Woolgrove School, Special Needs Academy

Overview

Woolgrove School, Special Needs Academy continues to be a good school, where pupils thrive in a supportive environment described as a place where everyone ‘lives, laughs and learns together’. The inspection confirms that leaders and staff share an ‘unwavering determination to provide the best learning experiences for all pupils’, resulting in a calm, purposeful atmosphere where children feel safe and happy.

Strengths

• Pupils settle quickly and value the ‘family’ community, with bullying being rare and staff effectively helping children manage anxieties.
• The curriculum is ‘well thought out’, with pupils following tailored ‘pathways’ that ensure they learn subjects in ways that work for their specific needs.
• Reading and communication are central to the curriculum, supported by a ‘systematic approach to teaching phonics’ that fosters a love of reading.
• Staff demonstrate ‘secure knowledge of the subjects they teach’ and use practical methods to help pupils remember more, while teaching assistants work ‘very closely as a team’.
• Leaders prioritise staff well-being, creating a ‘supportive atmosphere’ with a ‘remarkable sense of teamwork’.

Areas to improve

• In a small number of subjects, there is ‘minor variation in the expertise of staff’, meaning pupils do not always make the best possible progress; leaders should continue their planned staff development programme to ensure consistent delivery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a ‘strong culture of safeguarding’ where ensuring pupils are safe is a major priority and staff are well trained to spot risks.