St Rose's Special School

Overview

Pupils with complex special educational needs and disabilities “flourish” at this special school, benefiting from “very positive, caring relationships” with staff. The school’s vision ensures pupils are “well prepared for their current and future lives” through a curriculum that nurtures curiosity and integrates therapy with education.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate “exceptional” behaviour, supported by staff who know each child’s social and emotional needs “exceptionally well”.
• The “seamless integration of therapy and education” helps pupils manage emotional responses and communicate effectively, including through eye gaze technology.
• Personal development is strong, with pupils learning about citizenship, relationships, and the wider world in “highly bespoke ways”.
• Staff well-being is prioritised, resulting in a workforce that is “overwhelmingly proud to work at the school”.
• Pupils are “exceptionally well prepared for adulthood” through individualised guidance and visits to local colleges and workplaces.

Areas to improve

• The teaching of reading is not consistently adapted to meet the learning needs of some pupils in certain curriculum areas.
• Subject leadership is relatively new, and the curriculum in a minority of areas is not yet fully implemented or consistently well sequenced.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”