Aurora Poppyfield School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 May 2025

This is a nurturing and inclusive school where pupils are supported to engage with learning in a meaningful and personalised way. A strong culture of understanding and belonging runs throughout. Staff and pupils recognise and celebrate individual differences. Relationships are fundamental to the school's success. Staff invest time and care in building trust. This underpins the school's calm, respectful and purposeful environment. The school has identified the specific times in the school day where pupils particularly struggle to maintain positive behaviour. They have carefully crafted the timetable to combat this and support pupils to be successful. Pupils are well supported to develop confidence and resilience. There is a robust emphasis on understanding each pupil's unique social, emotional and academic needs. The highly individualised approach is recognised by staff and pupils alike. As a result of the school's work, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. This includes helping pupils to understand how to keep themselves safe online and in the real world. Staff are acutely aware of the specific risks that pupils here may encounter. They adapt the curriculum offer and provide bespoke support to counter these risks and equip pupils for life beyond the school gates.

What the school should improve

• Staff do not always use the most effective pedagogical approaches during lessons. This means that sometimes pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should continue to train staff to understand and utilise the best approaches when presenting information and content.
• Attendance remains persistently low for some pupils. As a result, these pupils develop further gaps in their learning. This hampers their achievement. The school should continue to address this using their renewed systems and maintain a rigorous approach.

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