Pebble Brook School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Pebble Brook School

Following my visit to the school on 18 September 2018 with Simon Yates, Ofsted Inspector, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in November 2013. This school continues to be good.

You and your leadership team have maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have ensured that pupils are central to all decisions about the school. All staff are committed to the school's motto of 'success for everyone' and work tirelessly to build pupils' self-esteem and se...lf-confidence.

Staff ensure that pupils have the personal, social and academic skills to have happy and successful futures. Pupils feel valued at Pebble Brook. They appreciate the level of care from all staff and feel that they are making good progress.

Pupils told us that they like the lessons and the many opportunities outside the classroom, especially the vocational and employment learning, which includes structured work experience. Pupils are proud to be part of the school. They say that they are listened to and that their ideas are acted on.

They also told us that the calm and respectful behaviour we observed is typical of behaviour across the school. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about their children's progress and development. Often, pupils have had difficult experience of school and education prior to joining Pebble Brook.

Parents described the transformation in their lives following admission to the school. One parent commented: 'My child is happy, has made friends and learns; three things that I wasn't sure would ever be possible before starting Pebble Brook.' You have addressed and successfully achieved the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

You have carefully reviewed the current strengths of the school and identified clear areas for further development, including ensuring that teaching and learning is consistently strong across the school. Governors recognise the need to increase their level of challenge to senior leaders, including when evaluating the use of additional funding. Safeguarding is effective.

A strong culture of safeguarding runs throughout the school. Staff are acutely aware of the additional vulnerability of pupils. You have established strong and systematic processes through which staff can record the slightest worry.

Staff are trained well and know what to look out for. The case studies that we examined showed that all concerns are taken seriously and that there are regular reviews to establish if further action is needed. If required, action is taken swiftly and with determination.

Staff have established strong working links with external agencies and use their expertise well. Staff also work well with parents to help them understand how to keep their children safe. The school's recruitment processes are undertaken systematically and checks regarding adults' suitability to work with pupils are recorded appropriately.

Pupils feel safe and benefit from a well-considered personal and social development (PSD) curriculum. This covers potential risks and teaches pupils to recognise and develop a range of strategies to deal with them. Attendance is in line with the national average for special schools.

Inspection findings ? During this inspection we considered how well governors fulfil their statutory duties and hold leaders to account. We found that governors are dedicated to the school and determined that it should provide the best for its pupils. Governors are, rightly, proud of the journey the school has been on and what it now provides for pupils and their families.

They have undertaken a range of training, including that relating to safeguarding. Governors recognise that they now need to increase the level of challenge to leaders. They also need to ensure that they are strategic in addressing each aspect of the school's work.

• We also considered the difference that the pupil premium funding makes to pupils. Leaders use this money to provide extra learning and intervention and to develop pupils' social and personal learning, for example through extra-curricular experiences. Leaders explained how this spending has benefited pupils and the school's own assessments indicate that disadvantaged pupils make similar progress to their peers.

However, leaders have not been systematic in their