Calder House School

Our View

Looks more like a country farmstead (which it formerly was) than a school – among the smallest we have visited. Pastoral location on edge of Cotswold hamlet close to Bath, Chippenham and M4 corridor. Lovely grassed area in centre of school (alas, no longer any chickens here since last avian flu scare) gives a sense of calm. Site extends across fields at rear to copses hiding historic World War II air raid shelters: a 'living history' lesson for excited pupils when they are allowed to go there. Calder House founded and owned by delightful Sandra Agombar who retains title of principal and lives on site with bursar husband – 'He also mows the grass,' we were told. Son, Edward (for whose SpLD benefit the original CH was created in London), works as a teaching assistant and is a living testimony to the school's success. After years at helm, Sandra lets head get on with running the show, though she clearly still looks upon school as her labour of love.

School is approached by gravelled drive with farmland to the side and rear. New classrooms (completed in 2002) and multi-purpose hall were built to replace formerly dilapidated farm outbuildings and connect to original school, which now houses administration, library and some ICT/teaching space. Large, covered barn provides great play and social space (containing purpose built play equipment) for break and lunchtime use – staff also read to children here. Some activities take place at mid-morning break (we saw some absorbed chess players – some involved in national schools' chess championships) and others (such as drama and gardening club) during lunchtime. Children bring their own packed lunches.

Pupils are a very mixed lot brought together by a common need for urgent remedial support. Unpretentious blue and white uniform – scope for improvement, we thought. Good cloakroom facilities with plenty of loos and space to change in and out of wellies and coats. We watched a captivating Monday morning assembly on the theme of 'learning from our mistakes' in which the head spun a moral tale about discovered theft, during which he managed to produce seventeen oranges from his jacket and trousers – quite a tour de force and much enjoyed by everyone. On Fridays, classes take it in turn to present assembly.

CH accommodates six classes of maximum eight children, though much of the work is in smaller groups or one to one. Each child receives two reading sessions a day when they are listened to and taught to read using specific programmes. A daily spelling lesson and two subskills lessons which might comprise one to one speech and language, specific dyslexic or gross and fine motor support. Other sessions include working memory (visual and auditory), spatial perception or extra maths support. Daily maths lessons: we saw one year 7 boy (who had already achieved SAT level 6) making considerable headway in this area. Seven full-time staff plus four teaching assistants and two volunteers. Staff:pupil ratio is 1:4. Whole school approach to SEN ensures all pupils attend mainstream lessons (taught as discrete subjects rather than thematically). Timetable gives way twice a term for theme days – recent ones include poetry day, maths fun day and Robbie Burns day.

In the morning, children move around with great purpose carrying plastic trays for their materials and checking the colour coded individual timetables sellotaped to the bottom of each. Pupils know where to go as timetables correspond with the differently coloured floors of each classroom. Afternoon lessons are age group based and the broad range of National Curriculum subjects includes RE, PSHE and Italian: chosen to avoid unfair comparison at home with siblings. Artroom displays we saw included pottery, gargoyles and geometric designs in the style of Klimt – 'Art has improved recently,' say parents. Music is class based at present and taught by a peripatetic teacher in the main hall; school choir with annual in-house as well as local events. We hope that school will introduce individual music tuition before long. Lively science classes make increasing use of the 'outside classroom' on the doorstep and pupils obviously enjoy their forays into the natural world around them. School's new minibus means pupils enjoy four external visits per term as well as going to swimming (own instructor and lifeguard) at nearby army barracks (25 metre covered pool) and away games fixtures, which parents say boys in particular enjoy. Annual activity week is organised on site and includes overnight camping for some. Considerable success in ESB exams including recent distinctions.

New head rates established system of individualised timetables and we were amazed at how smoothly it operates. We saw pupils working with Arrow software to improve auditory memory, others working on fine motor skills and dyspraxic children improving their co-ordination with the physiotherapist by moving backwards between special cones placed in the multi-purpose hall. Pupils use wide selection of word games with the speech and language therapist. Two ICT rooms are in constant use and serviced by an outside technician. Pupils were learning fractions with the aid of BBC 'Bitesize' software; Heinemann maths course used for older pupils and we watched a beautifully delivered lesson on symmetry. Care is taken to ensure that pupils do not 'miss' core teaching. We liked how pupils are organised to work with others of a similar level: this is kept under constant review. Parents speak highly of parent-teacher meetings where they get to have in depth consultations with key staff. New head has provided e-mail access to all staff which is 'really helpful'. Teachers re-evaluate each child prior to the start of each new term/half-term. Pupils take key stage 2 SATS with some spectacular improvements in attainment.

One third of pupils leave every year but this movement reinforces rather than detracts from school's mission; pupils sense that their time at CH is short and that they must make the most of every minute. Former pupils include PhDs, nurses and even an ice hockey player. This is a happy school where children can regain their self-esteem and learn to trust their teachers. 'Buckets of letters' from ex-parents praise work done here. Parents spoke of how primary schools had failed to deal with their child's dyslexia and how honest school had been in giving an accurate time-scale for putting things right. Short intervention is the aim here, not hanging on to pupils unnecessarily. Pupils are taught to cope with failure and then move forwards. Those we spoke to were eager to say how the school had helped them overcome their learning difficulties and how much they value the opportunity provided to improve. One father said school had 'been an absolute godsend' and he really meant it.

Head

Since 2008, Mr Andrew Day BEd (early forties) educated at Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera (only Welsh speaking comprehensive in West Glamorgan), then University of Wales Institute, Cardiff. Aim of teaching in Welsh medium thwarted by romance: followed wife Helen across Bristol Channel to begin teaching career at Bristol Grammar Lower School for first seven years (maths and ICT plus lots of games coaching), then to be director of studies at Hornsby House, Balham, for next three where he says, 'I had to rethink my whole approach to teaching'. Subsequently at Wycliffe Prep for three years, then similar period at Cheltenham College Junior prior to landing 'dream job' at Calder House. Hearty Welsh rugby player who is universally liked by pupils: has a real passion for helping dyslexic children realise their potential. Left Cheltenham College Junior as he disliked 'seeing perfectly bright children not making it through to the senior school'. Parents rate way head is 'bringing school up to date' and 'making the right changes'. 'Boys at CH really benefit from head's kind but firm approach,' glowed one satisfied mother. Enjoys getting away to native Wales or Cornwall with wife and two daughters (currently attending Red Maids in Bristol) in 'Daisy' – their trusty VW campervan.

Entrance

Full day's assessment to determine extent to which applicants are under-achieving due to SpLD. Parents commented that the assessment day was 'pupil friendly' and gave children 'a good chance to see what lessons were like'. Some referrals through LAs who currently fund 10 per cent of pupils. Frequent approaches via local preps who recognise school's unique contribution. Catchment covers area within 25-mile radius.

Exit

Aim to get pupils up to at least chronological reading, writing and maths age within three years or less before returning to mainstream state or independent education. Amazing success rate. Only a very few continue through special education.