Henry Tyndale School

Age group 2–19 Inspection date(s) 12–13 May 2009 Inspection number 328613 Henry Tyndale School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 131559 Local Authority Hampshire Inspection number 328613 Inspection dates 12–13 May 2009 Reporting inspector Melvyn Blackband

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 under pilot arrangements; it was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act .

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Type of school Special School category Community Special Age range of pupils 2–19 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll School (total) 118 Sixth form 17 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Reverend Martin James Headteacher Mr Rob Thompson Date of previous school inspection 7–8 June 2006 School address Ship Lane Farnborough GU14 8BX Telephone number 01252 544577 Fax number 01252 377411 Email address rob.thompson@henrytyndale.hants.sch.uk Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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

This pilot inspection was carried out by one additional inspector. The inspector visited 10 lessons, and held meetings with governors, staff and informally with some pupils. He observed the school’s work, and looked at a wide range of documentation including 78 parents’ questionnaires and the results of questionnaires for pupils previously organised by the school.

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Introduction

The inspector reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. He looked in detail at the following:

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Introduction

 pupils’ progress and achievement, particularly by those pupils with additional difficulties such as autism or profound and multiple learning difficulties  the progress of pupils in the Early Years Foundation Stage and post-16 provision  the effectiveness of leadership and management in securing improvements to provision and their capacity to sustain these improvements.

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Information about the school

The school provides for pupils with complex and severe learning difficulties. Approximately one third have additional autistic spectrum disorders and about 20 per cent have a physical disability. There are approximately 22 wheelchair users. A significant number of pupils have complex health needs. Most pupils are White British and other pupils are from mainly Asian backgrounds. The school provides outreach support to local mainstream schools. There is separate post-16 accommodation on the same site which has been in operation since September 2008.

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Inspection judgements

Grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Main findings

Henry Tyndale School provides an outstanding education for its pupils. It has continued to improve on its performance since the previous inspection. The pupils’ standards remain far below those expected in mainstream schools, but all the pupils do well in their studies and many make outstanding progress. Parents hold the school in high esteem. Young children in the Early Years Foundation Stage get off to a flying start and this level of achievement is continued all the way through school. The pupils with additional needs such as autism or profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) achieve very well. The oldest students in post-16 provision make good progress.

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Main findings

The quality of teaching is excellent. Lessons are very well planned and characterised by the high quality of support pupils receive from their teachers and the well-trained assistants. As a result, the pupils enjoy their lessons and respond by trying their best. The tracking of pupils’ progress is very effective. This enables the school’s leaders to identify strengths in teaching and intervene quickly when they detect any slight slowdown in the pupils’ performance. The very high quality of assessment is one of the school’s many strengths. Teachers maintain detailed records of every small step in their pupils’ progress. This enables them to set ambitious learning targets that motivate pupils to achieve their full potential. Teachers in the post 16 provision have worked hard to establish high quality teaching and learning. As yet however their assessment procedures, although good, do not always match the very

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Main findings

high standards found in the rest of the school.

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Main findings

The curriculum is outstanding because teachers tailor activities so effectively to students’ needs and abilities. As a result, the pupils tackle challenging tasks with enthusiasm. These activities range from experiences at a sensory level for pupils with profound disabilities to specific courses leading to accredited qualifications. The provision to teach the older students about the world of work and possibilities for training is very good and results in virtually all the leavers with severe learning difficulties going on to further education.

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Main findings

Pupils thrive within the caring ethos of the school. All of them make excellent progress in their personal development. It underpins their positive attitudes to learning and helps them to make very good progress. The behaviour of most pupils is outstanding. They feel well supported and become confident and happy learners. The pupils enjoy school and this is evident through the excellent relationships they have with staff and their very high attendance.

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Main findings

The headteacher’s outstanding leadership and management have driven the continuing improvement. A very competent leadership team, which has grown in confidence and expertise, have supported him. The school evaluates its work extremely well. It seeks and acts on the views of all connected with the school. The governing body is supportive and monitors aspects of the school’s work robustly. Because of the school’s rigorous self-evaluation and the determination of the governors and staff to provide the best possible service for the pupils, there is an outstanding capacity to sustain further improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of post-16 provision by ensuring that staff:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Adapt the school’s existing assessment procedures to provide more detailed information on students’ progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Use this information to set clear and focused targets for students that help them to understand both their progress and how to improve their work.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Most pupils make outstanding progress because the excellent teaching gives them the confidence and motivation to become enthusiastic learners. Pupils throughout the school are eager to do well. They listen attentively and concentrate as hard as they can because they enjoy lessons and find their learning to be exciting and fun. They respond well to questions, often by using aids such as symbols or switches.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

The standards attained by pupils remain very low because of their learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The pupils, however, were observed to make excellent progress in most lessons. The school’s records confirm this. The pupils make particularly good progress over time in communication and in their grasp of basic literacy and numeracy. The pupils with PMLD make very good progress because of the high level of individual attention they receive and the quality of their interaction with adults. For example, these pupils greatly enjoyed the sensation of mixing cooking ingredients by hand, stimulated by the enthusiasm of the adult working with them. Pupils with autism achieve highly in overcoming the barriers to their understanding and communication. As a result, they make good and sometimes outstanding progress. By Year 11 most pupils are able to achieve success in appropriate external qualifications.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

The pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are excellent because they feel safe and confident and know what is expected of them within the school’s calm and friendly atmosphere. The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Teachers encourage the pupils’ spiritual development in each learning activity and this has a substantial impact on their understanding. For instance, pupils are warm and supportive to each other and pleased for their friends when they receive praise. The pupils regularly celebrate their own and other cultures in themed days. They all respect and value the other pupils and adults at the school and they develop understanding of their local community through, for example, trips to local amenities such as supermarkets. The attendance of most pupils is excellent because they enjoy school so much. Pupils spoken to during the inspection were emphatic that they felt free from bullying or unpleasantness and that they really looked

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes Pupils’ attainment 1 4 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress 1 The quality of learning for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and their progress How well do pupils achieve and enjoy their learning? 1 To what extent do pupils feel safe? 1 How well do pupils behave? 1 To what extent do pupils adopt healthy lifestyles? 1 To what extent do pupils contribute to the school and wider community? 1 Pupils’ attendance 1 1 How well do pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being? What is the extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development? 1

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How effective is the provision?

Teaching standards are exceptionally good throughout the school and this has a very substantial impact on the pupils’ achievement. Teachers capture each small step in progress which students make through clear and effective assessment of the small steps in their learning and this leads to very well-focused targets for each pupil’s further improvement. The pupils understand when they have done well because their success is celebrated at the end of lessons. Older pupils gradually learn to take part in assessing their own work and in discussing with their teacher what they need to do to improve further. Teachers know their pupils very well and this enables them to plan interesting well-paced activities, which motivate the pupils to do their best. For instance, a boy in Year 6, with severe autism, during a PE/dance lesson made

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low excellent progress as he learned to copy and initiate movements with his adult partner. The management of behaviour is excellent. Pupils understand and respond to clear routines. When a pupil’s behaviour becomes unacceptable, it is dealt with calmly and with understanding and support for the pupil involved.

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How effective is the provision?

Pupils enjoy a carefully constructed curriculum which is very well adapted to their needs and which is rigorously monitored for its impact on each pupil’s achievement. Learning activities are always made interesting and are directly linked to each pupil’s learning and communication targets. Teachers make good use of the school’s information and communication resources. The pupils’ communication is significantly enhanced by means of interactive computer equipment, such as whiteboards and through basic pre-programmed switches and vocal aids. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Programmes in personal, health and social education underpin much of the school’s work and these have a significant impact on the pupils’ achievement in personal skills, their knowledge about the advantages of a healthy lifestyle and about their own safety. The school’s excellent provision for the development of pupils’ communication and other basic skills is extremely effective in

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How effective is the provision?

promoting their confidence and their access to learning opportunities. There is a wide range of activities to take pupils out of the classroom, including residential visits and involvement with activities at other mainstream schools, which teaches them to behave appropriately in the community. This adds substantially to their social skills, their self-confidence and their interest in learning.

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How effective is the provision?

The school provides a very high standard of care for all of its pupils. Safeguarding procedures exceed national expectations. Pupils are very well supported in each stage of their learning and respond with very good attendance and an obvious enjoyment in their school activities. Parents receive accurate and comprehensive progress reports for review meetings and report a high degree of satisfaction with their level of involvement in their children’s education. Pupils receive very good advice and support as they are about to leave school. This helps them effectively to manage the challenges they face as they make the transition to college.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching 1 The use of assessment to support learning 1 The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 1

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school’s leaders have continued to drive up standards of teaching and the pupils’ achievements since the previous inspection. A strength of the school lies in the rigorous and effective way managers monitor, evaluate and improve on every aspect of the school’s performance. There are very effective procedures, for instance, to measure pupils’ progress, to detect any underachievement by individuals or groups and thus to ensure that all pupils have equality of opportunity and achieve very well. Leaders robustly monitor and promote the wide variety of pupils’ experiences outside school. Pupils see that they can learn new things in all sorts of places and situations and they gradually develop a very good understanding of the cohesiveness of the local and wider community.

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How effective are leadership and management?

Communication within the school is excellent. Staff feel fully consulted, involved and valued. The quality of professional training is excellent. This makes a significant contribution to sustaining pupils’ outstanding achievement. Governors provide excellent support to the school. Since the previous report, they have improved the procedures they use to monitor the school’s strengths and areas for development. The relationships with parents are exceptional. Many parents reported their complete confidence in the school and the strength of the partnerships with their child’s teacher. This enables them to effectively support their child’s learning and has a very positive impact on the pupils’ achievement.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in communicating ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 1 The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school’s engagement with parents and carers 1 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 1 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 1 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The records in the department clearly show that children make exceptional progress. Assessment is rigorous and work is very well matched to appropriate small steps in learning. The teachers are skilled in creating many opportunities for communication guided by the high quality of the input by the speech and language service. The staff know their children very well and demonstrate this by the excellent standards of planning and teaching, tailored to the needs of each individual. The children receive a high level of individual attention by caring and competent support staff. As a result, the children make excellent progress in their personal development. This provides a very good basis for their future success in the school. The department is very well led and managed. Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1 The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Stage Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

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Sixth form

The post-16 unit has made a cracking start since it opened in September 2008. The leadership and management are excellent and this has focused the rapidly improving quality of provision. There is an excellent curriculum through which students are given every encouragement to develop their basic skills within programmes that encourage their independence and their preparation for adult life. Students make excellent progress in their personal development because of well-planned procedures to help them gain the necessary self-confidence and awareness to make their own choices.

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Sixth form

There is good teaching which results in many students continuing to make good progress in literacy and numeracy and excellent progress in their grasp of work- related learning. Teachers, however, have not yet established the same high quality of assessment found in the rest of the school. As a result, some of the students’ targets are not sharply enough focused and this can slow down the pace of learning. The students are on target to achieve success in several units of a suitable accredited qualification. As a result of their progress, most students leave with the confidence and skills to go into further education.

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Sixth form

Outcomes for students in the sixth form 2 The quality of provision in the sixth form 2 Leadership and management of the sixth form 1 Overall effectiveness of the sixth form 1

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Views of parents and carers

The school’s engagement with parents is outstanding. Questionnaire responses indicate that the school has a very positive relationship with all parents and carers. Parents overwhelmingly are extremely happy with the school’s provision and their childrens’ progress, regardless of their child’s age or stage in his or her education. As one parent commented, ‘[This is] without question, one of the very best schools we have ever encountered in the world of special needs education. This is as good as it gets! Absolutely exceptional!’ Overall, parents and carers views reflect the inspection findings. Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Henry Tyndale School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. If a parent has more than one child at the school, we ask them to record an answer against all the questions, for each of their children. The inspector received 78 completed questionnaires. In total, there are 115 parents

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Views of parents and carers

Always Most of the time Occasionally Never Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 73 4 1 0

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. In 2007-8, 15% of schools were judged to be outstanding. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. In 2007-8, 49% of schools were judged good. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. In 2007-8, 32% of schools were judged satisfactory. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves. In 2007-8, 5% of schools were judged inadequate.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, training or development. This may refer to the acquisition of skills, knowledge, understanding or desired attributes. Attributes include qualities or personal competencies which are important to the development of the pupil; for example personal, social, cultural, emotional or health.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school. 01 June 2009

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Inspection of Henry Tyndale School, Farnborough, GU14 8BX

Not long ago I came to the school to see how you were getting on and whether I could suggest anything to make the school better. You made me very welcome and I enjoyed meeting some of you in your classrooms and at lunchtime. I could see that you all enjoy school very much. I was with you for two days. That was long enough for me to realise that you go to an outstanding school. Here is a list of some of the things I particularly liked about your school.

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Inspection of Henry Tyndale School, Farnborough, GU14 8BX

 You work hard and make excellent progress in your work and in your personal development.  The many different people at the school look after you very well.  You do many interesting activities including those that help you become independent, make choices and learn all about different places and customs.  All the adults work hard to give you as much help as possible and they are very good at preparing interesting work for each of you.  Your headteacher runs the school very well and everyone, including your parents, gives him strong support.

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Inspection of Henry Tyndale School, Farnborough, GU14 8BX

I think the school could improve even further if all the bits of progress that students make in the sixth form were to be written down and then used to show teachers how to help the students do even better.

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Inspection of Henry Tyndale School, Farnborough, GU14 8BX

Please thank your parents for all the comments they made on the questionnaires.

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Inspection of Henry Tyndale School, Farnborough, GU14 8BX

Mel Blackband Lead Inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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