Elmfield School for Deaf Children

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Pupils of all abilities, including those with additional special educational needs, achieve well in all areas of learning.

They make the best progress in reading and mathematics because of exciting and creative practical tasks and high-quality resources. Younger pupils make outstanding progress in visual phonics sessions (matching signs with letters and sounds). Older pupils whose only disability is their deafness achieve very well in their GCSEs.

All pupils achieve well in their accredited courses. Good teaching ensures that pupils make good progress. Teachers generally challenge pupils well with detailed questioning, demanding independe...nt and sustained responses.

Pupils' behaviour is good. Attendance has improved and pupils say they feel safe and secure. The effective curriculum provides memorable experiences engaging pupils well in learning.

Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is of a high standard due to the exciting visits and residential experiences that take place outside normal lessons. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher and the governing body have built on the good quality of teaching through rigorous monitoring and high-quality training.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Achievement in writing is not as good as it is in reading and mathematics because the new visual phonics programme is not embedded across the school. Not all pupils have sufficient opportunities to be independent in lessons because sometimes too much is done for them.

Information about this school

This is a much smaller than average special school which caters for children who are severely or profoundly deaf from nine different local authorities.

Pupils are bilingual and many use British Sign Language (BSL) as their first language.. The school is situated on two sites.

The primary department is in the north of Bristol, while the secondary site is co-located with Fairfield High School, a mainstream secondary school east of the city enabling Elmfield pupils to have access to the full range of GCSE's alongside mainstream pupils. There is also an inclusion centre for mainstream pupils with hearing impairment that is staffed by Elmfield school. This provides inclusion for deaf or hearing impaired pupils who attend the mainstream school.

The school provides outreach support to other local schools. A high proportion of pupils have additional special educational needs in addition to their deafness, including visual impairment, autism or behaviour, social and emotional difficulties. All pupils have a statement of special educational needs.

Currently, there are four children in the Early Years Foundation Stage class. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is above average.

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