The Milestone School

Overview

The Milestone School is a well-led special academy where pupils with complex needs thrive in bespoke learning environments. Inspectors found that the school provides a broad, balanced curriculum and strong pastoral support, resulting in good behaviour and personal development for all pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils experience a "broad and balanced curriculum" with "bespoke learning environments" tailored to their individual education, health and care plans.
• Staff demonstrate "strong subject knowledge" and use effective strategies, such as visual schedules and sensory resources, to support pupils’ "self-regulation" and readiness to learn.
• The school ethos of "be brave, be kind, be safe" is evident, with staff celebrating achievements and providing "strong pastoral support" to families.
• Pupils benefit from "positive experiences to broaden pupils’ horizons," including residential visits, enterprise projects, and outdoor adventurous activities like sailing.
• Safeguarding arrangements are "effective," with an open culture that puts pupils’ interests first.

Areas to improve

• A minority of subject-based teaching does not build on a "precise understanding of what pupils already know," which slows learning and fails to address misconceptions promptly.
• Monitoring systems for new curriculum pathways and policy changes are "still being refined," with some expected information not yet firmly established.

Safeguarding

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