Mayfield School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are put at the heart of all decision-making at Mayfield school.

Leaders and staff are determined that pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) will not be a barrier to pupils' achievements. However, the school's strategies and processes are not consistently implemented by all staff and this means that the school's ambitions are not always met.

Pupils are encouraged to be themselves and staff take a great deal of time and care to get to know pupils well.

They quickly identify the things that pupils do well and find out what motivates them. This helps most pupils get the best of their time in school.

There is a clear focus on... making sure that pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

The daily breakfast club for all pupils is focused on promoting pupils' independence and communication skills. An extensive range of lunchtime clubs allow pupils to develop art, music and sporting interests. Many pupils participate in the school's well-established Duke of Edinburgh's Award programme.

In the sixth form, pupils are encouraged to take on positions of responsibility, including supporting younger pupils.

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

The school has been through a period of instability. Since the arrival of the executive headteacher, and with the support of the trust, the school is turning a corner.

There is a determined focus that all pupils will achieve their best and be well prepared for their next steps. Trustees and the local governing board know the school well and provide very effective support and challenge that allows leaders to make the right decisions about the school.

The school has made sure that there is a curriculum in place that provides clear progression from early years into the sixth form.

The curriculum is designed so that all pupils learn to communicate well and can recognise and manage their feelings and behaviours. This helps pupils engage in appropriate subject-based learning. Children in early years benefit from an effective sensory-based curriculum.

Staff carefully select learning opportunities that prepare children well for their next steps. In the sixth form, students follow a curriculum that provides them with the precise skills and knowledge they need in adulthood.

In some classes, pupils benefit from learning that is highly focused on meeting their special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

However, this is not the same for all pupils. In some classes, teachers do not adapt the curriculum well enough for their pupils and so these pupils do not always make the excellent progress that leaders intend.

Communication is rightly at the heart of the work of the school.

Pupils' communication needs and next steps are carefully identified and staff are trained well to promote the right communication strategies for each pupil. In some classes, there is consistent use of a range of communication tools and strategies to support pupils' learning of the curriculum. Here, pupils engage with their learning and communicate with increasing confidence.

In other classes, staff do not routinely or consistently promote effective communication and so pupils are prevented from participating in their learning as well as they could.

Reading is prioritised. All pupils are exposed to reading through a carefully curated book list and through sensory stories.

Children in the early years are taught to identify sounds and learn the motor skills needed to hold and read books. Rhymes and songs are commonplace throughout the school. Pupils learn to read using a well delivered phonics curriculum.

Symbols and signs are used well to support reading where needed.

Pastoral care at Mayfield school is strong. The members of the experienced and knowledgeable pastoral team know pupils and their families well.

They work very effectively with pupils and their families to ensure that they get all the help they may need.

Pupils' behaviour needs are clearly identified by the school. Appropriate strategies are shared for each pupil to help staff and pupils learn to manage behaviour more effectively.

Students in the sixth form are able to manage their emotions and behaviours well. However, in other areas of the school, some staff do not use these clearly identified strategies well enough and so some pupils are not as ready to learn as they should be.

Pupils learn about their feelings and relationships through a carefully considered personal, social, and health education (PSHE) curriculum.

Children in early years learn how to make and communicate choices. Older pupils are taught about how to identify and manage emotional and physical feelings. This helps pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe.

In the sixth form, there is an increasing focus on independence. Students learn about employability, making the most of leisure time and how to manage problems. This prepares them well for adulthood.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff do not implement the school's curriculum or behaviour strategies consistently well. This means that some pupils do not receive the quality of education that leaders intend.

The school should continue to ensure that all staff have sufficient training to ensure that they are able to meet leaders' ambitions for the curriculum and high expectations for behaviour. The school's communication strategy is not used consistently well and so some pupils do not participate fully in their learning. The school should make sure that all staff have the knowledge, skills and expertise so that they implement pupils' individual communication strategies well.

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