Larwood School

Overview

Larwood School is described as a "happy and safe place to learn" where pupils settle quickly despite previous educational disruptions. The report highlights that staff take time to understand individual needs, fostering trust and enabling pupils to make "huge strides" in behaviour and attendance.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate "Outstanding" behaviour and attitudes, learning to "regulate their own behaviour exceptionally well" within "purposeful and calm" classrooms.
• The curriculum successfully gets pupils "back on track" with learning, supported by effective use of education, health and care plans and high-quality support for social and emotional needs.
• Reading is prioritised with daily phonics instruction; older pupils who joined unable to read gain confidence and improve their "accuracy and fluency" over time.
• A broad curriculum includes life skills such as cooking and swimming, alongside exciting events like ‘Larwood’s Got Talent’ that allow pupils to "showcase their performance skills".
• Parents are "highly positive" about the difference the school makes to their child’s behaviour and family life.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure curriculum content is "consistently well defined" in all subjects, as learning targets can sometimes be "too broad" rather than pinpointing exactly what pupils need to do.
• The wider leadership team is still developing; senior leaders should ensure new subject leaders have the skills to "evaluate the provision" in their areas of responsibility consistently.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a "well-established culture" where skilled staff know how to respond if a pupil may be at risk of harm.