Nexus Foundation Special School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • actively seeking ways for the school to improve and better meet pupils’ welfare needs
  • ensuring that processes, procedures and documentation to support the welfare of pupils across all phases are rigorous and accurate. These include ‘near-miss’ reviews, care plans, risk assessments and manual-handling plans
  • making sure that governors continue to respond positively to the recommendations from the external review, so they become more effective at holding leaders to account and ensuring rigour in all aspects of school life
  • ensuring that documentation to support the school’s improvement is robust, including the response to external reviews, performance management targets and the school improvement plan
  • accurately evaluating the school’s effectiveness
  • making sure that leaders’ evaluations of teaching take account of how much progress pupils make
  • recording and analysing non-academic progress as robustly as academic.
• Improve the early years provision by:
  • embedding improvements, so that teaching is good or better
  • ensuring that planning identifies exactly what children will learn from each activity
  • training staff to provide effective support and adapt activities where necessary.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Ridge View School is a community where pupils are recognised and appreciated as individuals who are valuable members of the local and wider community. The headteacher and deputy headteachers lead the school with warmth and dedication. Their vision to ‘value the uniqueness of every pupil’ is embedded through the school and all staff are committed to this.
• Leaders and governors have taken swift action to rectify the issues which were identified at the previous inspection. Safeguarding processes are much more robust, policies are now in date and meet requirements, and many aspects of the school’s improvement processes are becoming more systematic. However, there continue to be inconsistencies in leadership which affect pupils’ well-being, such as weak or missing risk assessments, ‘near-miss’ review processes not being followed or robust action not taken, and delays or lack of rigour in checking that the recommendations of external reviews are met. This means that, although pupils are safe and well cared for, there are occasions when opportunities to review and improve practice are overlooked.
• The care plan processes have been reconsidered following an external review of safeguarding. However, some recommendations are taking too long to be put in place and there continue to be inconsistencies or a lack of detail in some.
• Leaders check on teaching and identify accurately where teachers could improve. When teaching is not as good as it should be, leaders take swift action to remedy concerns. However, leaders sometimes take too much account of individual lessons, rather than focusing sharply on the progress pupils make over time. This means that leaders have a more positive view of teaching than they should.
• Performance management processes have improved. The pay policy is up to date and is adhered to by leaders and governors. Teachers appreciate the in-year review which enables them to discuss their targets and ensure that they are on track. Support staff say that their reviews are similar but now are more formal. Targets are appropriately focused on pupils’ outcomes and school improvement, but some are not measurable and, therefore, staff cannot easily be held to account.
• Additional funding, including that for disadvantaged pupils, Year 7 pupils and physical education and sport, is used effectively to improve outcomes. Leaders and governors have now published the required information on the school’s website regarding how the funding is used. Expenditure is listed and pupils’ outcomes are detailed, but it is not always clear how the funding has helped to improve pupils’ achievements.
• Leaders and governors have introduced a system to ensure that policies are kept under review and that they do not lapse. Policies are now up to date and meet requirements.
• Leaders are too generous in their evaluation of the school’s effectiveness. They take into account the right information and review all aspects of the school, but their conclusions are based on an overly positive view of their own effectiveness and a lack of rigour in identifying where improvements could be made. For example, the external safeguarding review made a number of recommendations, many of which have been introduced. However, leaders have not implemented a systematic approach to identifying which recommendations are higher priority, who will undertake them and when they will be completed.
• There has been some sharpening of the school’s improvement documentation and processes. The identified priorities are relevant and there is a more structured approach to implementing and monitoring actions. Some of the actions listed are too broad to be helpful and it is still not clear what impact some of these actions will have on improving the school.
• The curriculum is relevant and well matched to pupils’ different needs and abilities. Staff are skilled at making learning purposeful and interesting for pupils so that, over time, they develop an enjoyment of learning. Leaders and staff ensure that pupils experience a wide range of purposeful and motivating activities, so that pupils can identify their areas of interest and their strengths.
• There is a strong focus on academic success and this is tracked carefully. Any pupils who are at risk of not achieving their reading, writing, speaking and listening or mathematics targets are supported individually. Subject leaders are becoming more aware of what they need to improve to reduce inconsistencies across the school. Non-academic achievements are recorded but not as systematically. Pupils undoubtedly make progress over time in areas such as communication, independence and their ability to stay on task, but pupils would benefit from a similarly rigorous approach, so that they and staff know what specific targets they are working towards.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is supported appropriately and effectively through the curriculum. Pupils learn about other countries and faiths, such as when they choose menus from different countries, and they have quiet times of reflection. Pupils are encouraged to interact and work supportively with their peers.
• Pupils learn about and experience British values in action through the democratic process of the school council, where they readily share their views and concerns, and through the respect and tolerance which are embedded in school life. Pupils are aware and supportive of one another’s individual needs.
• The local authority has provided effective support through regular visits to monitor progress and provide external reviews of safeguarding and governance.

Governance of the school

• Governors have taken rapid and effective action to develop their understanding of safeguarding and other statutory duties. They have reviewed recruitment and induction procedures to ensure that requirements are met and support the school’s work to ensure that pupils are kept safe. They now fulfil the legal requirements of their role.
• Governors visit the school often, undertaking useful activities and gathering appropriate information to support their views and knowledge of the school. Consequently, in some areas they hold leaders to account more successfully.
• Governors have implemented systems and processes to support school improvement and effectiveness. They are involved to a much greater extent in monitoring leaders’ actions against the school improvement plan. However, the external review of governance has rightly identified ways in which they can hold leaders more robustly to account and sharpen processes further. They have responded positively to the recommendations and many are already under way.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All the identified safeguarding concerns from the previous inspection have been rectified. The safeguarding policy is up to date and includes guidance from current documentation. Checks on staff prior to appointment are detailed and appropriate, training is carried out for new staff before they work with pupils, and governors undertake appropriate monitoring of safeguarding processes. Consequently, staff know and fulfil their responsibilities to record and report concerns, making sure that these are communicated to the designated safeguarding leads.
• Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe online. They understand that when they are communicating online, people may not be who they say they are. Staff are aware of potential risks of pupils’ online communication.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching meets pupils’ needs well. Routines are well planned and embedded within the life of the school. They provide stability and structure for pupils, so that even the most vulnerable feel more secure and better able to manage difficult situations. Transitions are managed well in most cases, so that pupils know that a change is coming up shortly and what will happen. This ensures that pupils mainly remain calm and on task during these potentially challenging times.
• Activities are carefully planned for pupils’ specific abilities and enable them to practise and develop relevant skills. Where these are academic skills, there is precision in the teaching and support. Non-academic learning is less specific, so, although pupils clearly develop in many areas over time, adults do not focus as closely on what pupils are doing and whether they are making progress.
• Teachers use a wide range of strategies to capture and sustain pupils’ interest. Pupils participate well in activities, learning to concentrate and practise skills which they find difficult. Pupils’ good participation has a positive impact on their learning and progress.
• Teaching assistants understand pupils’ specific needs and follow guidance from the class teacher about how best to provide support. Some teaching assistants are able to adapt the activities and support they provide when necessary, while others are less skilled at doing so.
• Lessons are well structured to promote independence. Pupils have opportunities to make choices and have ownership of their learning.
• Pupils develop effective communication skills, using verbal and non-verbal methods. Staff are very responsive to pupils’ efforts to express their ideas and needs. Staff frequently sign when communicating with pupils for whom this appropriate, but this is not quite as consistent as it could be.
• The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is good and meets pupils’ needs well. Phonics is taught with precision and skill by teachers and teaching assistants and is having a positive impact on how well pupils read.
• Disadvantaged pupils and those who need to catch up in Year 7 are supported well. Individual programmes and teaching enable them to make progress and a high proportion achieve the targets they are set.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.
• Pupils’ needs are met well on a day-to-day basis. However, processes which support pupils’ well-being over time are not as robust as they need to be. For example, during the inspection, inspectors observed two ‘near-miss’ situations where harm could have possibly been caused to pupils, although no injury occurred. When inspectors brought these to leaders’ attention, the processes in place for reviewing potential hazards were not automatically followed, and leaders’ actions to resolve the issues were not as robust as they needed to be to reduce the possibility of the situations recurring.
• Leaders have rightly re-thought the processes involved in devising and reviewing pupils’ care plans. The actions they are taking are appropriate but leaders’ plans for the changes to take place over the coming 12 months are too slow. There continue to be inconsistencies in the information provided. Although the inconsistencies do not place pupils in danger, they do indicate a lack of rigour and clarity in meeting pupils’ needs as well as possible.
• Manual-handling plans are appropriately devised by occupational therapists. However, the plans are not available for staff to use and could not be easily accessed, at times, during the inspection.
• Pupils are encouraged and supported to be involved in the life of the school and to make decisions. Many of the school council meetings have focused on the new school building and pupils are understandably excited to move there and experience the fantastic facilities on offer. Pupils demonstrate confidence and independence when sharing their views and ensure that leaders are aware if they have concerns or good ideas.
• Pupils are encouraged to be independent and make choices in lessons and leisure activities. They learn about healthy eating and hygiene, and develop a range of useful life skills, such as budgeting and planning, during their time at the school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are supported very well to manage their behaviour. Leaders and staff across the school follow careful routines, so that pupils who struggle to manage transitions from one activity to another are given advance warning that a change will take place. Many pupils use ‘now’ and ‘then’ pictures to remind them of what they are going to do and then the fun activity that will follow.
• Teachers plan activities which encourage pupils to stay focused. Staff generally manage lessons effectively, so that pupils find it relatively easy to concentrate and complete tasks. Occasionally, activities go on too long or staff miss opportunities to redirect pupils’ attention, so pupils become frustrated and behaviour becomes more challenging.
• All staff demonstrate the same consistent and supportive approach to managing pupils’ behaviour. At all times, staff are measured and caring in their approach. As a result, pupils usually react positively to attempts to calm them and help them manage their frustrations.
• Behaviour incidents are recorded, investigated and resolved effectively, with pupils’ best interests in mind.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school, as is shown by the high percentage of pupils who have very high attendance. Persistent absence is rare and figures are below the national average, even though pupils’ medical issues sometimes prevent them attending.
• There have been no exclusions in this academic year, reflecting the proactive and effective way in which behaviour is managed. During the inspection, there were no significant behaviour incidents.
• Leaders ensure that pupils behave well when off site. When pupils are attending alternative education settings, such as for horse riding and horticulture, staff’s high expectations of behaviour reflect those at the school.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils make good progress academically and personally. Teachers set sensible targets for pupils based on their previous attainment and potential to improve. Any pupils at risk of not achieving their academic targets are identified rapidly and provided with relevant one-to-one support. Consequently, the majority of pupils achieve their targets in reading, speaking and listening, writing and mathematics.
• Pupils develop effective skills across all areas, from handling objects, feeding themselves and managing their feelings, to skills which enable them to be independent, such as organising themselves, preparing food and keeping themselves safe.
• The school’s system for recording and analysing progress focuses strongly on academic subjects. Non-academic targets are also identified and staff are aware of what pupils need to improve. However, there is not the same sharp focus on non-academic development so, although improvements are made, leaders do not systematically analyse which pupils may not achieve their targets and put support in place to ensure that they catch up.
• In the early years, children do not do as well as those in the rest of the school. Leaders have taken action to rectify this and, while early signs are positive, it is too soon to be sure that children are doing as well as they could.
• Recent work to improve reading skills, including the implementation of an agreed approach to phonics, is yielding better outcomes. Pupils receive personalised support to enable them to be independent readers. One pupil in key stage 4, supported by a reading skills programme teacher, had made rapid progress, so that the student now has the confidence and expertise to read information and texts outside school. Subject leaders have taken steps to ensure the same strong progress in writing and mathematics. There have been improvements, but a few teaching groups need to catch up further.
• Disadvantaged pupils are making more progress and the differences between their achievement and that of their peers are decreasing. Leaders check the progress of these pupils and put appropriate individual support in place to meet their learning needs.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The early years leader, who is also the deputy headteacher of the lower school, knows what needs to be done to improve provision further. She has rightly taken steps to improve teaching and ensure that children’s learning needs are met more effectively in the Reception class. However, these changes need to be embedded, so that teaching is at least consistently good and improvements in outcomes are seen.
• Children make strong progress in the Nursery class because activities are well planned to meet their needs well. In Reception, there are signs that children are beginning to learn more, but this is in the early stages.
• Planning in Reception is becoming more effective. However, while activities are adapted to meet the learning needs of individuals, there is not enough clarity about what skills children will develop. Consequently, if children become distracted from the original task, staff keep them busy but do not necessarily practise the intended skill.
• Routines are well established and ensure that children know what they should and should not be doing. This helps them to feel settled and confident. Children have a good understanding of the picture timetable and it is used well to manage changes and transitions.
• Some useful sharing of space and resources across the Nursery and Reception classes enables children to develop their independence and confidence by working in different places, and choosing toys and equipment from all areas. However, sometimes the planning and organisation do not take full account of all children’s needs. For example, when Reception children gathered in the Nursery room to consider and select activities, some of the younger children were distracted and forgot the activity they had been set. When this happened, staff did not adapt or change activities quickly enough.
• Children are well cared for and are kept safe. Staff provide high-quality support to develop children’s communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal. As a result, many children make rapid progress in these skills.

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

• The inconsistencies in meeting pupils’ welfare needs across the school are also reflected in the provision for sixth-form students. As a result, although many aspects of the 16 to 19 study programmes are very strong, the department requires improvement.
• Leaders and staff ensure that students’ needs are met well. Teaching is effective and the curriculum is planned carefully to take account of students’ specific needs and potential. As a result, students develop useful and appropriate life skills alongside relevant qualifications.
• Staff work very closely with parents and students to select the most appropriate education or care setting for when students leave Ridge View. Those who go on to education typically make successful transitions and complete their courses. This is testament to the school’s successful identification and development of what each student can achieve.
• Students develop a range of practical skills to support their independence. For example, they learn to plan and prepare a meal for themselves to eat. To accomplish this, students handle sharp knives with care and skill, cutting up a range of foods into very small pieces.
• Students are encouraged to take on responsibilities, such as leading sporting activities and representing their peers on the school council. Where relevant, students undertake appropriate work experience. The imminent plans for 16–19-year-old students to work in the café at the new school are positive and are likely to make up for any shortfall in work-experience opportunities.
• School leaders know where each student moves to after leaving the school and maintain an interest in their ongoing education and care. Parents are very pleased with the high levels of progress students make.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 119050 Kent 10037490 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school All-through special School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Foundation special 2 to 19 Mixed Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 119 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 8 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Anna Williamson Jacqui Tovey 01732 771384 www.ridge-view.kent.sch.uk jacqui.tovey@ridge-view.kent.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 9–10 November 2016

Information about this school

• The school now meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Ridge View is slightly smaller than an average-sized special school, providing education for children and young people aged two to 19. It provides care and education for pupils with profound, severe and complex learning difficulties. Approximately half of the pupils also have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder. All pupils have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.
• The school is due to relocate in September 2017 to a new purpose-built school approximately three miles from the current location.
• The school is part of the Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT), working collaboratively with other special schools.
• The early years provision includes Nursery provision, where children’s needs are assessed, and a Reception class.
• Sixth-form students are taught alongside key stage 4 pupils. Some of these students attend courses at Hadlow College.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteachers of the upper and lower schools, other leaders, governors, teachers and teaching assistants. The lead inspector also met with a representative from the local authority and spoke with the local authority’s designated officer and the principal safeguarding officer.
• Alongside senior leaders, inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes.
• Inspectors gathered pupils’ views informally in lessons and through speaking to the school council.
• Inspectors considered evidence of pupils’ learning and progress, including pupils’ work in lessons and over time, assessment information and pupils’ reports. Inspectors also listened to pupils reading to staff and visitors.
• A range of documents was scrutinised, including those relating to safeguarding, school improvement, visits from external advisers, minutes of governors’ meetings and information about staff appraisals.
• Parents’ views were taken into account through informal conversations at the beginning and end of the school day, as well as 23 responses to Parent View accompanied by 14 written contributions.

Inspection team

Louise Adams, lead inspector Jenny Boyd

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector