Chadsgrove Educational Trust Specialist College

Overview

Chadsgrove Educational Trust Specialist College provides education for young people with severe and profound special educational needs. The report highlights an "ambitious inclusion strategy" and "strong standard" achievement, noting that students "significantly exceed their targets" and make considerable progress towards independence. While leadership and inclusion are praised, teaching quality is currently at an "expected standard," with some lessons requiring better planning.

Strengths

• Leaders have an "ambitious inclusion strategy" and use sector expertise to identify gaps in regional provision for visually impaired students and those with moderate learning difficulties.
• Students "significantly exceed their targets" in their education, health, and care plans, developing resilience, confidence, and independence in daily living skills.
• Therapists and tutors work closely to design individual programmes, ensuring students with significant medical needs, such as PEG feeding, can attend lessons and make sustained progress.
• High-quality facilities, including "purpose-designed therapy pools" and calming outdoor spaces, reduce barriers to learning and help students maintain wellbeing.
• Students demonstrate "high levels of respect" for each other and actively participate in community projects, such as reviewing business accessibility and communicating with local politicians.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure new tutors deliver well-planned teaching so that students benefit from the "highest quality teaching and learning," addressing instances where lessons leave students unprepared.
• Leaders should develop career advice and guidance to ensure all students have detailed progression plans and experience extensive work opportunities.
• Leaders should continue to support students in acting as advocates for themselves to raise the profile of barriers faced by students with high needs.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an "open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility" and concerns are actively identified and managed.