Tuition, Medical and Behaviour Support Service Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and thereby outcomes, by making sure that:
  • teachers’ expectations are consistently high and pupils are challenged even more
  • pupils’ individual plans include targets that take even greater account of the rapid academic progress that staff hope to secure.
• Further improve leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • the school’s development plan includes specific actions and milestones that identify how members of the senior leadership team will further hone their skills and drive standards even higher
  • middle leaders receive additional support to enhance their skills and develop the impact they have on the overall quality of teaching and learning
  • strategies to support boys’ achievement in reading and writing continue to be rigorously evaluated so that current rates of progress are built upon further.
• Continue to closely monitor the attendance of disadvantaged pupils so that they attend as well as other groups of pupils across the service.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The Tuition, Medical and Behaviour Support Service (TMBSS) has improved considerably since the last inspection. Though some of the most senior leaders are currently in acting positions, the momentum for change and development has been strong. The service is driven by leaders who want to secure the best possible standards of teaching, learning and assessment.
• Governors have appointed a wide range of skilled and competent leaders. Key aspects of practice are now emerging strengths. These strengths include the use of assessment information to secure better outcomes for pupils and a more rigorous approach to performance management.
• Above all, relationships between staff and pupils are exceptional. In schools, staff support pupils to transition between different settings successfully. In hospitals, teachers provide support to ensure that pupils maintain their learning during their treatment and care. The extent to which all staff care for and nurture pupils within the service is impressive.
• The vast majority of pupils, parents and carers that responded to Ofsted’s questionnaires were very positive about their experiences. Parent comments include: ‘Great school that has been a massive support and help to our family’ and ‘The staff at TMBSS have all been fantastic at encouraging and motivating my son to achieve his potential.’ These comments were typical of the views shared by other parents during the inspection.
• The curriculum has been carefully designed to ensure that pupils have a wide range of rich and valuable experiences. Learning is tailored for primary-aged pupils to help them engage and focus on different tasks and activities. Older pupils work towards gaining accreditations and GCSEs in a range of subjects.
• Pupils are well prepared for life beyond their respective schools. Assemblies are delivered across the service to support pupils’ personal, social, moral and cultural development. For example, pupils in primary settings have recently explored the following questions: ‘How do people make sense of hardship and suffering?’ and, ‘How do different people express their beliefs?’
• Additional funding is used effectively to support the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. Learning mentors offer pupils additional support to remove any barriers to learning. Above all, pupils enjoy a high pupil-to-staff ratio. Staff understand pupils’ individual needs and plan effective lessons to improve their achievement.
• Though self-evaluation is accurate and the school development plan is effectively improving outcomes, leaders’ plans to develop and hone their own skills lack detail. Many leaders are undertaking additional learning and project work beyond their immediate roles. The desired outcomes of this additional learning have not been identified in a plan that governors can monitor. As a result, governors are currently unable to establish the full impact that leaders are having on the service.
• Some middle leaders are new to their roles and require additional training and support. More experienced leaders have a clear vision for improvement and the standard of education that is expected across the service. This clarity and rigour is not yet evident in all leaders.
• The school has maintained a strong and productive relationship with the local authority. The school’s local authority adviser has an excellent knowledge of the whole service and meets regularly with leaders to check on improvements and offer challenge. This challenge is embraced by leaders and has been central to the improvement of all of the schools.

Governance of the school

• Governors have significant experience in the education and health service sector.
• Governors keep an eye on the future of the service and are committed to developing leadership capacity.
• The governing body has a strong understanding of the service’s key strengths and weaknesses.
• Governors are passionate people who are committed to making a difference.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders and governors have created a culture of safeguarding across the service’s different settings and schools.
• The curriculum has been tailored to help pupils learn about safety. During the inspection, pupils in a primary setting were visited by representatives from the National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children. Pupils were learning how to ‘speak out and stay safe’. Pupils were keen to learn about important messages from the society’s mascot ‘Buddy’.
• In secondary schools, pupils told inspectors that they feel safe. Pupils are confident that there is someone at school that they can talk to if they have a concern or worry. The personal, social and health education schemes of work provide pupils with learning about sex and relationship education, mental and emotional health and the risks associated with illegal substances.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers plan lessons that effectively meet pupils’ individual needs.
• When pupils join a school within the service, staff carefully assess their needs and keep regular checks on progress. As a result, pupils’ progress is strong and any underachievement is quickly addressed.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge. During the inspection, staff competently demonstrated their abilities teaching lessons focused on chemical structures, the water cycle and fractions.
• The cornerstone of teaching and learning is the exceptional relationship that staff forge with pupils. These excellent relationships, which are often established in challenging circumstances and in a short amount of time, ensure that pupils are ready to learn.
• Assessment systems have developed rapidly. Leaders have designed effective systems to track the progress that pupils make. Leaders acknowledge that there is more to do in ensuring that systems are embedded further but have this aspect of school improvement well in hand.
• On occasion, there is some variation in the quality of teaching. High expectations, and the extent to which pupils are challenged, can vary across the service’s settings. Pupils sometimes complete activities that are too easy for them. Consequently, pupils’ progress is not always as rapid as it could be.
• Teachers establish individual plans for pupils to target specific needs. On the whole, these plans are specific and measurable, and take account of pupils’ academic and personal development. However, some targets within pupils’ plans are too broad and are not adequately focused on the specific academic skills that pupils need to develop. In some instances, these poorer written plans do not support pupils to make the rapid progress that they are capable of.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are supported to develop their confidence and resilience. Many pupils have complex needs or have experienced significant changes to their schooling. Staff are positive and calm. They help pupils overcome their personal barriers and feel ready to learn.
• Pupils’ welfare is a priority in every hospital, hub and school. As a result of very strong support from staff, pupils are confident to talk to visitors about their learning.
• No pupils raised any concerns about behaviour or bullying during the inspection. Similarly, the vast majority of responses to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire were positive. All pupils stated that teachers listen to what they have to say.
• Pupils in hospital settings are well cared for. Inspectors observed older pupils with complex medical needs supporting their younger peers with their learning. Teachers work to maintain a focus on learning at often very difficult times in pupils’ lives.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Given the complexity of some pupils’ needs, behaviour is a strength of the service. Pupils are courteous and polite.
• Leaders keep detailed records of any incidents of poor behaviour. Records are analysed and reviewed to check for any patterns or trends. Many pupils completely turn around their attitude to learning while they are with the service. As a result, a large proportion of pupils with social and emotional needs are reintegrated into mainstream settings.
• Attendance is carefully tracked and monitored across all schools. Where appropriate, external agencies are used to visit families and offer additional support. There are no gaps in the attendance of different groups of pupils, with the exception of those that are disadvantaged. Disadvantaged pupils’ attendance is lower than that of other pupils. Leaders are aware of these gaps and recognise that work must continue to ensure that this group of learners do not unnecessarily miss any days at school.
• Some pupils attend part-time alternative provision within the local authority. The service’s learning mentors make checks on the quality of this provision, and pupils’ attendance and welfare is carefully monitored.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils join and leave the service at different times during the school year. Some pupils are with the service for a very small amount of time. Some pupils can stay with a school for several years. Leaders take careful account of this transience. Pupils’ needs are meticulously assessed when they first start so that progress can be accurately monitored.
• Pupils make quick gains in their learning. Developing pupils’ core skills in reading, writing and mathematics is prioritised. The vast majority of teachers’ planning addresses pupils’ needs and offers challenge. As a result, pupils make strong progress across a wide range of subjects from their different starting points.
• Pupils’ books evidence this strong progress. Pupils take pride in their presentation. Some pupils have been very reluctant to record their learning in previous schools. Staff offer highly effective support to help pupils record their ideas and, in some cases, write at length in a very short space of time.
• Historically, the service has identified some gaps between the achievement of boys and girls. Differences between groups are diminishing. However, there remains some variation in the progress that boys make in reading across key stages.
• Pupils are effectively supported to be successful in the next stage of their education, training or employment. Many pupils gain accreditations and GCSEs in a wide range of subjects.
• Pupils are proud of the progress that they make at the different schools and hospitals across the service. Almost all pupils who responded to Ofsted’s questionnaire agreed that school encourages them to be independent and to take on responsibilities.

School details

Unique reference number 134390 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 10044268 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Pupil referral unit School category Pupil referral unit Age range of pupils 4 to 16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 169 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Charles Woodford Acting headteacher Greg Portman Telephone number 01743 257725 Website https://tmbss-shropshire.com Email address admin@tmbss-shropshire.org.uk Date of previous inspection 9–10 July 2013

Information about this school

• Since the last inspection, governors have appointed an acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher.
• The Tuition, Medical and Behaviour Support Service operates over 10 different sites. Three sites are for pupils in key stages 1 and 2, five sites are for pupils in key stages 3 and 4, and there are teachers based within two Shropshire hospitals (Alice Ward at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust, and wards 19 and 20 at The Princess Royal Hospital, Telford). Currently, 169 pupils access the service. Sites are spread across Shropshire local authority.
• Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are dual registered. This means that they spend half a day in a school within the service, and the other at their ‘home’ school. Almost all pupils in key stages 3 and 4 attend full time.
• All of the pupils have special educational, physical, emotional or medical needs. Approximately 40% of pupils have an education, health or care plan.
• The school uses three alternative providers: Telford Drive Project, ‘SEEDS’ from the Education Development Service, and Walford College.

Information about this inspection

• The lead inspector met with leaders at the start of the inspection to review the school’s self-evaluation and development plan.
• The inspection team visited every school and hospital setting. At each setting within the service, inspectors reviewed the culture of safeguarding. Inspectors spoke to staff and parents to explore the extent to which pupils are kept safe. Inspectors examined a range of documentation relating to safeguarding, including child protection files, training records, risk assessments and the single central record.
• Some observations of teaching were undertaken jointly with leaders. Inspectors visited most classes across the service. Inspectors took account of pupils’ progress by reviewing learning in their books. Inspectors conducted book scrutinies on day 2 of the inspection.
• Inspectors met with leaders to review several specific aspects of the service, including: the quality and rigour of assessment, the management of attendance, the impact of additional funding, the organisation of the curriculum and provision for special educational needs.
• Inspectors took account of feedback from stakeholders, including seven responses from parents to Ofsted’s online free-text service and two emails from parents, 21 responses to the pupil survey and 47 responses to the staff survey. Inspectors contacted three parents via telephone. There were too few responses to Parent View to generate a report.
• The lead inspector met with three members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.
• The lead inspectors met with an adviser from Shropshire local authority who has supported the school for several years.

Inspection team

Jonathan Keay, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Russell Hinton Ofsted Inspector Amanda Clugston Ofsted Inspector Sarah Ashley Ofsted Inspector