ACT Schools

Overview

ACT Schools provides a “nurturing and inclusive ethos” for pupils with additional learning needs, where staff generally adapt approaches to meet emotional and well-being needs successfully. While the majority of pupils make “suitable progress” in personal development, the school is “not fully compliant” with the Independent School Standards (Wales) Regulations 2024, primarily due to variable teaching quality and inconsistent curriculum planning.

Strengths

• Staff know pupils well and successfully support their “emotional and well-being needs,” fostering trusting relationships.
• The school has “secure provision for identifying and reviewing additional learning provision” through an effective ALN panel.
• Safeguarding systems are effective, with leaders demonstrating a “strong understanding” and taking “swift and suitable action.”
• Pupils benefit from a “suitably broad curriculum” and engaging enrichment activities that raise aspirations.
• Many pupils develop positive social skills, confidence, and “suitable” reading and numeracy abilities.

Areas to improve

• Improve the “quality and consistency of teaching and assessment” across the school.
• Strengthen curriculum planning to ensure it builds “systematically and coherently” on pupils’ knowledge and skills.
• Improve attendance rates, which remain “too low” for around half of the pupils.

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding systems are effective, with leaders having a “strong understanding,” implementing “safer recruitment processes effectively,” and ensuring “swift and suitable action” is taken in response to concerns.