Stanley School

Overview

Stanley School continues to be a good school, providing a broad and balanced curriculum tailored to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have established a clear vision following previous leadership changes, creating a united team where staff feel respected and pupils feel safe, happy, and valued.

Strengths

• Pupils form trusted relationships with staff and feel safe, with leaders dealing effectively with any bullying or inappropriate behaviour.
• The curriculum is carefully organised to meet wide-ranging needs, with individual plans based on education, health and care plans.
• Staff adapt teaching well, using symbols and communication aids effectively to help most pupils improve their communication and interaction.
• Leaders place communication, language, and personal skills at the heart of the curriculum, ensuring pupils become fluent readers through systematic methods.
• Governors hold leaders to account, and staff well-being is prioritised, resulting in a proud and united team.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure the curriculum clearly identifies the small building blocks of knowledge pupils will acquire, as insufficient detail sometimes slows achievement.
• Leaders should ensure staff use teaching activities well matched to developing the specific knowledge and skills pupils need, as unsuitable tasks occasionally limit progress.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff receiving regular training and remaining alert to changes in pupils’ manner to refer concerns quickly.