Nightingale Community Academy

Overview

Nightingale Community Academy is a special school where pupils with complex social, emotional and mental health needs make "excellent progress from often low starting points." The report highlights a "calm, welcoming and friendly" environment where leaders prioritise safety, inclusion and long-term outcomes, resulting in high attendance and improved behaviour for many pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils build "secure foundations in reading, mathematics and wider knowledge" while learning to manage emotions and communicate effectively.
• Leaders use "strategic care, patience and determination" to rebuild trust, resulting in high attendance and personalised plans that help pupils attend more regularly.
• Staff take a "proactive and consistent approach" to behaviour, creating a "calm and predictable environment" with clear routines and sensory support.
• Inclusion is strong, with "personalised plans" and therapy support helping all pupils, including disadvantaged students, to make progress.
• Governance is "effective," with trustees providing "robust support and challenge" and leaders responding swiftly to concerns.

Areas to improve

• Teachers should "confidently check what pupils already know" to avoid recapping secure knowledge and move on to new learning sooner.
• Implement a "more systematic and consistent approach to pupils’ handwriting across all phases."
• Ensure lessons start quickly to prevent loss of learning time.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an "open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility" and concerns are actively identified and managed.