The Rise Free School

Overview

The report describes a special school for pupils with autism where leaders have taken "decisive and effective action" to improve education quality and behaviour. Pupils are better able to manage their emotions, and the curriculum is sequenced to help them build knowledge and independence. The school is rated as 'Good' overall, with 'Outstanding' personal development and sixth-form provision.

Strengths

• Personal development is 'Outstanding', with pupils gaining resilience, confidence, and independence through activities like sailing, travel training, and work experience.
• Bullying is taken "very seriously," with personalised mentoring reducing incidents; staff deal effectively with any rare occurrences.
• The sixth form offers vocational courses that support students in planning for future employment, university, or apprenticeships.
• Staff use personalised support plans to understand pupils’ needs, helping them manage emotional dysregulation and build trust.
• Attendance has improved for many pupils as staff address barriers to regular school engagement.

Areas to improve

• Teachers must routinely check pupils’ understanding and recall in all subjects to identify and address gaps or misconceptions.
• The reading curriculum beyond phonics needs clearer mapping, and all staff require training to support weaker readers across subjects.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.