Tracks Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and pupils’ outcomes in English by:
  • making sure pupils receive sufficient opportunities to develop their independent writing skills.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • increasing the role played by middle leaders in monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and outcomes in their subject areas
  • continuing to improve attendance levels by fully implementing current approaches and introduce new strategies swiftly to improve attendance levels.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The head of school and executive headteacher have a very clear plan for the next steps in developing the school. Staff and pupils share their vision and values and are all working hard to bring about further improvement.
• Senior leaders know the school well and have skilfully identified strengths and areas in need of improvement. This could clearly be seen in the quality of the self-evaluation document presented at the time of the inspection.
• Since the previous inspection, leaders have introduced a dynamic new system for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Leaders have also worked closely with leaders from an outstanding secondary school to carry out checks on the validity of teachers’ judgements of pupils’ work. As a result, teachers say they feel confident in their skills and knowledge and leadership data shows the quality of teaching and learning has improved.
• Senior leaders have introduced a performance management structure for staff. Running alongside this is an array of opportunities for continuous professional development (CPD). Subjects for CPD are identified through effective analysis of the monitoring of teaching and learning. This bespoke system has contributed to the fast pace of improvement within the school.
• Leaders have recently carried out an audit and overhaul of the curriculum. Discussions with pupils and the school’s guidance and transition adviser have enabled leaders to devise a curriculum which meets pupils’ academic and mental health needs. Pupils currently access up to eight GCSE options, which they study 75% of the time. The remaining 25% of curriculum time is used to support pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs. Pupils study subjects as diverse as ‘WRAP’ (wellness, recovery/resilience action plan) therapy, animal therapy, music therapy and outdoor adventure.
• Pupils’ outcomes have also improved. Last year’s results demonstrated this well with 100% of pupils gaining levels of accreditation which enabled them to move to further education destinations of their choice. Leaders’ recent introduction of a Pathways provision which enables Year 9 pupils on home tuition to learn in school and experience the school setting is likely to increase attainment even further.
• Staff and senior leaders are aware of the importance of ensuring that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Through lessons in religious education (RE) and the PSHE curriculum, pupils learn about British values. For example, pupils learn about the importance of consent and the link to the rule of law in sex and relationship education. Pupils also have visitors from different faiths and visit a range of different places of worship as part of their RE syllabus. This enables pupils to develop a strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding.

Governance of the school

• After the school’s last monitoring visit, all members of the management committee resigned. A new management committee has been formed with the help of the local authority.
• The management committee comprises seven members, all of whom have previous experience of governance.
• The committee held its first meeting in September 2018, where members’ roles and responsibilities were defined through a formidable agenda of priorities.
• The speed at which these actions have taken place clearly defines the focus of the management committee and its future agenda.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders recognise the vulnerability of many of the pupils and ensure that there is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school.
• Staff are very clear about the important role everyone plays in ensuring pupils’ safety and security. Recent training has ensured that staff have a good understanding of current legislation and are aware of what to do should a pupil raise a concern.
• Safeguarding documentation is kept appropriately and all staff have access to the online system for recording safeguarding incidents. Training has ensured that entries are well written and that senior leaders action any concerns promptly.
• The school works hard to build strong relationships with parents and carers. Regular sessions are held to discuss pupils’ progress and to develop and cement strong relationships.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Staff understand the needs of pupils well. They are sensitive to the health needs of pupils. As one teacher commented: ‘Recognising pupils’ demeanour each day enables me to plan appropriate learning.’ Relationships are strong between staff and pupils.
• Many pupils have missed several years of education. They have often missed vital learning in key stage 3. Some do not arrive in school until late in key stage 4. Staff are particularly skilled at assessing pupils’ learning. They are also skilled at ensuring that pupils cover the work required for their key stage 4 accreditation as well as filling in the gaps of missed learning.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work very closely as a team. This ensures that pupils who are in need of extra support either socially and emotionally or academically always have someone to turn to.
• Teachers have high expectations for all pupils. Staff have very good subject knowledge and this enables them to plan effective learning for a wide range of abilities.
• Staff ensure that pupils’ medical needs do not interfere with learning, making sure that every minute in classrooms counts.
• Work in books demonstrates the good progress pupils make. It also evidences the extensive and ongoing dialogue teachers have with pupils. This continuous feedback enables pupils to know exactly what to do next to bring about further improvement.
• Pupils’ progress and attainment in English were less strong than in mathematics and science. Work in pupils’ folders shows that they have fewer opportunities to work independently in English, particularly when completing longer pieces of writing.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils who attend the school have a variety of different needs. Many of them are vulnerable. School leaders have clearly recognised the concerns in the area local to school. Through the PSHE and information technology (IT) curriculum, leaders make sure pupils are also made aware of how to keep safe.
• Pupils spoken to during the inspection said they felt safe in school and acknowledged the importance of the learning they received from school on how to keep safe. They also commented on how they felt respected and, as a result, respected others irrespective of their culture or gender.
• Pupils were also clear about the forms bullying can take. They were clear that there is no bullying within the school. They felt that if there were to be incidents, staff would deal with them very effectively.
• Pupils spoken to also recognised the importance of the individual support they receive. Those spoken to felt the role key workers played was important to their health and well-being.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils’ behaviour in school is often good and at times impeccable, both inside and outside the classroom.
• Staff understand pupils’ needs well and put in provision which enables them to manage their own behaviour. For example, pupils who may be feeling stressed can go to the art room and draw until they feel better.
• Attendance is improving overall. Clearly, pupils’ health issues affect their attendance. However, a 10% rise in the current attendance of Year 10 pupils is likely to be attributed to the school’s new Pathways scheme. This introduces pupils currently on home tuition in Year 9 to school and prepares them slowly and carefully to join classes full-time in Year 10.
• School leaders are aware that attendance needs to be higher overall. Leaders believe their very recent appointment of an attendance officer will have a positive effect. However, it is too soon to measure the impact of the new strategies they have put in place.

Outcomes for pupils

Good

• Pupils often start at the school with levels of knowledge and skills below those of their peers nationally. Most leave having reached nationally expected standards. This represents good progress overall.
• Last year, school leaders were justifiably pleased with pupils’ results at the end of Year 11. 73% of pupils obtained both mathematics and English passes with 72% achieving passes in science. Most pupils obtained strong passes despite the fact that two thirds of pupils did not join the school until Year 11.
• Work in pupils’ books from across the curriculum demonstrates that pupils are on course to make similar gains this year.
• Pupils feel the work of the guidance and transition adviser is invaluable. The adviser works with pupils offering them unbiased careers guidance and organises visits to a range of different work places, including the law courts. Further information is also available to pupils from a wide range of visitors including representatives from the armed forces and a range of other professionals who visit school. This bespoke approach ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of education or training.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 130980 Bradford 10054501 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Pupil referral unit School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Pupil referral unit 12 to 16 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 24 Appropriate authority Management committee Chair Executive Headteacher Head of School Telephone number Website Email address Nick Briggs Adrian Kneeshaw Hannah Whittaker 01274 582 995 Not yet complete office@tracks-ed.org Date of previous inspection January 2016

Information about this school

• Tracks is a pupil referral unit for vulnerable young people who suffer from severe anxiety and other mental health issues.
• The school is located close to Shipley town centre.
• The school is funded by the local authority.
• Pupils usually start the school in Year 10 although last year approximately two thirds started in Year 11.
• The school has developed a successful Pathways initiative which enables pupils who are currently on home tuition in Year 9 to access the school in groups. This has enabled this year’s Year 10 pupils to make a smooth transition and has increased their attendance rates.
• Pupils eligible for pupil premium attend the school. However, the school does not currently receive funding for this group. Nevertheless, school leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils receive extra provision commensurate with their needs.
• The executive headteacher has been in post for 19 months. The head of school have been in post for 13 months. Many of the current staff are also new to post.
• A new management committee was formed in July 2018. The committee took up post in September 2018.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection team observed learning across the school. Several lessons were observed jointly with the head of school.
• Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school, members of staff, pupils, members of the newly formed management committee and a representative from the local authority.
• The inspection team examined documents relating to governance, pupils’ progress, the curriculum and self-evaluation.
• The inspection team took into account the responses from 11 parents who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors also considered responses from 17 staff from the online staff survey.

Inspection team

Marian Thomas, lead inspector Diane Reynard

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector