Blackwater Academy Sandwell

Overview: Blackwater Academy Sandwell is a proposed independent school that is likely to meet all the independent school standards when it opens. The school will provide education for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, and will have a sole proprietor.

Strengths:

• The school's planned curriculum ensures that pupils can learn across a broad range of subjects.
• The school has a clear sequence of learning in place for each subject that is likely to support pupils to build on what they already know to make further progress.
• The proprietor has ensured that there is a written policy for relationships and sex and health education available to parents.
• The school has trained all teaching staff in their chosen phonics scheme to support those pupils who are at an early stage of reading.
• The proprietor has carefully considered how best to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of prospective pupils.

Areas to improve: The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.

Safeguarding: The proprietor has ensured that the proposed school's safeguarding policy meets all requirements, and leaders are well informed about the types of safeguarding vulnerabilities and risks of the locality and their prospective pupils.