Jane Lane School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have transformed The Jane Lane School since the last inspection. It is a place where pupils feel happy and safe.

Pupils talk positively about their friendships. They are respectful and kind towards each other.

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

The school provides purposeful vocational experiences for pupils. Pupils enjoy weekly visits to a local college. This sets them up for the future.

Leaders have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. These expectations are realised and pupils achieve very well.

The curriculum is ambitious.

Pupils enjoy their lessons and speak positively about their ...education and experiences. They enjoy the outdoor spaces with enthusiasm. They happily interact and play with each other.

The school provides a range of motivating learning opportunities. These help promote key skills such as citizenship. For example, pupils talk positively about their learning experiences in the local community, including visiting local shops and museums.

Relationships between pupils and staff are strong. This reflects the improved culture of the school. The vast majority of pupils behave in a calm and orderly manner across school.

Pupils are polite and well mannered. For example, they open doors for adults and greet visitors with a smile.

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

The school has made many positive improvements since the last inspection.

These have transformed the educational experiences and future opportunities for pupils. Safeguarding is prioritised at all times. The school has effective systems in place to ensure pupils are kept safe.

The curriculum teaches pupils how to keep themselves safe in school and in the wider community. Pupils can name a trusted adult who they can talk to if they are feeling worried. As a result, The Jane Lane School is now a place where pupils feel safe and families and staff feel valued.

The school has implemented a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. Leaders have identified the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. Teachers are well trained to deliver the curriculum.

As a result, pupils know more and remember more across subjects.

In most lessons, activities are adapted effectively to support pupils with their learning. This means pupils build on prior learning successfully.

For example, sensory materials are used to generate high levels of engagement. However, in some lessons, the planned activities are not matched to pupils' ability well enough.

The school's assessment systems are effective.

They help pupils remember key knowledge and vocabulary over time. Gaps in learning are identified and followed up quickly. This means pupils learn the curriculum content with accuracy.

Pupils use communication systems appropriately. The school has thought carefully about the types of communication aids that pupils need. For example, staff and pupils use symbols, communication books and signing effectively.

This supports pupils' learning, independence and personal development.

The school makes sure that reading is prioritised. All staff receive phonics training.

Staff make checks to ensure that pupils who need to catch up make progress. Pupils read books that match their reading level. However, there is some variability in how well phonics is delivered.

This means that some pupils are not learning to read as effectively as they could. Reading trees are displayed in classrooms to celebrate pupils' success. Pupils enjoy reading, and they talk positively about the books they read.

Pupils have access to a range of after-school clubs, including choir, construction, and science, technology, enterprise and mathematics. The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum teaches pupils about consent in an appropriate way. Pupils can talk about protected characteristics and how people are different.

Pupils have opportunities to learn about employment and post-16 destinations. As a result, pupils talk with confidence about their next stage in education.

The school has effective systems in place to support pupils' attendance.

The school works closely with families and external agencies. This means attendance is significantly improving.

All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan.

This covers a broad range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils' needs are accurately identified and regularly reviewed. The school works closely with parents, carers and specialists.

This is a strength of the school and means that pupils receive the support and provision they need quickly to help them learn effectively.

Behaviour strategies are consistently implemented across classrooms. These are well understood by all staff.

Pupils behave well in lessons. For example, the classroom rules are clearly displayed and understood by pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

¦ On occasion, the tasks pupils are given are not adapted precisely enough to meet their needs and support their learning. This means that some pupils are not accessing the content of lessons fully and securing the detailed knowledge that leaders have identified. The school should make sure that staff receive the support they need to adapt tasks effectively so that all pupils can access and achieve the ambitious aims of the curriculum.

¦ There is some variability in how effectively phonics is delivered. This means that some pupils are not learning to read as effectively as others. The school needs to ensure that all staff receive the support they need to implement the phonics curriculum securely.