Piper Hill Specialist Support School 2016

2016

School Self-Evaluation Document September 2016

Piper Hill Specialist Support School

Everyone at Piper Hill High School could not say enough about what a great place it is to work: ‘Leadership are very

good at recognising strengths and using them.’ ‘Leadership model behaviours.’ ‘We develop all the time --- it keeps you

current.’ ‘CPD is absolutely fantastic.’ ‘The weekly full staff meetings always have a training aspect.’ ‘Teamwork is

fantastic; we had a training day on teamwork.’ ‘We all have the same wish.’ ‘Everything we do is for the children.’

‘Every day we get a thank you.’ ‘Piper Hill is outstandingly outstanding.’ T:\Admin\Investors in People

Comments from the Staff Questionnaire and Investors in People Gold Report 2015

Piper Hill Specialist Support High School | Self-evaluation document – October 2016

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Contents

1. Ofsted key grades & overall effectiveness 2. The key characteristics of our learners and our school 3. Leadership & management-

T:\Admin\Performance Management\LInda PM\JJ - HTPM - Piper Hill Sept 15.doc T:\Admin\Performance Management\LInda PM\JJ - HTPM - Piper Hill Sept 16.doc

4. Teaching, learning and assessment 5. Personal development, behaviour and welfare 6. Pupil outcomes 7. Effectiveness of 16-19 study programmes 8. Overall effectiveness


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SECTION ONE

THE HEADLINE JUDGEMENTS:

GRADE DESCRIPTORS FOR OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS

Suggested sub –

headings for text Outstanding (1) Good (2) Requires improvement (3) Inadequate (4)

TLA judgement The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is at least good.

Other than in exceptional circumstances, it is likely that, where the school is judged to require improvement in any of the key judgements, the school’s overall effectiveness will require improvement.

The judgement on the overall

effectiveness is likely to be

inadequate where any one of

the key judgements is

inadequate and / or

safeguarding is ineffective

and/or there are serious

weaknesses in the overall

promotion of pupils’ spiritual,

moral, social and cultural

development.

Consistency of other key

judgements All other key judgements are likely to be outstanding. In exceptional circumstances one of the key judgements may be good, as long as there is convincing evidence that the school is improving this area rapidly and securely towards outstanding.

All other key judgements are likely to be good or outstanding. In exceptional circumstances one of the key judgement areas may require improvement, as long as there is convincing evidence that the school is improving it rapidly and securely towards good.

Senior leaders encourage innovative practice, which facilitates

continual improvement on an annual basis at an incredible rate. School Improvement Partner Quality Assurance Visit July 2016


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Impact of SMSC work The school’s thoughtful and wide-ranging promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their physical well-being enables pupils to thrive.

Deliberate and effective action is taken to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their physical well-being.

There are weaknesses in the overall promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Safeguarding Safeguarding is effective. Safeguarding is effective. Safeguarding is effective.


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SECTION TWO

THE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR LEARNERS AND OUR SCHOOL

WHAT LIES AT THE HEART OF OUR SCHOOL?

Piper Hill is an Outstanding school that is ambitious for every one of our learners within the school community.

Senior leaders encourage innovative practice, which facilitates continual improvement on an annual basis at an incredible rate.” School Improvement Partner

Quality Assurance Visit July 2016

“Piper Hill continues to raise its game, eagerly seeking opportunities to explore new territories with the prime aim of securing the best possible outcomes for

the young people in its care. It has a staff who are exceptionally skilled both as educators and as carers who have a passion and enthusiasm for their work and

a deep respect for the children they teach. The development of middle leaders is powerfully demonstrated in their growth of confidence and outstanding

evidence presented during QA visits over the last year. Senior leaders are unremittingly committed, inspirational and forward looking having developed a

highly effective and indispensable team across the school. All of which contribute to the school`s continuing outstanding success. “ QA Report September 2016

Our school is committed to creating and maintaining a caring community in which:

The individual is valued

All can achieve their potential

The climate is challenging and supportive

Effort and success are celebrated

Awareness of the local, national and international community is fostered


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We aim:

To provide a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated education through which the National Secondary Curriculum is made accessible for all.

To promote the spiritual, moral, cultural development, including understanding of British values of students, providing an “I can do” culture that gives

opportunities and experiences whilst encouraging life-long learning. The curriculum offer has been carefully developed to ensure the systematic

promotion of British values across a range of subjects.

To promote confidence, responsibility, success and a positive attitude to adult life whilst providing life skills and opportunities for life in the wider

community.

To provide a suitable, happy and secure working environment in which students develop their abilities and make progress according to their individual

needs.

To acknowledge the uniqueness and intrinsic value of all students and staff in school.

To forge positive working relationships with parents and encourage a partnership between home and school, involving parents in all aspects and stages

of school life.

To encourage students to pursue personal interests, to make their own choices and decisions so they can contribute positively to society.

To promote equal opportunities, embracing everybody regardless of disability, gender, race, age or sexuality.

We respect one another

We expect mutual respect between staff, between students and between staff and students. This lies at the heart of our work to promote key values,

including British values, which prepare young people for life in modern, democratic society.

We have a range of ways of seeking young people’s views and staff views, including external reviews from a range of accredited bodies (e.g. Healthy

Schools, Investors in People, Autism Accreditation), questionnaires, the School Council and student advocates.

We also aim to prepare young people for adult life through teaching the rights and responsibilities of being a member of a community.

We value the wellbeing of all staff and students

We aim to develop good self-esteem and self-confidence in a positive environment.

We aim for all staff and students to feel safe, supported, cared for and protected, so that we can try new things and be ourselves.

We will work together to achieve an atmosphere of trust where staff and students know their viewpoints and feelings are valued.

We will endeavour to promote a sense of happiness around the school; to provide a happy, safe and secure working atmosphere for all.


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We expect the best

We believe that our expectations will lead to personal achievement and success that is a right for all.

We strive to have a can-do attitude.

We recognise and value the contribution of all members of the school community.

We value cooperative working

We are committed to working together as a whole school so that each individual feels valued.

We strive to achieve good teamwork which will support everyone within the school community.

We recognise that everyone is an individual and we value diversity

We value and respect diversity; we actively celebrate diversity within our own community.

We promote and provide equal opportunities and equity of provision.

We recognise that different people have different needs and we strive to meet the needs of all within the school community.

We value learning

We are a learning school that recognises the right of all to lifelong learning.

All members of the school community work together to ensure that learning at Piper Hill is meaningful, challenging and fun.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND Piper Hill is a larger than average size specialist school that caters for students with significant learning difficulties (140 pupils). It is part of the Piper Hill Learning Trust, which also has another school, Pioneer House. Approximately 60% students experience a severe learning difficulty, and 40% have profound and multiple learning difficulties (P1 to P4). There are 14 class groups, of which one is for sensory learners, 8 are for pupils requiring a high-level of structure for learning (with a range of ability), and the others groups are for more independent learners. 20 students have exceptional needs requiring very high levels of adult support. 15 students have complex and challenging behaviours and 5 students who have very complex medical conditions. Approximately 50% of students experience ASC or have learning needs that would be well supported by using teaching approaches for ASC Several pupils operate as satellite pupils to a class. The profile of needs has changed with a significant increase in the number of pupils with profound learning disabilities and complex medical/care needs. 12 pupils are fed by gastrostomy tube. 35% of pupils are working at level one or above in the National Curriculum for English, Maths, and for Science. 7 pupils are higher attainers. The primary need for admission is a significant additional learning need, although many pupils also have other additional needs. All students have an Education and Health Care Plans and a third of the students are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Four pupils are classed as LAC. 63% of

pupils are classed as pupil premium. Both the percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM) and the social deprivation


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indicator for the school are in the highest centile compared to other schools nationally The percentage of minority ethnic pupils and those for whom English is not the first language is in the 60th centile. (Latest RAISE 2016) Despite the school's challenging circumstances, financial benchmarking indicates that we are funded at average levels, with some top up from income generation, but that we are extremely good value for money with regards to the pupil outcomes. Prior attainment In terms of attainment on entry, the majority of pupils are working within P-levels and up to level 2 of the National Curriculum. Pupils can come from up to 14 locations in any year and therefore our robust baseline assessment process that supports teachers to identify precisely targeted learning to ensure best possible progress is essential. Attendance is very high compared to the National average for maintained and non-maintained special schools - 2.2% higher than average, and PA is 5% lower than average. (Latest RAISE online 2016)

% of sessions missed due to

Overall Absence

% Persistent absentees - absent for 15% or more sessions

Piper Hill National average

for special schools

Piper Hill National average for special schools

All Pupils 7.2 9.4 10.2 15.4

Gender

Male 6.9 9.3 9.8 15.0

Female 7.8 9.6 11.1 16.3

Free School Meals

FSM 8.5 10.5 13.5 18.2

Non FSM 5.3 8.0 5.6 12.0


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There are two fixed-term exclusions over the past year which is 16.5% lower than the national average for special schools, and no permanent exclusions. This is significantly lower than similar schools both locally and nationally and shows that the great lengths that the school goes to support extreme levels of need and to ensure that the systems can be changed to meet even the most individual need. The attendance includes all categories of special school including those with complex medical conditions, of which we have 20% of pupils. Rates of progress compared to similar schools nationally are outstanding. A data tracking system shows outstanding pupil progress from Year 7 to Year 14, and over each key stage, and that learning targets are appropriately differentiated, based on national guidance, our own knowledge of outstanding progress, longitudinal data and benchmarking with other schools. A complex grouping system operates to enable pupil needs to be met effectively and a range of different teaching environments has been developed. Pupils' work for the majority of time in one of the following access groups( see school film on website):

independent learners including higher attainers, following a modified National Curriculum (Levels P4 - National Curriculum Level 3) (3 students at level 3).

learners who require a very structured environment, following a modified National Curriculum (Levels P2 – P5 and P5 upwards) using specific teaching approaches: Intensive Interaction, PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) and structured teaching, supported communication and visual supports for learning. Pupils in this group have communication difficulties and difficulties in establishing and maintaining relationships, and often have a diagnosis of ASC.

‘experiential' learners following the School's Sensory Curriculum (Levels P1 - P3) (featured in OFSTED training video)

learners who can only operate in spaces of their own or with one other student for a large proportion of the time

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS System Leadership The school is highly experienced in system leadership that has delivered high impact on wider school improvement. “The local authority uses the school as a model of best practice and the headteacher has supported a number of schools to improve, both locally and nationally. “ – Ofsted report March 2013. Over the past two years, high impact of the work of Piper Hill staff with other Manchester schools has been evidenced through leadership of our developing and successful teaching school partnership with self-evaluation indicating significant development over the first year of our designation. As part of the teaching school work, Piper Hill runs the ITT SEND programme. All students who completed the programme are now employed as NQTs. The outcomes of Ofsted inspection for schools we have supported and challenged as a National Support School over the last five years testify to the effectiveness of our


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interventions. This has been recognised in Piper Hill’s designation as a sponsor academy March 2015.

Staff views “A core value of ‘we expect the best’ is the way everyone thinks and works within this school. School improvement planning is inclusive, inviting contributions from all stakeholders. A real shared ownership of the school’s mission and priorities exists, a culture that has been established by the Head Teacher through consultation and involving people in decision-making and encouraging shared ownership. Through performance management and annual reviews, staff agree performance objectives aligned to the School Improvement Plan priorities. Staff development is a key feature of the school, acknowledging the importance of building capacity to support staff progression and growth. There is genuine commitment from senior management to treat everyone equally and fairly, a core value of the school. As a result of this, teamwork is described as excellent both within teams and across teams. The senior leadership team are very experienced in their role”. Investors in People Gold 2014 Staff morale is high, retention is high, and attendance for staff is much higher than other schools in Manchester (teachers 98% attendance) Parent and carer views Parents and carers view the school very favourably. The response to the questionnaire in 2016 was over 70% and the replies were extremely positive with over 90% strongly agreeing with every question and no one less than agreeing. This is an extremely positive set of comments from the parents and carers. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school.

“Keep up the outstanding work…..I can wake up in the morning and go to bed in the evening knowing my son is happy at school”

“….. gets fantastic support at Piper Hill, all the staff are positive and so supportive”

EXTERNAL QUALITY STANDARDS AND AWARDS

Inclusion in Ofsted national survey report Twelve Outstanding Special Schools (2009)..\Hyperlink\Twelve outstanding special schools - Excelling through inclusion[1].pdf

Pioneer House Trust Free school opened September 2016

Outstanding in Ofsted 2013 inspection – three previous outstanding inspections

Autism Accreditation 2016 M:\Piper Hill Specialist Support School Accreditation Award Panel Report 2016 FINAL.pdf

Forest School 2016

MEN High School of the Year Award – Runner up- 2016

Piper Hill Learning Trust opens Pioneer House (Free School) September 2016

National Teaching School- April 2014

Sponsor Academy status- April 2015

Investors in People Gold 2015


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FMSIS (2010)

National Healthy Schools status (as well as Manchester Healthy Schools Gold Award)

ArtsMark Gold 2012

SportsMark Gold

Schools Grounds Awards 2012

ECM Mark Gold 2011

Cultural Diversity Standard Award Gold 2011

Community Cohesion Standard 2011

National Leader 2011

National Support School 2011

Leading Parent Partnership Award 2012

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS Further development of Teaching School, with particular focus for Piper Hill on ITT, , and development of the role of the NLEs in school to school

support and support for new headteachers’ in the alliance

Implementation of Action Plan for Pioneer House, the Trust’s new free school, including a build programme to complete for 2017.

To continue to ensure that capacity at Piper Hill meets the needs of a forward and outward-looking school, while ensuring that standards remain at the highest level within school and continue to develop (developing leadership at all levels to ensure posts within the Trust have suitable applicants).

To further develop the MAT to increase capacity.

SECTION THREE

GRADE DESCRIPTORS FOR EFFECTIVENESS OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Suggested sub –

headings for text Outstanding (1) Good (2) Requires improvement (3)

Promotion of culture of

excellence Leaders and governors have created a culture that enables pupils and staff to excel. They are committed unwaveringly to setting high expectations for the conduct of pupils and staff. Relationships between staff and pupils are exemplary.

Leaders set high expectations of pupils and staff. They lead by example to create a culture of respect and tolerance. The positive relationships between leaders, staff and pupils support the progress of all pupils at the school.

Leadership and management are not yet good.

Safeguarding is effective.

High ambition for all pupils,

including the disadvantaged Leaders and governors focus on consistently improving outcomes for all pupils, but especially for disadvantaged pupils. They are uncompromising in their ambition.

Leaders and governors are ambitious for all pupils and promote improvement effectively. The school’s actions secure improvement in


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Impact of action to secure

improvement in progress for

disadvantaged pupils

The school’s actions have secured substantial improvement in progress for disadvantaged pupils. Progress is rising across the curriculum, including in English and mathematics.

disadvantaged pupils’ progress, which is rising, including in English and mathematics.

Level of challenge provided by

governors, to secure best

outcomes and use of

resources

Governors systematically challenge senior leaders so that the effective deployment of staff and resources, including the pupil premium, the primary PE and sport premium, Year 7 Literacy and Numeracy catch-up premium and special educational needs funding, secures excellent outcomes for pupils. Governors do not shy away from challenging leaders about variations in outcomes for pupil groups, and between disadvantaged and other pupils, nationally.

Governors hold senior leaders stringently to account for all aspects of the school’s performance, including the use of pupil premium, the primary PE and sport premium, Year 7 Literacy and Numeracy catch-up premium and special educational needs funding, ensuring that the skilful deployment of staff and resources delivers good or improving outcomes for pupils.

Effectiveness of well-

evidenced self-evaluation and

use of the findings to plan,

and test impact of, school

improvement activities

Leaders and governors have a deep, accurate understanding of the school’s effectiveness informed by the views of pupils, parents and staff. They use this to keep the school improving by focusing on the impact of their actions in key areas.

Leaders and governors have an accurate and

comprehensive understanding of the quality of

education at the school. This helps them plan,

monitor and refine actions to improve all key

aspects of the school’s work.

Effectiveness and impact of

performance management Leaders and governors use incisive performance management that leads to professional development that encourages, challenges and supports teachers’ improvement. Teaching is highly effective across the school.

Leaders and governors use performance

management effectively to improve teaching.

They use accurate monitoring to identify and

spread good practice across the school.

Climate for, and impact of,

continuing professional

development

Staff reflect on and debate the way they teach. They feel deeply involved in their own professional development. Leaders have created a climate in which teachers are motivated and trusted to take risks and innovate in ways that are right for their pupils.

Teachers value the continuing professional development provided by the school. It is having a positive impact on their teaching and pupils’ learning. Teaching is consistently strong across the school or, where it is not, it is improving rapidly.

Impact and effectiveness of

the school’s curriculum The broad and balanced curriculum inspires pupils to learn. The range of subjects and courses helps pupils acquire knowledge, understanding and skills in all aspects of their education, including the humanities and linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technical, human

The broad and balanced curriculum provides a wide range of opportunities for pupils to learn. The range of subjects and courses helps pupils acquire knowledge, understanding and skills in all aspects of their education, including the humanities and linguistic, mathematical,


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and social, physical and artistic learning. scientific, technical, human and social, physical and artistic learning. This supports pupils’ good progress. The curriculum also contributes well to pupils’ behaviour and welfare, including their physical, mental and personal well-being, safety and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Centrality and impact of work

to promote SMSC

development and

fundamental BVs

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and, within this, the promotion of fundamental British values, are at the heart of the school’s work.

Leaders consistently promote fundamental British values and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Effectiveness and impact of

work to promote equality and

to counter discriminatory

behaviour

Leaders promote equality of opportunity and diversity exceptionally well, for pupils and staff, so that the ethos and culture of the whole school prevent any form of direct or indirect discriminatory behaviour. Leaders, staff and pupils do not tolerate prejudiced behaviour.

Leaders promote equality of opportunity and diversity, resulting in a positive school culture. Staff and pupils work together to prevent any form of direct or indirect discriminatory behaviour. Leaders, staff and pupils do not tolerate prejudiced behaviour.

Climate for promotion of

effective safeguarding,

including effectiveness of

staff/governor training and

multi-agency working

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and managers have created a culture of vigilance where pupils’ welfare is actively promoted. Pupils are listened to and feel safe. Staff are trained to identify when a pupil may be at risk of neglect, abuse or exploitation and they report their concerns. Leaders and staff work effectively with external partners to support pupils who are at risk or who are the subject of a multi-agency plan.

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and staff take appropriate action to identify pupils who may be at risk of neglect, abuse or sexual exploitation, reporting concerns and supporting the needs of those pupils.

Effectiveness of school’s work

to protect pupils from

radicalisation and extremism,

including quality and impact of

staff training

Leaders’ work to protect pupils from radicalisation

and extremism is exemplary. Leaders respond

swiftly where pupils are vulnerable to these issues.

High quality training develops staff’s vigilance,

confidence and competency to challenge pupils’

views and encourage debate.

Leaders protect pupils from radicalisation and

extremism. Staff are trained and are increasingly

vigilant, confident and competent to encourage

open discussion with pupils.


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3. HOW EFFECTIVE ARE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT?

Leadership and management are outstanding. This judgement is confirmed by Piper Hill staff views (in the recent Ofsted survey we have administered), by our school improvement partner (Summer 2016 report) and by our Ofsted inspection report in March 2013. Our staff are exceptionally skilled both as educators and as carers and have the expertise to plan for, and recognise, progress in tiny increments. A central principle is that, at Piper Hill, no one never 'gives up' on a child. “All staff within the school work as a cohesive, collaborative team with a commendable, unswerving commitment to forge continued improvement for the benefit

of pupils in their care. Staff are very well supported by all leaders who have created a strong culture of high expectations which has percolated throughout the

school. Senior leaders encourage innovative practice, which facilitates continual improvement on an annual basis at an incredible rate. Staff morale is high and

their absence is low, therefore pupils are supported by a dedicated, stable team. The school is a warm, exciting place to be with an inspirational leadership team.”

QA partner Summer 2016

“Senior and middle leaders have worked as a cohesive team to ensure that all subject leaders take a consistent approach to improvement in their subjects through

the development and implementation of action plans that focus very clearly on the impact of outcomes on improvement pupil outcomes. As part of the process

subject leaders have developed in confidence and understanding of the value of rigorous self-evaluation, including detailed data analysis that informs planning and

secures continual improvement.” July 2016 - QA report

“Discussions and presentations during the visit evidence forcibly the headteachers’ skill in expertly developing a highly effective and skilled team of senior and

middle leaders. Pupil outcomes are central to the vision, ambition and management of leaders within a culture of trust and openness and seamless teamwork. A

dominant and recurring theme is that there is always another hill to climb in order to remain a truly outstanding school, constantly seeking ways to improve even

further.” QA partner Spring 2016

“Leaders are very effective in rigorously monitoring the quality of teaching and learning recognizing the vital correlation between the quality of teaching and pupils`

progress. They provide strong professional support and closely monitor the progress that every pupil is making. Their own high expectations are shared and

embraced by all staff within the school. The introduction of developmental discussions following lesson observations has transformed practice enabling staff to

reflect and decide the way to teach through learning conversations through which the teacher whose lessons was observed reflects on his/her teaching and its

effect on learning and the impact this has on outcomes for pupils.” July 2015 - QA partner

“A real shared ownership of the school’s mission and priorities exists, a culture that has been established by the Head Teacher through consultation and involving

people in decision-making and encouraging shared ownership. Through performance management and annual reviews, staff agree performance objectives aligned


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to the School Improvement Plan priorities. Staff development is a key feature of the school, acknowledging the importance of building capacity to support staff

progression and growth.” Investors in People Gold February 2015

“In the view of the QA Consultant the school has developed a coherent and effective programme of professional development for all staff that forges a strong link

between performance management and appraisal and salary progression. The school is highly successful in developing leadership at all levels supporting succession

planning and the development of future leaders in the school.” Spring 2014

“The headteacher has established a highly effective leadership team. Together they have a crystal clear vision of what makes an outstanding school. They are

exceptionally ambitious to ensure this safe and caring school continues to improve. The school’s procedures for gaining an accurate view of its performance are

robust and leaders are very clear about what actions are required to bring about further improvements.” Ofsted inspection report March 2013

PROMOTION OF CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE

The school ceaselessly embeds ambition and drives improvement relentlessly - hence our outstanding track record of continuous improvement. Success is breeding further success. The more targets we meet and the more outstanding our practice becomes the greater capacity for further improvement. A key source of motivation is seeing the success that our students enjoy. This exceptional capacity for sustaining improvement within and beyond the school has been recognised in the approval by Lord Nash of our sponsor academy status. As a multi-academy trust, we have applied to open a free school. Our application has been fully endorsed and supported by the LA who have commissioned the first two years’ admission places, verifying their confidence in the school’s capacity for development. A key feature of our leadership and management is the success with which we have empowered colleagues at all levels to take on leadership roles highly effectively. “Leadership development is well supported, with clear career structures in place. Excellent feedback was received from all staff regarding the effectiveness of the Head Teacher and leadership team and all other leaders and managers across school. Feedback is given on a regular basis, informally by noticing what people have done and commenting individually and in meetings, and formally through performance management/annual reviews. Staff at Piper Hill High School do feel valued. Many examples were provided including regular thank yous, praise, progression, respect and kindness shown by the leadership and colleagues, both professionally and personally. Staff feel a real sense of job satisfaction through the progress made by the children and how happy they are coming into school. Staff are proud of the ongoing achievements of Piper Hill High School and being recognised as an ‘outstanding’ school; however, there is a real culture of continuous improvement, always striving for new ideas and ways of working to continually improve and meet the varying needs of all the children for the best outcomes.” Investors in People Gold 2015 We work inexorably to develop and improve the effectiveness of teaching. As a result, the quality of teaching is outstanding – and continues to develop and


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improve. No teaching is less than good and more than 80% is judged to be outstanding in our lesson evaluations from 2016; these have been externally moderated through partnership work with another special school, through the CEA Five Day lesson observation course and through joint lesson observations undertaken by senior staff and Ofsted inspectors in the course of our 2013 inspection, and through paired moderated observations with the QA partner and SLT of a local good high school in Summer 2016. In 2014/5, all senior leaders participated in a due diligence review, undertaking joint lesson observations in a local high school with the potential sponsor. This exercise confirmed the robustness and accuracy of our judgements on teaching.

“Senior leaders’ relentless drive to improve the quality of teaching is very successful.” Ofsted inspection report March 2013

- Improvements and development in teaching stem from a range of factors. These include high investment in five-day lesson observation training courses for senior leaders, internal INSET on outstanding lesson criteria, coaching of staff to improve their teaching skills and the relentless work year-on-year through performance management structure. This results in the bar being constantly raised, with outstanding teaching becoming even more personalised and effective. In addition, highly effective work on moderation has led to exceptionally good consistency of judgements in assessment, as a key element in the quality of teaching.

HIGH AMBITION FOR ALL PUPILS, INCLUDING THE DISADVANTAGED

“The quality of teaching is reflected in the progress data with around 80% of (all) pupils overall making outstanding progress.” SIP July 2016 Pupil premium is used effectively to diminish the gap in all areas. Data is forensically used to ensure that at least 80% of pupils achieve above expected progress

IMPACT OF ACTION TO SECURE IMPROVEMENT IN PROGRESS FOR DISADVANTAGED PUPILS

“Analysis of data powerfully highlights the positive impact of initiatives for disadvantaged pupils on pupil progress for the two groups within the pupil premium

sample in writing and English overall, non-pupil premium pupils in writing and English and additionally new Year 7 pupils on writing. In all areas targets were

exceeded demonstrating the impact of highly focused, carefully considered initiatives on improved outcomes for pupils. Rates of progress for students in receipt of

pupil premium and the gap between all cohorts have been successfully narrowed. Scrutiny of pupils’ work during the visit highlighted the impact of skilled and

confident teachers on pupils’ progress in writing skills over time for those working at the lower and higher P levels. Perceptive marking and annotation of pupils’

work and photographic evidence is thorough and up to date, helping secure progress” SIP July 2015

“As in previous years, the deputy headteacher has produced an outstanding summary report. With great clarity it details how the school spent the academic year’s allocation, and the rationale for the areas chosen, targets for each area, the means of measuring the impact of the funding and an overview of actions that were taken. Findings are presented in block graphs and tables providing an easily accessible snapshot of the outcomes. In March 2016, the deputy headteacher with responsibility for the pupil premium outcomes became a “Pupil Premium Reviewer”. This enables her to conduct a review of other schools to support a truly self-improving, school led system using an evidence based approach to assess how a school is spending its pupil premium funding. . “ QA report July 2016


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LEVEL OF CHALLENGE PROVIDED BY GOVERNORS, TO SECURE BEST OUTCOMES AND USE OF RESOURCES

“A highly experienced governing body carries out its duties to ensure all students receive the best possible standards of education and care. The governing body is highly effective and passionate about ensuring that students’ progress is outstanding. Governors attend training and are exceptionally well informed and bring a wide range of experience to their work. They bring the right balance of support and challenge to ensure the school continues to improve. They have a very good understanding of the quality of teaching and use the performance management systems to reward good teachers through progression along the pay scale. They use data to effectively monitor the school’s performance. They are fully involved in the decision making about how pupil premium funds are used and are developing robust skills to check up on its impact. Governors have planned with leaders what steps are required to further improve the reading skills of the least-able students. Together with senior leaders, they now need to keep a careful watch on the actions being taken to ensure their success.” Ofsted inspection March 2013 “Governors help shape the school’s future and ask challenging questions of the headteacher and senior staff. They are very well informed, share the school’s vision and have a very clear understanding and excellent knowledge of the school’s strengths and school improvement priorities. This is achieved by their regular involvement in monitoring activities in the school, through the detailed reports the headteacher provides for governor meetings and through the sub-committee structure of four, that each cover an area of the Ofsted schedule. New governors are provided a good induction programme including a tour of the school focussed on the school improvement priorities.” SIP 2015 The new academy governance structure and skills audit have been approved by the DfE Academies Division (May 2015) The governing body structure has been further strengthened by the development of the trust and governors are clear of their duties at each level of governance.

The clerk to the governors who is a National Leader of Governance has used the Headteacher’s Reports to the Governors as exemplars of excellence in her training

with other schools. The governors are a talented and robustly challenging group who are forward thinking, and have a highly effective skills set. The scheme of

delegation has been passed by the DfE in 2016 in the pre- opening OFSTED of Pioneer House with no amendments.

Governors and the school set strategic targets which provide clear overall direction. Governors ensure that staff performance and pay awards are clearly linked to pupil outcomes and progress and that only good performance is rewarded. The Trust and governors receive, discuss and debate regular reports from the headteacher and the Leadership Group on attainment, attendance, health and safety, pupil progress, finance, curriculum and building developments. These help the governors to form a clear picture of the key strengths and areas for development for the school. As an academy, we now have an experienced governing body that knows the school very well and has a high profile in the school. Governors provide high levels of professional challenge to the school and have been empowered in their role by appropriate CPD and through the coaching approach taken by the headteacher in suggesting key questions they might wish to ask in relation to reports and policies presented to them. There is a supportive, healthy and mutually respectful relationship between governors and staff and a strong sense of shared accountability and responsibility. Governors engage effectively with stakeholders through questionnaires, phone calls and their attendance at coffee mornings and parent/carer days. Focussed governor sub-groups and individual governors robustly monitor and evaluate aspects of the school such as SEN, LAC, impact of pupil premium spending,


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safeguarding; governors have specific areas of responsibility and links with subjects and departments. Governors reflect upon their own effectiveness and annually, working as part of their away day, use the audit process very effectively to inform a clear action plan. They commission very high quality, Quality assurance from a range of accredited sources to support the monitoring and challenge, eg QA professionals with specific expertise, Health and Safety audit, Safeguarding audit, and a range of accredited kite marks e.g. Autism accreditation. Governors also have a good presence around school, linked to their individual focus areas, verifying information given by school leaders, challenging self-evaluation judgements and feeding this information back to the governing body. The School Financial Values Standard identified that four governors demonstrated a high level of skill in decision-making and challenge, judged to be an area of good practice (February 2011). The standard was able to provide substantial assurance over the governance at the school. The latest external audit of the company accounts showed no areas for action (2016) The school’s governance structure and schemes of delegation, including the governance of the new Free School, have been verified by the DfE (November 2015) as a highly effective structure for a small multi-academy trust.

EFFECTIVENESS OF WELL-EVIDENCED SELF-EVALUATION AND USE OF THE FINDINGS TO PLAN, AND TEST IMPACT OF, SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES

The school has developed a systematic management approach to self-evaluation, now completely embedded in the school's culture, which has been in place and continuously developed over 12 years. ("The whole staff are inescapably involved in school evaluation, aimed at improving performance" - Ofsted, Twelve Outstanding Special Schools, 2009) Self-evaluation is exceptionally well founded in a wide range of compelling evidence, gathered from key sources - lesson observations, learning walks, scrutiny and moderation of students' work, rigorous pupil progress meetings held six-weekly with line managers, professional development meetings with regard to identifying precisely the intended and actual impact of targets and plans, extensive student and parent voice, evidence from external partners, including our SIP. Although our internal self-evaluation systems have been acknowledged as outstanding, we nonetheless constantly seek external challenge to ensure that our own judgements are validated. Extremely well trained staff are skilled in identifying with great precision the intended impact of improvement plans on pupil outcomes, or, where appropriate, on the quality of the school's provision. The findings from high quality self-evaluation pinpoint accurately strengths and areas for development. The Piper Hill model builds on the strengths and talents of all staff who are coached and supported to develop well-structured and budgeted action plans. These have measurable outcomes and impact is measured against clear timescales, linked to our quality assurance calendar that builds in regular opportunities for progress checks, reviews


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and revisions, involving SIP, SLT and governors.

Where appropriate, planning is undertaken with key partners. A good illustration of this is our on-site, multi-agency approach in relation to planning for the particular needs of our pupils, with physiotherapists, nursing, social care, CAMHS, Speech Therapy and teacher input.

EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT “The school’s own evaluation of its work and its improvement planning are of the highest quality. Senior and middle leaders are held fully to account for the progress that pupils make and the Headteacher ensures that they focus relentlessly on achieving the best possible teaching and learning in the school.” QA Report 2016

Performance management is meticulously undertaken and is highly effective on performance levels of staff, with clarity of expectation at each level.

“Very careful consideration has been given to the allocation of very specific roles and responsibilities for members of the leadership team who each have been allocated specific tasks, these will be reviewed as the school grows and develops.

Staff at all levels have specific roles and responsibilities that they fulfil well to facilitate a highly effective distributive leadership model that supports succession planning and the development of future leaders.”- QA report July 2016

CLIMATE FOR, AND IMPACT OF, CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

- The school has clear, well understood pathways to ensure effective leadership at all levels. There are expectations of leadership at every point of career progression for all staff. A clearly articulated leadership route is mapped out for teachers and teaching assistants, in line with the latest requirements of the school’s performance related pay policy. The route along these pathways is carefully facilitated through internal CPD provision and externally accredited programmes.- -All curriculum leaders are able to provide convincing evidence of the positive impact of the implementation of well-focused improvement plans to raise standards in the school. The findings from on-going evaluations are used to inform future improvement priorities. Each leader is able to articulate the next actions they intend to take – and why – providing very clear direction for whole school improvement. -Curriculum leaders demonstrate high levels of confidence in the analysis of data. The highly sophisticated, electronic assessment systems enable them to precisely pinpoint an individual pupil`s attainment levels and progress whilst at the same time providing an overview at a whole-school level. Curriculum leaders also use CASPA, B squared and PIVATS as a tool to benchmark with similar schools nationally. Local outstanding special high schools provide local challenge. -Middle and Senior Managers involvement in self-evaluation provides compelling evidence of the outstanding skills of the leadership team in developing leadership capacity and the highest professional standards among all staff. This is achieved through dialogue, coaching, training, mentoring and support inextricably linked to a comprehensive programme of professional development. Staff morale is high and teachers are inspired to provide lessons of the highest quality. The way in which senior leaders immediately act upon the outcomes of self-evaluation activities is an indicator of why our school has maintained its status as an outstanding school. - All staff have access to highly effective CPD that is linked to school improvement, performance management, pupil progress and improving the quality of teaching and learning. All staff have an entitlement to leadership CPD at whatever level is appropriate, e.g. TA Standards and a range of externally accredited leadership programmes for individuals or for groups of staff, e.g. CEA course on strategic leadership.


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IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SCHOOL’S CURRICULUM

“Leaders ensure that while English and mathematics are a high priority, much time is also given to develop students’ interests and skills in a wide range of subjects.

The excellent curriculum is enhanced by many visits and visitors. For example, the school’s rich tradition in developing music and performing arts is enhanced by

effective partnerships with outside providers.” Ofsted inspection report March 2013

The curriculum meets external requirements for all groups and is the backbone of all that the school does. Our curriculum plan takes full account of the need for balance and breadth, whilst remaining flexible to the differing needs of students. The inclusion philosophy is a fundamental right for all pupils and the school is proactive in seeking ways of barrier removal. Teaching and learning styles have been developed to ensure access. Detailed modules of work support delivery, and are linked to high quality lesson plans.

Curriculum development is a highly developed strength of the school and highly effective schemes of work have been developed by curriculum leaders for all subjects in the National Curriculum. Outstanding leadership and management, with very high quality role models, have been one of the keys to success in this area. There is continuous process of evaluation and review that is highly systematic. There is a rolling programme of development that ensures that all areas are kept up to date and that decisions to modify the curriculum are well founded and based on a rigorous programme of monitoring.

The highly appropriate match between pupil needs and curricula ensures high quality, enjoyable learning and a wider sense of well-being.

Most subjects adopt a modular approach to curriculum planning. Each scheme of work that is revised provides a year on year model for other curriculum areas. In the light of the introduction of the new national guidance, the content plans for the curriculum were revised to establish thematic links more systematically to make links between different subjects more meaningful for the students. In addition, the curriculum plan takes greater account of local facilities to support subject and thematic learning. Extra curricula activities make a strong contribution to pupils social, emotional and physical development and enable pupils to apply their skills in a broad range of settings.

Curriculum provision is regularly monitored and reviewed both internally and externally, so that continued improvements can be made, national thinking and requirements can be taken into account and well considered responses can be made to changing student needs and views. The process for review is robust.

Carefully considered, creative resources and excellent use of technology, support learning exceptionally well.

A system that comprehensively assesses and records pupils’ progress in personal development is in place. This includes skills in working with others, working independently and self-managing of own learning. The impact of this is refined clarity in personal development targets that will play an important part in how well pupils progress and achieve across the curriculum.

CENTRALITY AND IMPACT OF WORK TO PROMOTE SPRITUAL, MORAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (SMSC) AND FUNDAMENTAL BRITISH VALUES

Work to promote SMSC is firmly embedded across all curricular areas and is a particular focus for certain subjects – RE, PSHE, Citizenship and the FE Fantastic

Futures curriculum. Each student’s IEP targets learning and thinking skills to promote their SMSC development across a wide range of subjects. Tutor time,


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assemblies and focus days are also well used to teach social and emotional aspects of learning and progress is tracked on an individual basis.

British values run as a strong thread throughout the curriculum and school life. Work is well planned and co-ordinated through careful mapping of British values as a

key element in our provision for SMSC development. Staff ensure that pupils are well prepared for their future in modern Britain and their place in their community.

For students in Upper School, programmes of study encompass themes such as democracy, justice, the rule of law and individual rights and responsibilities. The

School achieved level 1 of the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award in 2015.

EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT OF WORK TO PROMOTE EQUALITY AND TO COUNTER DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIOUR

The school’s relentless and highly successful drive to promote equality of opportunity for everybody is evidenced in the consistently outstanding achievement for all

group of pupils – regardless of their gender, social background or status, ethnicity or learning level.

The school is characterised by a high level of flexibility which secures appropriate provision for all. For example, a number of students have highly individualised

plans to support the development of their behaviour. Over time, these strategies are highly successful in removing barriers to achievement, resulting in the best

possible student outcomes.

The school community has a range of strategies and systems to counter discriminatory behaviours and attitudes, e.g. prejudice-based bullying which is addressed

through PHSE and Citizenship, focused teaching and learning days, individual mentoring programmes and family education programmes.

CLIMATE FOR PROMOTION OF EFFECTIVE SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION, INCLUDING EFFECTIVENESS OF STAFF/GOVERNOR TRAINING AND MULTI-

AGENCY WORKING

- The arrangements for safeguarding are highly effective, with the Trust having stringent policies and procedures and all staff following them. The school is a leader of exemplary practice; our exceptionally thorough safeguarding manual has been shared with other Manchester schools to develop their own safeguarding practices, for instance. Piper Hill was partnered with another special school, given a notice to improve because of weaknesses in safeguarding. After a year of partnership, the school's provision for safeguarding was judged as outstanding (i.e. from grade 4 to grade 1) at re-inspection. The school was supported throughout the year with regular safeguarding reviews led by Piper Hill staff. - At Piper Hill, there are daily health and safety checks and follow up (Health and Safety Book). Health and safety is a regular agenda item for the governor’s twice termly meetings (Governors' minutes). We ensure that staff are vigilant and that pupils are safe and secure and supervised at all times. The site is a safe site. - For some pupils carefully planned work on developing independence is essential and this is always discussed with parents, for example, independent travel. (Staff handbook). - The school has well established and clearly understood, regularly updated procedures for child protection (see staff handbook), with appropriate training provided for staff through induction.


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- Health and safety is an area of very good practice and the school has well developed risk assessments for educational visits and residentials and where appropriate for individual pupils (See risk assessment file). We have a trained health and safety officer and are fully compliant with regard to fire evacuation procedures, moving and handling, behaviour training, first aid and recruitment and selection procedures. We ensure that staff are vigilant and that pupils are safe and secure and supervised at all times. All staff are trained to minimum level 1 safeguarding training, with other staff at level 3, in line with national requirements. Exemplary safeguarding training records are kept on CPOMS. - All staff and governors involved in the recruitment and selection of staff understand the latest DFE guidance and have undertaken a one-day, accredited safeguarding course from NCSL. The headteacher has achieved the appropriate safer recruitment standard, as well as all senior leaders and chair of governors. - The school's central portfolio of evidence (DSB and data verification) has been used by the LA as an exemplar of good practice. - The school has a business continuity plan and all senior staff and governors have undertaken training on it.

EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL’S WORK TO PROMOTE EQUALITY AND TO COUNTER DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIOUR, INCLUDING QUALITY AND IMPACT OF STAFF

TRAINING

Senior staff have undertaken PREVENT strategy training which has now been cascaded to all staff. As a result, staff are equipped to identify early signs and

symptoms of radicalisation and extremism and are clear about procedures to follow.

The school works effectively with other agencies, e.g. Channel, GMP, when students have been identified as vulnerable.

System leadership – Piper Hill as an outward-facing school “The local authority uses the school as a model of best practice and the headteacher has supported a number of schools to improve, both locally and nationally.”

Ofsted inspection report March 2013

The school works effectively with other schools and agencies to ensure best practice and continual improvement. As a result of our successful designation as a

teaching school (April 2014), we are taking a lead role in developing this significant teaching school alliance of four designated teaching schools. Piper Hill is

accountable for school-led ITT, workforce development and SLE and NLE development and deployment. As a school improvement partnership with local teaching

school alliances and the Manchester LA, this is becoming an engine for school improvement across the city and further afield.

All our senior staff and middle leaders now have significant expertise in school-to-school support for underperforming schools. Interaction with other schools is a

strong spur for us to challenge our own assumptions, to continually test our own practice, to keep up to date and to reflect on, and develop, our own ways of

working. For example, after an SEN audit at one high school, excellent AfL practice on learning ladders was introduced as part of Piper Hill’s Computing scheme of

work.

As a result of a range of partnerships – NPQH Facilitation School, Teaching and Learning Facilitation School, Teaching School, National Support School, sponsor academy status – staff have risen to the challenge of reflecting on and articulating their own practices and sharing these with colleagues both in school and out of school. The development of a ‘common language’ to analyse teaching and learning has been an important factor – we have ‘opened up’ as a school and raised our own game, moving from a position where we were previously able to share practices internally to all staff to a position now where we do so on a much bigger canvas – not just locally but regionally and nationally – with exceptionally positive impact on practice in other schools (see sponsor academy application, teaching


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school application, collaborative fund evaluations for NCTL and School-to-School Support SEF). For example, following extensive support from a number of Piper Hill leaders to a special school requiring improvement, HMI monitoring visit has acknowledged that the quality of support has improved the provision to such an extent that the school has now been re-inspected and judged to be a good school in May 2014. XXX School - “The support is proving effective” refers specifically to the support commissioned from Piper Hill by the LA. (Ofsted RI monitoring report 15 March

2013).

THE NEXT STEPS TO SUSTAIN EXCELLENCE T:\Admin\SEF\SEF 2016\Piper Hill SDP 2016-17 master doc.docx (Whole School Improvement plan areas 2016-2017)

Further strengthen leadership and accountability at every level by: a. Continually developing strategic leadership at SLT level- this is very effective- two deputies have now gained headships. b. Continued development of the curriculum leaders’ impact by coaching and training on the role and recognition of it as part of the teacher standards in

performance management c. Further developing the effectiveness of TAs in leading learning in the classroom through training on the OTAP programme d. Continuing the target of gold standard teaching by regular training and coaching for teaching staff, in line with whole school or individual targets. e. Develop the structures learners programme of study so that it fully reflects our increasing ambitions around the outcomes for these .students

SECTION 4

GRADE DESCRIPTORS FOR THE QUALITY OF TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT

Suggested sub –

headings for text Outstanding (1) Good (2)

Requires

improvement (3)

Effectiveness of lesson

planning, organisation and

delivery, including

management of pupil

behaviour

Teachers plan lessons very effectively, making maximum use

of lesson time and coordinating lesson resources well. They

manage pupils’ behaviour highly effectively with clear rules

that are consistently enforced.

Teachers use effective planning to help pupils

learn well. Time in lessons is used productively.

Pupils focus well on their learning because

teachers reinforce expectations for conduct and

set clear tasks that challenge pupils.

Teaching, learning

and assessment are

not yet good.

Use of subject knowledge and Teachers demonstrate deep knowledge and understanding of Teachers use their secure subject knowledge to


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questioning to promote

effective learning

the subjects they teach. They use questioning highly effectively and demonstrate understanding of the ways pupils think about subject content. They identify pupils’ common misconceptions and act to ensure they are corrected.

plan learning that sustains pupils’ interest and

challenges their thinking. They use questioning

skilfully to probe pupils’ responses and they

reshape tasks and explanations so that pupils

better understand new concepts. Teachers tackle

misconceptions and build on pupils’ strengths.

Appropriateness of pace of

teaching, of levels of demand

made on pupils and support

for those falling behind

Teachers provide adequate time for practice to embed the

pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills securely. They

introduce subject content progressively and constantly

demand more of pupils. Teachers identify and support any

pupil who is falling behind, and enable almost all to catch up.

- Most pupils commit to improving their work.

They are given time to apply their knowledge and

understanding in new ways that stretches their

thinking in a wide range of subjects, and to

practise key skills.

- In lessons, teachers develop, consolidate and

deepen pupils’ knowledge, understanding and

skills. They give sufficient time for pupils to

review what they are learning and to develop

further. Teachers identify and support effectively

those pupils who start to fall behind and

intervene quickly to help them to improve their

learning.

Checking on pupils’

understanding in lessons and

effectiveness of teachers’

response

Teachers check pupils’ understanding systematically and

effectively in lessons, offering clearly directed and timely

support.

Effectiveness of feedback to

pupils and use made of

feedback by pupils

- Teachers provide pupils with incisive feedback, in line with

the school’s assessment policy, about what pupils can do to

improve their knowledge, understanding and skills.

- The pupils use this feedback effectively. Pupils are eager to

know how to improve their learning. They capitalise on

opportunities to use feedback, written or oral, to improve.

Teachers give pupils feedback in line with the

school’s assessment policy. Pupils use this

feedback well and they know what they need to

do to improve.

Appropriateness, level of

challenge in homework set

and impact on present and

future learning

Teachers set challenging homework, in line with the school’s

policy and as appropriate for the age and stage of pupils, that

consolidates learning, deepens understanding and prepares

pupils very well for work to come.

Teachers set homework, in line with the school’s

policy and as appropriate for the age and stage of

pupils, that consolidates learning and prepares

pupils well for work to come.


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Effective teaching of

communication and numeracy

skills across the curriculum,

including the impact of

phonics teaching on younger

children’s reading

Teachers embed reading, writing and communication and,

where appropriate, mathematics exceptionally well across the

curriculum, equipping all pupils with the necessary skills to

make progress. For younger children in particular, phonics

teaching is highly effective in enabling them to tackle

unfamiliar words.

Teachers develop pupils’ reading, writing and

communication, and where appropriate

mathematics, well across the curriculum. For

younger children in particular, the teaching of

phonics is effective in enabling them to tackle

unfamiliar words.

Consistency and persistence in

setting high expectations for

achievement, attitudes

towards learning and effort

Teachers are determined that pupils achieve well. They

encourage pupils to try hard, recognise their efforts and

ensure that pupils take pride in all aspects of their work.

Teachers have consistently high expectations of all pupils’

attitudes to learning.

Teachers expect and encourage all pupils to work

with positive attitudes so that they can apply

themselves and make strong progress.

Pupils’ response to challenge

and their curiosity and

enjoyment in learning in

lessons and beyond

Pupils love the challenge of learning and are resilient to

failure. They are curious, interested learners who seek out

and use new information to develop, consolidate and deepen

their knowledge, understanding and skills. They thrive in

lessons and also regularly take up opportunities to learn

through extra-curricular activities.

Pupils develop the capacity to learn from

mistakes and they become keen learners who

want to find out more. Most are willing to find

out new information to develop, consolidate and

deepen their knowledge, understanding and

skills, both in lessons and in extra-curricular

activities.

Accuracy, clarity and

timeliness of information to

parents/carers and quality of

support for them as co-

educators

Parents are provided with clear and timely information on how well their child is progressing and how well their child is doing in relation to the standards expected. Parents are given guidance about how to support their child to improve.

The school gi

The school gives parents accurate information about how well their child is progressing, how well their child is doing in relation to the standards expected, and what their child needs to do to improve.

The contribution of teaching

and teachers to securing

equality of opportunity, to

valuing of diversity and to

pupils’ preparation as a

member of a local, national

and global community

Teachers are quick to challenge stereotypes and the use of

derogatory language in lessons and around the school.

Resources and teaching strategies reflect and value the

diversity of pupils’ experiences and provide pupils with a

comprehensive understanding of people and communities

beyond their immediate experience.

Teachers challenge stereotypes and the use of derogatory language in lessons and around the school. Teachers promote equality of opportunity and diversity in teaching and learning.

4. HOW EFFECTIVE ARE TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT?


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“Leaders are very effective in rigorously monitoring the quality of teaching and learning recognizing the vital correlation between the quality of teaching and pupils` progress. They provide strong professional support and closely monitor the progress that every pupil is making. Their own high expectations are shared and embraced by all staff within the school. The introduction of developmental discussions following lesson observations has transformed practice enabling staff to reflect and decide the way to teach through learning conversations through which the teacher whose lessons was observed reflects on his/her teaching and its effect on learning and the impact this has on outcomes for pupils.” QA report 2016

“Teaching is typically outstanding and never less than good. Lessons are characterised by carefully planned activities, pitched at just the right level

and very well-deployed experienced teaching assistants.” Ofsted March 2013

Teaching at Piper Hill stands out because of its exceptional impact on pupils' progress and quality of learning (see previous section). Quality of

teaching continuously improves – there is a never-ending professional and open conversation with regard to learning though refining teaching,

seeking the best possible match with pupils' needs and capitalising on, and constantly extending, opportunities for learning.

The school’s pupil progress tracking document is exceptionally robust, including rigorous internal and external moderation………The school is meticulous in finding out exactly what makes a difference to students` learning; all staff are very clear of their contribution to the processes. The school has a very sound rationale for the basis upon which judgements are made regarding pupil progress. In English at the end of the 2015-2016 academic year, over 80% of pupils made outstanding progress overall, with the rest making good progress. One child, with very complex medical needs is making satisfactory progress. In mathematics, 81% of pupils are making outstanding progress in maths overall, with 21% making good progress and the remainder making satisfactory progress. The latter group of pupils will be picked up through their progress targets and intervention strategies. Pupil progress closely correlates to the quality of teaching: lesson observations indicate that 82% of teaching is outstanding with nothing less than good.” QA report September 2016.


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The quality of teaching improves each year as expectation in terms of outcomes increase.


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During the March 2013 Ofsted inspection, 83% of lessons were judged outstanding in terms of the impact that the teaching made in promoting outstanding

achievement. This figure is broadly consistent, year-on-year, with our internal quality assurance judgements on teaching effectiveness, where, typically between

70-80% of lessons are rated as providing outstanding teaching.

“The leadership of teaching and learning is exemplary. Senior leaders` judgements were in line with those of the consultant and demonstrated a high level of

understanding of the key features of outstanding teaching and learning. The outstanding teaching promotes outstanding learning and progress throughout the

school.” QA report July 2016

The figures above vary year-on-year, to a degree, because teachers new to Piper Hill in their early years of teaching are often graded as good in the first instance

but make rapid improvements through individualised training packages. Our judgements on teaching effectiveness are always carefully triangulated to take

account not just of effectiveness observed within a particular teaching session but also of pupil progress data over the longer term. Robust moderated

programmes of joint lesson observations and judgements run each year, using internal and external moderation processes e.g. Joint observations with SLT from

good mainstream high schools and Piper Hill SLT.

EFFECTIVENESS OF LESSON PLANNING, ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY, INCLUDING MANAGEMENT OF PUPIL BEHAVIOUR

Exceptionally high expectations placed on pupils, combined with a high degree of rigour and attention to detail in planning, lead to correspondingly exceptional

levels of challenge, engagement and progress for pupils. Data analysis indicates that over 80% of children are making outstanding progress, taking account of

national progression guidance and data sets, across all groups and key stages, regardless of gender, ethnicity, and eligibility for FSM, EAL and LAC status. Lesson

observation indicates that staff take 'calculated risks', rather than playing safe, so that both content and teaching approaches are continually varied.

Staff are exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable in selecting, developing, adapting and using a wide range of learning resources, lo-tech and hi-tech. Recent computing resources have further enhanced curriculum delivery and levels of pupil engagement. The teachers' expert knowledge of pupils' learning needs and interests is put to excellent use to select, adapt and use the resource that will promote the best possible engagement. Lesson observation highlights many instances of exceptionally effective use of learning resources. These include a post-16 experiential group where pupils were using switches enthusiastically to develop their understanding of cause and effect. By careful research, plus some elements of trial, the teacher had developed a range of resources, personal and enjoyable for each pupil (e.g. a DVD clip of a football match or a sound clip of a favourite pop star) triggered by the use of the switch. Assessment information showed that responses had increased over half a term, giving the student increased control over their own environment. High levels of technical support, very effective training, an effective infrastructure and strong mutual team support mean that staff are confident in the regular use of technology, willing to innovate and adept at harnessing the technology to create the most effective learning environment for our pupils.


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Staff make very effective use of the planned, built environment to individually match the latter to student needs, e.g. providing distraction-free spaces, outside areas or sensory resource bases and specialist rooms, linking these kinds of choices of environment to pupils' individual learning profiles.

Teaching takes account very effectively of the needs of the pupils in the groups. For example in 2016 the ASC successful accreditation reported:

The positive outcomes achieved for pupils

The creation of an autism-friendly school environment

The approach to pupil participation

The positive links established with families

The positive, proactive and effective approach to behaviour support

“Lessons are designed to be practical and fun. Students also respond exceptionally well to teachers’ high expectations of what can be achieved.” Ofsted

inspection report March 2013

USE OF SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE AND QUESTIONING TO PROMOTE EFFECTIVE LEARNING

Through recent work in the school improvement plan, staff's knowledge of pupils' individual learning needs, and the teaching strategies required for different groups, has been even further enhanced, from an already high baseline. This work has involved class teams collaborating in putting together a clear profile of pupils' preferred learning strategies and environments. This profile now draws on additional information from individual EHCPs. By sharing this profile across all staff teaching a particular pupil, in lessons, clubs and tutor times, this is leading to learning that is personalised to an even greater extent and depth. Work towards autism accreditation has heightened staff skills, for example, individual students have sensory integration programmes. “Teachers’ subject knowledge is impressive and their assessment of each individual student’s ability is highly effective. This enables lessons to move along at just

the right pace for students to make the best possible progress in the time available.” Ofsted inspection report March 2013

Teachers' high levels of professional and subject knowledge and expertise mean that they are very well placed to implement national initiatives, such as supporting and challenging mainstream schools in putting in place robust and challenging assessment and target-setting procedures for pupils with SEN. Recent lesson observations indicate that pupils are learning more independently because of the changes in teaching methods. Success Criteria has enabled pupils to more clearly understand the next steps in their learning. Highly skilled use of questioning is another key feature of teachers’ professional knowledge and expertise. This was illustrated in an FE food technology lesson where the teacher used differentiated questioning, supported by signs and symbols, to check prior learning and make adaptations to the main activity. As a result, the learning was sharply focused on the specific hygiene and health and safety techniques which required further attention. APPROPRIATENESS OF PACE OF TEACHING, OF LEVELS OF DEMAND MADE ON PUPILS AND SUPPORT FOR THOSE FALLING BEHIND


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Lesson observations in 2016 show that pace of teaching within and across lessons is highly appropriate and ensures that all pupils make outstanding progress. Teachers and other adults in the classroom are highly skilled in ensuring appropriate levels of demand and challenge for each individual.

Within lessons, teachers are highly skilled in identifying and addressing any student misconceptions through a range of approaches, e.g. deployment of class staff, considerations around the organisation of the environment and highly personalised differentiation.

Robust monitoring of student progress identifies any student who is making less than outstanding progress. Pupil progress meetings focus on such pupils and on planning promptly the most appropriate interventions. These are then carefully monitored to assess the impact and to check that the student is on track.

CHECKING ON PUPILS’ UNDERSTANDING IN LESSONS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF TEACHERS’ RESPONSE

Lesson observation shows that staff draw on assessment information they gather in the course of lessons, e.g. pupil responses to questions or adult intervention or other forms of response, to steer and develop their teaching over the course of a lesson. This is illustrated by an FE PHSE lesson where the teacher switched to using gestural prompts to support questioning because she had observed that the pupil was not responding to verbal questioning alone.

Staff are skilled in stepping in at any point during a lesson on the basis of planned mini-plenaries which systematically check students’ understanding and help identify the next steps, ensuring appropriate challenge, reinforcement and support for learning.

EFFECTIVENESS OF FEEDBACK TO PUPILS AND USE MADE OF FEEDBACK BY PUPILS

As a school, we maintain meticulous data at a macro and micro level in order to track and monitor pupils progress. Outcomes of rigorous data analysis and

assessment are used effectively to inform very specific targeted teaching, impacting on better teaching and learning. Trend analysis of data is difficult to judge

alone due to the small data sets, but taking into account other evidence e.g. degree of learning difficulty, rate of progress and knowledge of the pupil, a more

detailed picture is gained. Teacher feedback to pupils follows closely the schools policy and contributes effectively to improvements in pupil learning. Adults use a

wide range of strategies, including verbal written and pictorial communication to acknowledge pupil successes and where they could do better. Where appropriate

pupils are helped to understand what they can do to improve next time. This contributes to many pupils widening their learning.

“Senior leaders recognise that in order to sustain the school’s outstanding status and to build effectively on its outstanding performance they must “drill down”

to micro levels of analysis. This is powerfully illustrated by its forensic analysis of data that is used to great effect. The increased accountability in respect of

teaching and learning, required of the assistant headteachers has contributed to a very powerful distributive leadership model representing a highly skilled

group of confident professionals and likely future leaders. In the view of the consultant this (system for tracking progress) is the most sophisticated, bespoke

system developed in any special school in her experience, reflecting an outstanding piece of work developed and refined over a number of years”

QA visit September 2014

We constantly challenge ourselves to refine and develop our assessment practice; this will always be a key area for us in which we invest much time and effort. Further training has been provided for all teachers and HLTAs that has 'raised the bar' in terms of expectations and aspirations for our students. The above has been linked to the development of a new, more detailed data management system that allows pupil tracking and comparisons within P-levels and NC levels. The school continues to build up its capacity to benchmark the progress of our pupils against similar pupils nationally.


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Lesson observations in 2015/2016 indicate that teachers are confident in levelling and accurate in their predictions; this is carefully moderated within school and in collaboration with other schools in Greater Manchester. School improvement focus on moderation and levelling has led to an exceptionally high level of consistency in assessment of all subjects and clear guidance for staff on the prerequisites for accurate assessment and moderation. Teaching assistants attend training to support skills and knowledge in AfL. Lesson observations confirm that all TAs are highly competent in recording and assessing pupils on a day to day basis under the direction of a teacher. The shared in depth knowledge of each pupil enables the highly skilled teaching assistants to work extremely effectively, skilfully intervening as necessary while encouraging pupils to work as independently as possible. Teachers and teaching assistants work seamlessly together to ensure that learning opportunities are not missed. Therapists are embraced as part of the teamwork approach. Transition planning, based on rigorous and accurate assessment, and between all the key stages is very well developed. We know this because there are few dips in attainment as pupils move between classes and key stages. Accurate and comprehensive assessment information plays an important part in the process of securing the best possible post-school placement. This information is well used by staff, parents/carers and the pupils themselves to inform their choices, by Careers Service and FE colleges. No pupils are NEET on leaving school and this has been the case for the last 10 years. We make good use of the assessment information from our partner primary schools and have detailed transition programmes that include; attending Y6 annual reviews, visits to Piper Hill from parents and pupils, discussion with primary staff and Piper Hill teachers spending time observing pupils in their primary school. One of the partner primaries, through specialist school partnership work with Piper Hill, has now adopted our data management system to track progress of pupils working up to P3. This enables us to draw on detailed, useable data that maps directly on to our own assessment processes, supporting smooth transition, progression and continuity. Individual targets and key skills are set for pupils' in all curriculum areas and are reviewed at least termly. All pupil information is stored on the school's network. Progress for all pupils is tracked in minute detail using pupils' own work, pupil self-assessment, and teacher and other staff assessment against IEPS (underpinned by Pupil Learning Profiles, targeted key skills and PLTS), and behaviour intervention plans (BIPs) “Assessments and monitoring of pupils’ progress and learning are a refined science, analysis being at a microscopic level. Teaching is exceptional, constant and

effective underpinned by frequent comprehensive professional development opportunities for teachers and teaching assistants.” QA professional March 2015

On a termly basis, progress data is collected for all subjects. The school’s assessment model has been continually developed and refined over a decade, with annual improvements. Analysis is used to inform school improvement planning, e.g. identifying focuses on subjects or aspects of subjects. This high quality, up-to-date, detailed information enables us to respond and intervene more effectively for individual pupils, for teaching and pupil groups, as well as in relation to whole-school analyses. It also enables us to compare our progress with other schools nationally.


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Evidence for pupils' progress includes individual pupils’ work files and books, progress files, individual targets and evaluations, staff assessment records, annual reports, displays in the classroom and around school, video, photographs and power point presentations developed by pupils and staff and by lesson observation. Students whose progress is less strong are identified through our outstanding assessment systems that promptly pinpoint the need for intervention. Subsequent progress is then tracked through systematic pupil progress meetings that are closely linked to individual teachers’ and TAs 3 and 4s’ performance management objectives. Students are engaged in their own target setting and assessment of these targets on at least a termly basis in every curriculum area. Many students in independent groups can recall their learning targets from day to day and week to week in the different curriculum areas and work hard, over a term, to meet them. The student books and annotation labels have been specially developed for this process and are part of teacher performance management. Students engage with staff in annotating and marking their own work on a daily basis and identifying what their next steps of learning are, and checking that they have used the feedback to improve their next piece of work. As a result of focused CPD, students' competence in assessing their own performance and that of their peers has continuously improved - this is backed up by a range of evidence from lesson observation and by staff sharing of good practice through work book scrutiny. Teachers use a clear framework to record progress towards targets, including the level of support a child receives. APPROPRIATENESS, LEVEL OF CHALLENGE IN HOMEWORK SET AND IMPACT ON PRESENT AND FUTURE LEARNING Work is followed up at home as appropriate and pupils’ IEP and key skills for learning targets, including mathematics and communication, are shared with parents at the beginning of each school year, to support parent and carer input into the educational development in the home. The partnership is reinforced by drawing on natural opportunities such as parent/carer days, where advice, guidance and take-away materials are made available which help parents support learning at home, e.g. reading at home, letters and sounds. For some children, at the start of each term parents are provided with topic information for the term, with encouragement to link learning to everyday activities at home. For other children, more traditional homework is set that supports school-based learning. ..\..\..\Mutual\Policies\Homework.docx The homework offer ensures that all pupils that have homework has been carefully differentiated to support their work in school. EFFECTIVE TEACHING OF COMMUNICATION AND NUMERACY SKILLS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM, INCLUDING THE IMPACT OF PHONICS TEACHING ON CHILDREN’S READING Lesson observation, analysis of data and individual pupil progress (see case studies) show that the teaching of these key skills is exceptional. Individualised targets for these key areas are used throughout all lessons in school to maximise progress. Student targets are visible in classrooms for reading, writing, speaking and listening and mathematics. The targets are always presented in a way that students can access, with carefully thought-out, appropriate support provided, e.g. symbol, object of reference. All the staff and students in a particular classroom are therefore clear about the targets and sharply focused on them in terms of the individual learning paths they know they need to follow. Teachers are also highly effective in incorporating these individual targets into different subject lessons, e.g. in science, the teacher will develop reading using these targets in association with the science resources. All staff have undergone high quality training to support the development of literacy across the curriculum, e.g. phonics, handwriting and motor skills. Most recently (spring 2016), an AHT has developed an assessment and progress model in writing from P8 and above, breaking down previously broad targets into small, achievable, clearly defined progression steps. This refined model is already leading to SMARTer individual pupil targets in writing for this higher achieving group of students, is accessible to the students


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themselves and is providing clearer evidence for progression through higher levels. An innovative whole-school calculation policy ensures consistency of delivery across all key stages. We have used pupil premium grant to address small variations in attainment in literacy and numeracy to a very high level of success. Individual pupils are also targeted as appropriate through LAC funding and this again has been successful in closing the gap. Any degree of underperformance is addressed through performance management and pupil progress meetings.

CONSISTENCY AND PERSISTENCE IN SETTING HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ACHIEVEMENT, ATTITUDES TOWARDS LEARNING AND EFFORT Lesson observations and learning walks in 2016 clearly show that high levels of engagement and effort are secured consistently by staff across all groups in the school. Students work hard, want to do their very best and show pride in sharing their work with others. Leaders ensure consistency across all groups on high expectations for achievement and effort through structured meetings, role modelling, reinforcement and constant dialogue with teachers. TARGETED SUPPORT BY TEAMS OF ADULTS The school ethos is extremely effective in promoting team work (See Section 5). Teachers and other adults plan meticulously the roles within lessons, so that staff resources are maximised to support the outstanding progress of pupils. Useful illustrations of this, drawn from lesson observations, include a KS3/4 lesson where supported learners were enabled to maximise their independence because the TAs, under the direction of the teacher, were very carefully deployed and exceptionally tightly focused on their assigned role. Their level of skill and the quality of their relationships with pupils meant that high quality provision is consistently available in the classroom from all members of the staff team. Teachers and HLTAs have recently (February 2015) undergone high quality, in-house training with regard to Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants (MITA). The next round of lesson observations will assess the impact of the training, particularly in relation to the extent to which support promotes independent learning and the extent to which TAs make well-informed judgements around the right level of intervention. Additional training on The OLIVI Outstanding Teaching Assistant Programme through a rolling programme is given to all TAs as part of the Trust offer.

“Teachers and support staff are very experienced to know when to step in and support learning and when to give students time and space to work things out for

themselves. This supports the development of students’ independence exceptionally well.” Ofsted inspection report March 2013

PUPILS’ RESPONSE TO CHALLENGE AND THEIR CURIOSITY AND ENJOYMENT IN LEARNING IN LESSONS AND BEYOND

Pupils typically display highly positive and enthusiastic responses to well-structured challenges in the teaching we provide. They are curious and interested in their lessons, e.g. in a KS4 science lesson pupils were devising with great enthusiasm fair tests around magnetism, were keen to challenge and question each other’s reasons and hypotheses and were leading their own learning for the next lesson.

All students engage in extra-curricular activities that develop their enjoyment in learning beyond lessons. They display the same enthusiasm and levels of curiosity in these sessions as in taught lessons. Illustrations of first-rate attitudes towards extra-curricular learning include The Song and Sign Club where students continue to develop their communication skills or the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme where students focus on certain IEP targets, such as team work. A PE club targets students whose performance needs further development.


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ACCURACY, CLARITY AND TIMELINESS OF INFORMATION TO PARENTS/CARERS AND QUALITY OF SUPPORT FOR THEM AS CO-EDUCATORS The school constantly explores new ways to engage parents in the learning and development of their child. The school goes to exceptional lengths to develop relationships with parents and carers that will support both pupils' learning and personal development, e.g. including workshops on how to access parent voice. The majority of our families could be described as 'hard to reach' because the postcode areas are indicators of the high levels of social deprivation within our catchment area. Over half the school has free school meals, for example, and four students are LAC. We therefore look at a variety of ways to find the ones most suitable, e.g. telephoning parents who find it hard to read the home-school book, or making personal visits to homes to help parents support their children on key issues, such as attendance or participation in school residentials. Pupils' progress is clearly reported verbally, as well as more formally in writing, on a termly basis. We also hold many fun events in school to help engage parents whose own experience of schooling may have been negative, e.g. showing parents films made by the children as part of Projects, coffee mornings with a range of themes or breakfast clubs for parents before assemblies. In 2014, a new, highly successful innovation has been focusing on healthy eating and lifestyles, regularly attracting over 50 parents and siblings on a weekly basis after school. As a result, many parents who previously had found it difficult to engage with the school now feel at home are making friendship groups within their community. Systems for sharing pupil progress with parents/carers are well established and very effective, through the Annual Review (autumn term), Parents Day (spring term), and the annual report (summer term). There is a productive two-way dialogue with parents and carers that is very helpful in shaping individual, highly appropriate IEP targets. Reports and examples of pupils' work in core subjects are sent home at the end of each term. We will also continue to develop pupil and parents' workshops on a variety of requested activities with a different emphasis than on open day. Feedback from parents on workshops that we have provided is always positive. The range has included DLA, post-school placements, careers, "Getting a Life" project, curriculum-linked courses, parenting skills in relation to behaviours for learning. Much use is made of photographic and annotated assessments and feedback loops for progress files and annual reports. Parents have reported that this works well (parents' questionnaire on reporting).

THE CONTRIBUTION OF TEACHING AND TEACHERS TO SECURING EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, TO VALUING OF DIVERSITY AND TO PUPILS’ PREPARATION AS A

MEMBER OF A LOCAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITY

The teachers are effective in promoting pupils Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development through a wide range of personalised learning opportunities which

take account of cultural diversity and social needs. As a result, all groups perform equally well and make outstanding progress. A focus in 20146for pupil premium

in raising attainment more quickly in using and applying has resulted in very high levels of progress across all access groups. Teaching of British values has been

carefully mapped into the school’s provision in citizenship, careers, PHSE and in FE our “Fantastic Futures” offer, which ensures highly effective, full coverage of

this area.


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THE NEXT STEPS TO SUSTAIN EXCELLENCE

SDP Priority 1:

To ensure that the quality of teaching and learning is judged to be outstanding in 80% of lessons and nothing less than good so that the rates of pupil progress in English, maths and science are at least 80% outstanding and nothing less than good.

RE will be a focus curriculum area (2016-2017 rolling programme focus). A key objective is to up-skill several teachers of RE and to further develop team leadership in RE, developing the curriculum and learning outcomes

Technology will be a focus curriculum area (2016-2017 rolling programme focus). A key objective is to up-skill several teachers of Technology and to further develop team leadership, developing the curriculum.


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SECTION FIVE

GRADE DESCRIPTORS FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, BEHAVIOUR AND WELFARE

Suggested sub –

headings for text Outstanding (1) Good (2) Requires improvement (3)

Pupil attitudes towards learning and

school and how they affect progress

and achievement

Pupils are confident, self-assured learners. Their excellent attitudes to learning have a strong, positive impact on their progress. They are proud of their achievements and of their school.

Pupils are confident and self-assured. They

take pride in their work, their school and

their appearance.

Pupils’ attitudes to all aspects of their

learning are consistently positive. These

positive attitudes have a good impact on

the progress they make.

Pupils are punctual and prepared for lessons. They bring the right equipment and are ready to learn.

Pupils’ personal development and welfare are not yet good and/or behaviour in the school is not yet good.

Pupils are safe and they feel safe.

Respect for others’ ideas and views Pupils discuss and debate issues in a considered way, showing respect for others’ ideas and points of view.

Pupils show respect for others’ ideas and views.

Quality of careers guidance and the

use of it made by pupils

In secondary schools, high quality, impartial careers guidance helps pupils to make informed choices about which courses suit their academic needs and aspirations. They are prepared for the next stage of their education, employment, self-employment or training.

In secondary schools, pupils use impartial careers guidance to make choices about the next stage of their education, employment, self-employment or training.


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Pupils’ understanding of how

behaviours and attitudes affect

success in future life

Pupils understand how their education equips them with the behaviours and attitudes necessary for success in their next stage of education, training or employment and for their adult life.

Attendance Pupils value their education and rarely miss a day at school. No groups of pupils are disadvantaged by low attendance. The attendance of pupils who have previously had exceptionally high rates of absence is rising quickly towards the national average.

Pupils value their education. Few are absent or persistently absent. No groups of pupils are disadvantaged by low attendance. The attendance of pupils who have previously had exceptionally high rates of absence is showing marked and sustained improvement.

Conduct in lessons and throughout

the school day, including the

orderliness of the school

environment

Pupils’ impeccable conduct reflects the school’s effective strategies to promote high standards of behaviour. Pupils are self-disciplined. Incidences of low-level disruption are extremely rare.

The school is an orderly environment. Pupils

respond quickly to instructions and requests

from staff, allowing lessons to flow

smoothly and without interruption. Low-

level disruption is rare.

Pupils conduct themselves well throughout the day, including at lunchtimes.

Success in improving, or maintaining

excellent standards in, behaviour

For individuals or groups with particular needs, there is sustained improvement in pupils’ behaviour. Where standards of behaviour were already excellent, they have been maintained.

Pupils’ good conduct reflects the school’s efforts to promote high standards. There are marked improvements in behaviour for individuals or groups with particular behavioural needs.


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Pupils’ commitment to tackle bullying

and effectiveness of the school’s

responses to bullying or discrimination

Pupils work hard with the school to prevent all forms of bullying, including online bullying and prejudice-based bullying. Staff and pupils deal effectively with the very rare instances of bullying behaviour and/or use of derogatory or aggressive language.

Pupils work well with the school to tackle and prevent the rare occurrences of bullying. Teachers and other adults promote clear

messages about the impact of bullying and

prejudiced behaviour on pupils’ well-being.

Teachers and other adults are quick to tackle the rare use of derogatory or aggressive language and always challenge stereotyping.

Perceptions and actual levels of safety

in school

Provision for teaching around safety,

health and well-being

Levels of pupil understanding with

The school’s open culture actively

promotes all aspects of pupils’

welfare. Pupils are safe and feel

safe at all times. They understand

how to keep themselves and others

safe in different situations and

settings. They trust leaders to take

rapid and appropriate action to

resolve any concerns they have.

The school’s open culture promotes all aspects of pupils’ welfare. Pupils are safe and feel safe. They have opportunities to learn how to keep themselves safe. They enjoy learning about how to stay healthy and about emotional and mental health, safe and positive relationships and how to prevent misuse of technology.

Parents, staff and pupils have no well-founded concerns about personal development, behaviour and welfare.

Pupils can explain accurately and confidently

how to keep themselves healthy. They make

informed choices about healthy eating,

fitness and their emotional and mental well-

being. They have an age-appropriate

understanding of healthy relationships and


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regard to staying healthy, keeping safe

and managing risk

are confident in staying safe from abuse and

exploitation

Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe online and of the dangers of inappropriate use of mobile technology and social networking sites.

Impact of the school’s work on pupils’

SMSC development on their

preparation for responsible adulthood

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development equips them to be thoughtful,

caring and active citizens in school and in

wider society.

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development ensures that they are

prepared to be reflective about and

responsible for their actions as good

citizens.


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5. HOW GOOD ARE PROVISION AND OUTCOMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S PERSONAL

DEVELOPMENT, BEHAVIOUR AND WELFARE?

BEHAVIOUR AND SAFETY

“Students behave exceptionally well and their excellent attitudes to learning are a significant factor in the outstanding progress they make in their lessons.

Students are proud of their school and as a result, attendance is high. It is very clear why students ‘do not want to miss a single day’. School records are

meticulously kept and reviewed regularly. These show that students’ behaviour is excellent.” Ofsted report March 2013

A whole school external safeguarding review was commissioned and led by an OFSTED inspector as a consultant.

“The review identified strengths and areas of good and exemplary practice and found that safeguarding of students and staff lies at the very heart of everything the school tries to do. The headteacher is a National Leader of Education and, along with the assistant headteacher responsible for safeguarding, visits other special schools to undertake reviews on safeguarding and to train staff on exemplary child protection and safeguarding practice. There are very few recommendations to improve safeguarding arrangements and the reviewer is of the opinion that safeguarding and child protection policies and practice are as good if not better than he has ever seen. Indeed, so much of the school’s practice would be regarded as exemplary by Ofsted. (Safeguarding in Schools. Best Practice 2011)” External Safeguarding Review - March 2015 “As reported in previous visits the school continues to maintain its rigorous procedures for monitoring attendance and following up absences going to extra

ordinary lengths to ensure pupils’ regular attendance in school.” School Improvement Partner visit July 2016

PUPIL ATTITUDES TOWARDS LEARNING AND SCHOOL AND HOW THEY AFFECT PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT

There is a high level of student ownership and understanding of codes of behaviour and conduct. For example, within tutor groups, students contribute to the drawing up of class rules. The school council played a key role in developing a code of conduct for students, as an integral part of our behaviour and discipline policy. It uses this code of conduct in all of its meetings, regularly reinforcing high standards of behaviour for others throughout the school, e.g. the chair was observed at a recent meeting encouraging school council members to act as role models for other students in the school community. Because students are very clear about staff expectations for high standards of behaviour in lessons and around school, they rarely let themselves down and respond to any additional guidance on behaviour from staff and their peers with minimal prompting. Several students receive sensitive, well planned additional support to develop the use of appropriate language over time. Exemplary behaviour promotes an atmosphere of calmness and security that ensures that learning, engagement and participation are at the highest levels.


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RESPECT FOR OTHERS’ IDEAS AND VIEWS

The fundamental British values of tolerance and respect are at the heart of the school and permeate every aspect of its work. By the time pupils leave school they are

well on their way to developing into well-rounded young people who are able to make a significant contribution to society. Respect for self and others is integral to

the life of the school. Listening to others and respecting their views is constantly modelled by adults in lessons and in everyday school situations. Equally, students

have many opportunities throughout the school day to develop and rehearse these skills and attitudes. This aspect of students’ personal development is further

strengthened within key aspects of the curriculum, particularly PHSE, RE and Citizenship, and through specific IEP targets, such as working with others.

The Student Council is a further important vehicle for reinforcing this ethos. This is a very influential way for the promotion of student voice.

QUALITY OF CAREERS GUIDANCE AND THE USE OF IT MADE BY PUPILS IN KS3 AND KS4

Students benefit from a high quality programme of study that has been developed from Year 7 onwards. This careers education programme draws on strong

community links, e.g. community businesses took part in a World of Work Day which provided the opportunity for students to experience simulated work placements.

In addition, KS4 students receive high quality, independent careers advice, alongside their parents/carers, as part of their pupil-centred EHC planning entitlement.

FE students provide role models for pupils in lower school, taking on in-school work placements as teaching assistants, office or site staff.

PUPILS’ UNDERSTANDING OF HOW BEHAVIOURS AND ATTITUDES AFFECT SUCCESS IN FUTURE LIFE

We know through discussions and dialogue with students that they develop a sound understanding of how behaviour and attitudes will affect their future lives.

The Fantastic Futures curriculum develops highly successfully pupils’ understanding of appropriate behaviours in a range of different situations, e.g. the use of

appropriate language, punctuality, attendance, dress and how to keep safe in face-to-face situations and when using social media sites.

ATTENDANCE

We as a school are vigilant in pursing attendance on a daily basis and retain meticulous records. The importance of good attendance is given a high profile in the school; a long-standing incentive system is in place whereby pupils and parents can achieve awards for differing levels of attendance. Work with individual families regarding attendance has in many cases improved the relationships and has helped pupils to understand that if they don't attend school, they won't learn. “Overall attendance is improving every year and is now high compared with the national average. The vast majority of pupils are punctual to their lessons.” Ofsted

inspection report March 2013

Attendance is currently above the national average for similar schools at 92%; it is consistently high for all groups. We have the best attendance of Manchester special schools. Attendance is consistently high across all key stages. Attendance for Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils to for 2015-2016 was 92%. The school has set its key attendance target at 95%.


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The school continues to strengthen its strategies to ensure that pupils attend well. Some students’ attendance is adversely affected by their medical conditions. Administrative staff are responsible for first day calling and from there on absence is monitored closely; the school maintains a daily diary of attendance. Weekly teachers meetings include analysis of data and discussion around individual concerns. Teachers are expected to be accountable for pupils and to report on the strategies they are using to encourage good attendance. Strengthening relationships between home and school is a key factor in improving attendance; the school adopts a much personalised approach”. QA review September 2014 ‘Piper Hill is a warm and inviting school to all who cross the threshold. The Head and staff embrace a whole-school approach and ownership of attendance. This is

reflected in the rigorous and excellent practice and routines to reduce persistent absence and improve and encourage good attendance habits in the students. These

practices are fully embedded and highly effective. The school gives clear reinforcement about the expectations concerning behaviour and attendance as evidence

through the excellent relationships between staff and pupils, and the stimulating displays in all learning environments’ National Strategies Deep Dive report 2011

CONDUCT IN LESSONS AND THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY, INCLUDING THE ORDERLINESS OF THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT On occasion there are behavioural incidents because of the nature of our students and the high number of pupils with complex learning difficulties, particularly those in our exceptional categories, but these are outstandingly well managed. This was observed on a SIP visit in 2014. As a result, the impact of any inappropriate behaviour on pupils' learning is minimal. Our lesson observations, our daily monitoring walks around school and our analysis of behavioural incidents provide further back-up for this judgement. We have a very strong behaviour team that impacts positively on the capacity of staff to manage behaviour. All staff are accountable and responsible for managing student behaviour. Students show high levels of respect towards the school environment. This is reflected in the excellent state of the school building and fabric, as well as in the absence of graffiti and litter.

SUCCESS IN IMPROVING, OR MAINTAINING EXCELLENT STANDARDS IN, BEHAVIOUR Securing outstanding behaviour for learning is at the heart of the school's inclusive ethos. There is a small minority - around one third - of pupils with recognised challenging behaviours whose learning is nonetheless exemplary, with little, if any, adverse impact on their peers' learning. Lesson observations across all access groups show very high levels of engagement in learning. The behaviour management team is very effective and the strategies are becoming more and more embedded, so that all staff are highly competent behaviour managers. Behaviour management is not a 'one size fits all' approach, e.g. students are supported to develop the capacity to manage their own behaviour, through a series of individualised interventions and rewards. Students who are identified for mentoring support for behaviour have weekly, timetabled sessions to help them analyse and manage their own behaviour, both at school and when facing challenging situations outside school, e.g. FE and work placements. All staff are now competent in implementing strategies to improve behaviour as a result of high quality training on functionality of behaviours and on developing individualised behaviour profiles. In addition, recent training has developed staff resilience in dealing with inappropriate behaviours and language.


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All staff are trained in all areas of student safety including high levels of medical need. The school considers very carefully the learning needs of students and the environment to ensure all students can engage to the highest level, e.g. all independent learning classrooms now have a focused, low-distraction learning wall and sensory profiles are included in an individual student’s learning profile. Through daily monitoring walks around the school, lesson observations and analysis of behavioural incidents the school has a very strong evidence base upon which

to base its judgements. The highly skilled behaviour team meets weekly to support the management for behaviour and has robust practices in place. Staff training is

regularly reviewed and updated. The school environment enables all students to be managed very well and that impact on the learning of others is minimal. Over

time all students improve their behaviours so that progress in all areas of their learning is made.

PUPILS’ COMMITMENT TO TACKLE BULLYING AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SCHOOL’S RESPONSES TO BULLYING OR DISCRIMINATION

“Students are well informed about how to keep themselves safe and knowledgeable about all types of bullying.” Ofsted inspection report March 2013

- Our highly trained, multi-disciplinary safeguarding team and all staff ensure that the school is responsive to the individual needs of our most vulnerable students and

robust processes are in place to keep them safe. The CPOM system has ensured a high level of effectiveness of recording and reporting of any incidents of concern

and a quick response and referral to appropriate agencies. Recent, whole-staff training has included FGM, forced marriage and radicalisation/extremism (PREVENT

training)

PERCEPTIONS AND ACTUAL LEVELS OF SAFETY IN SCHOOL

“Parents agree that their children are happy to attend school and are kept safe.” Ofsted inspection report March 2013

Insert student views on being safe in and around school 90% of the 70% of parents and carers who replied on the school questionnaire in 2016 agreed strongly that their child felt very safe/they felt their child was very safe

(the other 10% agreed they felt safe). Behaviour records show that behaviours are very well managed, safely and effectively. Records of the incidence and impact of individual students’ more challenging

behaviours show a reducing trend over time for all such students.

Accident records are accurate, reviewed regularly and testify to high levels of safety.

Any indication of escalating unsafe behaviour is rapidly identified through such reviews and addressed by the behaviour team in school.

PROVISION FOR TEACHING AROUND SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

- We recognise that our students have particular vulnerabilities; because of this, we maintain a very high focus on developing safety skills in all areas of life. Students

are supported in their understanding of danger and how to manage risk successfully.

- Students’ understanding of safety is well developed across the curriculum (e.g. PSHE, technology, PE, science, computing). For example, students learn important


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messages with regard to E-safety as an integral part of the computing curriculum. Some students have individual programmes around the development of keeping

safe while using social networking sites. Families and students work with the school on this important aspect of E-safety.

- PSHE lessons have modules of work that focus amongst a wide range of issues on road safety, substance misuse, sexual health, safety around water, hygiene safety

and ‘stranger danger’. As a result, students’ understanding through individual, targeted learning is maximised.

LEVELS OF PUPIL UNDERSTANDING WITH REGARD TO STAYING HEALTHY, KEEPING SAFE AND MANAGING RISK

Pupils demonstrate high levels of understanding, consistent with their levels of learning. We know this through observing their behaviours, monitoring outcomes from

the teaching of PHSE, science, PE, technologies, educational visits and computing and through dialogue with the students themselves.

IMPACT OF THE SCHOOL’S WORK ON PUPILS’ SMSC DEVELOPMENT ON THEIR PREPARATION FOR RESPONSIBLE ADULTHOOD

“The school goes more than the extra mile to ensure students have a happy and secure time at school……..Throughout the school, students’ spiritual, moral, social and

cultural development is excellent.” Ofsted inspection report March 2013

Through the Citizenship curriculum and SEAL sessions in tutor time students have a strong understanding of the notion of respecting each others’ diversity and their

needs. Elected student bodies such as the Rights Respecting Council (linked to our UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award) and the Eco Council (British Horticultural

Society) are further, highly productive vehicles for students to develop their thinking and actions with regard to significant local, national and global issues, such as

human rights and environmental issues.

Our students have an excellent knowledge of how to include their peers in a range of activities, e.g. Independent Learners successfully include a PMLD student

appropriately in their lessons. They know they have to approach her closely before she will respond. The School Council have taken a proactive approach to anti-

bullying including participation in a poster campaign with other mainstream high schools. When students have behaved inappropriately they are given the

opportunity to understand the impact of their challenges on other students.

THE NEXT STEPS TO SUSTAIN EXCELLENCE

1 Ensure pupil attendance is at 95% by:

Continuing the robust but personalised strategies to secure high levels of attendance.

2 Ensuring that behaviour and safeguarding including child protection are delivered to the highest levels and comply with national requirements and expectations by:

further developing the behaviour recording and analysis systems, using ICT, and enhancing the capacity of the behaviour management team to support skill

development for staff at all levels and new staff.

Ensuring compliance with all latest regulations, supported by appropriate training.

External health and safety audit to ensure highest standards are sustained.


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SECTION SIX

GRADE DESCRIPTORS FOR OUTCOMES FOR PUPILS

Suggested sub –

headings for text Outstanding (1) Good (2)

Requires

improvement (3)

Current progress throughout each

year group and the curriculum Throughout each year group and across the curriculum, including in English and mathematics, current pupils make substantial and sustained progress, developing excellent knowledge, understanding and skills, considering their different starting points.

Across almost all year groups and in a wide

range of subjects, including in English and

mathematics, current pupils make consistently

strong progress, developing secure knowledge

understanding and skills, considering their

different starting points.

Outcomes are not yet

good.

Current progress of

disadvantaged pupils, disabled

pupils and those with SEN

The progress across the curriculum of disadvantaged pupils, and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities currently on roll matches or is improving towards that of other pupils with the same starting points.

In a wide range of subjects, the progress of

disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have

special educational needs and/or disabilities

currently on roll is close to or is improving

towards that of other pupils with the same

starting points.

Pupils’ capacity to articulate their

knowledge and understanding Pupils are typically able to articulate their knowledge and understanding clearly in an age-appropriate way. They can hold thoughtful conversations about them with each other and adults.

Attainment in Y1 Phonics and

width of reading across the

curriculum

Pupils read widely and often across subjects to a high standard, with fluency and comprehension appropriate to their age. Pupils in Year 1 achieve highly in the national phonics check.

Pupils read widely and often, with fluency and

comprehension appropriate to their age. A very

large majority of pupils in Year 1 achieve the

expected standard in the national phonics


P a g e | 4 7

check.

Historic progress of pupils in

relation to what is typical For pupils generally, and specifically for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, progress is above average across nearly all subject areas.

Pupils’ progress is above average or improving

across most subject areas. Progress of

disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have

special educational needs and/or disabilities is

above average or improving across most

subject areas.

Historic progress – progress in

English and mathematics

compared to national figures

From different starting points, the progress in English and in mathematics is high compared with national figures. The progress of disadvantaged pupils from different starting points matches or is improving towards that of other pupils nationally.

From different starting points, progress in

English and in mathematics is close to or above

national figures. The progress from different

starting points of the very large majority of

disadvantaged pupils is similar to or improving

in relation to other pupils nationally.

Attainment compared to national

averages The attainment of almost all groups of pupils is broadly in line with national averages or, if below these, it is improving rapidly.

Where attainment overall is low, it shows

consistent improvement.

Preparation for the next stage of

education, training or

employment, including

destinations where applicable

Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for the next

stage of their education, training or employment and

have attained relevant qualifications. Compared with

the national average for all pupils, higher proportions

of pupils and of disadvantaged pupils, progress on to a

range of higher and further education establishments,

apprenticeships, employment or training. These

destinations strongly support their career plans.

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of

their education, training or employment and

have attained relevant qualifications. The

proportion of pupils progressing to higher and

further education establishments,

apprenticeships, employment or training is

close to or above average. These pupils do so at

a level suitable to meet appropriate career

plans.

6. HOW GOOD ARE OUTCOMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?


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The school is very clear with regard to what constitutes outstanding progress for each child. Our assessment policy and guidelines take into account our own professional knowledge and exceptionally thorough knowledge of our pupils’ potential and learning needs and draws on data from similar schools locally and nationally, as well as considering 2010 Progression Guidance, and our own longitudinal data. On a termly basis, groups of pupils and their rates of progress come under rigorous scrutiny and high challenge from our school improvement partner; her reports consistently confirm outstanding pupil progress for all key groups, with no differences in progress for different groups. We have also taken into account a national data base that provides some elements of comparison with rates of progress for students of similar needs nationally. The school places significant emphasis on the setting of personal, highly appropriate and challenging targets in key skills of communication, application of number, ICT and targets in Skills for Life and Learning. These targets form the basis of each pupil’s IEP and underpin learning across all subjects. Because teaching and curriculum provision offer multiple opportunities for pupils to develop and apply these key skills very well. As a result, 100% of our students are able to access high quality and exceptional post-school placements, precisely because they are so well equipped for the next stage of their education or training. Evidence from post-school tracking of placements tells us that all of our students utilise these life-long learning skills to excellent effect to continue to make sustained progress. Progress and Pupil Tracking

The headteacher and business manager presented the evidence on progress tracking and targeting they had developed for scrutiny by a highly qualified and experienced external consultant in February 2014. The evidence clearly demonstrated the robustness of the school’s system overall, with total synergy between all elements. Using P Levels and National Curriculum attainment levels as a guide, a highly developed Piper Hill system tracks progress in minute steps in all subjects. In a changing assessment climate, this is a very robust system which is being used as an exemplar of good practice across many schools in the north-west. Local special schools have all agreed on specific levelling terminology.

These levels inform schemes of work, medium and short-term plans and individual pupil targets. Guidelines for staff explicitly define the types of assessment used in the school and the three key components of the assessment cycle i.e. day-to-day, periodic and transitional. Accurate and consistent assessment of pupils effectively informs target setting and teaching and learning. “Systems to track pupil progress are superb.” (SIP report 2014)

“All students regardless of their starting points, age or background make excellent progress in their lessons and over time. By the time they leave school,

students attain many externally accredited awards which celebrate their outstanding achievements.”

“Pupil premium funding is used well. As a result, students who are looked after by the local authority or who are known to be eligible for free school meals

make the same excellent progress as others in the school. “

“All students in Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and in the Further Education department make at least good progress in their reading, writing and mathematics and for

most it is excellent.”

Ofsted inspection report, March 2013


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Triangulation of the moderation of the school’s assessments internally and externally has developed the skills and expertise of staff whilst strengthening the school’s own judgements.

The school constantly refines and updates its assessment systems. “The latest version is world-class and clearly outlines attainment, enabling staff to track student progress forensically to inform personalised learning, target setting and teaching.” (SIP report 2014) For all our students, aspirational targets are set and termly monitoring ensures the highest possible levels of challenge that lead consistently to outstanding progress. In English and mathematics end of KS3, KS4 and FE results in 2016 show over 80% of students making outstanding progress.

Outstanding teaching is clearly a key factor in securing outstanding learning and achievement (over 80% of teaching was graded as outstanding in a round of lesson observations in summer 2016 – consistent with the rates of progress for pupils).

PROGRESS (INCLUDING ANY VARIATION BETWEEN KEY STAGES AND GROUPS) AND EFFECTIVENESS OF LEARNING Evidence from lesson observation, from evaluation of learning targets (see individual performance management files) and from SLT learning walkabouts confirms that all pupil groups in all key stages learn exceptionally well, using and applying skills across a range of subjects. Scrutiny of achievement data confirms that there is no variation in achievement by gender, disadvantage, LAC, ethnicity, EAL or access group. Where small variations occur, appropriate interventions. Including the use of Pupil Premium, are applied with a high level of effectiveness. Pupils identified upon entry to school as being higher attainers are expected to make more rapid progress. Staff ensure that there is the correct level of challenge in all aspects of their learning resulting in high levels of engagement and achievement. PROGRESS IN READING AND READING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

Over 80% of students make outstanding progress in reading and teachers use students’ individual targets in reading across all curricular areas to ensure the appropriate level of challenge.

Medium-term planning highlights opportunities to develop literacy skills across the curriculum. The effectiveness of this planning – and its delivery – is monitored through learning walks and lesson observations.

PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT STAGE OF EDUCATION, TRAINING OR EMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING DESTINATIONS

All students who leave Piper Hill gain an appropriate post-school placement. These include a range of specialist colleges, specialist courses in mainstream colleges, packages developed by Social Care, supported apprenticeships, voluntary work or paid employment.

Reports from all of these settings confirm that the transition arrangements are exceptionally well planned and support very effective preparation for this next step in students’ lives.

Post-school providers are often supported by Piper Hill staff to facilitate a successful transition as the students move to their next destination.

As a result of our successful bid to open a Free School with a vocational focus, from September 2016, we are strengthening the expectations, quality of curriculum provision and external accreditation arrangements across the Trust which will enhance even further our capacity to prepare students for the next stage of their lives.

SMSC


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All of the above enables a highly individualised approach to teaching and learning which mean that pupils thrive and make outstanding progress regardless of gender, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation or disability. Piper Hill is a highly developed cohesive learning community. EVIDENCE TO EVALUATE PUPIL OUTCOMES IS SYTEMATICALLY GATHERED AND TRIANGULATED THROUGH:

o Lesson observations o Extensive data analysis, with a clear focus on scrutiny of performance of different groups (P-level and NC data; internal pupil tracking data; benchmarking

of data with another special high school) o Scrutiny of pupils' work (both within school and out of school with a similar High school and with a range of similar schools across Greater Manchester) to

inform our judgements on rates of progress and on quality of learning. moderated work o Scrutiny of teachers' planning, particularly the evaluation of individual pupils' achievements and their ongoing pupil achievement assessment records o Professional dialogue with staff in the course of pupil progress review meetings and access group meetings o Information gathered in the course of SLT and other leaders' and managers' informal 'walk-arounds' to assess pupil progress, attitudes and engagement o Feedback on enjoyment and engagement in learning from different elements of pupil voice (assemblies; school council meetings; annual review) o Evidence from parental questionnaires and from annual reviews with regard to their children's progress and quality of learning, as well as opportunities

through informal events, such as coffee mornings o Records of student participation in extended school activities

THE NEXT STEPS IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN EXCELLENCE

To ensure that at least 80% of students make outstanding progress in English, mathematics and science, with no student making less than good progress by:

Ensuring that 80% of teachers consistently deliver outstanding teaching, with the remainder delivering teaching that is never less than good

Targeting coaching for all teachers of whose teaching is close to outstanding or outstanding to ensure that they are consistently outstanding by the end of 2017

Targeting two new teachers, starting in September 2016 to develop their teaching to good with outstanding features by the end of the academic year through

high quality induction, accredited training programmes and coaching.

SECTION SEVEN


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GRADE DESCRIPTORS FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 16 TO 19 STUDY PROGRAMMES

Suggested sub-headings for text Outstanding (1) Good (2) Requires improvement (3)

Impact of leadership of the sixth form

through self-evaluation and

improvement planning

Leaders pursue excellence. They

improve provision and outcomes

rapidly and reduce achievement gaps

between groups by monitoring the

quality of teaching, learning and

assessment as well as learners’

retention, progress and skill

development.

Leaders have high expectations. They improve provision and reduce achievement gaps between groups by monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and learners’ retention, progress and skill development.

1.1 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 16 TO 19

STUDY PROGRAMMES IS NOT YET

GOOD.

Safeguarding is effective.

Impact of leadership on the quality and

effectiveness of the curriculum for

students

Leaders plan, manage and evaluate

study programmes so that learners

undertake highly individualised and

challenging learning that builds on their

prior attainment, meets all the

requirements of 16 to 19 provision and

prepares them very well for future

employment.

Leaders plan and manage individualised

study programmes that build on

learners’ prior attainment, meet all the

requirements of 16 to 19 provision and

prepare them well for future

employment.

Provision and outcomes for students

without GCSE grades A*-C in either

English or mathematics

Learners without GCSE grades A* to C in

either English or mathematics follow

appropriately tailored courses in English

and/or mathematics. The considerable

majority make substantial and

sustained progress towards grade C or

above.

Learners without GCSE grades A* to C in

either English or mathematics follow

relevant courses in English and/or

mathematics. Many make progress

towards grade C.

Quality and impact of careers guidance High quality, impartial careers guidance

ensures that learners follow study

Impartial careers guidance ensures that

learners undertake study programmes


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on students’ choices and aspirations programmes that build on their prior

attainment and enable them to develop

clear, ambitious and realistic plans for

their future. Learners understand the

options available and are informed

about local and national skills needs

that build on their prior attainment and

enables them to develop clear and

realistic plans for their future.

Quality and impact of teaching,

learning and assessment for students

of all abilities

Teaching, learning and assessment

support and challenge learners to make

sustained and substantial progress in all

aspects of their study programme.

Teaching enables learners who fall

behind to catch up swiftly and the most

able to excel.

Teaching, learning and assessment

support and challenge learners so that

they make strong progress across all

aspects of their study programmes.

Learners who fall behind are helped to

catch up and the most able are

stretched.

Personal, social and employability

skills of our students, including their

attendance

Learners are confident and conduct

themselves well. They are punctual.

They have excellent personal, social and

employability skills and undertake high

quality non-qualification activities and

work experience that matches their

needs. Attendance rates are high.

Learners develop personal, social and

employability skills, including through

high quality non-qualification activities

and work experience relevant to their

needs. They are punctual and

attendance is high.

Safety, welfare and citizenship skills of

our students

Learners are safe and feel safe. They

are thoughtful, caring and respectful

citizens. They take responsibility for

keeping themselves safe and healthy

and contribute to wider society and life

in Britain.

Learners are safe and feel safe. They

behave well, respect others and

understand how to keep themselves

safe and healthy and to contribute to

wider society and life in Britain.

Student progress and retention Throughout the time spent on their study programmes, learners and groups of learners make substantial and sustained progress from their starting points. Rates of retention are high for

The great majority of learners and

groups of learners make strong

progress from their starting points.

Gaps in the progress or retention of


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almost all groups of learners. Any gaps in the progress or retention of groups with similar starting points are closing.

groups with similar starting points are

closing.

Progression of students to the next

stages of education, employment or

training

Almost all learners progress swiftly to higher levels during their study programme. Almost all learners complete their study programmes, achieve qualifications relevant to their career aims and move on to sustained education, employment, training or an apprenticeship.

The great majority of learners progress to higher levels during and after their study programme. They complete their study programmes, achieve qualifications relevant to their career aims and move on to sustained education, employment, training or an apprenticeship.

Progress on level 3 qualifications

compared to the average

Progress on level 3 qualifications in

terms of value added is above average

across nearly all subjects.

Progress on level 3 qualifications in

terms of value added is above average

or improving across most subjects.

7. HOW EFFECTIVE ARE 16-19 STUDY PROGRAMMES?


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“The sixth form is outstanding and reflects the same excellent practice seen across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.” “All students in………. the Further Education department make good progress in their reading, writing and mathematics and for most it is excellent. As a result, by the time students leave school they attain many externally accredited awards. Ofsted 2013

Standards and quality are as outstanding in the sixth form as in other key stages: previous sections of this SESD have made judgements of ‘outstanding’ for sixth form achievement, quality of teaching and student behaviour and safety. The sixth form is exceptionally well led. The sixth form is an integral part of the school. It is therefore subject to the same scrutiny and high level of accountability that apply for the rest of the school.

IMPACT OF LEADERSHIP OF THE SIXTH FORM THROUGH SELF-EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT PLANNING Outstanding leadership has resulted in continuous improvements in teaching and curriculum provision. In turn, this promotes outstanding achievement, behaviour and attitudes. Leaders are highly ambitious for each student to realise her/his potential on leaving school.

IMPACT OF LEADERSHIP ON THE QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS

Teachers build systematically and highly effectively on outstanding achievement in earlier key stages, maintaining a sharp focus on English and mathematics but now

with increasing emphasis on generalisation of key skills in an age-appropriate way in order to prepare students well for life beyond school.

All students thrive as a result of a broad and balanced curriculum, including well planned business and enterprise opportunities, which they find engaging and relevant.

We observe high levels of engagement and independence when evaluating lessons; student and parental feedback confirms that the curriculum is very well matched to

students’ needs, interests and abilities. Teachers are adept at making meaningful connections for their students between classroom and workplace learning. As a

result, we observe students in work contexts who demonstrate high levels of transferable skills.

We offer students highly personalised packages which support their particular chosen pathways and maximise their engagement, e.g. one student in Year 13 has over

half his week in unsupported, in-house work placement because this is both very closely matched to his aspirations for the future and his learning profile, as well as

providing a high level of motivation that impacts on his attendance, behaviour and attitudes around school.

QUALITY AND IMPACT OF CAREERS GUIDANCE ON STUDENTS’ CHOICES AND ASPIRATIONS

A highly effective three-year careers education programme is enhanced through a range of external providers, e.g. individual interviews with independent careers

advisers. As a result, students and their families are well informed and make well-judged choices about post-school provision.

QUALITY AND IMPACT OF TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT FOR STUDENTS OF ALL ABILITIES

The proportions of outstanding teaching typically observed in sixth form lessons correspond broadly to the whole-school figure of 70%, with no teaching less than


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good. Specialist teachers deployed for English and mathematics use excellent subject knowledge to pinpoint any gaps in students’ earlier learning and are highly effective in selecting strategies to close them.

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS OF OUR STUDENTS, INCLUDING THEIR ATTENDANCE

Students’ attitudes are highly positive and in line with those in other age groups. They work hard to develop their employability skills and have a secure understanding

of the key attitudes and behaviours which employers look for.

Many of the students are developing the skill of travelling independently which is critical in enhancing their future opportunities.

Attendance is 92%

SAFETY, WELFARE AND CITIZENSHIP SKILLS OF OUR STUDENTS

As a result of extremely well planned and delivered programmes in PHSCE and our own Fantastic Futures post-16 programme around safe choices in all areas, students

have a developing understanding of where and when to seek help and advice, e.g. one student who was experiencing family trauma was able to express her need for

help and as a result was directed to appropriate support services. Specific courses have been developed in response to student needs and changing times, e.g. dangers

with regard to the use of social media and how to deal with them. A varied programme of leisure activities supports healthy lifestyles, with effective use made of 16-19

bursaries to ensure social disadvantage is removed as a barrier to access.

In the sixth form, we observe growing levels of student maturity and responsibility, as they develop as an adult member of the school community. Learners from all

access groups demonstrate exceptionally positive attitudes towards school and learning. More independent learners demonstrate an increasing awareness of key

values – respect for the law, fairness, democracy and diversity – essential for citizenship in modern-day Britain.

STUDENT PROGRESS, RETENTION AND PROGRESSION OF STUDENTS TO THE NEXT STAGES OF EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT OR TRAINING

Achievement remains outstanding in the sixth form.

Retention KS4 – KS5 is consistently 100% as is retention throughout KS5

Currently, 100% of students leave Piper Hill with some form of external accreditation for their achievement in literacy, numeracy, computing and work-related learning.

In addition, in a typical year, around one fifth achieve Duke of Edinburgh Award bronze or silver.

8. HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE SCHOOL OVERALL, TAKING ACCOUNT OF OUR EARLIER JUDGEMENTS?


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Grade: 1 (Outstanding)

Compelling evidence, from a wide range of internal and external sources, supports our judgement of outstanding achievement and progress. This is underpinned

by an exceptionally high level of ambition and expectations for everyone within our cohesive learning community.

“Since the time of the last inspection this outstanding school has continued to improve.” Ofsted March 2013

“Piper Hill continues to raise its game, eagerly seeking opportunities to explore new territories with the prime aim of securing the best possible outcomes for the

young people in its care. It has a staff who are exceptionally skilled both as educators and as carers who have a passion and enthusiasm for their work and a deep

respect for the children they teach. The development of middle leaders is powerfully demonstrated in their growth of confidence and outstanding evidence

presented during QA visits over the last year. Senior leaders are unremittingly committed, inspirational and forward looking having developed a highly effective

and indispensable team across the school. All of which contribute to the school`s continuing outstanding success.” QA report September 2014

Already outstanding practice in disseminating the best practice internally has now moved on to a more sophisticated stage of development, with the school leading

improvement in other schools through a range of partnerships.

Promoting students’ personal development, particularly their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is central to our ethos and mission, as are care,

guidance and support.

Through a first-rate curriculum, that is finely attuned to students’ individual needs and therefore highly relevant, students engage in a rich learning experience that

equips them exceptionally well for the next stage of their carefully planned education and future lives.

Year-on-year, the school has been successful in adding to improvements and achievements, despite having been judged as outstanding for a number of years.

Careful and effective capacity building in order to sustain and build on improvements has been the key. The school has never rested on its laurels. In this sense, “the

best is yet to come”.

The local authority has confidence in the school and its capacity to expand and offer a world class education.

We are fully committed to a self-sustaining school improvement model and have proven impact on developments and outcomes in other schools through NLE work,

our Teaching School Status, SLE work and a range of other projects, including outreach both within Manchester and wider afield.


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Evidence for all these judgements is summarised in Sections 2-5. Further, exceptionally detailed and well documented evidence, gathered and analysed over time, is

available in school.

Documents

Piper Hill Specialist Support School 2016