and being so friendly and helpful to me during the inspection. It was very useful to know what you think about your school. Also how much you enjoy everything provided for you, especially those sessions organised after school and in the evenings. I hope you continue to earn your points so that you can choose your favourite activities. I was very impressed with nearly everything I saw. In particular, all of the staff in your school want you to do really well. I think many of you recognise how much staff care and look after you and, in return, you try hard in your work and behaviour. Well done to all of you who attend school every day. It makes such a difference to what you achieve. Many of you in Years 10 and 11 put in a lot of effort to achieve GCSE passes. This is wonderful. I hope the group of Year 11 boys trying extremely hard to improve their mathematics grades are successful. I have asked

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

your teachers to build on your success with your examination passes and to let you have the chance to take more accredited courses. This will help you have a wider choice of options when you reach the age of 16. Your success is possible because of all of the effort you put in and because your headteacher and staff do their very best to make the school as good as they can for you. 10 Inspection Report: Brompton Hall School, 13 °14 November 2006

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