Building an ethos based on mutual respect

Information about the school

Birchgrove Comprehensive School is an 11 to 16 co-educational community school maintained by Swansea local authority.  There are currently 428 pupils on roll.  The school serves a suburban area between Neath and Swansea on the eastern side of Swansea.

Around 29% of pupils are eligible for free school meals and around 40% live in the 20% most deprived areas of Wales.  Nearly 33% have a special educational need, including close to 13% who have a statement for that need.  Both figures are much higher than the national averages.  The school has two specialist teaching facilities catering for pupils with both specific and moderate learning difficulties.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

Over the past four years significant numbers of pupils joined Birchgrove Comprehensive, either mid-year or late in their secondary education (in Years 10 and 11).  A number of the pupils joining were disengaged from education and presented barriers to learning.  A relatively high number of managed move pupils with negative attitudes to learning were accepted by the school.  A second Specialist Teaching Facility (STF) catering for Autistic Spectrum Disorder increased the need to address significant barriers to pupils’ learning.  Provision needed to be matched to the ability of vulnerable learners and the level of support and guidance they required.  

The school recognised that, while pupils responded well to the strong pastoral care system and support offered within school, many struggled to maintain progress in their studies once they had moved on to post 16 studies.  Feedback from parents and past pupils confirmed that a small but significant group of pupils failed to progress effectively in their chosen areas of post-16 education and were at risk of becoming NEET.

Leadership at the school recognised that the needs of a significant number of pupils could be met better and identified a number of key areas of provision and working practice that could be modified to address the needs of the vulnerable learners.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

Curriculum provision

A full review of the curriculum identified the need for additional courses suited to the needs of high achieving pupils, alongside an increase in courses that suited the needs of vulnerable learners.  Careful consideration was given to the quality of the vocational courses offered to pupils.  Delivery plans for courses were adapted to ensure that changes could be made to give pupils joining the school during key stage 4 the best chance of catching up with peers and successfully gaining qualifications.  Alternative and enhanced provision has been developed with innovative courses to enhance engagement and outcomes for pupils of all abilities, adding value to their education.

Restructuring of behavioural management systems and pupil support strategies 

Established behavioural management systems were replaced with a simplified system focusing on building a restorative dialogue about pupils’ learning and placing strong teacher-pupil working relationships at the heart of the process.  Mutual respect and strong lines of communication between parents and teaching staff reinforced a collaborative support network around pupils.  The school has invested significant staff time and training to ensure consistency in the approaches and strategies used to support pupils.

Ethos

An inclusive ethos has been developed where respect and discussion are the main focus in resolving barriers to learning.  The focus with vulnerable learners has changed from ‘What is going wrong?’ to ‘How do we resolve this and make it better?’  Staff hold celebratory and supportive discussions with pupils who transfer in-year to help build trust and enthusiasm.  All staff have this common mindset and provide a consistent message to pupils.  The school has moved away from focusing on narrow measurements of success based on the national headline indicators, instead favouring individual achievement against personal goals based on ability and the challenges that pupils face.

High profile pupil tracking

Identified vulnerable learners (in-year transfers, managed moves et al) are interviewed when joining the school.  The process is supportive and pupils provide advice and information to help shape their curriculum provision and the support required to meet their needs.  Where necessary, a bespoke timetable is developed with adapted options to give pupils the best opportunity of re-engaging in learning and gaining credible outcomes.  Strong lines of communication with parents ensure that pupils’ needs and challenges are met.  A dedicated pastoral team works with teachers, learning coaches, heads of year, senior leadership and external agencies to support learners.  Pupils’ learning journeys are mapped out from prior to joining the school through to completion of their education.  This information and progress is shared with the pupils in progress meetings.  The headteacher’s vision for an inclusive ethos has resulted in the school working successfully with parents, pupils and the local authority to ensure that every child who wants to be part of Birchgrove Comprehensive school can be.

Pupil centred planning

Pupil support is planned and co-ordinated well.  Strong lines of communication and rapid action to support pupils where required are key to maintaining high tariff, vulnerable pupils in education.  Parents/carers play a key role in meetings where in-year transfer pupils’ and managed move pupils’ provision is shaped.  Daily monitoring and feedback is given via the school’s systems, which allow pupils and parents to track progress and reports from class teachers on a lesson by lesson basis.

Supporting pupils’ post sixteen education

One to one interviews and small group visits to identified courses at colleges and specialist careers fayres, as well as college visits for STF pupils, support pupils effectively through transition. 

The care, support and guidance of Birchgrove pupils at post-16 are still a focus for the school. Vulnerable and past pupils who require additional support are monitored to ensure that they have a successful transition to suitable learning pathways.  The school has identified that groups of learners often disengage from college courses towards the end of the first half term.  As a result, the school encourages pupils to return for events such as presentation evenings after the first half term.  Staff and support agencies engage with these learners to assess post-16 progress and options for those at risk of leaving education, employment or training.  The school and agencies work with pupils to identify a more suitable learning pathway.  Strong Careers Wales and college links foster positive support around individual learners at risk of leaving their post-16 courses. 

The school provides work experience opportunities to past pupils who have become NEET, allowing them to access support and mentoring from staff aware of the individuals’ needs.  Where appropriate, the school has acted as an examination centre, enabling past pupils the opportunity to attend revision classes and re-sit GCSE examinations to improve their grades as external candidates.

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

The school’s focus on inclusion has resulted in a significant reduction in exclusion rates, which are now very low.  The school prides itself on working successfully with pupils who have previously failed to engage in education in other schools.

School attendance is high and punctuality is strong.  High achieving pupils have benefited from the wider curriculum provision and greater engagement in learning across the school.  Over the past three years, an average of 13% of pupils each year have achieved five A*-A grades at GCSE or equivalent, which is well above modelled outcomes.  The school is proud that no child leaves school without qualifications.  Significant numbers of pupils previously out of education have been reintegrated into mainstream and the school STFs, successfully gaining GCSE qualifications and high value-added scores.  All headline indicators show a positive three year trend.

How have you shared your good practice?

Members of the school senior leadership team (SLT) have shared the school’s inclusion strategies with other schools in the local authority and region.  Lead staff within the school’s STF have provided training to colleagues from other schools as part of professional learning.  Headteachers’ and senior leaders’ network meetings have been used to share practice with other schools.  Birchgrove was asked by the local authority to provide a best practice case study for inclusion within the STFs and mainstream provision.  Members of the SLT have supported the local authority’s specialist provision and pupil referral units.