Sheringham Woodfields School

Sheringham Woodfields School Inspection report

p.1

121258 Unique Reference Number NORFOLK LA Local Authority 313925 Inspection number 17 °18 January 2008 Inspection dates Ian Naylor Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Special Type of school Community special School category 2 °19 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 81 School 0 6th form The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Carole Fields Chair Mrs Diane Whitham Headteacher 11 April 2005 Date of previous school inspection Holt Road School address Sheringham Norfolk NR26 8ND 01263 820520 Telephone number 01263 820521 Fax number

p.1

2-19 Age group 17 °18 January 2008 Inspection dates 313925 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Sheringham Woodfields School caters for pupils with severe or complex learning disabilities and/or difficulties. Pupils come from a large area of north and central Norfolk. The school shares a campus with a primary and high school. Some pupils have inclusion opportunities at these schools. A significant number of pupils have autistic spectrum disorder. Attainment on entry varies according to individual circumstances but generally it is significantly below anticipated levels for pupils' chronological age. There are twice as many boys as girls. There is a specialist provision for eight Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils with Aspergers syndrome who are within the normal or above average range of ability. The sixth form students have purpose built accommodation at the High school sixth form. The school also supports some pupils in outreach provision. The school is subject to local authority reorganisation proposals.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008

p.3

Grade: 1

Sheringham Woodfields school provides an outstanding standard of education and as a result pupils achieve well overall. A student commented, 'this is a really, really, good school.' Parents feel the school is a vibrant, inclusive and welcoming learning community. They are delighted with the progress of their children and feel that the school does a wonderful job. The school provides very good value for money. Pupils make good and sometimes outstanding progress, especially in their communication and social skills. They participate well in activities that prepare them for the next step in their education and future lives. The school meets its stated goal to provide a culture of respect and dignity in order to foster positive relationships. Parents comment on the community spirit and caring atmosphere and that they are always informed of their children's progress. The personal development of pupils is outstanding. Pupils show a very positive attitude to their work and

p.4

Grade: 1

thoroughly enjoy their lessons. This is shown by their excellent behaviour, relationships and good record of attendance. They successfully learn about keeping themselves safe and healthy. They work hard at all that they do and consequently gain in self-confidence and self-esteem. Pupils taking part in inclusion activities at the campus primary or high school do so happily and with a willingness to succeed, so that they make amazing progress in their social relationship skills. There is excellent leadership by the headteacher and senior team. This provides a clear direction and purpose for all staff and pupils. This team has continued to develop its skills since the last inspection. There is an excellent understanding of school priorities for development. School self-evaluation is rigorous and effective. Teaching and learning is good. Lessons are well planned and relevant to pupils' needs. The wide variety of interesting activities promotes successful

p.4

Grade: 1

learning by pupils. Staff understand the abilities of pupils well and relationships are excellent. Parents are closely involved in their children's learning. A good programme of in-service training further enhances the skills and talents of staff. The deployment of teaching assistants is extremely effective and they give outstanding support to pupils' learning and welfare; for example, when teaching assistants successfully support pupils on inclusion programmes within the campus schools. An excellent curriculum meets the needs of all individuals and provides a wide variety of activities. There are outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural opportunities for pupils to learn about healthy living, keeping fit and safe and taking an active role in their school and wider communities. There is a highly effective programme of personal, health and social education (PSHE). The curriculum prepares students well for their future. In the sixth form,

p.4

Grade: 1

further education courses help students to succeed in nationally accredited courses. Students eagerly take part in activities to increase their social and leisure skills. Work-related learning activities and work experience placements either on the campus or within the local community prepare students for adult life. The curriculum provides many enriching opportunities in music, art and drama. Excellent care, guidance and welfare support provides a calm, welcoming and safe school environment in which individual needs are recognised and met. Pupils receive very good attention for medical or therapy needs through the excellent liaison with health agencies and a range of other professionals. Issues from the previous inspection, such as the communication needs of many pupils with complex learning needs, have all been thoroughly addressed. The school's self-analysis and 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008

p.4

Grade: 1

evaluation is outstanding and therefore its capacity for improvement is excellent. It has identified the need to fully introduce the local authority pupil performance data collection procedures. It recognises that even more rigour is required in the use of annual review and individual education targets to support pupil progress. The school's accommodation and facilities are excellent and make a huge contribution to pupils learning, security and welfare

p.5

Grade: 1

The provision for students in the sixth form is outstanding. There is excellent leadership. The curriculum effectively meets the needs of a very broad range of student abilities. It promotes excellent personal development and good academic achievement. Students gain national accreditation in a range of subjects as well as in school certification for personal achievements. Excellent records of achievement highlight students' successes, in which they take great pride. Students participate in work-related learning and work experience activities. Teaching is good and sometimes exemplary. Outstanding care, guidance and support help students achieve a significant measure of independence and to prepare well for their future. They make visits to further education colleges and adult placements as part of this preparation. They enjoy participating in enriching events such as a drama production at the local theatre and in other

p.5

Grade: 1

opportunities to be part of their local community. The sixth form accommodation benefits students because of its location in the same campus space as the high school sixth form.

p.5

Grade: 1

The provision for children at the Foundation Stage is outstanding. Leadership is excellent. Children make at least good and frequently outstanding progress. Teaching and learning, care and welfare, and the curriculum are all excellent. Staff make careful assessments and detailed planning to meet the individual physical, medical and learning needs of all children. Staff have excellent relationships with children. A particular strength is the outstanding progress children make in their independence and social skills, such as consideration and support for each other. The excellent use of teaching assistants, who have additional training, supports the exceptional teamwork and ensures that every child can make the best possible progress. Ordinary daily events and routines are made more interesting and special by the imaginative use of music.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Complete the work begun on the introduction of a comparative data collection system for pupil achievement. ■ Use data information more effectively to further increase the rate of success in meeting individual education plan targets.

p.5

Grade for sixth form: 2

Pupils make good progress in their learning. Achievement for children in the Foundation Stage is outstanding because they make rapid progress in developing their communication skills and self-confidence. This has an impact upon their success in all other areas of their work. Students in the sixth form also make at least good and sometimes outstanding progress. They achieve 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008 successes in a range of nationally accredited awards including Entry Level to GCSE as well as ASDAN (Award Scheme Development Accreditation Network) Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. Students achieve success in computer courses and gain school certificates in courses for sports and leisure. School data on performance, including information from annual review assessments and individual education plan targets, shows that the majority of pupils in Years 1 -11 make

p.5

Grade for sixth form: 2

consistently good progress in English, mathematics, science and in PSHE. However, the school is working to increase achievements of some pupils still further. There are outstanding achievements in art, music and drama. Most pupils make excellent progress in their social skills. Pupils make excellent progress in meeting their inclusion activities targets.

p.6

Grade for sixth form: 1

Personal development is outstanding. In the words of one pupil, 'there is a relaxed atmosphere and staff are friendly and helpful'. Pupils are happy in school and enjoy their learning. They feel safe and secure. Parents echo this view overwhelmingly. Pupils have excellent attitudes to their learning and work enthusiastically in all that they do. Behaviour is excellent and there are very positive relationships between pupils and with staff. Pupils are proud of their school and of their achievements. They are committed to their work and have good attendance. Pupils like nothing better than to show visitors what they have achieved in lessons. They enjoy learning about healthy lifestyles through a host of school activities, such as keeping fit through physical education, participating in hydrotherapy and physiotherapy sessions, horse riding, sports and residential activities. They also gain much through circle time, tutor groups and PSHE lessons.

p.6

Grade for sixth form: 1

Pupils often help one another. They take part enthusiastically in a school council that helps them to make their views known. Older pupils successfully learn how to prepare their own healthy meals. They take part in work experience placements and work-related learning to help prepare for their future lives. They learn how to keep themselves safe by undertaking independent travel activities. Many pupils participate successfully in inclusion activities within the local campus schools. These are highly successful in promoting pupils' self-confidence and esteem.

p.6

Grade for sixth form: 2

Teaching and learning are good with outstanding features. The teaching in art, drama and music is of a particularly high standard. For example, pupils choose musical instruments to represent the weather and use pictures to compose and conduct a piece of music. Teachers have consistently high expectations and set clear objectives for learning. They are skilled in motivating the pupils and managing their behaviour and they plan carefully to meet the needs of pupils of all abilities, including those with complex needs. The expertise of teaching assistants has a strong impact on pupils' learning. For example, they provide consistent and sensitive management of pupils who find it difficult to concentrate. Learning activities are appealing and fun and this interests and engages pupils. Staff give pupils choices and this helps them to become active and confident learners. Relationships with teachers and teaching assistants are

p.6

Grade for sixth form: 2

excellent. Teachers' support for pupils with complex needs is good including the use of sensory 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008 experiences, signing, pictures and symbols. Assessment of pupils' abilities supports planning but the school recognises the need to develop assessment using annual review and individual education targets still further.

p.6

Grade for sixth form: 1

The curriculum is outstanding. It creatively meets the individual needs of pupils of all abilities including those with complex needs. Well-planned activities encourage pupils to use their learning in a variety of situations. The use of topics helps the pupils to make the curriculum relevant and exciting. The individual learning approach encourages pupils to make choices and become active learners. The curriculum encourages pupils to understand about keeping healthy and staying safe, particularly through lessons on healthy lifestyles in science, PSHE, physical education and food technology. There is also an emphasis on learning through exploring the local community and in practical subjects. For example, the independent travel programme is particularly successful. The provision for art, drama and music is a particular strength. Older pupils work towards the ASDAN Transition Challenge award, which provides an emphasis on

p.7

Grade for sixth form: 1

real life skills and their application in different contexts, including outside school. Inclusion in lessons at the high school on the shared campus provides further accreditation opportunities, such as GCSE, Entry Level and skills for working life. Other opportunities to develop work-related skills are provided through excellent links with businesses, mini-enterprise, work experience and becoming involved in community events, such as charity fund raising and sports events. Careers guidance is outstanding. Lunchtime and after-school activities, such as the gardening and camping skills club, further enrich the curriculum, and take into account pupils' requests.

p.7

Grade for sixth form: 1

The quality of care, guidance and support is outstanding. Therapists and other agencies work closely with the school to provide excellent individual plans for pupils' inclusion, communication, learning, behavioural, physical and medical needs. The PHSE programme helps the pupils to understand how to keep healthy and safe and to learn to travel independently. Teaching assistants make an outstanding contribution to meeting pupils' more complex needs. They help pupils to make choices. They closely monitor pupil progress and make suitable interventions. Pupils become increasingly involved in reviewing their own progress and setting targets for their learning. Parent groups and workshops give support to help parents with their children at home. The school supports pupils' attendance well, including those who arrive at the school with a history of poor attendance. Procedures for protecting pupils are very effective and ensure

p.7

Grade for sixth form: 1

that there is careful attention given to risk assessment, safety, health, personal development and well-being. Staff give outstanding guidance to parents when their child leaves school. 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008

p.7

Grade for sixth form: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher gives excellent direction and a clear view of school priorities. The senior management team works harmoniously to undertake excellent school self-analysis and detailed evaluation. Middle managers are very aware of their roles and responsibilities and carry these out effectively with the resulting high quality support for pupils' progress. The leadership provides for the very good training and professional development of staff. The school is a model of good practice for special educational needs. Staff make a good contribution to the training needs of teachers in local schools. Teaching assistants' skills and talents are used very effectively in the classrooms. Higher level teaching assistants provide invaluable support to the quality of teaching and learning in many lessons. The school improvement plan is relevant and sets clear priorities for action. One of these is to

p.8

Grade for sixth form: 1

introduce fully a new local authority system of data collection to measure pupil performance. Governors provide good support and play an important part in monitoring the quality of provision across the school. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008 .

p.8

Grade for sixth form: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008

p.9

Inspection judgements

16-19 School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.10

Overall effectiveness

1 1 How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? Yes Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection 1 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 1 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

p.10

Achievement and standards

2 2 How well do learners achieve? 3 4 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.10

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

p.10

well-being of the learners?

The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 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

p.10

range of needs and interests of learners?

1 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.10

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: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008

p.10

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 leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 January 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Sheringham Woodfields School, Sheringham NR26 8DN Thank you very much for the warm welcome that you gave Mrs Webber and me when we visited your school. We enjoyed being in your school very much. We were very impressed with all the good work that you do. It was delightful to talk to you and to find out what you feel about your school. Your school is outstanding in so many ways. You told us that you enjoy school very much and that you think you make good progress in your lessons. We agree with you! You make especially good progress in learning to look after yourselves and in getting on with one another. You know how to keep yourselves safe and healthy. You learn about things that you need to know when you leave school. Older pupils have good success in gaining certificates for their schoolwork. You are clearly very happy to come to school and you enjoy the many interesting things that

p.12

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

there are to do. Your teachers and assistants help you with your learning. Lessons are good and they help you to succeed. Staff look after you very well and make sure that you are safe and healthy. We think your headteacher leads the school extremely well. All the staff work hard to help you. We were particularly pleased with those boys and girls who have some of their lessons or playtime in the schools nearby. You are doing very well! There was very little that the headteacher and staff need to do to make things even better for you. Teachers could make sure that they know exactly how well each of you is doing in the classroom and make careful records of this to help you meet even more of your targets. We wish you all the best for the future. Keep up all your good work! Yours sincerely Ian Naylor Lead inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Sheringham Woodfields School, 17 °18 January 2008

p.12