Riversides School

Overview

Riversides School is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. The report describes a setting where leaders have established a "caring ethos" and "warm relationships" that help pupils feel "calm, secure and ready to learn." While personal development is rated at a "strong standard," other key areas including achievement, attendance, behaviour, curriculum, inclusion and leadership are judged to meet the "expected standard."

Strengths

• Personal development is "highly effective," with pupils learning to "manage worries and build emotional resilience" through routines and calm spaces.
• Staff successfully help pupils who have had "negative experience of education" to rebuild trust, develop a "sense of belonging" and engage with learning.
• Careers education provides "highly personalised guidance" and effective partnerships support smooth transitions to further education or training.
• Safeguarding is effective, with an "open culture" where concerns are "actively identified, acted upon and managed."

Areas to improve

• Leaders should improve how staff check for gaps in understanding, particularly in writing, to ensure pupils make "rapid progress."
• Learning must be "consistently adapted, supported and modelled" so all pupils can access tasks and apply learning with independence.
• Leaders should strengthen the "therapeutic support offer" for vulnerable pupils to reduce barriers to their academic and social development.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, meaning leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.