Jack Tizard School

100381 Unique Reference Number Hammersmith and Fulham Local Authority 323266 Inspection number 22–23 June 2009 Inspection dates James Bowden Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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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 65 School (total) 9 Sixth form 2 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Francine Bates Chair Ms Cathy Welsh Headteacher 27 June 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection South Africa Road School address London W12 7PA 020 8735 3590 Telephone number 020 8735 3591 Fax number

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2–19 Age group 22–23 June 2009 Inspection dates 323266 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school provides for learners with a wide range of severe and complex learning difficulties including those with physical, sensory, medical, behavioural and autistic spectrum disorders. An increasing number of learners have complex medical needs, including some with life-threatening conditions. In addition, a significant number have challenging behaviour. All learners have a statement of special educational need or are on an assessment placement. Class groupings are based on dominant individual learning needs rather than by year group. All learners, including those in the Early Years and Foundation Stage, follow a modified National Curriculum. Currently, about two thirds of the learners are boys. Under one third are from White British backgrounds while two thirds come from a range of different cultural heritages, reflecting the make up of the borough and other neighbouring authorities. Over a half are at the early

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Description of the school

stages of English language acquisition and are supported through specific funding. Twenty are looked after by their respective local authorities and nine are refugees or asylum seekers. The school's outreach and inclusion service provides specialist support and advice to both mainstream and specialist schools. It also provides support for learners with severe learning difficulties and complex medical needs who are educated at home. The school gained the Sportsmark award in 2008.

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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: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009

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Grade: 2

The school continues to provide a good quality education. It meets effectively its aim of entitling learners to a safe, supportive and stimulating environment in which they are happy, healthy and enabled and encouraged to achieve as individuals. It has significant strengths, which have increased since the last inspection. Partnership arrangements with other professionals and outside agencies contribute very effectively to learners' personal and social progress and prepare them well for life beyond the school. A further strength is the collaborative and holistic approach of the multidisciplinary staff involved in the school. The school's outreach support service to mainstream schools is valued highly by teachers. There is a strong culture of communication and cooperation between the home and the school. Parents are fully involved in, and kept informed of, the progress that their sons and daughters make. The great majority are supportive

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Grade: 2

of the work of the school. One commented, 'I like everyone working together to help children reach their potential, make choices and independent decisions.' Achievement is good because of the total education, therapy and support package the school provides. Standards on entry are very low compared with those found nationally, with some children in the Early Years Foundation Stage not yet ready to learn in the same way as their mainstream peers. However, the progress learners throughout the school make in relation to their starting points is good. Though standards remain very low compared with national benchmarks, all learners make good progress in developing their ability to learn, improve their communication skills and use new technologies. By the time they leave, learners operate at P levels - levels that are below the standard National Curriculum levels in schools. A few older ones operate at Level 1 of the National Curriculum in some aspects of their work.

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Grade: 2

Learners' personal development and well-being, including aspects of spiritual, moral, social, emotional and cultural development, are excellent. Jack Tizard is a happy school. On arrival in the morning there are many smiling faces and clear recognition by learners of the adults greeting them. There were, for example, some delightful facial expressions and positive responses in reaction to the live performance of a flute player as learners entered the building. Learners enjoy their education and respond well to the praise and encouragement they receive throughout the day. As a result of the calm and sensitive support from all adults who work in the classrooms, learners are safe, persevere very well and make good progress towards the individual targets set for them in lessons. Learning and teaching are good throughout the school. Teachers plan their lessons well to ensure that the individual needs of all learners are met fully. This results in an effective ethos

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Grade: 2

for learning where all adults in the room are deployed effectively to ensure that all learners receive maximum support. However, teachers and adults focus on too many individual targets when assessing the progress learners make. This makes it difficult to record clearly the most important achievements learners should be making. The curriculum is exceptionally well developed to support the increasingly wide range of learners' needs. Schemes of work and monitoring by leaders ensure that teachers' planning is thorough and supports individualised learning. There is a very impressive range of enrichment activities both within the school and off-site that broadens learners' curriculum experience and contributes highly to their personal and social development. The quality of care, guidance and support for learners is excellent. Exemplary procedures support each individual in very specific ways and ensure all are looked after in a safe, healthy and caring environment. The dedication, enthusiasm

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009 and commitment of all staff in working with learners underpin this aspect of the school's provision. Leadership and management are good at all levels, additional posts having been introduced since the last inspection. Good self-evaluation has led to well-focused development planning, but the impact of some of this is not yet fully apparent. Robust monitoring and evaluation of teaching has been used to identify and share good practice. However, the retention of both teachers and teaching assistants has proved to be difficult. This means some short-term teachers need support and training to maintain the good quality teaching expected by the leadership team. Whole-school target-setting is well embedded, but systems to reflect the assessment of progress towards these targets at whole-school level does not fully reflect the changing profile of learners. There is strong collaboration between all staff, which ensures that every learner

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Grade: 2

really does matter and, therefore, makes good progress. Since the last inspection, the governing body has improved its effectiveness as a supportive and critical friend of the school. Though there have been improvements and developments since the last inspection, the impact of some of the changes introduced recently by the senior leadership team are not yet fully evident. There is a clear direction for school improvement and capacity for further improvement is good.

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Grade: 2

All learners stay on at school at the end of Year 11. They continue to make good progress because of good teaching and learning. Increasing numbers of learners are now completing modules in the Awards Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) course, which is moderated by a nationally recognised examination board. The excellent curriculum, which includes access to community and college-based opportunities and an extensive range of enrichment activities, supports learners' personal and social development particularly well. Their independence increases considerably as a result of well-established and personalised transition plans for leaving school. Learners become confident in new settings and in communicating with an ever-increasing range of adults. One learner was particularly pleased at being able to use control technology, supported sensitively by his teacher, during his person-centred review session attended by a friend, a family member and a number of other

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Grade: 2

adults. This enables each learner to develop a portfolio of strengths, likes and dislikes, as well as of areas that will need support beyond school. Leadership and management are good. Staff are, rightly, exploring further alternative external accreditation in order to meet fully the changing and more complex needs of learners.

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Grade: 2

The school has adapted the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage guidance particularly well to meet the very complex needs of its learners. Careful initial assessments inform the individual programmes created for the unique challenges facing each learner, their welfare being paramount. This enables small steps in progress to be assessed, tracked and recorded effectively. This was clearly evident during a sensory topic session, which also included drinks and snack time. All adults in the room supported learners exceptionally well and were able to identify progress being made by learners in communicating likes and dislikes. Well-integrated and wide-ranging therapies and learning activities support physical movement as well as is possible. The class teacher has very positive relationships with parents and is effective in involving them 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009 in their child's learning. Senior leadership has been proactive in providing support and training

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Grade: 2

for the Early Years Foundation Stage teacher.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure whole-school assessment systems reflect the significant changing profile of learners.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Reduce the number of targets set for individual learners to ensure a sharper focus on what they should be achieving.

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Grade: 2

As learning is individualised, all learners have specific targets for their personal development and the key skills of literacy, communication, numeracy, information and communication technology, as well as for particular subjects. This supports and enables them to make good progress, including learners with profound and complex needs and those at higher levels of attainment. In a Key Stage 4 group, for example, one more capable learner was working independently, using visual cards for the story of 'Red Riding Hood'. By the time learners move into post-16, they have made sufficient progress to enable them to follow an ASDAN course, in which they complete successfully an increasing number of modules in the foundation learning tier. There are no differences in achievement between different groups of learners.

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Grade: 1

Learners are enabled to eat healthily and participate in a wide range of physical activities. In a physical education lesson, for example, they enjoyed playing football and were learning the importance of talking turns and fulfilling different roles. Learners also benefit from the enhanced recreation opportunities at lunchtimes, supported by volunteers from the BBC, and inter-school competitions. While some may become a little frustrated due to their complex needs and communication difficulties, they respond well to sensitive interventions from adults. A calm and purposeful atmosphere is the norm in lessons and behaviour is good, with learners working well together and showing an awareness and appreciation of each other's achievements. Though attendance is below the national average, there is no unauthorised absence. The authorised absence of a few learners because of their complex medical needs has an adverse affect on

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Grade: 1

overall attendance rates. In so far as is possible, learners are enabled to take a full part in the school community, for example, in fund-raising events and through being given responsibilities. Some older learners move on to external work experience. This, along with a focus on the key skills of literacy, communication, numeracy and use of new technologies ensures they are well prepared for leaving school.

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Grade: 2

Staff know their learners well so planning is well focused and progress is closely monitored. Carefully integrated classroom therapy and withdrawal support also contributes well to the progress learners make. However, the assessment and recording of learners' progress is not sharp enough because they have been given too many individual targets. Teachers are highly effective in their use of praise and encouragement, ensuring it is appropriate and not 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009 over-effusive. Some teaching assistants are not always sufficiently involved in praising success, however, both during the lesson and at the end. Notwithstanding this, all staff model good teamwork and positive relationships for learners. Consequently, learners trust the adults around them and are prepared to try new and varied activities, in one class joining in with the teacher in singing a 'rap' song about their individual strengths. As the whole school day is viewed as

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Grade: 2

learning time, learners are set lunchtime targets, which support particularly effectively their personal and social development, as well as their independence.

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Grade: 1

The real strengths of the curriculum are the contribution it makes to learners' personal development and the way it is structured to match their needs. Senior leaders also identify focus areas as a result of their monitoring of the progress learners make in different subject areas. Added emphasis, for example, has been given to the delivery of mathematics to improve learners' progress and achievement. Staff new to the school or on short-term contracts are enabled to deliver a seamless provision for learners. Priority is given to new technologies and adaptations of these, so that all learners are enabled to learn a range of ways of communicating. Extensive enrichment activities and a comprehensive personal, social, health and citizenship education programme contribute particularly well to the breadth of learners' experience throughout their time at the school. This includes opportunities for some learners to visit a

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Grade: 1

local primary school to join in lessons and activities and for reciprocal visits to Jack Tizard School.

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Grade: 1

The school provides a really strong, collaborative, caring and supportive environment where learners are safe, develop their personal qualities and make good progress in their learning. The school's outstanding ethos of care ensures learners' well-being is at the forefront of its work. Highly effective working relationships with other professionals contribute extensively. This ensures that all learners are well prepared for moving on to other settings when they leave school. Unauthorised absence at the school is not an issue. Throughout the school there are effective systems for tracking, recording and reviewing learners' progress.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and her senior leadership team provide a clear vision and direction for the school. School improvement planning involves all staff and is well focussed. However, the effectiveness of assessing progress towards whole-school targets for learners does not take into account fully their significant changing needs. All staff benefit well from continuing professional development opportunities. The staff team reflects well the diversity of learners and the community the school serves in terms of gender and ethnicity. Despite the complexity of learners' special needs and their communication difficulties, the school promotes community cohesion well. It is involved in a number of community initiatives and partnerships, which enable learners to experience contact with those of other faiths and ethnic backgrounds. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009

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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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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? 2 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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children in the EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 2 How well do learners achieve? 4 4 The standards 1 reached by learners 2 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009

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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 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 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

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full range of learners' needs?

1 1 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

03 July 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Jack Tizard School,London,W12 7PA I visited your school recently as I wanted to see how well you are doing. I decided that your school is good because:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ teachers make your lessons interesting and fun

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your parents and others who look after you are happy with the school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the headteacher and all the adults who work at the school look after you very well

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the school makes sure you have lots of exciting things to do

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the school has plans to make things even better for you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you all seem to be so happy to be there - I was pleased to see so many smiling faces.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the teachers found more ways of checking your progress

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the teachers set fewer targets for you in lessons.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for letting me visit you. I had a good time while I was there. Yours faithfully James Bowden Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Jack Tizard School, 22–23 June 2009

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