Clifton Special School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
Improving Outcomes For All
Clifton Special School is situated on the outskirts of Bangor and provides education for pupils aged 3 to 19 who experience a wide range of increasingly complex difficulties which impact on their learning, communication, behaviour, sensory processing and social development. On the day of our assessors visit, they were given a tour of the whole school site including the outside recreation and learning areas. Our assessor was able to verify the accuracy of the evidence submitted by meeting with the Leadership team, key staff members, parents, students and support staff. The Principal’s vision is one of collaboration, aspiration and improving outcomes for all. The outworking’s of this vision can then be seen all around Clifton Special School in the nature of the children and in the impact upon the community it serves so well. The incredible atmosphere our assessor witnessed in the school is based upon the outstanding relationships between staff, pupils and parents. Our assessor could see the importance and celebration of teamwork, the respecting of each other’s roles and recognising the wide range of individual talents and expertise each person possesses.
There is no disguising the fact that schools in Northern Ireland (NI) have faced unprecedented challenges over the last five years due to COVID-19, the collapse of the NI Executive, industrial action and the funding crisis. The challenges faced have been documented and shared widely and yet this Assessor was hugely impressed by the resilient leaders at Clifton and how they have ensured that the school remains a safe space for all children; a place where they can flourish and thrive. Leaders respond to the needs of the children, young people, and their families. Several initiatives and strategies are in place that have been designed bespoke by the school to support all with particular attention paid to those most in need. There continues to be an emphasis on preparing children and students for life after school where they are expected to become as independent as possible with the desire to contribute fully to the wider community in which they live. Students are offered a wide range of educational experiences both within and beyond the classroom.
Fully Inclusive Curriculum
The Principal has guided other leaders to focus on educating the whole child. The school aims to provide a fully inclusive curriculum that gives learners the opportunity to achieve their full potential by engineering a curriculum that best meets each learner’s diverse needs. Students access a broad and balanced education, based on the realities of modern life and delivered in a personalised learning environment. Staff are aware that children and young people need to develop trust with adults, and work to build positive relationships.
Our assessor met a variety of staff during their visit all of whom share a sound understanding of the Inclusion agenda and had been involved or consulted on the IQM SER. Staff at all levels are highly trained to support pupils who have very complex individual needs. Relationships between staff and pupils are highly effective and the development of every teacher having a subject responsibility is adding to that collegiate responsibility. The leadership roles provide staff with a greater understanding of the aims and ethos of the school and offer them the opportunities to understand the expectations across the whole school as this role is a whole-school responsibility. This ensures that every pupil is provided with the best possible education.
The staff talk about being part of The Clifton Family or ‘Cliftonised’. This is what some staff say happens once you start working at Clifton Special School – it becomes a part of you. The dedication and commitment seen by some staff were inspiring. Talking to some staff about their Clifton journey was intoxicating. Their passion for the school and the support for children and their families inspire you to want to work there and be a part of the team all working to make the children’s lives better.
‘Over And Above’ Attitude
The support from Governors and parents is appreciated by leaders and staff. The Governing Body walks lock-in-step alongside the school. They too have been on a journey and are proud of the commitment and ‘over and above’ attitude of the staff. The BOG rep truly believes there is a real drive to bring both the pastoral and academic sides of the school ever closer together. The Governors have detailed knowledge about the life and work of the school through input into the School Development Plan (SDP) and school policies. They provide a balance of support and challenge to the school’s leadership through, for example, highlighting with relevant authorities and regularly reviewing the appropriateness of the arrangements for the growing number of pupils with complex medical needs. In addition, specialist teachers from Clifton Special School provide a range of support to mainstream and special schools within the local area learning community. There is a constantly reinforced message that staff and stakeholders understand the importance of meeting the children’s emotional needs as well as academic requirements.
Parents our assessor spoke to dropping off/collecting children spoke with affection and with confidence about the school, demonstrating that they are viewed as stakeholders with a voice. The parents highlighted their children’s enjoyment of learning and the staff’s support for the care, dignity and wellbeing of the pupils. They mentioned how their requests for more regular information and communication regarding, for example, their children’s learning programmes had been met and that under Ms Anderson the school was most definitely a “listening and ever-improving school”. This was demonstrated before the day started as the Assessor observed parents and carers talking with staff in the reception area. Parents and carers feel welcomed and, as a result, are regular visitors to the school. Parents praised the staff for the time and effort they put into supporting children, to achieve their full potential. Each parent talked about their children’s experiences at the school and that they “couldn’t ask for anymore”. Parents felt “communication between parents and teacher is extraordinary, every little detail is shared and I feel confident my child is happy and cared for.” The children who spent time with the Assessor spoke candidly about their experiences and what their hopes were for their futures. The Assessor found those children to be warm, welcoming, intelligent, and articulate. It was a privilege for the Assessor to have spent time with those children.
The SLT plays an important part in ensuring every effort is made to cater for the needs of every child and they go out of their way to ensure all agencies, teachers and support staff have the child’s needs uppermost in their minds. The careful creation of a distributed leadership style empowers the Principal to develop her staff and stakeholders which benefits the longer-term health of the organisation.
Staff Value Collaboration
The strong relationships and unique rapport between staff and learners were witnessed across the day, during the interviews and particularly during the presentation by the student council and on lesson drop-ins. Staff at Clifton Special School know their pupils and families well and the challenges they face, they are determined to ensure the best possible outcomes and it is obvious that the staff value collaboration and mutual support.
Leaders describe inclusion as a strength of Clifton Special School. It is no bolt-on, it is intrinsically who they are and what defines them. They acknowledge the school and the wider system in NI are facing challenges, however, their spirit and passion for the journey they are on are relentless and unwavering. There is rigorous consultation with parents, Governors, teachers, therapists and assistants which informs the priorities of the SDP. The associated action plans have detailed baseline positions and clear and appropriate monitoring strategies are identified. The class timetables provided have a good balance and are matched well to the specific needs of the pupils, with a broad range of activities for a suitable duration. There are planned opportunities for physical development, communication, social skills and mathematics, along with sensory activities where appropriate.
Under the passionate and expert leadership of the Principal and her SLT, the school has established a system of support for all staff which includes robust mentoring and coaching for everyone. In their journey towards creating a better school, leaders are welcoming and supportive of staff wanting to forge a career at Clifton and have ensured progression routes and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) advancement for all teachers and staff right the way through their careers.
The wellbeing of all stakeholders is of great importance in Clifton Special School. The Senior Leaders have created a school with an open-minded, accepting and inclusive atmosphere. Everyone is well cared for and well supported in their respective roles, both professionally and at a personal level. In fact, most people with whom The Assessor spoke commented on the positive ethos within the school and numerous comments were made about the warm and friendly atmosphere, happy people and the fun experience in all aspects of school life. To produce such a unique culture and have it robustly tested during a pandemic, is noteworthy and highly commendable.
Reaching Beyond Tradition
The curriculum at Clifton is developing to ensure all students can actively engage in their educational journey. Curriculum theme days are a pillar of the school and recently World Book Day was celebrated in school and children had access to a wide range of stories. The school has an eco-flag award and has achieved a silver award for developing the pupils’ awareness and understanding of rights. They are part of a shared education partnership with a local controlled primary school. Central to the design of the Clifton curriculum is to provide all students with a depth of knowledge and a rich understanding of a broad range of subjects, reaching beyond the traditional. The school has a welcoming, warm atmosphere. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are succinct and focus well on the pupils’ learning, with clear targets and evaluations. Consequently, the progress of students is monitored closely.
The school has put great emphasis on the development of communication skills. The staff use a wide and diverse range of strategies such as eye pointing, gesture, pictures, symbols, objects of reference and signing with many pupils using these with increasing independence. Curriculum areas are organised in clusters, with bright and vibrant displays adorning the corridor ‘advertising’ the subject’s intent and impact. Leaders have developed facilities and resources to ensure students have access to a high-quality and engaging environment.
Leaders at all levels collaborate to analyse data and support all students at Clifton to realise and achieve their full potential. A recent Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) Report charts how “Comprehensive data analysis indicates that a recent cohort of pupils with severe challenging behaviour are now accessing appropriate learning programmes as a result of intensive, individualised behaviour-support.” Targets over the past year have continued to move the school forward and to support staff in providing the best possible opportunities for the children and students at the school. Following every assessment window, senior leaders along with subject leaders analyse the data, looking at the whole child. This allows support and intervention to meet the most vulnerable students and groups where educational disadvantage arises.
The Assessor met with several students from across all key stages and found those students to be a pleasure to talk to. They all presented with positive attitudes and the confidence to speak openly and honestly to the Assessor. The school’s core values were fully demonstrated by these students. Leaders report that there has been significant work to build more effective relationships with the families of the students who attend Clifton Special School. Inclusion ideals are well embraced so that each pupil is valued for their individuality. The staff ensures children develop their enquiring minds and spirit of curiosity through participating in a range of challenging, fulfilling and nurturing educational experiences.
Rich, Diverse and Exciting Mix of Opportunities
The learning environment at Clifton Special School is exceptional, real care and thought for the needs of pupils is evident in the planning and resourcing of building. The assessor particularly like the WELCOME mosaic along the school driveway and the mosaic in the school meeting room. The school ethos binds all these pieces together and as a community Clifton Special School is worth so much more than the sum of all its individual parts. All areas have been carefully developed to meet the complex needs of pupils. The school has a rich, diverse and exciting mix of opportunities for pupils to extend their learning. Pupils are clearly happy in school; they have excellent relationships with staff which ensures that classrooms are calm and supportive learning environments. Pupils feel secure and well cared for and have confidence that their needs will be met. Staff have a clear respect for pupils and their needs, they are very sensitive to ensuring pupils’ dignity and privacy, attending discretely and considerately to pupils’ personal and medical needs.
This Assessor deems that Clifton Special School has a high level of capacity for sustaining improvement, through inclusion, that is in the interest of all the learners. Clifton Special School provides a happy and supportive environment in which pupils thrive and despite a wide range of complex and profound needs, make excellent gains in their learning. Throughout school, children make outstanding progress with most meeting and in many cases exceeding their targets. Clifton Special School is an example of a school committed to meeting the needs of its children and is outstanding in its commitment to and implementation of inclusive practice.
In summary, Clifton Special School is an excellent example of inclusive practice, energy and aspiration for all members of the school community. The Principal leads inclusion with an integrity of purpose.
The assessor believes the school fully meets the standard required by the Inclusion Quality Mark’s Inclusive School Award, the school has shown a wide range of inclusive developments over a long period of time which demonstrates its ability to sustain and further develop inclusive practice. There are some areas to be considered for development and The Assessor has no doubts that the school will address these areas as part of their ongoing journey of self-evaluation and improvement.
Find out more about the IQM Inclusive School Award
If your school is interested in obtaining the IQM Inclusive School Award or you wish to talk to a member of the IQM team please telephone:
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