The Willows School

Overview

The Willows School is an inclusive specialist setting where pupils with special educational needs and disabilities thrive in a "calm, friendly atmosphere." Leaders have established "very high expectations around attendance," resulting in rates above the national average, while staff expertly support pupils’ social, emotional, and mental health needs. Although the school meets expected standards in most areas, the recently revised curriculum requires consistent implementation to address variable knowledge gaps.

Strengths

• Attendance is "above the national average" due to leaders’ actions to "identify and remove barriers" and positive relationships with families.
• Pupils "behave very well" and feel safe, with staff being "extremely successful in helping them to manage their feelings and regulate their behaviour."
• Personal development is central to the school’s work, with pupils gaining independence through activities like "outdoor education, horticulture, carpentry, bricklaying and broadcasting."
• Staff use education, health and care plans to "shape learning and personalise support," ensuring pupils make progress from their individual starting points.
• Parents "praise the way the school makes a significant and positive difference to their children's lives."

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure the revised curriculum is "implemented effectively and meets the needs of all pupils," particularly as it is currently at an "early stage."
• Staff need to "consistently identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and act swiftly to address them," as current approaches are variable in some subjects.
• The curriculum for writing requires further development, as some pupils "do not catch up as quickly as they could."

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing "an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed."