Outstanding Report for Jack Tizard School

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Ofsted inspectors praise dedicated leadership of head teacher Cathy Welsh

Jack Tizard School in South Africa Road has been judged Oustanding by Ofsted.

This latest Ofsted success for the school, which specialises in helping children with severe learning difficulties, means that all five of our borough’s special schools have now received outstanding reports in the past two years.

Ofsted inspectors said the school’s success was down to the determined and dedicated leadership of head teacher Cathy Welsh, who joined the school in September 2006. Cathy is pictured here with David and Samantha Cameron, whose disabled son Ivan attended Jack Tizard for two years before his death in 2009.

Referring to the quality of care provided by the school, the report said: “The support and guidance for all students is excellent and this helps to underpin their good achievements and excellent progress in almost all aspects of their personal development.”

The school caters for students aged from two through to 19 who have a wide range of severe and complex learning difficulties. This includes many children and young people with physical, sensory, medical, behavioural and autistic spectrum disorders and complex medical needs, including some with life-threatening conditions.

Cathy said that the entire teaching staff was absolutely delighted by the Ofsted inspection report. She said: “It reflects the unrelenting desire of all our staff and therapists to offer each and every one of our students the highest possible standard of teaching, learning and care.

" There is a strong collaborative ethos between teaching staff, therapists and parents who work together to ensure a holistic approach to meeting students needs. This is from the minute the students are admitted to the school to the day they leave to go in to their post-school placements.”

The school’s hydrotherapy pool has made a real difference to the pupils according to the Ofsted report which said: “The pool has enabled students to develop their communication, interpersonal, cognitive and physical skills. Students make outstanding progress in learning about the value and enjoyment of physical activity.

"They take part in rebound therapy, yoga and community-based activities such as swimming. They make particularly good progress, for instance, during hydrotherapy sessions, which they enjoy immensely."

Cathy added: " As a result of the pool opening, we are able to offer a broader curriculum to our own students and more opportunities to our local community school and those children with disabilities who are being educated in mainstream school."

The pool is used three days a week by Jack Tizard students and by members of the local community on the other two days.

" We have a brilliant staff team who are innovative, creative and continually working to adapt the curriculum to meet the very specific needs of the pupils," says Cathy.

The report echoes this, saying: " The outstanding curriculum supports learning and teaching well. Students clearly enjoy school. This is evident in their very good behaviour and by their happy smiles when they enter school and are greeted each morning.

" Although medical problems prevent a minority of students from attending school as often as they would like, students love being in school and the school makes every effort to ensure they attend regularly."

Cllr Helen Binmore, Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council cabinet member for children’s services, said: " Jack Tizard’s success is a credit to the dedication of head teacher Cathy Welsh and her team of teaching staff and therapists. We are thrilled for everyone at the school.

" The state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool is an invaluable facility not only for the school but also for the local community. All of the borough’s special schools are now judged to be outstanding – which is a truly impressive achievement for all concerned."

The four other H&F special schools to be judged Outstanding by Ofsted are: Woodlane High School (May 2011), Cambridge School (July 2010) and Queensmill School (March 2010) along with the Bridge Academy, a pupil referral unit (June 2010).

November 18, 2011