Hill Croft Special School

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was conducted during industrial action, meaning teachers did not cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the ETI states it is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education provided for the pupils.” The report relies on documentary evidence rather than classroom observations.

Strengths

• A “strategic, incremental and detailed school development plan” supports the dissemination of good practice.
• Staff have devised a booklet on sharing good practice to “develop the learning and teaching policy and to support new teachers.”
• A “clear cycle of assessment” has been developed and shared with staff, parents, and pupils.
• A “comprehensive pastoral framework” tracks pupils’ needs, with individualised support strategies implemented.
• Links with other schools allow staff to share practice in areas such as “play, activity based learning and behaviour.”

Areas to improve

• Further focus is required on the impact of shared practice on “pupils’ learning and outcomes.”
• There are “inconsistencies in the quality of the evaluations and the feedback to staff” regarding annual targets.
• An assessment team must be established to address gaps, such as assessments for pupils in sensory classes.

Safeguarding

The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” but the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements” due to the industrial action.