Killard House Special School

Overview

Killard House Special School is described as having a "very welcoming and caring school ethos" with "very high levels of satisfaction" among parents and staff. The inspection found that pupils achieve "good outcomes" across a broad curriculum, supported by "very good" quality of provision and effective leadership.

Strengths

• Pupils "enjoy their learning" and are "well engaged," achieving outcomes in communication, numeracy, and life skills.
• The curriculum is "broad and vibrant," with "skilful use of creative and expressive subjects" to celebrate pupil strengths.
• "Most of the learning and teaching is very good or better," featuring well-planned lessons with "active learning experiences."
• There are "very effective arrangements for careers education," including work experience placements with local employers.
• Staff demonstrate "in-depth knowledge of the pupils’ holistic needs" and collaborate effectively to plan individual education plans.

Areas to improve

• The school must "monitor and evaluate the provision for learning across the school at all levels."
• The School Development Plan priorities "do not focus sufficiently on baseline positions informed by previous evaluations."
• Accommodation is "inadequate" for post-16 provision, and urgent health and safety remedial work is required for stair handrails, pathways, and workshop machinery.

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements "reflect the guidance from the Department of Education" and that pupils "feel safe in the school."