Paces High Green School for Conductive Education Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to embed new school practices and initiatives to increase pupils’ progress and outcomes and assess the success of these over time.
• Introduce a way for pupils to become more involved with the improvement and development of the school.
• Enable pupils to make stronger progress by involving them more in their learning, by sharing targets with individual pupils and explaining how they can achieve them.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Very recent changes to the senior management of the school have led to a renewed focus on school improvement and development.
• Leaders have addressed areas of concern with single-minded determination. This has brought about significant positive changes. For example, the school’s own self-evaluation is precise and accurate. This reflects the deep understanding the acting headteacher has of the school. The communication systems for parents are now much more effective. Parents receive a good amount of information about the work of the school. They have clear methods of contacting both the senior leadership team and staff who work with their children daily. One parent stated to inspectors,’ I get a lot of feedback from the school both formally and informally as to how my daughter is progressing. The school is very good at engaging with the parents and I feel very supported by the school.’
• There are clear policies and procedures in place that enable staff to work in a more positive and supported way. Leaders have very high expectations of the staff. Staff are encouraged by senior leaders and so morale is high. Staff members have opportunities to progress in their specialist areas. Many are taking on areas of greater responsibility, for example by becoming lead conductor assistants. Leaders have ensured that the hard work carried out by staff is recognised. Staff appreciate and support the acting headteacher. One member of staff said, ‘I fully trust the leadership to do their utmost to support me.’
• Leaders have put in place an interesting, broad and balanced curriculum for pupils. A variety of engaging topics are in place that promote not only pupils’ academic progress, but also their personal development and well-being.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) education is well developed within the curriculum. Staff know and understand pupils well and they treat each pupil as an individual. Staff positively focus on pupils’ achievements, no matter how small.
• All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan due to their special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure that these accurately represent the pupils’ needs. Annual reviews of their SEND take place within statutory time limits. The school includes parents and external agencies in decisions made about the pupils’ education and personal development.
• Leaders have ensured that all staff are appropriately skilled and well trained for the requirements of the pupils. These include paediatric first aid and the use of feeding mechanisms.
• The acting headteacher has addressed the areas for improvement identified in the last inspection report. Firm plans are in place for all staff to experience good practice in teaching and learning in different settings. Those that have already experienced this have been positive about their experiences. They can identify the difference it has made to their everyday working practice. The appraisal of staff is now clearly linked to school improvement. Staff have been given areas of responsibility, which has led to staff’s increased understanding of, and engagement with, school improvement. High-quality training and development support staff well.
• Leaders use the additional funding they receive for disadvantaged pupils well. Pupils can develop their skills and knowledge, which supports their learning and results in stronger progress towards their EHC plan targets.
• Parents are supportive of the school and its leadership. One parent commented, ‘My child loves going to Paces and is at her happiest when at school. The headteacher, conductors and assistants are all excellent. The staff work incredibly hard to engage my daughter in all the topics that she is studying.’
• New improvements and initiatives recently put in place appear to be making a significantly positive difference to the progress of all pupils. However, these are not yet fully embedded, and so leaders have not been able to thoroughly assess their impact on pupils’ outcomes over time.

Governance of the school

• School governors have a clear understanding of the strengths and challenges that the school has. They are dedicated to the school and are highly supportive of the acting headteacher and the changes she has brought about. Governors now have a greater understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They are embracing this new understanding with vigour and are enthusiastic and steadfast in their focus.
• Governors have taken part in a variety of training and have plans for further training to take place to enable them to provide a higher level of challenge to leaders.
• All governors have taken part in statutory safeguarding training.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have ensured that a strong culture of safeguarding permeates all areas of the school’s work. Highly organised and very well developed safeguarding systems are in place. These systems have a strong impact across the school to ensure that pupils are kept safe.
• Staff recruitment procedures are well managed. All relevant and necessary checks are carried out to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Records of such checks are maintained. Staff are fully trained in the safeguarding of pupils.
• The school takes meaningful and relevant steps to support pupils in their safety and development. Pupils have complete trust in staff and know that if they have any problems, they have someone to talk to. They feel safe at school and know that they are well cared for.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The conductor teachers understand the significant needs of their pupils well. Conductor teachers use the highly specialised resources and equipment extremely well. Their knowledge of the pupils enables them to skilfully use equipment to support and stimulate learning.
• At all times of the day, both in and out of lessons, staff encourage pupils to be as independent as possible. Pupils thrive on developing their independence and enjoy the challenge this brings for them.
• Staff have high expectations of their pupils. They concentrate on the positive aspects of what their pupils can achieve. Staff use praise abundantly and appropriately when small achievements are made. They understand that due to the pupils’ complex needs, small achievements over time build into achievements that can be life changing, for example moving from using a wheelchair to walking with support.
• The conductive education is highly structured and led by very well qualified conductor teachers and conductor assistants. The repetition of physical and verbal routines is well practised and understood by all staff. During these routines, staff skilfully keep pupils engaged and motivated. Well-trained staff carry out personal and intimate care sensitively.
• Conductor teachers plan and teach carefully considered activities that promote the participation of all pupils. They differentiate their teaching in interesting and innovative ways. Often each pupil in the class is working at a different level on the same topic.
• Staff use the broad and well-planned curriculum well. At the time of the inspection, the pupils’ topic was ‘chocolate’. Pupils were able to carry out a range of activities surrounding this topic, including reading fiction and finding out facts about chocolate. Pupils and staff welcomed a visiting chocolatier. Pupils were able to practise and build on the development of their fine motor skills by using moulds to make their own chocolate products.
• Good progress is apparent and occurs as a result of good-quality teaching. Workbooks confirm pupils’ progress and are well presented and neat. Pupils improve their skills, knowledge and understanding throughout their lessons. Staff allow pupils the appropriate time to respond to questions or to complete a physical activity. Pupils have many opportunities to reinforce and practise their learning and skills during the school day.
• Pupils are positive learners. They delight in their learning and are enthusiastic about the tasks that they complete.
• Staff plan frequent trips out of school and visitors into school for pupils. These link to and support subjects such as history, geography and physical education. Personal and social skills are also developed on visits, particularly those that require direct interaction with others, for example shopping for ‘Secret Santa’ presents.
• Parents praise the work of the school and note the difference it has made to their child. ‘The school is unique in its provision of an education that focuses on an education for my son’s independence through conductive methods and a traditional curriculum. We continue to feel fortunate to have access to this setting,’ was a comment made by a parent, and which is typical of the comments received from parents.
• Pupils are not always made aware of their learning achievements. This is because staff do not share pupils’ targets with them; nor do they explain what pupils should do to achieve their targets. As a result, pupils, especially most-able pupils, do not make as much progress as they could.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils are extremely well supported by all staff. Their physical and emotional needs are very well met. Staff and pupils have tremendously strong relationships. Staff understand the needs of pupils very well. They ensure that pupils’ well-being is a priority. Owing to this support, pupils are confident and enthusiastic learners.
• Pupils understand what bullying is. They say that there is no bullying at their school. Pupils know what to do and whom to report it to should it occur.
• Pupils learn how to stay safe and say that they feel safe at school. One pupil remarked, ‘teachers are amazing,’ and, ‘they keep me safe’.
• Pupils understand how to stay safe online. They learn about the dangers and how important it is to follow internet safety rules.
• Pupils currently do not have access to a school council or similar. They say that they would like an opportunity to have a voice in the development and improvement of the school.
• Parents are highly supportive of the school. Comments such as, ‘Sending my child to this school was the best decision I ever made. His life experience and expectation will be massively increased as a direct consequence of him attending Paces,’ are typical of those received.
• Post-16 students continue to be very well supported. They have a continuation of provision of high-quality care and education. Students are well prepared for their next stage of education, which can include college placement or movement to the trust’s adult care provision.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils’ behaviour reflects the high expectations of staff. Pupils are polite and respectful to staff, each other and visitors. They are naturally inquisitive, and their cheerful personalities shine through. There is no disruption to pupils’ learning due to incidents of inappropriate behaviour.
• The school environment is calm and orderly. Well-thought-out classrooms, which consider the space needed for specialised equipment, provide positive learning spaces for pupils.
• Pupils attend school regularly. Absence only occurs when a pupil must attend medical or specialist care appointments.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils enter the school in different year groups and at different times of the year. Pupils make strong and sustained progress in all areas of their learning while at Paces High Green School.
• Assessment structures are strong and accurate, determining all steps of progress pupils make in the different aspects of their learning. This includes independence skills, social and emotional awareness, relationships and their academic study.
• All groups of pupils make equally strong progress. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with a variety of SEND. All pupils receive high-quality support.
• Staff work actively to plan and prepare their teaching for pupils to meet their EHC plan targets. Most-able pupils do not make as much academic progress as they could as their targets are not shared with them. This means that they are not able to take responsibility for their own learning.
• New initiatives and recent developments in the school are not yet fully embedded. As a result, leaders have not yet been able to assess progress over time.

Early years provision Good

• Clear systems ensure that staff are well prepared for children when they first start school. Children’s SEND are carefully planned for. This means that children settle quickly to the routines and high expectations of the school.
• Recent staff deployment changes have seen positive results. Leaders have ensured that staff receive the support they need to ensure that the early years provision mirrors the good-quality teaching seen in other key stages of the school.
• Conductor teachers understand the needs of the children well. They use specialised resources to support and enhance learning experiences. For example, when reading a story, staff use a variety of soft toys and small-world resources to enable the children to recognise the animal characters.
• Children use a range of multi-sensory equipment to enable them to develop their skills in communication. These skills are built on and developed over time.
• Children receive good-quality teaching that is matched to their abilities. Staff plan activities that motivate and engage the children. High levels of support are available to ensure children can make progress. Occasionally, some children can become distracted by others. Staff have not yet developed strong strategies that keep children focused on their own tasks.
• Children take great delight in actively joining in activities with staff. They enjoy these experiences and are confident with adults.
• Staff have very strong relationships with the children, and this supports the children in their learning and development.
• Staff sensitively support children with medical and healthcare needs. Strong systems are in place to ensure that all statutory welfare requirements are in place.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 135815 Sheffield 10067141 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Special School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Non-maintained special 3 to 18 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 34 Appropriate authority Chair Governing body Angela Sandhal Acting Headteacher Ruth Liu Telephone number 0114 284 5298 Website Email address www.paces-school.org.uk office@paces-school.org.uk Date of previous inspection 19 June 2018

Information about this school

• This is a small, non-maintained special school that is run by a charitable trust, Paces Sheffield.
• All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Pupils attending this school are between three and 18 years old.
• Pupils attend from a variety of local authorities.
• The current acting headteacher, who was previously the assistant headteacher, has been in post since November 2018. She is supported in senior leadership by a lead conductor teacher.
• The school uses the practice of conductive education. This method of education aims to help pupils overcome difficulties with movement and as a result extends their capacity for learning and personal development.
• No alternative provision is used by the school.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors undertook observations of learning in all classes, sometimes alongside school leaders. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in and around school. They observed the systems in place for pupils arriving at school and leaving at the end of the school day.
• Pupils’ work across a range of subjects and year groups was scrutinised.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders, governors and staff. Two members of the local authority were spoken to on the telephone.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of school documents, including the school’s plan for development, its self-evaluation, minutes of governing body meetings, and information about pupils’ progress and achievement.
• Inspectors considered the 12 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 12 comments made by parents on Ofsted’s free-text service. Inspectors also took account of the 26 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.
• Inspectors looked at safeguarding and behaviour and attendance documents.
• Inspectors met formally with a group of pupils and spoke informally to pupils around school and in classes.
• Inspectors reviewed information on the school’s website.

Inspection team

Sara Roe, lead inspector David Penny

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector