Rickmansworth School has achieved the Inclusive School Award.
School Has a Wealth of Facilities
Pupils at Rickmansworth School know they attend a school where they have a wide range of opportunities and are part of a school that will strive to ensure they get the best out of their time in education. The school is in an affluent area of the Borough of Watford and has a slightly different demographic than many of the nearby schools. Semi-selective classes itself as an academic school but a fully inclusive one. The school currently has 11 pupils with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and a below-national-average number of pupil premium students. Pupils come from four primary feeder schools, but 35% of pupils attend the school through the selective exam process and can be from any area. 10% of those are placed in school due to their musical aptitude, and the remaining 25% on academic ability.
The school has a wealth of facilities and resources including a theatre, fully equipped gym, sports hall, Astroturf pitches, drama studio, technology block and music block. The students appreciate that the school has great facilities and in return respect the environment. Staff and the local community also benefit from the facilities, such as being able to use the gym outside of school hours.
The Head, who has been in the post for three years, has made significant changes to the school. His enthusiasm allows other leaders to establish their passions. For example, the Assistant Head for Inclusion completing IQM.
Warm and Welcoming
On arrival at the school, our Assessor was invited to join the Year 11 sixth form taster day assembly. Over 100 students, from across the school, were performing a scene from Mary Poppins. The students will perform the Christmas production over 4 nights to parents and the local community. Feeder schools are invited in for an afternoon performance and a special performance is held for the ‘pensioners forum’. Students of all ages were involved following auditions. Students stay behind from school to rehearse, though some rehearsals take place on Sunday mornings. Checks are carried out to ensure that all children can access these. A similar check is done with Saturday morning intervention groups. The school checks if there are any barriers to pupils attending and then, on a case-by-case basis, work through a solution. The assembly was warm and welcoming and student behaviour was impeccable throughout the performance.
The Sixth form taster day is open to all Year 11 students, including those who are unlikely to attend the school in the sixth form. Pupils have access to careers’ guidance and individualised pathways encourage them to develop the skills and grades they need for their chosen, or most appropriate, pathway.
The school is built on a large site with a mix of an old and new build. The Assistant Head has completed the school ‘accessibility policy’ to ensure that all provision is accessible to all students. The school currently does not have any pupils with accessibility issues, but provision is in place should this change. For example, the class timetable for a pupil with cerebral palsy has been adjusted so that all lessons take place on the ground floor.
Pupils are Relaxed and Engaged in Learning
All pupils have access to laptops and there was evidence of pupils working on these in all lessons around the school. The school Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) team assesses pupils during the transition to identify those who may need additional support and time in the classroom.
Pupils appeared relaxed and fully engaged in learning. There was a positive attitude towards lessons. Pupils are seated according to a seating plan in each classroom which has been thought through to optimise learning for each pupil. There is a hearing loop throughout the school. As part of the learning walk process, teachers are asked if they are aware of the specific learning needs of the students. SEND pupils have a pupil passport.
The school is very aware of the impact of mental health and wellbeing on its pupils, especially since the pandemic. The school employs 3 counsellors, 2 trained in cognitive behaviour therapy and an art therapist. Pupils are referred for counselling by teachers. So far, this academic year the school has had over 199 referrals. Information for students on how to access mental health support is on the student dashboard. There are posters around the school showing the mental health first aiders. The senior leadership team regularly check that all pupils know how to access information. The school is a support hub for the NHS mental health team. This team work with teachers to ensure they are delivering lessons on wellbeing with resources that are meaningful to the students. They aim to tackle low level anxiety issues, hopefully reducing the number of referrals to CAMHS.
Parents are invited to the school for workshops three times during the school year. These offer advice on how to support their children through low-level anxiety issues and give exam support tips. The school has 11 mental health first aiders, but all staff receive CPD on managing mental health and monitoring triggers for students. The school has its mental health kite mark.
Ricky’s Six Rs
Evidence of Ricky’s six Rs can be seen in the school corridors and classrooms. The six Rs are ‘Resilience, Respect, Responsibility, Reflective, Relationships and Resourceful’. These form the backbone of the school’s rewards and consequences. The Head has ensured that these are printed on large display panels around the school and in every classroom. The rewards are written in a manner that ensures all pupils, not just the most academic, have the opportunity to achieve the highest level. For example, the top reward can be achieved through an outstanding commitment to the school community. The SEND team, in particular, favour the rewards program in school and use it frequently with pupils on the SEND register.
Equal opportunities are a theme around the school and leaders have clearly thought about how they promote this at all levels. There are also display boards, highlighted by pupils, that focus on key members of society. For example, members of the LGBTQ+ community, significant women in society and significant people of colour. The pupils talk of a curriculum that enriches their knowledge of different cultures and one that is not just a ‘token gesture’.
Resources of the Week
The school has two ‘Staff Shout’ meetings a week where staff take the lead and let the rest of the school know key initiatives they are using in their department.
The SENDCo adds to the weekly staff bulletin a ‘SEND Spotlight’ with resources of the week and hyperlinks to specific pupils or training. A spreadsheet of individual pupil needs is kept up to date by the SENDCo and accessible to all staff members. This also links to the individual pupil passports. This document is collated with staff, pupils and parents to come up with the strategies that most help the student. The SENDCo is passionate about her role and works hard to ensure that teachers’ knowledge is kept up to date. SEND pupils are full of praise for the SEND team.