Setting

Mrs Sonia O’Donnell Headteacher Osborne School Athelstan Road Winchester Hampshire SO23 7GA

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 29 September 2009 and for the information which you provided before and during my visit. Please thank the governors, staff and students who contributed to the inspection.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

There have been a number of staff changes since the last inspection. Seven staff have left the school and five new teachers and a deputy headteacher have been appointed. The school has been refurbished and redecorated and now provides a bright and attractive environment for learning.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

As a result of the inspection on 29–30 September 2008, the school was asked to improve the effectiveness of the school’s leadership, improve teaching and learning, and ensure that the curriculum fully meets students’ needs.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made satisfactory progress in making improvements and good progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

The senior leadership team has been restructured and new roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. The new and improved structure provides clear lines of accountability and has the capacity to ensure that all aspects of the school’s work are monitored and evaluated. Governors are well informed and provide a good balance of challenge and support. A director of integrated services is now in place to oversee all support services to the school. The deputy headteacher, who has direct responsibility for teaching and learning, joined the school at the start of the summer term 2009. The changes have strengthened capacity and are resulting in a more Tribal Education 1–4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Page 2 rigorous and systematic approach to the monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

The school has established a reliable baseline against which future student progress can be measured. Consequently, teachers have clear and appropriate expectations of what students can achieve and a good start has been made on raising standards and improving the rate at which students make progress. Because of students’ complex needs and low starting points, standards are well below those in mainstream schools. However, lessons are well structured so that tasks and support are closely matched to the needs of individual students. In the lessons seen in the core subjects, students made at least satisfactory progress in relation to their often very low starting points. Although teaching has improved and it is good in some respects, it is not yet consistently effective in ensuring that all pupils are sufficiently motivated and engaged.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

The curriculum has been reviewed and revised well. There continues to be a strong focus on personal development but students are now given a greater degree of choice about which courses to follow. There are also clearer progression routes for academic and other courses from Key Stage 4 in to the sixth form and closer integration between the main school and boarding provision. Some of the improvements have taken place only recently, so it is not possible at this stage to gauge their impact on students’ learning and development, although early indications suggest that the changes have been beneficial.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

The local authority has provided good support. Local authority advisers and specialist teams have worked with the school to improve provision and strengthen capacity. Partnership arrangements with other schools are developing and an outreach programme has been established to support students’ learning and the sharing of good practice.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your school. This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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