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Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

Rydal Penrhos School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in Colwyn Bay for pupils aged 2½ to 18.

The school is an associate school in the Methodist Independent Schools Trust, which integrates a international dimension into school life by working with pupils and teachers in its successful global citizenship project, World Action in Methodist Schools (World AIMS). To further develop pupils’ strong sense of community and understanding of service to others, from a very early age all pupils participate enthusiastically in an extensive enrichment and extra-curricular programme that includes significant aspects of service and community work. This helps to ensure that the school is true to its ethos and prepares pupils extremely well for life and work outside school.

Nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

In 2012, the school’s weekly routine was restructured to allow protected time for enrichment activities within the school day and in the school’s extra-curricular programme. Innovative arrangements were introduced to support pupils’ personal development, including a greater understanding of those in circumstances less fortunate than their own. For example, the whole-school community supports its own project for the charity ‘Action for Children.’ For this project, pupils devise and organise a range of activities in school to spend time with local young carers and make the school’s facilities and resources available to them for respite and ‘down time’. The project is based in one of the school’s boarding houses and the young carers stay to have supper with the boarders in the school dining room. Larger scale activities are also organised at the weekends, to enable them to join in the school’s extensive weekend programme. Pupils and parents in the preparatory school raise money to support the project and as a result of a presentation by pupils to bid for funding, the school’s parents association has also provided funds to help finance some of the activities enjoyed by the young carers. This project helps pupils understand the value of working for a common aim and sharing resources to support members of the wider local community.

During the summer term, the wholeschool participates in a ‘Community Action Day.’ This involves groups of pupils, led by staff and sixth formers, in gardening and restoration projects in local parks and churchyards. Throughout the year, older pupils are also involved in the school’s partnership arrangement with ‘Contact the Elderly,’ which involves providing afternoon tea parties for people aged 75 and above, who often live alone, without nearby family and friends. The tea parties take place on Sunday afternoons once a month throughout the year. This means that the pupils who volunteer to help have to commit themselves to being involved in the school holidays as well as term time. Despite this potential barrier, the tea parties are very well supported by the pupils and are now well-established in the school’s enrichment programme.

To help pupils’ have a stronger understanding of their global role, older pupils participate in the World AIMS Uganda project. This involves a group of pupils spending time researching local relief and development projects they can become involved in when visiting partner schools in Uganda, planning the itinerary for the visit and organising and running fundraising activities to offset the cost of taking part. The visit to Uganda takes place in the summer holidays, and involves a wide range of activities working with the partner schools in Mbarara and with the RUHEPAI charity, which specialises in rural development. To help develop greater independence and a stronger sense of responsibility, pupils hold their own planning sessions, supported by school staff and the World AIMS coordinator.

The school’s enrichment programme, together with an extensive extra-curricular programme, makes a significant contribution to pupils’ personal and social development.

For example, through the enrichment programme, younger pupils take part in a rota of directed activities such as STEM, introduction to Latin, chess, practical skills and biogeography. As they move up the school, pupils can choose to participate in a wider range of creative, physical and intellectual activities, which include, for example, an Amnesty International group and a peer mentoring scheme.

About half of the sixth form pupils choose to study for the International Baccalaureate Diploma and about half follow A level courses. Although there is a core requirement to fulfill ‘creative, action and service,’ within the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme, in order to provide all sixth form pupils with further opportunities for personal growth, each term they all select at least three activities from the school’s combined enrichment and extra-curricular programme. This includes opportunities for involvement in additional community service, creative arts and a range of clubs, sporting activities and fixtures. As a result, older pupils have a greater awareness of themselves and their role as responsible members of the school and wider community.

Impact on provision and learners’ standards

Pupils’ participation in the enrichment programme, and in particular the community service and charity activity, is very high. The programme has helped pupils to:

  • have better recognition and understanding of different social and cultural backgrounds in the school and wider community, which helps them to respect and value diversity;
  • develop a greater sense of responsibility and well-developed understanding of service to others;
  • increase their confidence and resilience by taking part in projects that challenge them and require emotional and physical commitment; and
  • develop their organisational, team working, leadership and communication skills through working with young people and adults from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures in a range of contexts.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sectorleading practice

Cathays High School is located near the centre of Cardiff and serves the Cathays and Roath areas. However, 61% of pupils come from other parts of Cardiff; with 27% of these pupils living in the city’s more deprived wards. Around 37% of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is much higher than the national average, and significantly higher than the figures of all other members of the family of similar schools.

There are currently 903 pupils on roll, including 191 in the sixth form. The school has a very high turnover of the pupil population of around 26%. Around 100 of the current Years 7 to 11 pupils were new arrivals to the UK on entry to the school. A significant minority of all pupils are functionally illiterate when they start at the school. Around 75% of pupils are from ethnic backgrounds other than White British, mainly Somali, Czech or Slovak Roma, Bangladeshi or Pakistani. There are currently 63 different languages spoken as a first language in pupils’ homes. Over 70% of pupils have English as an additional language, with around 36% having a level of acquisition in English that is less than competent. This is much higher than the figure for the second highest in the family of similar schools. No pupils speak Welsh at home.

There are currently 42% of pupils with additional learning needs, which is much higher than the Wales average. Four per cent of pupils have statements of educational needs compared to 2.6% nationally. The school provides specialist provision for pupils with autism. Due to the high number of pupils with English as an additional language, new arrivals to the UK and those eligible for free school meals, the school places great importance on tracking the progress and achievement of these groups of pupils.

The school uses this tracking data to target interventions to improve outcomes for these groups. The impact of these interventions is closely monitored and evaluated which leads to refining and development of these actions. This means that our practice has evolved over recent years. We have developed a number of different effective strategies and responses to meet the needs of vulnerable groups of pupils, including those from minority ethnic backgrounds, pupils recently arriving in the UK and those at risk of disaffection in key stage 4. We place a particular emphasis on working with the parents of pupils from these groups to identify and remove any barriers to their engagement.

 Nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

Through the schools’ information management system, every teacher, head of department, head of year and senior management link receives information on pupils’ social background and prior attainment. This hasled to detailed planning for progression for every pupil, including vulnerable groups at both classroom and departmental level. This has ensured greater consistency in the targeting and supporting individuals and groups of pupils.

We recognise the importance of involving parents in their children’s’ learning, and building trusted and valued partnerships between home and school. We run well-attended events such as ‘Open Evenings’ and a ‘Bring a Parent to School Day’. Parents are able to take part in family learning activities during the half term holidays. The school also offers ‘Family Interviews’ to every pupil and their parents in Year 7, Year 10 and Year 11. These interviews focus on the progress of individual pupils and are a useful way of gathering feedback from parents about the work and life of the school. A series of meetings with groups of parents allowed us to identify some specific barriers that parents feel are preventing them engaging fully in their children’s education. Some of the areas identified were a language barrier at key events such as Parents’ Evening. As a result, we now use our bilingual teaching assistants, and other staff, to inform parents of events and to be translators. Parents of pupils receiving support in English and mathematics at key stage 4 have been invited to the school and given specific advice about how to help and support their children as they prepare for external examinations. The school uses expertise from within the different communities, for example, the school has collaboration with a local Somali community group to provide access to study areas during evenings and weekends.

We have employed a member of the Czech Roma community to build better relationships and improve the attendance and educational outcomes for these pupils. In response to frequent requests from parents to be informed more regularly about their children’s progress, the school now provides termly interim reports. 

Pupils join the school from outside the UK throughout the academic year.

This requires us to have a flexible approach to the curriculum and the courses and qualifications offered to meet their needs. In key stage 3 and Year 10 the aim is to ensure that pupils who come into school with no English participate in an induction programme to support them to reach a level of English that will enable them to access mainstream lessons within six weeks and a full timetable within 12 weeks. For pupils who arrive at the end of Year 10, Year 11 or during the sixth form, a more flexible approach is adopted, although with a strong focus on gaining a suitable range of qualifications, from entry level to level 2 courses.

We also take a flexible approach to pupils at risk of disaffection in key stage 4. Cathays High School employs a co-ordinator who liaises with external providers and is able to visit pupils regularly at their placements to ensure that they are on track. In school, these pupils study English, mathematics and science at GCSE, in addition to working towards Essential Skills (Wales) qualifications. Other subjects are timetabled flexibly to enable pupils to gain valuable qualifications in subjects they enjoy. If necessary we register pupils’ homes and other areas as examination centres for pupils who refuse to attend school.

Impact on provision and learners’ standards

Overall, performance in the level 2 threshold including English and mathematics increased by nine percentage points to 41% in 2012. This performance is well above modelled expectations and places the school in the top quarter of similar schools. In 2012, there were also saw improvements at level 1. The number of pupils leaving without a recognised qualification has declined over the last three years and in 2012, we have halved the percentage of pupils reported as not being in education, employment or training after Year 11. As a result of developing good home-school relationships, attendance at Parents’ Evenings has increased significantly. A particular successis that the attendance of Somali parents has increased from an average of 50% to 88%, sustained over three years. Attendance of parents of pupils from the Czech and Slovak Roma community has increased by over 20%.

The work of pastoral assistants in engaging with these families in their homes has also seen a significant rise in pupils’ attendance from 88% in 2011 to 91.2% in 2013. Attendance now compares well with similar schools.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector leading practice

St. Joseph’s RC High School, Newport, is a voluntary-aided, mixed, 11-18 school, in the city of Newport and within the Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff. There are 1480 pupils on roll with 320 students in the sixth form. Most pupils come from the city of Newport and a small minority come from Risca, Caldicot and Chepstow. Pupils come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. A total of 15.6% of pupils are entitled to free school meals. This is slightly below the national average of 17.4% for secondary schools in Wales. Around 29% of pupils live in the 20% most deprived areas in Wales.

The school recognises that good middle leadership is an important factor in improving standards. Over the last three years, the school has been committed to supporting and developing experienced, recently appointed and aspiring middle leaders as part of its improvement journey.

Nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

There is a fundamental link between the high quality of senior and middle leadership at St Joseph’s RC High School and the excellent outcomes for pupils.

The school is committed to ‘growing’ leaders and it is this culture that permeates the school. Over the last three years over 30 teachers have undertaken leadership and management training provided by the school and supported by high quality external leadership training. Many of these teachers are new, recently appointed or aspiring middle leaders. The training focused on improving the skills necessary for successful management, selfevaluation and improvement planning. The impact of this training on the quality of work carried out by heads of department and heads of year is reflected in the consistently high standards achieved by pupils.

The school’s initial aim was to provide a training package for newly appointed middle leaders who were effective classroom practitioners but had little experience of leading or managing other people.This programme started in 2010 with a group of 15 teachers. Training took place during twilight training sessions and focused on the role of middle leaders in:

  • tracking pupil progress and the effective use of data;
  • how to carry out lesson observations; and
  • the role of pupils’ voice in self-evaluation.

During the summer term of 2010, further external training was provided as a part of a two day middle leader development training event. This training focused on leadership and management skills and included sessions on providing effective feedback, team development, coaching and mentoring. The success of this programme led to the development of a second cohort of 15 teachers in 2011-2012. Many of these were TLR post holders or those aspiring to middle leadership positions. Over the last year, the school has developed a tailored programme for heads of year and is developing further opportunities for middle leaders who aspire towards senior leadership roles.

The senior leadership team work very closely with middle leaders to develop departmental self-evaluation and improvement planning. During heads of department meetings, middle leaders review filmed lessons and discuss the quality of teaching and the standards achieved by pupils. Through discussions with staff, the school has agreed a common vocabulary in order to evaluate teaching and learning. These discussions led to the construction of a new lesson planning form and lesson observation form.

All department reviews are carried out jointly, with middle and senior leaders undertaking lesson observations, scrutiny of pupils’ work and listening to the views leaners. The evidence from these reviews and the cycle of self-evaluation undertaken by departments feeds directly into the high quality departmental self-evaluation reports and improvement plans. This developmental work with middle leaders is matched to half termly link meetings between senior leaders and middle leaders. The department improvement plan, progress against actions and their impact, are standing agenda items at these meetings. The headteacher attends each of these meetings, providing a quality assurance role and gaining an overview across all subject areas.

Impact on provision and learners’ standards

The quality of middle leadership is an outstanding feature of the school which has resulted in:

  • high quality teaching and learning across the school;
  • very high standards in all key stages; and
  •  high levels of pupils’ wellbeing.

Nearly all middle leaders, including heads of year and heads of department, make an outstanding contribution to the success of the school and have a strong understanding of their role. There is a very well developed culture of accountability for tandards, undertaking of self-evaluation and planning for improvement.

Middle leaders are very effective in the support and challenge they provide to their teams. There are very strong and purposeful working relationships between middle leaders and their link senior colleagues. Effective communication and high levels of trust have been significant factors in continuing to raise standards. The outcomes from this work are recognised in
our most recent inspection report which states:

  • ‘The standards achieved by pupils are outstanding. The school has sustained high levels of performance over the last five years and there are a number of very strong features. These include the outstanding progress and achievement of all pupils including boys and more able pupils’; and
  •  ‘Attendance levels over the last five years are outstanding and consistently place theschool in the top quarter of similar schools in Wales. This is an outstanding feature. Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are courteous and relate very well to ne another as well as to all staff and visitors.’

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

Llangatwg is an 11-16 community school situated in the Cadoxton area of Neath. The area served by the school is semi-rural and in common with other valley communities experiences a higher than average degree of social and economic disadvantage. On entry pupil attainment has been consistently below national averages. The school’s mission statement is ‘Raising achievement and promoting partnership in the heart of the community’.
[ Please see the organisation chart appended to the end of this report]

Description of nature of strategy or activity

A faculty system is our preferred organisational structure. The five faculty teams are based around:

Science – including Physical Education

Mathematics / Information and Communication Technology – including additional learning needs

Communications – French, Welsh, English, Drama and Music

Technology – including Art, Catering, Hospitality and Health & Social Care

Humanities – Geography, History, Religious Education, Business Studies and Leisure & Tourism

Each faculty team is responsible for the quality of teaching and learning in each of the subjects they deliver. In addition, the team is responsible for the care, support and guidance of a year group of learners.

Every incoming Year 7 group comes under the control of a faculty team. Learners stay with that faculty throughout their entire time at the school. They have the same faculty leader, faculty staff and form tutors. As a result, the faculty staff get to know learners in that year group very well indeed and quickly identify when things are not right.

We believe that there are many benefits to this form of organisation.

The pastoral and academic work of the school is integrated and the focus for each team is to develop a ‘whole child’ approach. Each member of the teaching staff belongs to just a single team and there are no divided loyalties. Teams can be delegated the significant resources and responsibilities they need to be effective in their pastoral and academic work. Teaching and learning are at the heart of each faculty’s work and there are clear career routes for all staff within their faculty. The system is flexible and has enabled us to meet changing national and local requirements.

In addition, faculty leaders form an effective middle management team, which can mould the future of the school. However, the most important single benefit of the faculty system is the quality of professional relationships that develop, both within the team and between the team and its learners.

Within each faculty there is a faculty leader, a pupil progress leader, subject leaders, form and subject teachers, and a faculty support assistant. Faculties receive professional advice on how to develop their teaching and learning from the faculty services team, which is made up of experienced teachers with whole-school responsibilities. In addition, faculties can access support for their learners through the central support services team. This team includes the pupil welfare and support officer, educational welfare officer, attendance support officer, school counsellor, educational psychologist, substance misuse counsellor and a range of external agencies.

Faculty leaders are the key people. They have both an academic and pastoral role, and a responsibility to ensure their team provides effective teaching of their subjects and effective support, care and guidance for their learners. Faculty leaders can only do this through establishing clear operating procedures and then monitoring and evaluating the work of the team very closely. Being a faculty leader is ideal preparation for senior leadership.

Each faculty has to demonstrate that they are providing high-quality teaching. Subject leaders and faculty leaders are held to account for pupil outcomes in their specific areas. Identifying and challenging underachievement is an essential part of this and learners’ progress is tracked very carefully. Form teachers deliver the centrally-designed personal and social education programme to their forms. They are also responsible for implementing the learner support policy, which requires them to meet regularly with their learners and discuss not only learning styles and academic progress, but also each young person’s happiness and wellbeing rating. These meetings are formally recorded.

Form teachers can refer learners to their pupil progress leader, who is a trained learning coach, or to subject leaders for subject specific advice. There are also other services that form teachers and faculty leaders can access. Some of these are provided by the school and others from outside agencies.

Faculty teams are also responsible for promoting good attendance, celebrating success, and creating a distinctive year-group identity. There are many basic requirements expected of all faculties but there is also scope for flair and individuality. This approach fosters innovation, ownership and commitment to the system.

As part of improvement planning arrangements, faculty development plans must show how they will contribute to realising those whole-school development objectives that emanate from the school’s self-evaluation processes. Faculty teams are also encouraged to identify their own specific development objectives and indicate within their plans how these will be addressed.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

As a result of our faculty organisation, positive professional relationships exist throughout the school and this is very conducive to learning.

Teachers have detailed knowledge of the learning and wellbeing needs of their learners, and can aim to provide everything a learner needs to be successful within school. This might range from literacy support to anger-management counselling. Learners and their parents are clear about who to contact if there is a problem. Nearly all learners report that they feel happy, safe and well-supported in school. At the same time, academic achievement has improved consistently. Nearly all pupils make better than expected progress on their journey from key stage 2 to key stage 4 and the school compares well with all national, local authority, family and free-school-meal benchmark comparators.

Llangatwg

 

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

Treorchy Comprehensive School is a large 11-18 mixed comprehensive school in the county of Rhondda Cynon Taf. There are 1,580 pupils on roll including 364 students in the Sixth Form.

Most pupils come from primary schools in the traditional catchment area, although in the past three years more than 40 pupils each year have joined the school from other primary schools.

The school’s intake is from a varied social background and represents the full range of ability. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is 23.5%.

Academic ability on entry is below national averages. The school has 16% of pupils on the special educational needs register. While most pupils come from English speaking homes, approximately 9% of pupils are fluent in Welsh.

At Treorchy Comprehensive School a very strong ethos of learning and achievement is underpinned by the school’s Mission Statement of ‘A Community School committed to excellence’.

This ethos has led to the development of a flexible and balanced curriculum that meets the needs of all learners. An integral part of this provision is the more able and talented element that challenges learners to fast-track their progress, leading to exceptional outcomes.

Treorchy Comprehensive School was the first school in Wales to achieve the ‘National Association for Able Children in Education’ (NACE) Challenge Award in 2007 and the first to be re-accredited in November 2011.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

Treorchy Comprehensive School has developed flexible learning pathways to personalise learning and meet the needs of all individuals. One element of this is the development of fast-track provision for more able and talented pupils.

Fast-track Welsh second language provision

Teachers have been employed to work in feeder primary schools to develop consistency and better progression in the teaching and learning of Welsh second language.

Pupils are identified on entry to the school to be taught bilingually in a variety of lessons in key stage 3. These pupils develop their linguistic abilities and skills to a level that enables them to achieve the highest GCSE grades in Welsh second language at the end of Year 9.

In key stage 4, these pupils continue their fast-track provision, working towards completing AS Welsh second language at the end of Year 11. Nearly all pupils then progress into the sixth form where they sit their A2 examination at the end of Year 12.

French fast-track provision

In French, pupils accelerate their learning and begin the GCSE course in Year 9. Many pupils choose to take French as an option at GCSE level and are entered for their examination at the end of Year 10. From June in Year 10, these pupils broaden their exposure to the French language by experiencing the CILT NVQ Business Language French course and study an AS taster module. This gives those pupils that choose to study French at post 16 an excellent base to start their A level courses.

Mathematics fast-track provision

A very few pupils enter Treorchy Comprehensive School having completed their GCSE mathematics and therefore require fast-track provision. In Year 7, the school identifies other pupils that would benefit from fast-track provision and all of these pupils sit a GCSE module in Year 9 and complete their GCSE mathematics in Year 10. From June in Year 10, pupils then work towards their additional mathematics GCSE completing this at the end of key stage 4. This provision allows pupils greater breadth of mathematical experiences and enhances their preparation for A level studies.

Post 16 more able and talented talented provision

More able and talented post-16 pupils are encouraged to follow Young Applicants in Schools Scheme (Open University) modules to complement and broaden their studies. Details of the scheme can be found at http://www8.open.ac.uk/choose/yass/

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

The development of fast-track opportunities has contributed significantly to the school being reaccredited with the NACE Challenge Award.

The fast-track provision is viewed very positively by pupils and has made a significant contribution to outstanding outcomes.

In 2011:

  • Year 10 pupils who entered GCSE mathematics or French achieved at grades A*-C;
  • Year 9 pupils who entered GCSE Welsh second language achieved at grades A*-B;
  • Year 11 pupils who entered GCSE additional mathematics achieved at grades A*- B;
  • Year 11 pupils who entered AS Welsh second language achieved at grades A*-D; and
  • Year 12 students who entered A2 Welsh second language achieved at grades A*-C.

Fast-track provision also impacts positively on the numbers of pupils opting to study these subjects at A level. There are currently 35 students following Welsh second language in Year 12. The mathematics department attracts enough students to consistently run two classes at A level and the modern foreign languages department is the sole provider of French and Spanish in the Rhondda valley.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sectorleading practice

Crownbridge is the only special school in Torfaen, and includes a satellite site at Penygarn Primary School (Pontypool). Just over two thirds of pupils are of statutory school age. Pupils’ needs include severe learning difficulty, profound and multiple learning difficulty, autistic spectrum disorder, as well as various genetic disorders, sensory difficulties and challenging behaviours.

At Crownbridge, we became increasingly aware that pupils with complex learning needs were not able to take a full part in reviewing their progress. This is because, the review process, as an annual event, recorded only a ’snapshot’ of their progress.

We realised that the reviews did not meaningfully capture the perspective of pupil, their parents or carers, or the views of the key strategic partners who work closely with the pupils at the school. We therefore asked two HLTAs to research the potential of various models. We adopted Person Centred Planning (PCP) as this was the most appropriate model for our needs. We provided whole school training on how we would use this model.

Nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

Our initial improvements to the review process were successful. However, as we became more experienced in this methodology, we realised that we could make even better use of person centred planning if it became an intrinsic element to all our work at the school. With this in mind, we developed person centred planning to be a central thread through all the planning and reviewing activities at the school, so that
individual pupil pathways were designed using this framework.

Over time, the same methodology developed to form the basis guiding staff professional reviews.

Impact on provision and learners’ standards

Our whole-school approach to person centred planning has fundamentally altered provision at Crownbridge. This is because we now start all individual provision planning by seeking out information from pupils, their parents and the wide range of partners involved with them. We listen to the other people who know our pupils and this helps us understand better their interests and what motivates them.

We have realised that the constantly evolving, rich picture of what is ‘important to’ and ‘important for’ the pupil, and ‘what is working’ and ‘what is not working’ form the most useful basis of individual programme and pathways planning. Now, when we plan for pupils’ needs, we have much broader information about them. Our improved information informs medium and short term planning and interventions, including the planning of timetables. We now have quality information about individual pupils’ learning styles and experiences and consider this to provide a balanced curriculum provision. This qualitative approach, combined with effective use of quantitative information about pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, means nearly all pupils make excellent progress in meeting agreed targets.

We evidence this improved pupil performance with rigorous monitoring and evaluation of pupil attainment data in ‘key skills’. We also survey the views of parents and other partners who work with our pupils.

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

All pupils at the schools have statements of special educational needs. Their needs include severe and moderate learning difficulties (SLD and MLD), autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), emotional and social behaviour difficulties (ESBD), as well as various genetic disorders, sensory difficulties and challenging and complex behaviours.

The school has five departments: junior, middle, senior, behaviour support / autism department, and the independent living department.

St Christopher’s school places particular emphasis on extending the opportunities for pupils aged 14-19 years to achieve appropriate academic and vocational qualifications. As a result, a culture has developed where pupils expect to undertake examinations and attain accreditation for their learning.

The school provides an exceptional range of accredited vocational courses to help pupils achieve their maximum potential and prepare them effectively to move on to the next stage of their learning pathway. There are a number of enterprise facilities including the Millennium Eco Centre, beauty salons, retail shops, car valeting outlet, animal husbandry centre, cafés and a logging business.

St Christopher’s has excellent partnerships with local mainstream schools, further education colleges and business partners. Pupils from mainstream secondary schools in Wrexham also attend the vocational provision.

Nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

Over the past six years, the school has developed the 14-19 years options programme. This enables pupils to build on their achievements over their time at school. The programme includes pre-entry level, entry level GCSE level 1 and level 2 courses from a range of awarding bodies.

Rigorous individual pupil assessment accurately identifies pupils’ strengths and areas of need. This is complemented by effective staff support to help pupils choose options that lead to qualifications they need for the next stage of their learning pathway. Because of this, pupils progress to courses at a higher level or gain supplementary experiences and additional qualifications at the same level.

Thorough analysis of qualification data for each child informs future curriculum planning at the school.

Staff performance management includes individual staff targets related to specific improvements in pupils’ achievements. As a result, the school is highly effective in providing learning experiences that meet pupils’ needs.

As part of the 14-19 learning partnership with all secondary school in Wrexham, the school has been instrumental in developing the ‘Enrichment’ college links programme. As co-ordinator of this programme, the school enables nearly three hundred pupils, including over one hundred from St Christopher’s, to attend local colleges. All pupils have an annual learning partnership plan.

Impact on provision and learners’ standards

Over the past three years nearly all pupils have moved onto college courses, specialist day provision or employment. In relation to their identified needs, these pupils have made excellent progress in gaining a wide range of recognised qualifications by the time they leave school.

The vocational options programme has inspired and motivated pupils to continue learning after Year 11.

Because of this, pupils have a clearer understanding of the world of work and experience of a wide range of placements. Pupils who are less able have valuable ‘taster’ sessions in the school’s various enterprise provisions.

At 98%, the percentage of Year 11 pupils gaining qualifications and accreditation for their learning is very high. Nearly all year 11 pupils access entry level qualifications including mathematics, science, English and ICT. When appropriate, pupils transfer to GCSE courses.

At 99%, nearly all pupils leave Year 14 of St Christopher’s with qualifications or accreditation for their learning.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

Trinity Fields special school and resource centre opened in 1998. Pupils have a range of learning difficulties, including autistic spectrum disorder, profound and multiple difficulties, high medical needs and attendant syndromes, sensory impairments, communication disorders, emotional problems or physical difficulties.

The resource centre provides school, community and home based services for children, parents, carers and professionals.

The key objectives are to:
• develop leisure activities;
• promote inclusion;
• improve arrangements for the transition from school to adult services; and
• facilitate good joint working between agencies that provide for children and young people with disabilities and their families.

Funding of £8.8milllion from the European Social Fund enabled the further development of resource centre services across nine local authorities in south Wales. The key features of the Real Opportunities delivery model are person centred planning and peer mentor support. Five interdependent pathways in the transition to adulthood are at the core of the model. These pathways are lifelong learning, relationships, leisure opportunities, employment and independent living.

The establishment of unified staffing structures, procedures and documentation enabled delivery of cohesive service across the nine local authorities. Agored Cymru accredited courses were developed to meet the needs of young people and their parents and carers in addition to staff training and networking opportunities. Course workbooks and related materials, piloted and reviewed in Caerphilly, ensure effectiveness before distribution to other authorities.

Nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

‘Real Opportunities’ addresses the gap in support for 14-19 year olds with severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders making the transition between full-time education and employment. A multi-disciplinary team of staff in each authority works with other agencies, parents/carers and young people to provide a personalized package of transition planning and support. The aim is to remove the barriers that prevent these young people from participating in everyday activities by improving their skills and raising their aspirations. Through an integrated referral and assessment process, young people may choose to access one or several parts of the service.

Working with schools, ‘Real Opportunities’ builds upon pupils’ learning through practical activities that support them to transfer skills to home and local community.

Through accredited training courses adapted to individuals’ specific needs, the initiative aims to help young people become as independent as possible.

A broad range of courses are available, including travel training, cookery, money management, personal care/hygiene, keeping safe, issues around bullying, assertiveness, managing behaviour/emotions, confidence building, friends, community leisure, peer mentor support, and understanding sex and relationships.

The next section provides further detail on some of the courses available:

Understanding Sex & Relationships
Effective joint work with partners from the local health board and youth service enabled the development and delivery of this course. Partnership working with parents and carers is of particular importance prior to delivery of this course.

Accredited Work Preparation
Historically, a very low percentage of young people who have a learning disability or an autistic spectrum disorder progress to gain paid employment. Real Opportunities support the inclusion of young people with learning difficulties and disabilities through changing the perceptions and practices of employers. It supports young people, parents and carers to overcome their barriers and anxieties about work. The programme includes the opportunity to experience different work environments and seeks to achieve paid, part-time employment.

Peer Mentoring
In partnership with secondary schools and youth provision, young volunteers receive training to offer peer mentor support to young people in education, social and employment settings.

Impact on provision and learners’ standards

Improved planning and co-ordination for the young people and their families has resulted from the close collaboration brought about through the ‘Real Opportunities Programme’. There is excellent partnership working both within and across authorities, between national and local, statutory and voluntary agencies and employers. In addition to effective joint working, training events and network seminars are facilitated where staff from statutory and voluntary agencies from across each authority can come together to share experiences, learn new methods of working and promote good practice.

A monthly e-newsletter that contains good news stories about the achievements of participants together with topical issues that may be of interest to young people, parents/carers and professionals. There is also a website, Facebook and Twitter.

This work has filled an identified gap in provision in the nine authorities where it operates. The Real Opportunities Programme has helped young people with disabilities develop their independence, life skills and learning. As a result, they have increased their friendship circles, wellbeing and widened opportunities for attending college, voluntary work or paid employment.

Real Opportunities maintains comprehensive records and evidence on the impact and achievements of young people including statistics and case studies. For example for the period Sept 2010 – Nov 2012:
• Number of disabled young people who received a qualification certificate – 414 (Many more currently in the verification process)
• Number of disabled young people attended accredited Sex and Relationships course – 151
• Number of accredited units delivered – 2036 (Most young people are achieving multiple units)
• Number of disabled young people gaining paid employment – 23
• Number of disabled young people accessing transition work – 708
• Number of disabled young people accessing youth inclusion – 365
• Number of young people participated in accredited peer mentor course -794

In addition to commissioning its own external evaluation and research, the project is taking part in three national studies, one on transition key working, another on post 16 provision for young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, the third on employment outcomes for young people with autistic spectrum disorders.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

Tŷ Gwyn School is a local authority day special school located in the Ely area of Cardiff. The school caters for up to 150 children and young people aged 3–19 years who have profound and multiple learning difficulties. Many pupils are also on the autistic spectrum and present severe challenging behaviour.

The school’s catchment area comprises the City & County of Cardiff and the surrounding local authorities in South East Wales. The pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds.

Currently there are 120 pupils on roll. All pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs or are in the process of having their needs assessed. Thirty-two per cent of pupils are eligible to receive free school meals. This is below the Wales average for special schools of 42.8%. About half of the pupils come from homes where English is not the predominant language. There are no pupils from a Welsh speaking home.

There are just over 100 staff including a large health professional presence. Multi-disciplinary team working is a significant aspect of the work of the school.

The school teaches all the National Curriculum subjects. The school’s curriculum aims to provide pupils with meaningful, relevant and motivating learning experiences that meet their specific needs and further their all-round development. Key stage 4 and post-16 pupils have access to accredited courses together with work experience and college link courses.

The school was relocated into new purpose-built accommodation in September 2010. It has sensory and touch therapy rooms, a soft play area, indoor and outdoor sensory gardens, as well as specialist rooms for art and ceramics, food technology and music.

Pupils at Tŷ Gwyn have profound and multiple learning difficulties. Many are also on the autistic spectrum and present severe challenging behaviour. Approximately 88% of pupils access the curriculum at P-Level 6 and below. This includes 42% of pupils who access Routes for Learning.

Since moving to new premises in 2010, Tŷ Gwyn has invested significantly in the use of information and communication technology to improve pupils’ communication skills and to break down barriers to learning.

The school believes that each pupil should have the opportunity to learn and achieve their potential in an environment where they are happy, well-supported and challenged to achieve as much as possible, whatever their abilities.

Assistive Technology has a significant role to play in realising this vision.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The school opened its Assistive Technology Centre in September 2010. The Advisory Centre for Education describes Assistive Technology as ‘any equipment or system that is used to increase or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities’. Four members of staff achieved professional qualifications in Assistive Technology accredited by Manchester Metropolitan University.

Teaching and Monitoring
The Assistive Technology Centre works across the domains of:

  • communication;
  • curriculum;
  • pupil voice;
  • independence; and
  • parental / family support.

All pupils have an Assistive Technology profile that includes their individual curriculum, health and play targets and suitable access methods. These methods include:

  • high and low-technology communication aids;
  • powered wheelchairs;
  • switch-adapted games such as Scalextric and Playstation;
  • literacy software such as iPads and Clicker; and
  • the use of multimedia technology to undertake assessment for learning activities.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

Communication
Assistive Technology has had a significant impact on pupil outcomes as illustrated by the increased number of pupils now using a high-technology communication aid.
Our assessments confirm that these systems contribute directly to the significant increase in the average P-Level per pupil.

Curriculum – Literacy Outcomes
The Assistive Technology Centre has improved pupils’ access and facilitated greater engagement with the curriculum. It has worked with the literacy co-ordinator to develop an accessible approach to the Programme of Phoneme Awareness Training (POPAT) reading scheme. The average P-Level increase per pupil, demonstrates that these approaches have been particularly effective.

Pupil Voice
The Assistive Technology Centre has developed strategies to give pupils with profound learning needs wider opportunities to make decisions about their life in the school. Tŷ Gwyn now has a vibrant student council. All members of the council use a specific communication system to express their views on behalf of the entire student body. In addition, an increasing number of pupils use technology to contribute to their annual review meetings.

Independence
The Assistive Technology Centre launched the ‘iDrive’ driving school last year with the aim of teaching pupils how to operate an electrically-powered wheelchair. Initial assessment sessions and a rigorous teaching programme have enabled eight students to secure their own electrically-powered chairs.

Parental and Family Support
In addition to working with individual pupils, the Assistive Technology Centre secured funds from local businesses to develop an Access Play Project. This initiative helps parents and carers obtain specialist items of equipment to support pupils’ learning.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

Ysgol Maes Hyfryd is a special school for up to 135 pupils aged from 11 to 19 years. The school opened in September 2009 following the re-organisation of special educational provision in Flintshire. The school operates on two sites. The main, purpose-built school, shares a campus with Flint High School. There is an additional teaching resource base for up to 12 pupils, Cyswllt, at Elfed High School, Buckley.

Pupils at Ysgol Maes Hyfryd have a wide range of special educational needs. These include moderate, severe and complex learning difficulties including autistic spectrum disorders. Many pupils have associated communication, behavioural or sensory difficulties. All pupils have statements of special educational needs.

Around half of Ysgol Maes Hyfryd pupils spend part of the week included in mainstream classes developing their skills and independence, and following mainstream accredited courses.
Ysgol Maes Hyfryd is a special school which has invested in the latest technologies for use by students and staff. The school aims to significantly enhance the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in classes, improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning, and equip students with the skills they will need in the future. E safety, internet safety and cyber bullying are major issues affecting the lives of young people today. A report to the Welsh Government: ‘Transforming Schools with ICT’, cited research by Becta (2006), which concluded by stating that ‘the most common breach is the viewing of unsuitable online material’.

Providing good access to online learning resources and tools makes a significant contribution to ensuring information and communication technology has an impact on students’ learning and raising standards. At the same time, ensuring online safety is a challenge for every school. Ysgol Maes Hyfryd aims to actively engage learners and staff to create an online learning environment that empowers learners whilst keeping them safe.

At a local authority level, there are procedures to lock down the system and firewall unsuitable websites, but it was essential for the school to find a way to monitor the situation on a day-to-day basis. Ysgol Maes Hyfryd explored a range of options and decided to use an online tool that monitors computers for safety as well as supporting the teaching of information and communication technology.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The system
The school uses a web-based classroom-management software tool, designed for teachers to interact with and teach students on an individual, group and full class basis. The ICT teacher monitors the use of computers in each class and interacts with students via instant messaging, audio instruction and group demonstrations. This allows support to be given to individual pupils. Snapshots of screens are taken to help to monitor how effectively ICT is used across the curriculum. It is also an invaluable tool for the technician who troubleshoots problems remotely and monitors student activities at lunch and break times.

Teaching and Monitoring
In ICT, students follow the National Curriculum at key stages 3 and 4 and schemes of work linked to OCR accreditation at Entry Level to OCR Nationals Level 2. This software assists staff to assess how well students use the skills they acquire in ICT lessons across other subjects. The ICT teacher can analyse and interpret data by observing students’ skills, adapt the curriculum appropriately and provide instruction and learning activities that meets students’ individual needs.

Staff find the software tool easy to use. It has made computer management more effective which has significantly improved student attention and interaction. Students understand that the teacher has access to all the computers. This acts as a deterrent to cyber bullying and to downloading illegal or inappropriate material. It makes the teaching of ICT more effective with a better use of lesson time and improved student performance.

The software tool is used to:

  • broadcast and share information;
  • record tutor screen for lesson playback;
  • show a student’s screen to others for peer assessments;
  • annotate live demonstrations;
  • monitor and log student activity, use of applications, printing and websites; and
  • take time and name stamp snapshots of student screens for assessment purposes.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

The system helps to keep students safe. It informs the teacher when specific keywords are typed, blacklists specific websites and notifies the teacher if students attempt to access forbidden sites.
The web-based tool enables the teacher to control computers from one central workstation. Internet and application restrictions can be created by the teacher or network manager to maintain security. This is a major component in maintaining e safety in the classroom.

The evidence the school has collected using video clips and screen shots has shown that learners’ motivation, concentration and independence have improved as well as their skills in critical thinking and teamwork.

The software tool monitors how many computers are used on a daily basis, the transferable skills of individual students and the development of students’ ICT capability. Since the school started using this new approach, there has been a significant increase in the number of computers being used in all subject areas, with students being more directly involved in the learning activities.

ICT has helped to enhance a more student-centred learning approach and promote independence across the school.