Cambridge Park Academy

Overview

Cambridge Park Academy is a special school for pupils with autism spectrum disorder and moderate to severe learning difficulties. The report describes a calm environment where staff foster "warm and caring relationships" and use personalised targets to prepare pupils for adulthood. Leaders have established high expectations, resulting in consistent phonics teaching and effective support for communication and behaviour.

Strengths

• Staff possess "expert knowledge" of structuring language development, using aids like signing and visual timetables to help pupils communicate with confidence.
• Phonics teaching is "consistent across all lessons," with pupils demonstrating resilience when reading unfamiliar words.
• The learning environment is calm, with staff trained to understand the reasons behind pupils’ behaviours and supporting them sensitively.
• The curriculum for personal development helps pupils understand equality, consent, and positive relationships, with incidents of derogatory language being rare.
• Sixth-form provision successfully prepares students for adulthood through practical skills like budgeting and work towards formal accreditations.

Areas to improve

• Assessment procedures in subjects other than English and mathematics need further development to provide teachers with a "precise picture" of pupils’ subject knowledge.
• The curriculum for some pupils in the formal pathway lacks sufficient challenge, limiting opportunities to access higher-level accreditations.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with robust recruitment procedures, high-quality staff training, and swift action on concerns ensuring pupils feel safe.