Aurora Fairway School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 November 2023

Pupils are immediately made to feel welcome and valued at this school. There is a strong sense of respect and trust between staff and pupils. Pupils appreciate the attention to detail given to their individual needs and interests. This bespoke care means most pupils, including those who have been out school for some time, soon settle and are ready to learn. Adults see the positives in every pupil. They ensure that pupils are given opportunities and skills to be successful. Pupils enjoy having choices over their qualification pathways. They can pursue their talents and interests, whatever they may be. Staff go out of their way to help pupils reach their goals. Achievements are celebrated. Many pupils say this school is their first positive experience of education. Pupils can be themselves here. Many make friendships for the first time. Pupils know there are safe spaces to go to if they need to regulate their emotions, so the school is calm and disagreements are rare. Dogs who are used therapeutically, such as Baxter, are a much-loved and integral part of school life. Pupils enjoy regular horse riding, swimming, golf and kick boxing lessons. The outdoor nature area and cooking are also popular. Pupils like volunteering and fundraising.

What the school should improve

• In some lessons, some staff do not always match the activities closely enough to the learning intended. This means pupils do not always acquire the detail of knowledge outlined in the ambitious curriculum. Leaders need to provide staff with the pedagogical knowledge required to ensure that work set for pupils exactly matches the depth of knowledge they need to understand.
• The interventions provided for individual pupils are not always precisely focused on their specific learning needs or knowledge gaps. This means pupils are not having gaps in knowledge filled as quickly or effectively as they could. Leaders need to ensure that staff know how to set specific targets for pupils and design intervention activities which will allow them to make the progress they are capable of.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)