Haringey Learning Partnership

131584 Unique Reference Number Haringey Local Authority 298594 Inspection number 16 May 2007 Inspection date Mike 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 Pupil referral unit School category 4 °18 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 37 School 2 6th form

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The local authority Appropriate authority Mrs Eleonora Christodoulides Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection 1 Williams Grove School address Wood Green London N22 5NR

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020 8888 2123 Telephone number 020 8881 8853 Fax number

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4 °18 Age group 16 May 2007 Inspection date 298594 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Williams House is an integrated Service which, since February 2006, incorporates the Medical Needs Pupil Referral Unit and the Tuition Service. The provision also includes a classroom at Simmons House (CASH), an adolescent psychiatric unit based at St Luke's Hospital with ten planned places for patients aged 13 to 18. Teachers utilise a number of settings according to students' learning needs, which are varied and complex. There are a significant number of students with diagnosed anxiety disorders, a small number of whom are house bound. Other needs include moderate learning difficulties, emotional, language and communication needs, conduct disorders and autistic spectrum disorders. Students remain on their school roll as well as being registered with the PRU. Whenever it is suitable, students are re-integrated into school. A small number of pupils are from minority ethnic families. Around a half of students qualify

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Description of the school

for free school meals and very few have statements of special educational needs. There are only a very small number of pupils of primary age and no children in the Foundation Stage. There are two students aged over sixteen.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Williams House, 16 May 2007

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Grade: 2

Williams House PRU provides a good standard of education in a supportive environment and effectively motivates students to do their best. The headteacher has a clear view of what needs to improve and is well supported by a dedicated senior leadership team (SLT), which demonstrates that student achievement and their care and welfare are at the heart of their decision making. Self-evaluation strategies are developing well and are identifying what needs to be done to support and meet the complex learning, emotional and medical needs of the students. Standards are average overall. Given the students' starting points, and the barriers to their learning, the achievement and progress of all students is good. Many achieve GCSE examinations in line with their peers. This is because of positive relationships, good teaching and the good care, guidance and support they receive for their individual needs. Consequently, they begin

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Grade: 2

to re-engage with learning from the moment they start at the PRU and increasingly gain in confidence. Students have challenging personal targets, which most achieve successfully. Students' personal development is good. They demonstrate good attitudes, enjoy school and clearly understand the importance of keeping safe and leading a healthy lifestyle. They show respect for each other's culture and understand the importance of taking responsibility for their own learning and behaviour. The PRU regularly consults with students with questions such as, 'What has been most helpful about our Service?' and, 'In what ways can we improve our Service? Responses are very positive and helpful and include, 'It has helped me get back into education, getting out daily, socialising with more people and helping me with my GCSEs' and, 'I have understood things that I used to know nothing about'. One student represents the PRU on the area youth council and is

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Grade: 2

involved in a number of innovative community projects. This is a very good example of how students gain in confidence and self-esteem while attending the PRU. The curriculum is good overall as it is meeting the immediate needs of the students. However, the PRU is aware of the need to extend the range of vocational learning opportunities, while ensuring teachers' skills and knowledge in mainstream developments increase alongside. Visits into the community and visiting specialists support students' learning very well. Students are successfully re-integrated into mainstream schooling or gain entry into further education. Parents are very supportive of the PRU. One wrote, 'The quality of the service my son has received has been very good and has greatly benefited his continuation in education'. The newly constructed management committee has only met twice, but is clearly aware of ongoing developments and is involved in some aspects of strategic management. However, monitoring

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Grade: 2

is not systematic enough and, as yet, there is little involvement in self-evaluation processes. An external consultant has, however, been fully involved in supporting the headteacher and SLT in their development and improvement planning. Overall, through developing processes of self-evaluation, leadership and management are having a positive impact on learning, which is leading to improved chances for students to achieve and make continued good progress. Consequently, the capacity to improve is good. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Williams House, 16 May 2007

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Grade: 2

The two students based in the hospital provision are having their individual personal, medical and academic needs effectively met by carefully constructed programmes of co-ordinated support. Medical and educational staff work well together to help students make the best of their opportunities and prepare them as far as possible to successfully participate in the next stage of their life.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure the management committee is fully involved in the systematic monitoring and self-evaluation of the PRU • Ensure the curriculum is extended to further meet the individual academic, and vocational needs of all students • Ensure teachers have the opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge needed to keep up with mainstream curriculum developments.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Standards are broadly average for most students at the end of Year 11. When considering the various difficulties that have impeded their previous continued education, their progress and achievement are good in relation to their starting points. They receive challenging targets, which they meet, despite the many barriers to their learning. At CASH, students make good progress, achieving accredited units in core subjects. Many other students make good progress as they continue to study and receive support at the PRU to gain passes in a range of GCSEs at their nominated mainstream school. Through carefully planned and co-ordinated support and encouragement, students positively re-engage with learning and all students make good progress. Students do well because they are assessed on an individual basis and a personalised learning and support programme is implemented. Consequently, a significant number of students

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Grade for sixth form: 2

registered at Williams Grove successfully re-integrate into school.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Students' personal development and well-being are good. The relationships between staff and students are excellent and help ensure that progress is good. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and is supported each day through the positive individual and group tuition. Students are encouraged to become confident and independent and they are well supported to make personal choices. There is a very positive learning environment that helps ensure students re-engage with learning and become determined to make the best of their chances. One student commented, 'You get to learn and feel more confident about going to school and get into a routine during the day'. Behaviour is generally good and students understand the importance of managing their own behaviour if they are to be successful. Attendance is satisfactory overall and many students make excellent progress when considering their previous poor or non-attendance. Students feel safe and understand healthy lifestyles.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Williams House, 16 May 2007 They acquire essential learning and personal skills that help to prepare them for re-integration into school or further education.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teachers maintain a pace suitable for individuals and groups being taught. Students enjoy their learning because they see the personal benefits of success and they appreciate the effective individual support they receive. Excellent relationships help build students' confidence, while enabling them to clearly understand how to improve and evaluate their own work. Students are generally well focused, particularly in the one to one sessions and there is a calm atmosphere in lessons. Planning is flexible so that work can be matched effectively to the different needs of students. Teachers have a good knowledge of the students' levels of achievement and use assessment well to help students build on what they have already learned. Teachers are aware of the need to keep up with mainstream curriculum developments and ensure their skills and knowledge best support students' progress in all

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Grade for sixth form: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and, although it meets the necessary requirements for this type of provision, the staff are keen to improve it further. For example, the PRU wishes to extend the range of vocational options available to students. Curriculum planning does not make clear links between the academic and vocational subjects and this is recognised as an area for improvement. Students' re-engagement with learning is the PRU's first consideration and the curriculum is adapted well to suit their different learning styles. Personal, social and health education, and citizenship, support students' growing self-confidence and understanding of the world around them. Good support in this area is given by a variety of partners, including national and local organisations. Agencies that run child and mental health services have also run anxiety management groups which have been enthusiastically received.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

The care, guidance and support for pupils are good. Students are well cared for by dedicated staff who have a good knowledge of their needs. Staff make students feel safe and valued, which is why the attendance of many is so much better than previously when at school. There are clear and effective procedures for safeguarding pupils which are understood by all staff. Health and safety procedures and students' welfare are at the heart of the PRU's thinking, whether in the buildings or out in the community. Effective team-work ensures that there are dependable approaches and support for all students and they are treated with respect at all times. Students receive good individual guidance in lessons and monitoring and assessment procedures are developing well ensuring that they make good progress in their personal and 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Williams House, 16 May 2007 academic development. There are effective partnerships with support agencies that ensure the

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Grade for sixth form: 2

specific needs of students are well met. The partnership with parents and the communication between school and home are excellent. A parent wrote, 'For a young person who has been out of school for nearly all his secondary career, I do not think it is possible to overestimate the significance of the work the PRU has done with my son. The difference is visible'.

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Grade for sixth form: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is well organised and gives good guidance and encouragement. Senior leaders are clear about their roles and responsibilities and support the headteacher well. There is a clear drive from all involved to improve the provision at the PRU. Monitoring is regular and clearly identifies strengths and areas for improvement in lessons and across the provision. The commitment of the leadership team and staff is helping all students to make good progress in their learning as well as ensuring that they are well looked after. Self-evaluation involves all staff, although the recently created management committee has yet to be directly involved in self-assessment or the PRU's development plan. Despite this, they do understand what is going on because of detailed reports from the headteacher and formal and informal multi-agency meetings with staff. The school works very effectively with

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Grade for sixth form: 2

external support agencies and consequently, the appropriate support is well co-ordinated to meet students' specific needs. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Williams House, 16 May 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Williams House, 16 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

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? 2 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA NA 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? 3 3 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 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?

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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Williams House, 16 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 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Williams House, 16 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

30 May 2007 Dear Students Inspection of Williams House,London,N22 5NR I was with you only for a short time, but thank you for making me feel welcome. A special thank you to those who told me all about their experiences at the PRU. I had an enjoyable time visiting your classes and watching you work. I noticed that you really enjoy attending and meeting your friends and staff. I agree with you and your parents that the PRU is good and meets your differing needs well so you can make good personal and academic progress. The PRU knows what it has to do to make things even better for you and you can help by attending regularly and punctually. I particularly liked the fact that: • all staff care and support you very well • you get on really well with each other and all adults • you gain in confidence and you are friendly and polite to everyone • communication between the school and your home is excellent • the school works very well with other people to ensure you receive the support you need

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• your headteacher is always looking at how the school can improve and with all the adults in the school, is working hard to help you make even better progress in the future. There a few things the staff know they can improve upon: • to make sure that the management committee is fully involved in all aspects of monitoring and evaluation • to make sure the curriculum is extended so all your different academic, vocational and personal development needs are met • to make sure they continually develop the skills and knowledge needed to keep up with curriculum developments in schools to best prepare you for your re-integration into school, college or the world of work. I would like to wish you every success in the future. Yours sincerely Mike Smith Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Williams House, 16 May 2007

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