Garston Manor School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
Match Student Need
Garston Manor School is a special needs school for pupils in Years 7-11 in Watford. Despite being designated as a school for children with learning difficulties (LD), autistic spectrum conditions (ASC) and speech and language and communication needs (SLCNs), Hertfordshire is now placing students with more complex needs at the school. The students on roll reflect the ethnicity of the local community and many come from the more deprived areas of the local authority. In order to match student need, the school offers 3 different learning pathways. There is a primary model, with the students being taught mainly by 1 teacher, a secondary model where they move from subject teacher to subject teacher and a hybrid model which falls between the 2.
63% of the current Year 7 group transferred from mainstream primary school. They were visited in their primary settings and visited the school so that relationships could start to build. The Year 7 groups stay together to support integration and there is a focus on social skills and therapeutic intervention. There is similar transition work in place for Y11s to make their move to college easier. All students leave with qualifications which are appropriate for them, be it Functional Skills or GCSE for those who are more able.
Our Assessor explained, “I was given a warm welcome when I arrived at the school and as staff walked by, they all greeted me and then when the Headteacher approached with a beaming smile, I just knew that I would have a positive day. I was right. In all my meetings and during my tour of the school, real warmth and care was displayed. It was evident to me that this was not just being shown because I was visiting, but rather that it was normal practice. “
Bright and Colourful Displays
The Headteacher took our Assessor on a tour of the school. There are grey floored areas that students can only access with a member of staff and blue floored areas where they can move independently. Our Assessor saw how the students are organised in different ways. The Year 7 students are taught together whilst the other age groups can be mixed according to need, meaning that some classes have students with more complex needs while others have mixed ages with students of a similar ability.
The corridors are wide, allowing easy access and there are some bright and colourful displays but they support the calm atmosphere. The classrooms have direct access to a garden area that students could use if needed, and all students know how to operate locks so they do not feel ‘held in’ in any areas. There was a calm atmosphere in all the classrooms visited. Some had music playing in the background with peaceful images on the screen in order to support the students’ concentration. In all the rooms, students were working in ways that were appropriate to them. Some students were sitting together, while others were working individually at the sides of the room. In one room, a student was using a standing frame whilst listening to a story through headphones.
Excellent Teamwork
Entering the classrooms, it was not always clear who the teacher was which highlights the excellent teamwork. The adults all knew what they were doing and were actively involved in supporting learning and creating a purposeful atmosphere. The students enjoyed having the Headteacher visiting the classrooms and she knew the students. She spoke about the make-up of each class and individual students and our Assessor saw how she addressed individuals by name and adapted how she spoke, depending on need. The Headteacher’s interactions with the students and staff was inspiring. The students were keen to speak and share what they were doing. In one class the Shakespeare Festival was discussed and students spoke about the roles they had played in Macbeth as well as the responsibility for lights etc. Our Assessor was struck by the friendliness and warmth shown by staff and students as they toured the school. It was clear that this was a happy place to be.
The Middle Leadership Team (MLT) comprises teaching staff and the Family Liaison and Inclusion Manager (FLIM) and they spoke of how they worked as a team and joined the SLT in the Wider Leadership Team (WLT). The MLT’s range of experience creates a real strength within the team. They work well together, hold weekly meetings, have common goals and ensure that they know the students. When different members are under pressure, for example when running EHCP reviews, they are prepared to give each other extra support. They understand their operational role. Our Assessor was told how the SLT leads in a positive way and that they do not ask anything that they would not do themselves. The Inclusion Team is valued.
Strength of the Staff Team
The teachers spoke positively about the school and how everyone works as a team. They described the TAs as being ‘brilliant’. They described the transition work that takes place, the regular meetings and reviews of students that ensure they are well informed. As a team, they are prepared to share ideas and take part in peer-on-peer observations. The support offered to them was highlighted. They are given a wellbeing day off and if they have taken part in overnight trips, they are given half a day. A school counsellor is available, if needed. If there is a challenging incident, SLT check that they are fine and will suggest taking some time out to recover.
Our Assessor met with an HLTA, TAs and one of the Inclusion Support Workers. They explained how they have access to the information about the students that is provided in pen portraits and EHCPs. Again,our Assessor was told about the strength of the staff team as a whole, how everyone knows the students and how supportive SLT are. They are encouraged to take up training. One TA said she had previously worked in the kitchen and now was in the classroom. Personal development of staff is important to the school and they told our Assessor how they feel valued. Inclusion is known and understood and is central to their work. There is an inclusion room and staff can drop in there as well as parents. The support is valued.
Students Were Fun and Engaging
Speaking to the students was a real highlight of the day. They were eager to share their thoughts about the school and they were fun and engaging. They explained how they felt safe in the school and how the teachers were helpful, friendly and did challenge them with their learning. They liked how topics were changed and enjoyed the trips that were fun. They outlined how they have careers lessons in Years 9-11 and how Year 11 goes to college on Friday. That is important to them as it means there will not be any surprises when they transition.
They were able to explain how everyone is different and how inclusive the school is and that they are given travel training and support to go out shopping if needed. Teachers help them if they are struggling to socialise and that they know there is always help there for them when they need it. They spoke about the different trips they had been on and how they had lots of friends. They enjoy coming to school and it is fun.
Parents could not be more supportive of the school and know that their children are safe and well cared for. Our Assessor heard the concerns they had after their children had transferred from mainstream and how they and their children were supported. They spoke about how invested staff are in the students and how everything is done with a smile on their face. The family feel to the school is appreciated. Communication between the staff and parents is excellent.
Teachers explain everything to them and this gives the parents confidence. The number of school trips was commended, as was the support given to parents when this could be the first time their child had been away from home. Parents are aware of the excellent relationships between staff and students and the school’s great attention to detail that means no child is ever lost.
Safeguarding is seen as a real strength. Examples were given of how the school goes above and beyond in support of pupils and families. Examples were staff continuing to take an interest once the student had left, offering support and popping into McDonald’s to see one of them at work, and the Headteacher phoning daily to check on things. One parent detailed how she did some volunteering in school and was able to see first-hand how well staff know the students as individuals.
Inclusion is at the Heart
The Governors are fully involved in the life of the school and see that inclusion is at the heart of all the work, whether this be in the classroom or out on the trips. They recognise that in the school it is equity they see rather than equality. They make regular visits to the school and sit in classes to understand how the school operates. They see the extent of the knowledge that staff have about students and see how students help each other. The Headteacher shares information about consultations for placement in the school and they know the lengths that she will go to in order to meet needs and the sadness she has when recognising that needs cannot be met. The Governors recognise the importance of supporting staff and now staff have a free lunch.
Concluding our Assessor added, “The school has a motto, “Different for Different”, and this indeed is what I observed during my visit to the school. The school meets the challenges of the needs of individual students with positivity and enthusiasm. The family feel and the warmth of the school is a real strength, as is the constant drive for inclusion. Spending time in the school is inspiring. Inclusion is the thread through the school that binds everything together.”
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:
028 7127 7857 (9.00 am to 5.00 pm)
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