THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL

Overview

The Secret Garden School provides a nurturing environment where pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities feel they belong and are safe. Staff use highly effective therapeutic approaches to help pupils overcome past struggles with engagement, fostering a love of learning and high academic expectations. The school meets independent school standards and is judged as Good across all inspection categories.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, feel cared for, and benefit from "highly effective therapeutic provision" that addresses their emotional and mental health needs.
• The curriculum in core subjects like mathematics and reading is well-developed, with staff using "effective phonics programme[s]" and promoting a "love of books".
• Pupils behave well, are respectful, and thrive in a well-equipped environment featuring sensory spaces and opportunities to care for animals.
• Leaders provide suitable independent careers advice, ensuring pupils are "fully informed about the post-16 options available to them".
• Parents are "overwhelmingly positive" about the education and care their children receive, and attendance has improved significantly.

Areas to improve

• The school must identify the precise knowledge pupils should learn in some foundation subjects to prevent gaps in knowledge and ensure pupils achieve as well as they could.
• Leaders need to consistently monitor how well the curriculum is implemented to provide timely feedback and support to staff where delivery is not as intended.

Safeguarding

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