Note: Grade descriptors are not a checklist. Inspectors adopt a ‘best fit’ approach that relies on the professional judgement of the inspection team.
Outstanding (1)
Leaders pursue excellence. They improve provision and outcomes rapidly and
reduce achievement gaps between groups by monitoring the quality of
teaching, learning and assessment as well as learners’ retention, progress and skill development.
Leaders, managers and governors use the funding for learners with high needs
very effectively. They plan, manage and evaluate the provision so that learners undertake highly individualised and challenging learning that builds on their prior attainment, and prepares them very well for future employment and/or greater independence in their everyday lives.
Learners develop skills in English and/or mathematics very well relative to their
starting points, so that they have the skills in these subjects that they need for the next step in their careers.
High quality impartial careers guidance ensures that learners follow
individualised programmes, including study programmes, that build on their prior attainment. The guidance enables them to develop clear, ambitious and realistic plans for their future. Learners understand the options available to them.
Teachers and support staff use previous assessments very effectively to
support and challenge learners so that they make excellent progress across all aspects of their programmes compared with their starting points and personal circumstances. Staff are especially skilled at assessing learners’ progress, adapting activities to support learners whose development is slow and providing more challenging activities for the more-able learners.
Learners are confident and conduct themselves well. They are punctual. They
develop excellent personal, social and employability skills, and undertake high quality learning activities and, where appropriate, work experience that match their needs. Attendance rates are exceptionally high.
Learners are safe and feel safe. They are thoughtful, caring and respectful
citizens. Where appropriate, they take responsibility for keeping themselves safe and healthy and contribute to wider society and life in Britain.
Throughout the time spent on their programmes, learners and groups of
learners make substantial and sustained progress relative to their starting points and personal circumstances. Rates of retention are high for almost all groups of learners. Any gaps in the progress or retention of groups with similar starting points or complexity of needs are closing rapidly.
Where appropriate, learners progress swiftly to higher levels during their
programme or to more complex learning activities. Almost all learners,
especially those on mainstream programmes, complete their programmes and achieve qualifications relevant to their career aims and move on to sustained education, employment and training or an apprenticeship or are more
Good (2)
Leaders have high expectations. They improve provision and reduce
achievement gaps between groups by monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and learners’ retention, progress and skill development.
Leaders, managers and governors use the funding for learners with high needs
well. They plan and manage individualised programmes that build on learners’ prior attainment and prepare them well for future employment and/or greater independence in their everyday lives.
Learners develop their skills in English and/or mathematics well, compared with
their starting points, so that they can build on these skills further when they progress to the next step in their careers.
Impartial careers guidance ensures that learners undertake learning
programmes that build on their prior attainment and enables them to develop clear and realistic plans for their future.
Teachers and support staff use previous assessments well to support and
challenge learners so that they progress well across all aspects of their programmes. Staff are skilled at assessing learners’ progress, adapting activities to support learners whose development is slow and providing more challenging activities for the more able learners.
The considerable majority of learners develop personal, social and
employability skills through high quality learning activities and work experience relevant to their needs and personal circumstances. They are punctual and attend very well.
Learners are safe and feel safe. They behave well, respect others and
understand, where appropriate, how to keep themselves safe and healthy and to contribute to wider society and life in Britain.
The great majority of learners and groups of learners make at least the
expected progress from their starting points. Gaps in the progress or retention of groups with similar starting points or complexity of need are closing.
The great majority of learners, especially those on mainstream programmes,
are challenged to progress to higher levels or more complex learning activities during their programme. Most complete their learning programmes, achieve qualifications relevant to their career aims and move on to sustained
education, employment, training or an apprenticeship, or are more independent in their everyday lives.
Requires improvement (3)
Effectiveness of provision for learners with high needs is not yet good.
Inadequate (4)
Effectiveness of provision for learners with high needs is likely to be inadequate if one or more of the following applies.
Leadership of provision for learners with high needs is weak. The use of funding for learners with high needs is poorly managed.
Learning programmes are insufficiently challenging or relevant to learners’
prior attainment or personal circumstances.
Weak assessment practice or poor planning mean that teaching fails to enable
Learners, or groups of learners, make inadequate progress compared with their
starting points.
Too few learners are retained on their learning programmes or achieve their
main learning goals.
Learners, or groups of learners, are ill-prepared for their next steps in terms of
attainment, personal skills or behaviours.
Too many learners, or groups of learners, are unsuccessful in securing relevant
sustained education, employment or training and/or are unable to be more independent in their everyday lives.
Safeguarding is ineffective.