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Name | Abbeywood School | ||
Website | http://www.witherslackgroup.co.uk | ||
Inspections |
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Mrs Sarah Douglas | |||
Address | Rother Way, Hellaby Industrial Estate, Rotherham, S66 8QN | ||
Phone Number | 01709916900 | ||
Phase | Independent (special) | ||
Type | Other independent special school | ||
Age Range | 8-18 | ||
Gender | Mixed | ||
Number of Pupils | 67 | ||
Local Authority | Rotherham | ||
What is it like to attend this school? Pupils are safe and happy at this school. All pupils at Abbeywood have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school develops a highly detailed support plan for each pupil. Staff implement these plans very well. Many pupils join this school after long periods of time out of education. Once settled at Abbeywood, pupils display extremely positive attitudes to learning. Pupils attend, and behave, very well. Pupils learn how to understand, and manage, their feelings. Most parents and carers speak highly of the difference they see in their child at this school. More than one parent refers to the school as ‘life changing’. Pupils appreciate the wide range of subjects and qualifications on offer to them. These include vocational courses, such as hospitality and catering, and hair and beauty. Pupils are proud of what they achieve. The school prepares pupils for life outside of school extremely well. Pupils benefit from an extensive enrichment programme. This includes regular trips and visits. Pupils have multiple opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils are involved in a lot of charity work. All pupils follow a taught life skills programme. The school has a studio flat where pupils practise how to live independently. What does the school do well and what does it need to do better? The school is highly aspirational for pupils. The curriculum is ambitious. All subject programmes lead to recognised qualifications, including GCSEs and vocational awards. Subject plans are well organised. It is clear how pupils will build up key knowledge and skills from Year 5 to the end of Year 11. Pupils’ workbooks show the pride pupils take in their work. Pupils are able to confidently recall what they have learned. In most subjects, the delivery of planned learning in lessons is highly effective. Sometimes, however, lesson activities do not match the intended learning as precisely as they need to. This happens more often when staff are delivering outside of their subject specialism. The school gathers a lot of information on pupils when they join the school. The proprietor’s clinical team adds to this information with detailed assessments. Staff use this information very well. Pupils get the help they need to stay calm and focused in lessons. For example, pupils with sensory needs have specially designed equipment, such as rocker chairs, fidget toys and weighted blankets. The school prioritises reading. All pupils understand that reading is important. At the same time, every day, each pupil has a structured reading activity. For pupils at the early stage of reading this is a phonics lesson. Trained staff teach phonics very well. Pupils quickly become independent readers. The school reinforces the importance of wider reading, through a reading enrichment programme. This includes regular trips out of school linked to reading. For example, older pupils recently went to the statue dedicated to the author Barry Hines as part of their work on the book ‘A Kestrel for a Knave’. Some pupils join the school with a history of very low attendance. The school develops highly effective transition plans for pupils when they join the school. New pupils quickly move to full-time attendance. The school is very well ordered. Pupils are respectful of each other and polite to adults. Staff know that pupils may, at times, become anxious or distressed. Staff confidently provide well-judged support to pupils when needed. There is no disruption to learning. The support for pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. The importance of learning about self, the community and the wider world is woven through the curriculum. Pupils learn about lifestyles and beliefs that are different to their own. There is a well-designed personal, social and health education programme. Pupils learn how to be healthy and stay safe. The school’s teaching of relationships and sex education complies with statutory requirements. All pupils receive comprehensive careers education. Older pupils get individual support from an independent careers’ advisor. Pupils gain work experience from a range of local businesses. Staff support pupils on visits to local colleges and universities. All pupils who left the school at the end of Year 11, have moved on successfully into further education or training. The proprietor ensures that all the independent school standards are met. School policies are comprehensive and reflect current statutory guidance. The school fulfils its duties under the Equality Act 2010 effectively. The school has effective health and safety systems in place. Site staff implement these systems consistently and robustly. The proprietor’s arrangements for governance are extremely robust. There is a school board which meets half termly. The members of the school board are experienced and skilled leaders. The proprietor has established a comprehensive calendar of monitoring activities. Staff implement these daily, weekly and monthly monitoring tasks diligently. Leaders are considerate of staff workload and well-being. Staff spoke warmly of the support that they get from leaders. Staff receive robust training for child protection and wider safeguarding. The school’s training about pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities is equally strong. The proprietor recognises that staff would benefit from more subject-specific training. There is regular communication between home and school. The school has forged helpful links with local businesses, charities and community groups. Safeguarding The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. What does the school need to do to improve? (Information for the school and proprietor) ? In a small number of subjects, planned learning is not implemented as effectively as it could be. This is limiting what pupils know and can do in these subjects. The school should review pedagogic and adaptive practice to ensure that implementation of subject plans is consistently strong across all subjects. In order to embed this, the school should complete its work on the further development of subject leadership. |