Alternative Centre of Education

Overview: The Alternative Centre of Education provides a supportive environment for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who have had negative prior experiences of school. Staff build strong relationships with pupils, helping them to settle and value the opportunities to gain new knowledge. The school's work is underpinned by high expectations, ensuring that pupils leave well-prepared for the future.

Strengths:

• The school strives to improve the life chances of pupils, with staff taking time to understand their complex social, emotional, and mental health needs.
• Staff use knowledge effectively to build strong working and trusting relationships with pupils, leading to a calm and purposeful environment.
• The school provides a wide personal development programme, teaching pupils about topical issues, different faiths, and protected characteristics.

Areas to improve:

• A few pupils who join the school with very low reading and writing skills are not routinely supported well enough to catch up as quickly as they can, limiting their access to the wider curriculum.
• Some pupils do not get the exact support they need to gain reading fluency quickly, with the school's support to address reading and writing difficulties not being as effective as it could be.

Safeguarding: The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.