1 December 2008 Mr W Chatwin Headteacher Elmete ... - Ofsted

SPECIAL MEASURES: MONITORING OF ELMETE WOOD BESD SILC
Report from the fifth monitoring inspection on 27 and 28 November 2008
Evidence
Inspectors observed the school’s work at both sites. They scrutinised documents and
met with the principal and other senior leaders, a group of pupils, groups of staff,
five members of the governing body, the school improvement partner and four
representatives of the local authority (LA).
Context
The national leader of education who was engaged in a consultative capacity has
concluded his work with the school. Approximately 30 pupils have joined the school
since the last monitoring inspection and the school roll stands at 105. At the time of
this monitoring inspection most Year 11 pupils were on work experience placements.
The school improvement partner has begun to work with the school. The school was
awarded the National Heathy Schools Award in June 2008. The LA has very recently
confirmed that additional funding of approximately £76,000 has been secured from
the schools’ forum to support the school’s alternative curriculum programme and
further, that three very challenging pupils have been allocated one-to-one support
with the LA paying for this resource. It has determined that up to £150,000 will be
made available to help sustain the school on its journey out of special measures and
beyond. The school and LA are predicting that the school will have a substantial
deficit budget of over £250,000 at the end of 2008-09 financial year. The LA plans to
begin consulting in January 2009 on the proposed reorganisation of its ‘behaviour
continuum’.
Achievement and standards
Standards are improving and achievement is on the rise. Compared with other pupils
of a similar age nationally the majority of pupils when they arrive at the school are
below average standards. Their behaviour, emotional and social difficulties have
prevented them from fully benefiting from their education in previous schools.
However, the rate of progress they make is increasing as a result of improvements
to the quality of teaching and the curriculum. The progress of pupils in lessons is
rarely less than satisfactory and in a few lessons, such as history, physical education
(PE) and music their progress is outstanding. In all but three lessons observed on
this monitoring inspection the progress of pupils matched the quality of teaching. In
these three lessons pupils’ progress fell behind the quality of teaching because pupils
failed to apply themselves as well as they could have done and a few were intent on
causing problems. Improved examination results also demonstrate that the legacy of
underachievement is being eroded. For example, in 2008 more pupils achieved GCSE
C to G grades in mathematics and science than in 2007. The position in English is
much less strong largely because of the staffing difficulties the school has faced.
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