Setting

Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by the Office for Standards in Education under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002 (as amended 2005) as part of pilot inspection arrangements in order to advise the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about the school

Broadwood High School is an independent special school on the outskirts of Halifax which makes day provision for boys aged 11 to 16 years of age who have behavioural, emotional, and social difficulties. The boys are placed at the school by local authorities from across the United Kingdom. Eleven of the 19 boys on roll are resident in the company’s children’s homes nearby.

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Overall evaluation of the school

Broadwood is a good school which provides a good standard of education and where pupils progress well in their learning and personal development. Pupils are well cared for but some of the school’s policies are too informal and do not fully meet all the regulations. The school is taking appropriate steps to improve these.

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Overall evaluation of the school

When boys arrive at Broadwood their attainment is usually well below that which would be expected for their age. Most have a history of disrupted schooling and poor attendance at their previous schools. Some pupils also have learning difficulties. Whilst at the school they enjoy the varied range of activities which are offered each day and this encourages them to attend regularly and to adopt a positive attitude to school. Parents are pleased with the progress their sons make during their time at the school and one in particular saw a difference in her son within weeks of him starting there.

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Overall evaluation of the school

The curriculum is good; it is broad and very relevant to pupils’ needs. Particular strengths include the emphasis on a wide range of practical and vocational subjects, which the school has been able to provide by developing a vocational training centre on a separate site. There is also a strong emphasis on physical activities, which many greatly enjoy. Boys experience a wide range of different outdoor activities, including rock climbing at a local leisure centre. Since the registration inspection visit in 2003 the school has developed a good range of accredited courses for pupils in Years 10 and 11 (Key Stage 4). These courses cater for pupils’ different abilities and improve their life chances on leaving school. Five pupils are in Years 7 to 9 (Key Stage 3) and are taught in a single class. There is a suitable focus on literacy and numeracy so that pupils can become more secure in their basic skills. However,

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Overall evaluation of the school

teachers’ planning does not go far enough, because in some subjects there is no overall programme to ensure that pupils do not miss out or repeat topics unnecessarily. There is no provision for pupils to learn music or a modern foreign language.

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Overall evaluation of the school

The school provides personal, social and health education but the planning for this is not specific enough about the content of the programme and there is a lack of coherence across the school. As a result, pupils’ entitlement to important topics such as sex and drugs education is not secure. The school is aware of this and is currently introducing a new programme to improve it.

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Overall evaluation of the school

The quality of teaching is good and has many strengths. The good relationships between pupils and staff are firmly based on mutual respect and this promotes a generally calm environment which is conducive to learning. Any incidents of unacceptable behaviour are managed skilfully by staff so that disruptions to lessons are kept to a minimum. Classrooms are well-resourced and the specialist facilities contribute significantly to the quality of teaching and learning. Assessment is satisfactory and improving. When pupils join the school their levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy are established and this information is used appropriately to set individual targets. Lessons are well planned and include activities which capture pupils’ interest and so maintain their concentration. Staff have high expectations and encourage the pupils to try their best and not give up when they meet difficulties.

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Overall evaluation of the school

Work is regularly marked, with every opportunity taken to praise pupils for their efforts and to tell them what to do to improve. The pupils make satisfactory progress against the learning objectives set for them and those with the best attendance progress rapidly in some areas to achieve levels in line with those expected for their age. Most pupils are motivated by the externally validated awards which they achieve when they successfully complete units of work and some go on to gain Entry Level Certificates.

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Overall evaluation of the school

Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and promotes their personal development well. Pupils’ behaviour in and around the school is good and they are polite and courteous to visitors. The pupils are well aware of the classroom rules and were involved in deciding what these should be. They generally value the new points system and the rewards it brings. The recently established school council is poised and keen to make a positive contribution to decisions about the school. Most of the pupils are maturing, taking more responsibility for their actions, and are now able to be trusted in off-site environments. Whilst using community facilities such as the local fitness gym, they demonstrate their growing social skills. However, the school has recognised that the pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop a broad general knowledge of public institutions and services in England or to contribute to the local community

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Overall evaluation of the school

and is intending to develop these further. Teachers promote pupils’ awareness of their own and other cultures throughout the curriculum, for example during art lessons when they were engrossed in making ‘dream-catchers’ and learning about the traditions of the native North Americans. The pupils are prepared well for adult life, and last year four successfully moved on to further education, one in particular building on the occupational skills he had learned in the vocational training centre. The school makes good provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety. Pupils are well supervised at all times and detailed risk assessments are carried out and acted upon. The school routinely draws pupils’ attention to their responsibilities for their own and others’ safety and the pupils say they feel safe in the school. Pupils are offered advice and counselling on how to manage their aggression. The school has

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Overall evaluation of the school

established a suitable range of policies to safeguard pupils. However, recent changes to staffing and the move to a computer-based recording system are resulting in some variation in practice. The admissions register is kept electronically but does not contain all the required information. Off-site educational visits are carefully planned, but some of the arrangements are only agreed and recorded informally rather than in a written form and do not therefore meet regulations. Regular physical education sessions and outdoor education activities encourage pupils to adopt healthy lifestyles. They enjoy trying to beat their personal fitness targets and through discussions show an understanding of the importance of gradually building up their stamina.

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Overall evaluation of the school

The school has rigorous procedures in place for checking the suitability of staff prior to appointment. It has recruited staff who are well qualified and experienced. All staff have undergone clearance with the Criminal Records Bureau. However the school does not carry out the required checks on the medical fitness of applicants.

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Overall evaluation of the school

The school is in a four-storey detached house. The proprietors have made substantial investment in the premises and have established a bright, well maintained school environment. It has recently been adapted from residential to day school use and refurbished to a high standard, with improvements made to accessibility. The separate vocational training centre is equipped to a high standard and provides a bright purpose-built learning environment.

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Overall evaluation of the school

The school’s prospectus is clear and easy to read. It makes appropriate references to further policies and information which are available on request. However, it does not include information about the school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs or those with English as an additional language. The parents and placing local authorities are supportive of the school and pleased with the progress pupils are making. The school does not provide placing authorities with the required annual account of income and expenditure in respect of individual pupils but is currently making arrangements to do so. Satisfactory arrangements are in place for handling complaints should they occur.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets all of the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 as amended January 2005, with the exception of those listed below.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the curriculum (standard 1) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 establish a curriculum policy which is set out in writing and supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work and implement it effectively (paragraph 1(2));

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide a personal, social and health education programme which reflects its aims and ethos (paragraph 1(2)(f)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (standard 2) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide pupils with a broad general knowledge of public institutions and services in England (paragraph 2(d)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety (standard 3) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 prepare and implement a written policy relating to the health and safety of pupils on activities outside the school which has regard to DfES guidance: ‘Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits’ (paragraph 3(2)(c));

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 maintain an admission register in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995 (paragraph 3(9)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of suitability of proprietor and staff (standard 4) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 prior to the confirmation of the appointment of all staff, carry out checks to establish their medical fitness (paragraph 4(c)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the provision of information for parents and others (standard 6) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide particulars of educational and welfare provision for pupils with statements and for pupils for whom English is an additional language (paragraph 6(2)(f));

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide an annual account of income and expenditure to placing local authorities (paragraph 6(7)).

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School details

Name of school: Broadwood High School DfES number: 381/6010 Type of school: Day special school for pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties Status: Independent school Date school opened: January 1999 Age range of pupils: 11 – 16 years Gender of pupils: Boys Number on roll : 19 Number of pupils with a statement of special educational need: Number of pupils who are looked after: 11 Annual fees (day pupils): £38,900 Address of school: 252 Moor End Road Halifax West Yorkshire HX2 0RU Telephone number: 01422 355925 Fax number: 01422 340123 Email address: jutcicrossfield@broadwood-educational.co.uk Headteacher: Mr A Christie Proprietor: Mr G Smith, Mr A Cook Reporting inspector: Caroline Broomhead HMI Dates of inspection: 25 – 27 September 2006

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School details

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School details

School inspection reports are available on the Ofsted website ( www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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School details

The website lists Ofsted independent school inspection reports, together with information on the work Ofsted does in the independent sector.

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