Broomfield South SILC

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Broomfield South SILC continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Broomfield South SILC.

They greet staff and visitors with a warm welcome. They are keen to share their views on life in school. Pupils are kind to one another.

Staff help pupils to express their emotions. As a result, pupils feel safe and behave well.

All pupils on roll have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff know pupils well and understand their specific needs. They form strong, positive relationships with pupils. Pupils trust the adults who work with them.

They have numerous adults they will go to if they need... to report a concern, such as bullying. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens, but if it did, that staff would deal with it immediately.

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils.

They develop pupils' independence through the curriculum and a range of learning opportunities. This starts from the moment pupils join school, when they are given class responsibilities, such as washing up and handing out equipment. As pupils move through school, their responsibilities increase, such as becoming reading ambassadors.

Pupils enjoy their weekly visits to a local café, where they practise ordering food and spending money. This helps them to practise what they have learned and to develop their social skills.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about life in modern Britain across the curriculum.

Pupils know about concepts such as democracy and citizenship. Pupils enjoy visiting places of interest in their local community, such as farms and museums.

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

Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils to be successful and to have the skills and knowledge to be independent and make suitable choices.

Leaders design the curriculum to enable this to happen. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum helps pupils to understand the risks that they may face, while being mindful of its appropriateness for individual learners. Some pupils can talk about the actions they may take if an issue arises, whether it be in or out of their control.

External agencies offer workshops about relationships and sense of self to support pupils to understand this further. Many parents and carers value the life skills pupils are taught. 'They are priceless,' said one.

Parents also benefit from talks about a range of issues, including on internet safety from the police.

Teachers teach a rich curriculum that meets the diverse needs of pupils in their classes. Leaders have set out the exact knowledge pupils will learn in all subjects.

This builds on what pupils already know and can do. In mathematics, leaders prioritise the teaching of money and time, so that pupils can use this learning in real-life situations. Pupils find this useful.

They can apply this knowledge when visiting the local supermarket to purchase goods.

Leaders' ultimate ambition is for every pupil to read. There is a clear, individualised pathway that enables pupils to be successful.

Pupils who are fluent readers continue to learn phonics to help them decode unfamiliar words. For those who are at the early stages of reading, teachers plan activities to stimulate pupils' senses and develop their communication skills. Staff receive training from speech and language therapists that helps them to use language effectively.

Teachers read stories using appropriate resources, which captures pupils' interest and helps them to learn new words. When it is appropriate, pupils access direct phonics teaching. They learn new letters and their corresponding sounds.

They read books that are matched to the sounds that they are learning. However, some staff do not pronounce the sounds correctly.

Leaders routinely check what pupils know.

They record what pupils have learned and share this with parents. Staff know where each pupil is working and identify any gaps in their knowledge. They use this information to inform their planning and resolve any gaps.

As a result, pupils build on their knowledge over time in all subjects.

Students in key stage 4 and the sixth form have positive attitudes towards their learning. They have access to a range of accreditation awards and qualifications, from GCSEs to functional skills.

All students complete the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to bronze level, and many achieve silver and gold. They take part in meaningful volunteering experiences, including gardening and painting in the local community. They enjoy taking part in activities, such as climbing and archery.

All students in post-16 provision and some pupils in key stage 4 access vocational courses, such as animal care, enterprise, health and social care, and hospitality. This includes attending a local college one day a week. Students are supported by the careers adviser, and through careers events to consider the different routes and options available to them.

Many students choose alternative destinations, such as further education establishments.

Pupils have access to a range of personal development opportunities, from lunchtime clubs to residential trips. Some pupils take part in enterprise schemes.

They successfully sell the products they have made at Leeds market.

Staff are proud to work at this school. Staff say that leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being.

Early career teachers feel well supported by leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding leads are well trained.

They specialise in specific areas, such as child sexual exploitation. They are 'champions' and offer advice and guidance to staff. Staff receive regular training and safeguarding updates.

Staff are knowledgeable about the additional vulnerabilities of their pupils and the implications for keeping pupils safe. They know how to record and report any concerns. Leaders are swift to act on these concerns and are tenacious in sourcing the appropriate support for young people and their families.

Leaders are meticulous in their approach to reviewing safeguarding records. They regularly analyse these and quickly identify patterns and trends. Leaders use this information to ensure that all pupils are safe and receive the right support and curriculum to meet their needs.

Governors check information and hold leaders to account.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some adults do not correctly enunciate the sounds of letters when teaching pupils to read. Some pupils are therefore learning the incorrect sounds.

This does not help them to read with accuracy. Leaders need to provide training for all staff to deliver phonics effectively, so that pupils can accurately decode and blend words.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2017.