Hexham Priory School

Overview

Hexham Priory School continues to be an outstanding school, providing a "warm and welcoming" environment where pupils "thrive." Leaders have created a setting where pupils feel safe, happy, and supported, with strong relationships between students and staff. The school effectively tailors its curriculum to meet the diverse needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Strengths

• The curriculum is "tailored to pupils’ needs" through three pathways, with "communication and interaction" at its heart, using strategies like eye-gaze technology and phonics.
• Staff work "seamlessly together" with health professionals, ensuring "exemplary" systems for checking progress so that "pupils achieve well."
• Pupils are "engaged and enthusiastic" in lessons, with staff skilfully adapting teaching to personalise learning and manage behaviour sensitively.
• Leaders have "dramatically improved post-16 destination opportunities," with more students accessing work, college, and training.
• Staff wellbeing is prioritised through actions to "reduce their workload," and staff "enjoy working at the school."

Areas to improve

• The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff receiving ongoing training to spot signs of concern and thorough record-keeping allowing leaders to "quickly follow up on any pupils where there are concerns."