St Ann's School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve the effectiveness of supporting adults in the classroom, particularly how well they support teachers in assessing and maximising pupils’ progress.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Leaders, governors and staff have the highest ambitions and aspirations for all pupils. They hold the view that they must ensure that pupils are as independent and well prepared as they can be for the next stages of their lives. All staff are extremely successful in making this happen for pupils.
• The school community has worked together exceptionally well to create a safe, inclusive, happy and welcoming school. Pupils, taking into account their different needs and abilities, are thriving. They make excellent progress.
• The senior leadership team complement each other really well. They are also bold in their decision-making. One example of this is their decision to invest in the use of new technology to manage and evaluate behaviour patterns. The level of analysis that takes place helps leaders to refine their actions and to make more informed decisions.
• Senior leaders have over the last few years made continual refinements to their assessment systems. As a result, leaders set ambitious targets for pupils (which they call ‘learning intentions’) and track pupils’ progress against these targets thoroughly. Staff carefully analyse pupils’ progress and intervene quickly to address any areas where pupils are not making the progress of which they are capable.
• Leaders and teachers are extremely careful in their design and implementation of the stimulating curriculum. They have ensured that it is carefully matched to pupils’ different needs. In the words of a parent: ‘It is not a routine curriculum, they go with the child.’ The curriculum plan for each pupil considers what pupils can already do and includes the use of therapeutic support to help pupils access their learning. Leaders and teachers review the curriculum regularly to establish what pupils have or have not been able to achieve.
• Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well. Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips and extra-curricular activities, for example Bollywood dancing, companion cycling and taking part in an arts festival with a variety of other schools. Leaders have the view that if pupils cannot access a visit to take part in an experience, they will bring the experience to them. These activities and, for example, the sensory teaching provided by staff, help to develop a genuine sense of awe and wonder for pupils, as well as improving their self-confidence and social skills. The school prepares pupils positively for life in modern Britain.
• Leaders use additional funding for pupils eligible for free school meals and the Year 7 catch-up extremely well, for example the way that leaders use the Year 7 funding to help manage the move from primary to secondary school. Carefully considered arrangements help pupils to settle quickly, to gain confidence and to develop positive relationships with staff and other pupils.
• Staff morale is high. Staff, including those new to teaching, speak highly of school leaders and the high-quality training that they receive. They say that senior staff are approachable and that they listen to their ideas and feedback.

Governance of the school

• Governors provide effective challenge and support to school leaders in equal measure. They choose to undertake regular visits to the school and also to carry out case study reviews of individual pupils. They ask external agencies working with pupils to present their findings to the governing body. Governors therefore have a detailed understanding of the school’s work and also how well individual pupils are achieving.
• The governing body operates a safeguarding committee which oversees safeguarding thoroughly. Governors consider policies that relate to safeguarding carefully, for example the school’s emerging sexuality policy. Governors also discuss attendance fully at each committee meeting.
• Governors have secured an effective balance between providing the long-term direction for the school and knowing what day-to-day life is like for pupils and staff.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding is the number one priority for all staff at the school. Staff have a clear understanding of all safeguarding related policies and procedures. They know pupils’ needs, for example their medical conditions and intimate care needs, fully. The effective use of care workers and therapists all combine to help ensure that pupils are not only safe but that they are treated with respect and dignity at all times.
• Leaders also provide effective support for families. ‘The family links’ group provides a safe space for parents both to support each other and to discuss how they can provide continued support for their children at home. Parents feel that their children are safe at the school and well cared for. The support systems, including helping families to access additional resources outside of the school, are excellent. No stone is left unturned in trying to help make life better for pupils and their families.
• The ‘safety first’ culture at the school means that the systems and processes to identify, help and manage all aspects of pupils’ welfare are effective.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Teachers have high expectations for their pupils. They know and build on what pupils have already achieved. There is a genuine focus on ensuring that pupils learn and practise their communication, thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Teachers are highly skilled in using a variety of activities and stimuli to best meet the needs of pupils. For example, teachers choose to use a range of sensory techniques and technologies to assist learning for pupils who have physical disabilities.
• Another example is the careful use of speech and language communication profiles across the school. The profiles mean that all adults who work with pupils know how best to communicate with pupils. This approach means that everyone is working towards the same goals in a consistent and purposeful way. As a result, pupils make substantial progress in meeting their communication targets.
• Teaching promotes pupils’ resilience and confidence. Pupils are fully encouraged to take part in all activities so that they become as independent as they can be. For example, by learning how to travel safely, shop, use money and prepare healthy meals pupils learn how to make sensible choices for themselves.
• In line with the school’s philosophy, teachers and supporting adults continually assess the ‘small steps’ of progress that each pupil makes. Everyone records these steps on small notes against each pupil’s learning intentions. Pupils’ overall progress is analysed termly to evaluate how fluent and deep learning is becoming. Leaders have a thorough understanding of how well pupils are achieving across the school.
• Supporting adults are also highly skilled in helping pupils to learn how to be safe, both in and out of the classroom. However, some of their work, in either fully meeting pupils’ needs or assessing their progress, is not as consistent as it should be. Teachers spot this happening in classrooms and give appropriate direction to supporting adults when needed.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Parents and staff feel that pupils are safe and well looked after at school. Inspectors agree. Leaders prioritise pupil welfare and safety at all times. Staff are alert to any change in a pupil’s behaviour or medical condition. Pupils receive high-quality care and attention.
• Leaders feel that prioritising and developing pupils’ independence, social and behaviour skills are vital in preparing pupils for their futures. In school, pupils learn to mix well together in all sorts of ways, formally and informally.
• Staff ensure that pupils’ physical and emotional needs are fully met. Pupils learn how to manage their emotions and feelings. The school’s work to help pupils understand, for example, puberty, sexuality and how to stay safe, including when using the internet, is excellent.
• Pupils who are capable of undertaking work experience do so. Staff carefully seek out opportunities for pupils to develop employability skills. These form aspects of pupils’ career planning for when they move into the sixth form.
• Pupils feel safe in school. They enjoy school and they form positive working relationships with staff.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils are taught how to be kind and sensitive towards each other. During social times, for example at lunch, pupils interact well with each other; they queue in the canteen sensibly and learn to be patient.
• Teachers’ choice of activities and response to pupils’ needs helps pupils to concentrate and sustain their focus during learning activities.
• The school is extremely successful in improving pupils’ behaviour, particularly for those who have complex behavioural needs. They have used highly trained staff to work with pupils to deliver a flexible curriculum that responds to individual needs. As a result, the number of behaviour incidents that need senior support has reduced significantly.
• The school’s systems for monitoring and improving attendance are effective. Some pupils have complex medical conditions which affect their attendance. However, leaders do everything practicable to support pupils and families.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils make substantial and sustained progress across the curriculum that they study. This is because targets that are set for them are ambitious. Teachers use these targets exceptionally well in planning their teaching. As a result, pupils are fully challenged to make the progress of which they are capable. Pupils, irrespective of their educational needs, achieve exceptionally well.
• All pupils aged between 14 and 19 follow an accredited curriculum. All students successfully achieve this to the relevant standard for their abilities.
• Leaders have ensured that detailed tracking of pupil’s progress takes place. Teachers assess constantly and quickly build up a picture of what pupils can and cannot do. They adapt their teaching and modify their activities as required. Pupils make their own choices and learn how to indicate their own preferences. The school ensures that each individual pupil is exceptionally well prepared for their future lives, in whatever setting that is likely to be.
• Teaching releases pupils’ potential in all sorts of ways. Pupils learn life skills and are given a wide range of opportunities to practise these skills, both inside and out of school. Pupils regularly visit the local community and beyond to become confident in interacting with different people. In an age-appropriate way, they learn how to travel safely, look after their personal hygiene and interact with different people safely.
• Inspectors looked in detail at pupils’ learning through a large number of case studies. This included evaluating pupils’ learning journeys and reviewing their work. Pupils make significant progress from their starting points, including in developing their communication, social and problem-solving skills.
• Leaders’ careful analysis of outcomes shows that pupils eligible for free school meals make similar progress to their peers. Leaders have amended their spending plans for this year to give this group of pupils even more access to speech and language specialist support.

16 to 19 study programmes Outstanding

• As a result of highly effective leadership and management, students in this key stage make excellent progress overall. As at key stage 4, teachers know students exceptionally well. However, in this key stage staff focus even more on the transition to adulthood.
• Students learn very useful employability skills on their college courses. They told inspectors that they enjoy college and gave examples of what they were doing when they were there. The activities that they take part in, both at college and at school, for example working in a café, help them improve their social interaction and communication skills.
• During the inspection, students were able to identify and select items in the school shop and use money to pay for their items. In another activity, staff issued students with resources where they had to select, count and use ingredients to make a healthy snack. Supporting adults used symbols, signing or words to prompt pupils where needed.
• Students are challenged to develop their communication skills at all times, including those who are new to the country and/or speak English as an additional language. Staff support students well in developing their vocabulary and writing relative to their starting points. Staff know the best way to engage students, for example creating reading resources that focus on students’ interests and passions.
• Staff ensure that appropriate plans are in place for each student to successfully prepare for life beyond school. In 2017, staff were successful in placing all students in appropriate college provision. They are all well prepared for this transition. Staff also remain in contact and help students where required once they have started their college placements after leaving school.
• Students in the sixth form behave extremely well, with some working with pupils at key stage 3 or 4, for example as buddies. Some are also in the student voice group and communicate with senior leaders about the school. During the inspection, some students led a music session, sharing their passion for singing with the other pupils from the school who were also attending.
• Students learn how to stay safe and how to manage their emotional and physical safety well.
• Attendance for students in the sixth form is managed well, although it is marginally lower than attendance rates in the main school.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 101971 Ealing 10012538 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Special School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Number of pupils on the school roll Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Maintained special 11 to 19 Mixed Mixed 94 37 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Julian Hillman Gillian Carver 020 8567 6291 www.stannsschool.co.uk adminmail@st-anns.ealing.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 21–22 May 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• All pupils have an education, health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs.
• The school educates pupils who have profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorder. Some pupils also have complex medical conditions.
• There are more boys than girls at the school.
• Most pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic groups. The highest proportion of pupils come from a Black African ethnic origin. Most pupils speak English as an additional language.
• Almost one-third of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average.
• Almost all pupils stay at the school until the end of Year 14.
• Students in the sixth form attend college courses as part of their provision. This is not full time and varies during the school year. There are no pupils who receive their education in alternative provision.
• Pupils are organised into class groups based on their area of need.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection was in two parts. Following a short inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005, a full section 5 inspection took place the following week.
• The inspection team visited a range of classes, including clubs, and observed the breakfast and lunchtime sessions. School leaders accompanied inspectors on all classroom visits. To evaluate the quality of pupils’ learning over time, inspectors also reviewed a wide range of pupils’ work.
• The inspection team held a range of meetings with senior and middle leaders to evaluate the impact of their work. Inspectors also held meetings with governors, teachers new to the profession, a group of staff and a group of pupils, including some sixth-form students. An inspector met with representatives from the local authority. The lead inspector also had a telephone conversation with the manager who oversees the external speech and language therapy provided to the school.
• There were not enough replies to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, to provide a meaningful analysis. Inspectors met with different groups of parents. The lead inspector also spoke to a parent by telephone. Inspectors evaluated 10 replies to Ofsted’s survey for staff. There were no replies to the pupil survey.
• Inspectors scrutinised a variety of documentation provided by leaders, including: internal assessment information for pupils in all year groups; leaders’ self-evaluation; and improvement planning. They also scrutinised outcomes from school surveys; minutes of governing body meetings; attendance and behaviour information; a variety of school policies; the single central record of recruitment checks and a wide range of other information relating to the safeguarding of pupils.

Inspection team

Sam Hainey, lead inspector Gary Pocock Karen Matthews

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector