Fairfield School

Overview

Fairfield School is confirmed as a ‘good’ school where leaders ensure the environment ‘embraces uniqueness’ for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The report highlights a relevant, well-planned curriculum that prioritises communication and is tailored to individual needs, supported by passionate staff and high expectations.

Strengths

• The curriculum is ‘well planned and sequenced’, building knowledge over time with frequent revisiting of learning to aid understanding.
• Staff possess strong relationships with pupils, knowing them very well, which ensures pupils ‘feel safe’ and behave well with no bullying concerns.
• Reading has a ‘high profile’ across the school, with consistent phonics teaching and immersive resources supporting literacy and communication.
• The school provides extensive specialist therapeutic facilities, including a sensory garden and hydrotherapy pool, to meet complex needs.
• Post-16 students access a curriculum leading to qualifications that support ‘personal, social and employability skills’, with some securing employment.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure all subject leaders fully understand the ‘formal pathway curriculum offer’ so it can be adapted for pupils progressing to more formal study.
• The assessment system requires further embedding in all subject areas to enable leaders to ‘measure pupil progress fully’.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, with secure systems, comprehensive record-keeping, and strict protocols ensuring concerns are reported promptly within a 15-minute timeframe.