Crowdys Hill School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Crowdys Hill appreciate the nurturing environment that the school has created. They know that staff care for them and do their best to meet their needs. Pupils feel safe and well supported.

As a result, they are happy and behave well.

All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school makes sure that this does not limit its ambition for pupils' achievement.

From Reception Year to the sixth form, staff have high expectations of pupils. They experience a coherent curriculum that builds the life skills they need to succeed in adulthood.

Pupils learn to respect each other's differences.

By their example, s...taff help pupils to treat each other with kindness. Pupils develop close, trusting relationships with staff. Skilled staff, including therapists, work together to support pupils' development.

For example, they help pupils to develop their communication skills effectively.

Pupils benefit from a wealth of activities outside of the classroom that help to expand their interests and develop independence. For example, the extensive school farm provides a rich source of experiences.

It provides many opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities and raise their self-confidence. Sixth-from students take part eagerly in adventurous outdoor activities on the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school provides pupils with an ambitious, well-designed curriculum.

From the time children join the school, leaders strive to shape the curriculum to pupils' particular needs. Pupils, including those with the most complex needs, learn a broad range of subjects. The school develops pathways to support pupils' individual education, health and care (EHC) plans.

This leads to most pupils experiencing learning that is well matched to their aptitudes so they achieve well.

Leaders have weaved preparation for adulthood into all aspects of the curriculum. A strong emphasis on communication helps pupils to develop confidence to successfully communicate their needs, likes and dislikes with increasing independence.

The school identifies and addresses the communication and early reading needs of pupils accurately. Reading skills are taught well. The reading curriculum progresses seamlessly from the primary phase into the secondary phase and beyond.

Consequently, pupils build their communication and fluency in reading no matter where they start from.

Most staff skilfully adapt the curriculum and encourage creativity across all subjects. Pupils' successes are celebrated.

This motivates them to go further with their learning. However, some staff do not have a thorough understanding of the curriculum. This hinders their ability to adapt learning to precisely the right level for some pupils.

The sixth-form curriculum develops students' confidence further. Students achieve functional skills qualifications in mathematics and English alongside other academic and vocational courses. Staff encourage teamwork.

There is a rich array of activities that build independence and prepare students for the world of work. This is largely successful, enabling the great majority of students to progress into further training or employment.

The school is continually shaping the curriculum around pupils' needs.

Staff try to identify the next small step each pupil should take. Although staff regularly check on pupils' learning, these checks are not being used as well as they could be to develop the curriculum further to match pupils' needs.

The school's personal development programme is well thought through.

It is relevant and effective. The school's personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum allows pupils to experience a wide range of learning opportunities. For example, secondary age pupils attend a firefighting course.

These expand pupils' horizons. Pupils' empathy and understanding of the world are encouraged well through activities, such as helping a local homeless charity.

Strong relationships between staff and pupils ensure that most pupils are well motivated, learn with enthusiasm and behave well.

Pupils recently demonstrated their self-confidence beautifully when they presented to a large audience at a conference. They are proud to belong at the school.

Most pupils attend school regularly.

The school's recent efforts to improve attendance have had some success. Leaders are tenacious. They place a high priority on this work.

Even so, a few pupils, particularly in the sixth form, still do not attend well.

Over the last year, the governing body has made significant improvements to the way it works. It now has an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses.

This allows governors to support and challenge school leaders effectively. Staff are proud to work at this school. Most feel they are listened to and that any concerns about their workload and their well-being are considered.

The governing body is determined to ensure that the performance of the school continues to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not ensured that all staff have the depth of understanding in their subject area that they need.

Consequently, they are sometimes not able to adapt learning closely to pupils' needs. The school should ensure that all staff receive the support they need to deepen their subject understanding. ? The information from regular checks made on pupils' learning is not used as effectively as it could be to improve the curriculum in some subjects.

This slows efforts to ensure that pupils learn well. The school should ensure that assessment information is gathered and used to inform curriculum development more precisely. ? In the past year, the school's efforts to improve attendance have produced positive results.

However, some groups of pupils still do not attend well. This hinders their progress through the curriculum. The school should sharpen the actions it takes to encourage regular attendance, particularly in the sixth form.