Ofsted report highlights good work

Located in the South London, the school’s report praised the school for the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

Highlights from the report include:

• Staff are caring and attentive to pupils’ needs. They make sure that every decision is made with pupils’ best interests in mind.

• The school encourages pupils to prepare for their next steps in education.Pupils go on outings to help build their independence, for example to the local shops and library. Staff take account of pupils.

• Underpinning the school’s curriculum is the support that pupils get to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour. A team of therapists and specialists in special educational needs and/or disabilities works with teaching staff to personalise targets and strategies for pupils. They check the impact of these carefully and amend them as necessary to ensure that pupils receive the support they need.

• A range of visual resources are used to help pupils develop language and communication skills. Pupils are taught the language of sequencing from an early age – helping them to follow school routines and having a consistent approach to lesson structure so that pupils know what to expect at each point in the day
• The school promotes reading for pleasure and is committed to helping pupils become fluent readers. Staff use a structured phonics scheme effectively to teach pupils how to read. Pupils have individual support with their reading to help them practise their reading skills. They make use of the school’s library and attractive ‘reading corners ‘around the school and read a wide range of texts.

• The school is a calm and positive place. Staff model respectful behaviour through their warm professional relationships with pupils. They teach pupils to be kind and patient with each other. Pupils are taught about other cultures and religions, including through music and art lessons.

Head Teacher Lorraine Titchener commented

‘The Ofsted inspectors felt that this was a kind and nurturing place for pupils to attend school and that children told them they felt safe and listened to. We have always prided ourselves in offering a life-changing love of learning and we are thrilled that the inspectors were able to see this in action. ‘