High Park School provides education for pupils with communication and interaction difficulties. All the pupils have statements of special educational need or education, health and care plans. The vast majority of pupils have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum condition and a significant number experience a range of other disabling conditions. All pupils are working significantly below age-related expectations. Just under half of the pupils are from White British backgrounds. A slightly smaller proportion are from Asian British backgrounds, predominantly Pakistani. There are a very small number of pupils from a range of other ethnic backgrounds. For slightly less than half the pupils, their first language is not English. Since the last inspection there has been a significant change in the staff structure of the school. This has led to an increase in the number of teachers and a reduction in the number of teaching assistants. Just under half of the staff have joined the school since the last inspection. The school has a range of specialist facilities and employs additional therapy staff, including aromatherapists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. The school health team works closely with the school. The local authority commissions the school to provide education to a small number of pupils not on roll at the school, but who are not attending any school setting. The local authority also commissions the school to provide a ‘Learn and Play’ service to support young children with communication and interaction difficulties who attend other schools and nurseries. This is to provide early help and support to the children, their parents and the schools and nurseries they attend. The school works with the Bradford District Achievement Partnership, a collaboration of special schools in Bradford. Inspection report: High Park School, 20–21 January 2016 7 of 9 Information about this inspection Inspectors made several visits to each of the bases and classrooms, jointly with leaders, to reduce the impact on pupils’ anxiety and to understand leaders’ view of the effectiveness of teaching. The visits to bases were for varying amounts of times and at different times throughout the two days. The arrangements for pupils’ arrival and departure were observed, as were the pupils’ dinner times. An inspector also visited the ‘Learn and Play’ provision and talked with a group of parents whose children attend the programme. Inspectors met with leaders and teachers to discuss their work, including those responsible for supporting pupils’ behaviour and those responsible for safeguarding. A meeting with the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors took place. An inspector spoke with the school’s external consultant and a local authority representative. Sixty-eight responses to Ofsted’s staff survey were considered, including 14 text comments. Twenty-one responses to Parent View (Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents) and 12 text comments were considered. Pupil achievement files and assessment information were reviewed, alongside samples of positive behaviour plans and information relating to how staff support vulnerable pupils. Information and records relating to all aspects of the school’s work were read and considered, including the single central record and samples of staff files.