Heathfield Special School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Heathfield Special School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to Heathfield Special School. Their enjoyment in their learning is clear to see. The school values are an intrinsic part of everything they do.

Pupils strive to achieve goals which will earn them 'values wristbands'. These are colourful, tangible rewards which pupils understand and which help them learn to be responsible, respectful members of their school community.

Leaders work with determination to ensure pupils achieve their potential.

Pupils' personal targets, derived from their education, health and care plans, are carefully woven throughout the... well-crafted school curriculum. Consequently, pupils thrive. They develop their confidence and resilience and are well prepared for secondary school.

Pupils try their best and behave very well. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. They use consistent routines and thoughtful approaches that help pupils to manage their own behaviour effectively.

As a result, there is a calm atmosphere around the school.

Staff know and understand the pupils in their class exceptionally well; they care deeply about pupils' well-being. Consequently, pupils feel safe.

They know that staff will always listen to them. As one parent commented, 'It takes a special person to hear what a child cannot say, and we are lucky to have a school full of special people at Heathfield.'

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

Ambitious leaders have successfully ensured that pupils' learning is appropriate and meaningful.

They have planned a cohesive curriculum divided into three pathways, which ensures pupils' different special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well catered for. Expert curriculum leaders work together particularly well, sharing their knowledge. As a result, in the majority of subjects, pupils at all stages of development have suitable, sequentially planned learning activities in each subject.

Knowledgeable teachers deliver these in an engaging way, so that pupils successfully build on what they have learned before. Staff closely monitor pupils' learning, accurately assessing understanding in the moment and in the longer term. These strengths across the curriculum are because leaders have been making improvements over the last year.

However, there are some subjects which still need to be sequentially planned to ensure that pupils in the earliest stages of development receive suitable learning activities.

Pupils across the school love listening to the stories staff read to them. Pupils are supported very well to enjoy and understand books, despite the difficulties they may have as a result of their SEND.

Pupils who are able to learn to read enjoy doing so using a structured phonics programme. Since leaders introduced this new programme less than a year ago, staff have quickly developed their expertise so as to plan learning with precision and engage pupils really well. Pupils at an earlier stage of development, including those in the early years foundation stage (EYFS), develop an understanding of different sounds so that they will be ready to learn to read as soon as possible.

For example, children in the EYFS have fun and learn through thoughtfully sequenced activities using musical instruments and body percussion.

The school environment is carefully considered to enable pupils to cope with and engage in their surroundings while learning. Pupils told me with delight how they enjoyed using the 'reading shed' in the outdoor classroom.

Pupils also benefit from a wealth of therapies.

Successfully promoting pupils' personal development is at the heart of everything the school does. Pupils at all stages of development participate in a wealth of regular enrichment activities and visits.

Staff carefully plan these to ensure that pupils learn to access as much of their wider community as possible. As well as these regular trips, big events such as festivals provide pupils with age-appropriate opportunities to socialise and enjoy time with family and friends.

A determination to empower pupils runs through the core of the school.

Wherever possible, pupils are taught and encouraged to take ownership of their personal targets, building their sense of self. Staff talk passionately about enabling all pupils to make informed choices, regardless of their level of SEND.

There is a strong sense of teamwork and collaboration among staff.

Staff feel well supported by leaders. Heathfield special school is a warm, friendly place to work as well as in which to learn.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have developed a strong culture of safeguarding. Well-trained staff keep careful oversight of pupils in lessons and around the school. The staff's in-depth knowledge of pupils enables them to notice anything worrying.

Staff are vigilant to potential risks and quickly report anything that concerns them. They understand fully pupils' additional vulnerabilities because of their SEND. Leaders ensure that when concerns are reported, they are dealt with swiftly and efficiently.

Leaders' regular safeguarding newsletters provide parents and staff with useful, current information.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• While leaders have ensured that planning for progression is strong in the majority of subjects, and for pupils following all three pathways, this is not consistently strong in all subjects. Consequently, in some subjects, pupils do not receive appropriate learning activities which would allow them to reach their full potential.

This is particularly the case for pupils in the earliest stages of development. Leaders should ensure that planning for pupils' progression is consistently strong in all subjects.

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 June 2017.

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