Purple Oaks Academy

Overview

Purple Oaks Academy is a special school where pupils with autism and severe learning difficulties receive a tailored education. The report describes an environment where staff have high expectations, ensuring pupils develop communication skills, independence, and emotional regulation through a clearly sequenced curriculum. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and external agencies to support pupils’ individual needs, resulting in generally good behaviour and positive relationships.

Strengths

• The curriculum is "ambitious" and "clearly sequenced," allowing pupils to make connections across subjects and apply their skills.
• Staff establish "caring relationships" and clear routines, helping pupils feel "safe and secure" while adapting the environment to suit sensory needs.
• Pupils’ personal development is central, with strong emphasis on British values, charity fundraising, and preparing for life in "modern Britain."
• Early years provision is strong, with children settling quickly due to staff who "pay careful attention to children’s sensory needs."
• Most staff and parents are supportive, with parents describing the school as a "lovely, supportive, fun, happy, caring, educational environment."

Areas to improve

• Subject leaders must ensure teachers clearly understand the "important knowledge that pupils need to know for each subject," as this is not always clear in recently reviewed subjects.
• Leaders should ensure the new "systematic synthetic programme to teach phonics is implemented as soon as possible" and that all staff are trained, as current teaching does not meet pupils’ needs effectively.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective," with staff receiving up-to-date training and pupils learning how to keep safe and communicate worries from the early years.