Green Gates Academy

Overview

Green Gates Academy has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” This special school provides a “nurturing” environment where pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are “happy” and make “timely progress toward their personal goals.” The report confirms that the school continues to deliver high-quality education and care, with strong relationships between staff and pupils.

Strengths

• The curriculum is “well crafted” and designed to support the “range and changing needs of pupils with SEND,” incorporating advice from therapists.
• A “rigorous early reading programme” is taught well, helping pupils learn to read quickly and develop a “love of reading.”
• Staff know pupils “very well” and help them develop strategies to “communicate their needs and wishes” to become independent.
• Pupils enjoy diverse activities such as “bee keeping, horse riding, sporting activities and going on trips into the local community.”
• Staff feel “valued” and appreciate the training they receive, with workload considered in all decisions.

Areas to improve

• The school should improve teaching in foundation subjects so that pupils “learn well across all subjects,” as understanding is currently less deep than in core subjects.
• The school should continue to develop positive strategies to help all pupils “communicate and manage their feelings and behaviour well,” as some current strategies are not used to “consistent effect.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”