High Close School

Overview

High Close School continues to be a good school, providing an inclusive setting where pupils feel accepted and cared for. The inspection confirms that staff form strong, trusting relationships with pupils, delivering personalised support that helps them overcome barriers to learning and thrive.

Strengths

• Pupils speak highly of their education, feeling they "thrive in this inclusive setting" and settle quickly, with new arrivals making friends rapidly.
• Staff possess detailed knowledge of pupils’ needs, using Education, health and care (EHC) plans and tailored assessments to set "highly personalised, holistic and academic targets."
• Teachers and support assistants are skilled at checking understanding and revisiting concepts, ensuring the curriculum is sequenced towards pupils gaining recognised qualifications.
• Behaviour expectations are high, with well-established routines helping pupils engage; staff take a consistent approach to support those needing help to manage their behaviour.
• All pupils requiring additional support receive targeted interventions for reading and literacy, including phonics programmes for those with gaps in knowledge.

Areas to improve

• Governors should "urgently sharpen their monitoring processes" to provide effective challenge and support, as they currently lack clear oversight of school improvement priorities.
• Leaders must review and improve the curriculum offer for careers education to ensure it includes a broader range of vocational pathways and "purposeful, world-of-work learning pathways."

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."