Highshore School

Overview

Highshore School continues to be a good school, described by parents as a ‘family’ where children achieve well academically and personally. It is a ‘calm, happy and safe environment’ where leaders prioritise therapy support and foster pupils’ confidence, independence, and communication skills.

Strengths

• Leaders use education, health and care plans to tailor curriculum pathways, ensuring pupils study a ‘broad range of subjects’ and appropriate qualifications.
• Reading is prioritised with a new phonics approach, helping pupils become ‘more confident in learning to read’ and enjoy using the library.
• Teachers possess ‘secure subject knowledge’ and successfully adapt activities for pupils using communication devices and assisted technologies.
• Pupils are ‘kept safe and are well looked after’, with rare incidents of poor behaviour or bullying, fostering a kind and respectful community.
• Sixth-form students benefit from college placements and work experience, preparing them well for ‘adulthood and employment’.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ‘refine their curriculum thinking across all subjects and pathways’ to ensure learning is precisely identified and well sequenced, preventing activities from lacking focus.
• Leaders must ensure all staff have a ‘high level of expertise in the teaching of reading’, as some lack the skills to promote phonics knowledge effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders taking a ‘proactive approach towards working with different agencies’ to support families early.