Tag: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

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NEWS: ‘Exciting times’ at Queensbury School, as the SEND educator jumps from ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Good’ in latest Ofsted report

Words by Ed King / Pics by Ed King & Queensbury School

Queensbury School, an Erdington based SEND educator, has jumped from an ‘Inadequate’ ranking to ‘Good’ in its recent Ofsted report.

The Wood End Road school, which caters for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), had a previous Ofsted report published in March 2018 – where ‘strained relationships’ were found to be ‘impacting negatively on staff morale’.

But in its most recent report, published on 11 July 2023, the Government assessment told how ‘these are exciting times at Queensbury School’ – citing ‘caring staff, an ambitious curriculum and new buildings’ as reasons for the school’s significant progress.

In stark contrast to the 2018 Ofsted report, the recent inspection further noted Queensbury School’s ‘executive headteacher, supported by an inspirational leadership team, has brought excitement and enthusiasm’ – with staff feeling ‘supported’ and ‘well led and managed through strong moral leadership.’

The fresh report went on to celebrate how ‘staff work hard with parents to overcome barriers in order to get the best outcomes for pupils’ and foster ‘caring relationships between staff and pupils help pupils to feel safe and secure.’

Queensbury’s sixth form was found to be a ‘real strength of the school’, with ‘a strong careers team’ and partnership work offering ‘exciting and powerful real-life work-related traineeships for Year 14s.’

The school’s approach to bullying was given a special commendation, with Ofsted inspectors finding at Queensbury ‘bullying is rare and that if it happens, they (pupils) have confidence in staff to deal with it.’

Likewise, safeguarding at Queensbury School was found to be ‘effective’ – with regular staff training allowing teachers to ‘act swiftly to raise concerns about a child’ and ‘work closely with families to ensure that all is being done to keep pupils safe.’

Focusing on the curriculum, the 2023 Ofsted inspectors took a close look at ‘reading, mathematics, personal, social, health and economic education, science and the arts’.

In their final report, it was recognised that whilst there are ‘high expectations’ from the school’s senior leadership, ‘subject leaders work skilfully with teachers’ and ‘enthusiastically develop pupils’ understanding’.

‘Good’ is the second highest mark a school can get from Ofsted – the UK government’s official regulatory body for educators – with Queensbury asked to address pupil’s regular attendance and how the school support’s their external hobbies, in the 2023 report.

Further recommendation was given to ‘ensure that all staff appropriately adapt how the curriculum is implemented… so the pupils can learn more and remember more over time.’

Queensbury School Executive Headteacher, Chris Wilson, who came into post in November 2018 – over six months after the damning 2018 Osted report, was quick to celebrate the whole school for its efforts and recent recognition.

Mr Wilson told: “I am incredibly proud of all our students, staff and families that have supported the school to make this significant improvement from a previous special measures’ situation, when the school was judged ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted in March 2018.

“Queensbury School academised with The Education Impact Academy Trust in September 2020 and has made rapid progress ever since.

“To make this progress, in this timescale, is not easy with the resourcing and challenges we have all faced as a school community.

“National educational budgets, previous school deficits, cost of living crisis, Covid 19 pandemic, SEND crisis, teacher recruitment crisis, building developments, and industrial action have not made the job easy.

“However, our students have continued to be the incredible individuals they are throughout.

“We see SEND and additional needs as ‘superpowers’ that just need targeting and carefully homing in on the right areas to excel. This has always driven our staff teams, no matter what the challenges have been.”

Michael York, Chair of the local governing body, added: “The transformation in the education delivery, the facilities, training, and strong student outcomes is breathtaking in such a short space of time.

“I am sure parents appreciate the strong leadership that has been required to turn this school around for their children.”

For more on Queensbury School visit www.queensburysch.com

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Shaping the future of Maths at Queensbury School

Words & pics by supplied by Queensbury School

Queensbury School’s Maths department has been selected as the only West Midlands based special school to be part of an exciting research project on misconceptions in Maths – helping shape future development and understanding of the subject.

Recognised learning resource Eedi has received a prestigious research grant to help them dive deep into the interconnected nature of children’s misconceptions in mathematics and determine the best way to help support students in resolving them. Specifically, the grant is to help support Key Stage 3 students from low-income families who often underperform in mathematics relative to their more affluent peers.

In return, Queensbury has been given free access to the premium version of Eedi for 25 of our students (worth around £2000) – including free access to online, on-demand, personalised support from UK maths teachers every day from 9am to 8pm to help their learning.

Queensbury teachers set diagnostic questions on a weekly basis and students are then asked for the reasons for their answers, which is further collated and analysed.

Students receive immediate feedback on their correct or incorrect answers.

Mr Mustamer Shah, Head of Maths Department, told: ““We are proud to be part of this research. A lot of hard work has been put in to getting Queensbury onto this research project. It has been encouraging to see parents/carers take a leading role too.”

The feedback from students and parents has also been positive, with many happy their young person will help deepen the understanding of misconceptions in Maths for other students across the UK.

Queensbury Student Jaidan explained: “It was good because it was like a digital teacher and it helps you with getting things right.

“If you make a mistake it helps you correct it straight away so you can answer it in the future.”

Celebrating the ambition and achievements of both the school and the student, Queensbury Executive Head Teacher, Mr Chris Wilson, added: “I am so proud of our students and Maths Department setting new boundaries in special educational needs challenge.

“It demonstrates the high aspirations we have for our families and students at Queensbury School.”

For more on Queensbury School visit www.queensburysch.com

To learn more about Eedi visit www.eedi.com

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Students at Queensbury School learn how to stay safe online – as part of Safer Internet Day 2023

Words & pics supplied by Queensbury School

Last week, students at Queensbury School had been learning about internet safety. In celebration of Safer Internet Day 2023, students were discussing how to stay safe online.

The day began with form activities and quizzes, in preparation for workshops with PC Duncan.

Class 7N were the first to have their workshop with PC Duncan where they spoke about some of the legal ramifications of online actions. PC Duncan also gave real-world examples of how poor internet safety can affect people and families.

Throughout the week there had been lots of conversations about internet safety.

This is in line with this year Safer Internet Day theme of ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’.

Queensbury School’s internet safety week was a great success, teaching the children valuable lessons on how to stay safe online.

After a special day and workshops with individual classes, children across the school felt that they improved their knowledge of Internet Safety.

Jessie & Friends: The funny tummy song

For more on Queensbury School visit www.queensburysch.com

To learn more about how to help children and young people stay safe online visit www.saferinternet.org.uk

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NEWS: Queensbury School officially launches £2.3m new school site

Words by Ed King / Pics by Ed King & Nandini Gill

On Thursday 26 January, Queensbury School officially launched their new £2.3m school building – which has been operational for students since the latter part of the autumn term 2022.

Queensbury School – situated on Wood End Road, Erdington – received panning consent in September 2021 for the redevelopment of their existing school site, breaking ground later that year.

Now part of the Education Impact Academy Trust (EIAT), alongside Wilson Stuart School, Queensbury delivered their new build in November last year – only a few thousand pounds over budget, despite delays and supplier strangleholds due to Covid-19.

Welcoming school governors, academy members, and partners from the Local Authority, this week Queensbury School Executive Headteacher Chris Wilson introduced a “new beginning” for the Erdington Special Educational Needs (SEN) school – which had previously been rated ‘Inadequate’ in its last Ofsted report.

“It will allow a bit of time, and a bit of space,” continued Mr Wilson, explaining how the sensory concerns of their students had been pivotal in the project – with Queensbury’s School Council even designing the new play area between the school hall and new facility.

A special address was then given by Steve Hughes, the erstwhile CEO of Education Impact Academy Trust, who told how the Local Authority once asked him “has this school (Queensbury) got a future,” and how “this is now a school to be proud of.”

A presentation of artwork celebrating the Lunar New Year, short stories, and poems – all signifying “new beginnings” – was then made by Queensbury students, before the official ribbon cutting and tour of the new school site.

Housing seven new classrooms, the new build had further been “futureproofed” by extending floor space to allow more space and flexibility in the immediate teaching environment. National guidelines recommend a minimum of 52m² for up to 30 students, whilst the new classrooms at Queensbury School are 63m² for no more than 12 students.

Alongside enhanced facilities for direct teaching, there are three new ‘calm rooms’ where students can use music or sport therapy to work through overriding emotions – alongside an isolated ‘work room’ for those needing extra space to focus on their studies.

Each ‘calm room’ has special LED lighting to encourage emotional equilibrium, whilst all the classroom lights are on variable dimmers to allow for a variety of sensory responses from the students.

Queensbury now also had a dedicated ‘therapy room’, for more one to one attention, and a ‘confidentiality room’ where a team of eight mentors can engage with families, parents, and carers. In the previous school layout, all these pastoral activities had been conducted wherever there was available space, with the school’s mentoring team based “technically in a shed.”

Queensbury also now has extended areas for outside play, where children can get the benefits of an outdoor environment – a powerful positive to Mr Wison – and engage with the school’s three ‘therapy dogs’: Eddison, Henry, and Odie.

Queensbury School became part of the Education Impact Academy Trust (EIAT) in September 2021, after plotting a course towards becoming an academy several years earlier. Alongside Wilson Stuart School (Erdington), Hive Collage (Erdington), and Mayfield School (Lozells), Queensbury School is one of four SEN and SEND providers in the Multi Academy Trust portfolio.

With capacity for 276 students at the Wood Lane site, Queensbury School caters for young people from 11 to 19 – with plans to extend their 6th Form provision with a new site on Station Road, hoping to welcome 96 new students into further education in the next academic year.

Queensbury’s current Executive Headteacher, Chris Wilson, began working with the school in November 2018, “falling in love” with the Erdington SEN provider and eventually taking over the top spot.

Steering Queensbury through difficult waters, inducing the threat of closure and a damning Ofsted report, Mr Wilson is now confident in a bright future for the once troubled school – explaining how the new development quite simply “gives the staff the tools they need” to offer the best educational experience.

Mr Wilson continued: “The new building gives us the facilities and the resources for our students and staff to allow them to unleash their limitless potential and create further opportunities for many years to come.

“It’s opening the creativity of the teachers back up, because they’ve got more space to work with and an environment that’s right, and no doubt that will lead to better outcomes for the students – as well as our students being proud. It was very difficult to make them proud of the school when the building was in such a dilapidated state.

“They haven’t got that now, and that means when they take their place in society those preparation for adult skills are fostered within them and integral to their values as well.”

For more on Queensbury School visit www.queensburysch.com