The Waterloo School

Overview

The Waterloo School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at its previous inspection, where it was judged good for overall effectiveness. The report highlights a school where pupils are “exuberantly proud” and feel valued within a culture of “belonging and acceptance.” Leaders and governors collaborate effectively to support both pupil outcomes and staff well-being.

Strengths

• A “meticulously designed” personal development curriculum sets personalised targets that align closely with pupils’ education, health and care plan outcomes.
• Pupils benefit from a broad academic curriculum using “real life scenarios” and a highly effective induction programme to identify learning gaps.
• The school emphasises physical and mental health through activities like trampolining, swimming, and sailing, helping pupils develop “confidence and resilience.”
• Staff carefully manage pupil dysregulation, ensuring children quickly return to learning in a calm environment.
• Creative support helps overcome barriers to attendance, with most pupils improving their attendance over time.

Areas to improve

• Some pupils’ individual academic targets are not well defined, meaning learning sometimes moves on too quickly without sufficient opportunity to consolidate foundational knowledge.
• The school should ensure all staff are clear on how to support pupils in building foundational skills across the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.