The Harbour School

Overview

The Harbour School is described as a place where pupils are "well looked after" and receive appropriate emotional support. While behaviour and personal development are rated as good, the overall effectiveness and quality of education require improvement due to ongoing curriculum redesign.

Strengths

• Staff "kindly and sensitively" manage tricky situations, ensuring pupils feel their best interests are at heart.
• Pupils access "fun and engaging activities" and regular trips that build confidence and positive social interaction.
• A "rigorous reading curriculum" with high-quality training helps staff plug gaps, making many pupils "confident and fluent readers."
• The PSHE curriculum effectively teaches important topics such as risk, consent, and respecting others.
• Attendance has improved significantly, with staff working closely with families to remove barriers.

Areas to improve

• Curriculum plans in some subjects lack a "logical sequence," making it harder for pupils to build knowledge step by step.
• The current assessment system does not match the new curriculum, hindering staff’s ability to spot pupil progress.
• A small number of staff do not use the chosen behaviour approach consistently, delaying pupils’ return to focus.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."