New Ways School

Overview: New Ways School provides a supportive environment where pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities can thrive. The school has made significant improvements since the last inspection, but there are areas where it needs to improve.

Strengths:

• Pupils achieve remarkably well, considering their previous challenges in engaging with education.
• The school successfully prepares pupils for their next steps, including further education, training, or work.
• Attendance has improved for the vast majority of pupils, with staff working to overcome barriers to attendance.
• Behaviour is a strength of the school, with pupils learning from staff and behaving well in lessons.
• The school is inclusive, providing a bespoke package of learning and support for each pupil.
• Pupils develop responsibility in various ways, such as caring for school animals or preparing their own lunches.
• The school provides a broad range of experiences, including visits to museums and outdoor activity centres.

Areas to improve:

• The school needs to ensure there is an effectively implemented assessment system in all subjects so that pupils' work is regularly and thoroughly assessed.
• Leaders should ensure staff, including support staff, have the skills and information they need to provide precise and effective support so pupils learn consistently well.
• The school has not demonstrated that there is a framework in place to assess pupils' work regularly and thoroughly in all subjects.

Safeguarding: The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfilling their specific responsibilities and establishing an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.