Silverdale School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils of Silverdale School enjoy being part of a diverse learning community. Pupils from the sixth form, the integrated resource for pupils with a hearing impairment and those in Years 7 to 11 are happy in each other's company. The curriculum is broad and varied.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In lessons, teachers' plans and adaptations ensure that all pupils can access the curriculum.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons is purposeful.

They are focused because they trust their teachers and are interested in their learning. In Year 7, pupils already feel like they belong at the sch...ool. Older pupils help them, for example, by escorting them to lessons if they are lost.

Teachers and pupils respect each other. This helps to make bullying rare.

There are a broad range of extra-curricular clubs.

When inspectors visited, pupils were enjoying dance, choir, soul band and netball. These clubs are well attended. Leaders are aware that they need to do more to ensure that pupils from all backgrounds attend these clubs.

A new system is being introduced this year to ensure that leaders can check this effectively. Leaders in sixth form encourage students to have high aspirations, which leaders' actions help them to meet. For example, key stage 5 students have opportunities to act as paired readers with Year 7 or take on supervisory roles at lunchtime.

These help to build confidence in older students as they prepare to leave Silverdale School.

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

Leaders aspire to 'outstanding achievement for all' at Silverdale School. The planning of the curriculum is helping them to move towards this goal.

Curriculum plans are carefully sequenced, so that there is a clear plan in place from Year 7 to Year 13. There is aspiration among leaders for all pupils to be ready for their next steps. For example, leaders are aware of the opportunities for medical and engineering employment in the local area.

They ensure that the curriculum prepares pupils to enter these professions if they wish. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and the leader of the integrated resource for pupils with a hearing impairment provide clear information to teachers. This means that teachers confidently adapt lessons to involve all pupils.

Curriculum leaders' plans go beyond the classroom. For example, in English, pupils have a chance to enter the 'Poetry by Heart' competition.

Teachers make regular checks on the important information that they want pupils to remember through the 'responsive teaching' strategies that are used in lessons.

Leaders are aware that there is more work to do to ensure that assessment systems for key stage 3 pupils are as coherent and well understood as those for older pupils. Leaders are developing strategies to strengthen this area.Staff identify struggling readers quickly and a range of different strategies are used to help pupils develop the reading skills they need.

Literacy is given a high priority across the school. For example, in history, inspectors visited lessons which helped pupils to understand and use important subject-specific vocabulary. The library has dedicated sections for staff and sixth-form students.

Pupils in Years 8 and 9 are keen to take on responsibility as librarians.

In lessons, pupils are focused. Pupils told inspectors that when disruption to lessons does occur, teachers deal with it quickly.

Inspectors saw pupils' positive attitudes to their learning during the inspection. Students in the sixth form support each other and display extremely positive attitudes to learning. Leaders' work to integrate students from Silverdale School and those from other schools is very successful in fostering these attitudes.

At social times and lesson changeovers, pupils show respect to each other and to their teachers. However, there are a small number of pupils that say they feel school behaviour systems are not consistently applied. Inspectors saw some examples of this.

As a result, a small number of pupils do not feel confident about reporting behaviour incidents to adults.

There are a wide range of clubs and visits for pupils to attend. These are enjoyed by large groups of pupils.

Leaders ensure that pupils receive clear advice about moving to colleges or university. Pupils with SEND are helped to visit a range of possible education providers. Leaders' focus on diversity across the school is understood by pupils.

For example, initiatives such as 'This is me' day help to create a safe and purposeful environment for pupils where differences are celebrated. Some sixth-form students act as bi-lingual ambassadors. Leaders invite external organisations into school to ensure that pupils receive age-appropriate help and guidance, for example, the South Yorkshire Safer Driving Partnership and the Amy Winehouse Foundation work with students in the sixth form.

Leaders' support for students in the sixth form continues after they leave Silverdale. For example, students embarking on a gap year have offers of help available to assist them with university applications upon their return.

Staff feel well supported.

They are proud to work at Silverdale. Teachers are given time to make 'professional learning visits' to other lessons. This ensures that good practice is shared across the school.

Those at the early stages of their career feel that there is a supportive, collegiate approach. Leaders are approachable but staff are not aware of the formal routes available to discuss issues around workload and well-being. Governors understand leaders' priorities for school development.

Many parents told inspectors they were happy to send their children to Silverdale School.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Training for teachers takes account of issues specific to Silverdale School.

There is a clear programme of induction for new teachers.

Fortnightly meetings of the 'referral panel' take place. This includes leaders from across the school and ensures that there is a good understanding of the support that vulnerable pupils need.

Leaders for safeguarding involve external agencies where necessary and take advice to ensure that they take the necessary steps to safeguard children.

There are clear systems to make appropriate checks on staff that work with children. Teachers understand how to pass on concerns about other adults and know how to use the school's systems to alert leaders to concerns about pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, behaviour policies and systems are not applied consistently at social times. This means that a small number of pupils do not buy into the ethos of the school or feel that they are treated fairly. Leaders should ensure that behaviour systems are well understood and consistently applied by staff.

• Assessment of pupils' learning at key stage 3 is not as well developed as it is for older pupils. This means that subject leaders and teachers do not understand how their subject fits into the overall assessment strategy at key stage 3. Leaders should ensure that all staff know how their subjects and lessons form part of the overall approach to assessment at key stage 3.