Lakewood Special School

Overview

The inspection was significantly constrained by industrial action, as teachers refused to co-operate with the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI). Consequently, the ETI states it is “unable to assure parents and carers... of the quality of education being provided” and could not fully evaluate outcomes, provision, or leadership.

Strengths

• Pupils spoke “very positively about the care and support from the staff,” noting it “impacted positively on their learning.”
• Learners highlighted an “extended range of individualised accreditation available to them.”
• Pupils “emphasised how much they enjoy attending the school and participating in learning activities,” including a focus on independent living skills.
• Safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education.”
• Pupils report that they “feel safe in the school” and are aware of procedures if they have safety concerns.

Areas to improve

• The report identifies no specific areas for improvement because the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully” the quality of provision, curriculum, or leadership due to staff non-co-operation.
• The school is designated a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice” to address the lack of assurance regarding educational quality.

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education” and that pupils feel safe and know how to raise concerns.