Portesbery School

Overview

Portesbery School continues to be a good school, described as a ‘happy school where everyone matters’. Pupils are ‘happy, safe and well looked after’, with staff who ‘care deeply’ and understand individual communication needs. The curriculum is tailored to pupils’ specific requirements, embedding education, health and care plan targets effectively.

Strengths

• Staff ‘exploit every opportunity to teach pupils important life skills’, including safety and functional literacy through real-world experiences like visiting local cafes.
• The curriculum ‘caters well for pupils’ individual needs’, using effective communication strategies such as visual timetables, symbols, and signing.
• Pupils enjoy a rich variety of activities, including outdoor learning, therapy dogs, horse riding, and the popular ‘sing and sign’ choir.
• Leaders have improved early reading, with a ‘much more consistent approach’ to phonics helping pupils recognise letters and blend sounds.
• Staff feel ‘well supported by the headteacher’, with workload and well-being prioritised, while governors provide ‘effective support’ and hold leaders to account.

Areas to improve

• Senior leaders must ensure curriculum leaders ‘evaluate more effectively how well the curriculum is being implemented’ to guarantee consistency across all areas of the school.
• Leaders should develop ‘more effective record-keeping processes’ to address minor shortcomings in recruitment checks and staff training records, ensuring statutory duties are always fulfilled.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with skilled professionals following clear systems to address concerns swiftly, though record-keeping processes need strengthening.