Abbey View

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive effective pastoral support. Staff support pupils to learn the importance of following the school rules and respect one another and themselves. In time, this helps most pupils reintegrate back into their home secondary school or transfer to college or employment.

Nonetheless, there are weaknesses in the quality of education that pupils receive. Teaching is not tailored to pupils' needs closely enough, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff supervise pupils well at social times.

Pupils enjoy 'chilling out' in the common room and playing games, such as table tennis. Pupils learn about keeping safe onl...ine, managing money and healthy relationships. Pupils talk openly with staff about any concerns or worries they have.

The wider curriculum broadens pupils' horizons well. For example, pupils visit sculpture parks and a regional film festival and complete community art projects. Pupils learn how to box, play golf, garden and cook.

Weekly visits to the youth centre are a highlight for many.

Pupils on long-term placements report that behaviour at the school is improving. Many pupils appreciate the ongoing praise they receive.

However, low-level disruption in some lessons and incidents of poor behaviour are still prevalent. When bullying happens, staff follow this up appropriately.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The trust has developed a new strategy, purpose and vision for Abbey View which it is currently implementing.

Trust and school leaders are working systematically to bring about necessary improvements to the school. Recently, the trust has sought external evaluations of the school's effectiveness. This is bringing clarity about the further actions that leaders need to put into place.

Nonetheless, the remaining weaknesses in the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, including rates of pupils' attendance, are preventing some pupils from achieving well.

A substantial review of the school's curriculum has started. Leaders are revamping subject-specific curriculums to ensure that they meet the needs of pupils on short-term, medium-term and long-term placements.

However, this work is at an early stage. There are weaknesses in the teaching of the English, mathematics and science curriculums. Staff do not use the information they have to plan sequences of work that build on pupils' starting points sufficiently well.

Some pupils find it difficult to concentrate when teaching is not well directed to what is important for them to learn. When teaching addresses pupils' needs, they learn more successfully.

The school has recently introduced a new behaviour strategy.

As a result, staff's expectation of pupils' behaviour is on the rise. Most pupils understand that they must adhere to the school's behaviour policy. The school has used its oversight of patterns of behaviour and rewards to reduce occurrences of serious incidents.

Nonetheless, suspensions for the use of derogatory language are still frequent. Typically, staff apply their behaviour training to prevent situations from escalating. The introduction of a 'reflection room' helps some pupils to self-regulate their behaviour, for example.

However, the comings and goings of such pupils to and from lessons makes it difficult for them to receive a cohesive curriculum. It also disrupts the learning of other pupils.

Pupils' absence from school is too high.

Although staff make phone calls to check that pupils are safe, the reasons why pupils are absent is not known in too many cases. A minority of pupils also have regular suspensions and unauthorised absences. The trust does not hold the school to account for challenging poor attendance sufficiently.

Some pupils' absence is getting worse this term.

The school is making inroads to identify, assess and meet the ongoing needs of pupils. However, the communication and review of specific targets for pupils with SEND are not fully effective.

Although provision is in place to help pupils catch up with reading and mathematics, some pupils refuse to engage or are absent from school. There is not sufficient oversight by the school to check the implementation of the full curriculum.

The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum covers everything it should.

Pupils learn about the risks of child exploitation, knife crime and consent. The curriculum focuses on helping pupils to understand why reforming their behaviour in school is important to be successful citizens. Pupils on long-term placements benefit from an impartial careers programme.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Work to revamp the school's curriculum is not yet complete. Pupils do not learn the core curriculum consistently well.

The school must ensure that the school's curriculum supports pupils to learn the English, mathematics and science curriculums successfully. ? There are weaknnesses in how well staff check what pupils know and remember. Pupils' misconceptions are not addressed when they arise, so teaching does not deepen pupils' understanding over time.

The school must ensure that staff's use of assessment is strong, so that pupils progress through the curriculum successfully. The school does not challenge pupils' non-attendance stringently. Some pupils' attendance is showing decline.

The trust must ensure that leaders are doing everything they can to ensure and assure themselves that pupils attend well. ? While suspensions are decreasing overall, incidences of suspensions because of disrespectful behaviour and offensive language are still too prevalent. Pupils miss far too much learning time as a result.

The school and trust must ensure that pupils understand the importance of respecting others. ? There are weaknesses in the education that pupils with SEND receive. Pupils' specific targets to help them learn are too broad or staff do not take these into account when planning their teaching.

Some pupils refuse to accept the support in place to remedy gaps in their learning. Senior leaders do not have sufficient oversight of this. The school must ensure that all pupils with SEND receive a consistently good quality of education.